Until recently, it was commonplace to say that all video game adaptations were terrible. Fortunately, the situation changed for the better, thanks to the general rise of geekdom adaptations. Nowadays, we have more than decent movies based on video games, with occasional masterpieces. Video game TV shows are the newest trend in live-action since many appeared in the early 2020s. So, here are ten of the best TV shows, live-action or animated, based on video games. We'll update this ultimate list of video game TV shows regularly after some heavy hitters join the market. 

10. "Resident Evil: Infinite Darkness"

"Resident Evil: Infinite Darkness" follows Leon Kennedy as he looks into a security breach in the White House, which is under siege by zombies. The story takes place in 2006, two years after Resident Evil 4 events.

In the meantime, according to Claire Redfield, a fictional nation called Penamstan, emerging from the civil war, suffers a T-virus outbreak. To unearth criminal schemes among the White House employees and ultimately stop the T-virus from spreading, Leon and Claire work together. This show was ambitious but had no consequence for the game universe, therefore resting on the sidelines.

9. “Digimon Adventure”

Many primary school students were involved in the Pokémon vs. Digimon conflicts in the 1990s. Yet, it's evident that Digimon more than merited its place on the monster-catching schedule when comparing the two series and how they changed (or remained the same). 

The quality of different Digimon incarnations fluctuated, but the series could have impressive emotional depth and character development. It leaned more toward sci-fi and intricate continuous stories than its Poké-rival did. When it worked, Digimon was more of a coming-of-age tale than a story about the sheer development of monsters.

8. "Halo"

The Xbox game franchise served as the basis for the eagerly anticipated Paramount+ series. It follows the Spartan supersoldier Master Chief in the year 2552 as humanity fights the Covenant, an alliance of alien races. Master Chief's forgotten memories start returning as he finds a mysterious alien artifact. However, that causes problems for his crazy scientist supervisor Dr. Catherine Halsey (Natasha McElhone).

This long-running project was announced to be in development in 2013. Yet, the COVID-19 epidemic caused production delays after the series' launch in October 2019. The outcome is a visually appealing show with gripping fighting but a convoluted plot.

7. "Alien Isolation - The Digital Series"

Alien: Isolation, a video game released in 2014, followed Amanda Ripley, the adult daughter of Ellen Ripley. Her mission is to find out what happened to her mother and the Nostromo crew 15 years after the events of Alien. In the game, Amanda is stranded with a xenomorph on the deserted Sevastopol space station. 

The CGI-animated digital web series explains how Amanda and the Weyland-Yutani team ended up in Sevastopol and what happened to cause so many members of the team to perish. Regarding how the titular aliens entered other habitable space colonies, it also fills in some mythology blanks. Despite being web-exclusive, this show was surprisingly good and faithful to the Alien lore.

6. "The Witcher"

There was great anxiety when Netflix released the first image of Henry Cavill wearing his white Geralt wig in 2018. Fortunately, our worries were in vain. "The Witcher" appears grimy, worn out, and authentic. Thus, it has a lived-in appearance, which is what players want from their video games.

"The Witcher" makes viewers feel like they are genuinely a part of this universe. The series only grew more assertive in its second season after adopting a unique but perplexing multiple-timeline design in the previous one. We care about Geralt's friendships with Ciri and Yennefer and watch with bated breath as he vanquishes a monster. We just don't have the controller in our hands.

5. "Dragon's Dogma"

The protagonist of "Dragon's Dogma," based on the aforementioned computer game, is Ethan, who leads a tranquil existence with his family in the village of Cassardis. Ethan is revived by a mysterious pawn he calls Hannah after a dragon decimates Cassardis, massacres everyone in the town, and rips out his heart.

Thus, Ethan and Hannah set out to slay the dragon that had destroyed Ethan's world. The thrilling action of the game's epic fights and the dark fantasy of its setting are on display in Netflix's brilliantly animated Dragon's Dogma anime. This is one of the sleeper hits, and viewers ought to pay it much more attention.

4. "Castlevania"

Netflix and Powerhouse Animation Studios successfully animated a long-running and acclaimed Castlevania series. The program follows Sypha, Alucard, and Trevor Belnades as they band together to protect Wallachia from Dracula's goblins.

Nearly everyone praised Castlevania during its four seasons. The show received high acclaim from critics for its animation, voice cast, thematic resonance, and action sequences. Thus, many regarded it as one of the best works of animation of the new millennium. The fourth season, released in 2021, marked the series' end. However, Netflix is presently working on a spin-off focusing on Richter Belmont.

3. “Cyberpunk: Edgerunners”

A near-perfect anime version of the famed Cyberpunk 2077 by CD Projekt Red debuted in 2022. As a prequel to the game, "Cyberpunk: Edgerunners" follows David, a street boy who grows up to become a black-market mercenary. It takes place a year before the game's events.

Contrary to its more contentious source material, "Cyberpunk: Edgerunners" was well-received by critics. Critics praised the character development as well as the series' distinctive and stunning action scenes and aesthetics. Unfortunately, a sequel is not in the works, as it is only a miniseries. However, it's good to know that an anime saved one of history's biggest gaming launch disasters.

2. "The Last of Us"

In HBO's video game adaption, Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsay portray two main characters, Joel and Ellie. The show centers on a smuggler sent to accompany a teenage girl across a post-apocalyptic and zombie-infested America. During their travels, they will explore the post-apocalyptic world and try to avoid contact with horrible mutants and the fictional virus.

"The Last of Us" got almost universal praise, just like the HBO dramas that came before it. Many people praised Pascal and Ramsay's performances, as well as the show's fidelity to the original material and willingness to address more severe problems, thanks to its dystopian setting.

1. "Arcane"

Despite its streaming shortcomings, Netflix is the go-to source for high-quality animated programming. Therefore, 2021's "Arcane: League of Legends" is the best example. The story centers on sisters Vi and Jinx, who end up on opposing sides of the growing struggle between Piltover's wealthy elite and Zaun's persecuted underclass.

Arcane received raving praise upon publication. Reviewers complimented the voice cast, thematic gravity, and unusual animation style. Additionally, Riot Games' already impressive League of Legends universe was successfully expanded, bringing its story to a new audience. 

It used to be said that most video game adaptations were doomed from the start. Thankfully, the major studios began investing significant resources and talent once they discovered their potential. As a result, we received some incredible video game TV shows, including some rare gems. Thus, it makes sense to anticipate even better adaptations in the future.

What is your favorite video game-based TV show? Which shows would you add to the list?

Cover photo: TopTens.fun/Midjourney