Source: A-1 Pictures
When a game is so good, you can’t help but want more out of it.
Sometimes, game to anime adaptations can be quite hit or miss. Sure, there may be a few adaptations that are just plain meh, but there are also titles out there that do justice to the games they were based on, and even sometimes lend more depth and nuance to the overarching story.
Looking for a videogame to anime adaptation that’s worth the time to watch? We’ve got you covered!
NieR: Automata Ver1.1a
Number of episodes: 24
Video game: NieR: Automata
If you’ve played NieR: Automata, you know how much of a masterpiece this game is. Acting as a sequel to Square Enix’s Nier, NieR: Automata thrusts you into an earth that is embroiled in a proxy war between androids and alien machines, and the philosophical struggle of what it means to fight and to live as you play the characters of androids 2B, 9S, and A2.
The anime adaptation, titled NieR: Automata Ver1.1a doesn’t exactly tell a faithful retelling of the videogame’s story, but it does the game justice by expanding on each character’s lore, even including characters and plot points from NieR’s manga series “YorHa: Pearl Harbor Descent.” You’ll need a lot of tissues to wipe away your tears once you finish watching this!
Cyberpunk Edgerunners
Number of episodes: 10
Video game: Cyberpunk: 2077
Acting as a prequel to Cyberpunk: 2077, Cyberpunk Edgerunners masterfully takes us on an emotional and heartwrenching ride filled with blood, guts, and tears.
Although it doesn’t delve into Cyberpunk: 2077’s story, Edgerunners immerses you in the seedy underbelly of Night City with the harrowing cautionary tale of teenager David Martinez. Thrust into the dangerous world of being an “edgerunner,” David does what it takes to survive as a victim of a world that’s utterly unfair towards poorer people like him, even if it’s on the other side of the law, and even if the stakes depend on his life.
Persona 4: The Animation
Number of episodes: 24
Video game: Persona 4
Persona anime adaptations can be quite hit or miss, but Persona 4: The Animation does a great job of translating the game’s story into the anime format with lots of funny gags, emotional moments, and action-packed sequences in between!
But what makes this adaptation shine is the way it gives such a vibrant personality to the main character, who is given the name Yu Narukami. Persona is known for its silent self-insert main characters; it’s one of the main reasons why it’s so difficult to enjoy their anime adaptations when the main characters are very difficult to translate from videogame to TV. Persona 4: The Animation proves otherwise, and it’s a really enjoyable watch!
