Video Games: A "Novel" Idea

[VA1N]

I'm a huge fan of video games. I mainly play them for the story, although there are some games I get into the multiplayer of. But, for the most part, I'm a single player story driven consumer. Being that video games are finite and don't continue on past the ending (unless of course there is a sequel) sometimes I am left with a bad taste in my mouth. Maybe I wanted more of the story but am now left without any semblance on how this world will continue. It is this thinking that lead me down the path of the video game novel and comic book.

Hello, my name is Scott, otherwise known as VA1N around these parts. Usually, I post the news, but today I figured I would do something different, dare I say, special? I'm going to take you on a journey of some of the best non video game, video game books and comics on the market that you can sink your teeth...err, eyes into. So, grab your favorite pair of reading glasses, sit back, and relax.

Gears of War
Gears of War has quite the hefty universe. The two games only scratched the surface of all the material out there. For instance, did you know that Dom and Maria were married with kids by the time they were 18ish. Did you know that Dom's brother and Marcus were better friends than Dom and Marcus were? And that Dom was actually in a special forces group in COG army during the Pendulum Wars? Do you even know what the Pendulum Wars are? All of this information, I read in the Gears Novel called "Gears of War: Aspho Fields."

If after reading the novel you still thirst for some more gears of war stuff, you can always pick up the comic books. The comics are relatively new and were released around the same time as Gears 2. The novels range in stories with issues 1 - 6 being about the events between Gears 1 and 2, Issue 7 is about what happened to Tai after Dom and Marcus left him, Issue 8 is about the guy who left all those collectibles in the game you pick up, and Issue 9 (the most recent) is about a female COG who may or may not be in the 3rd game. Interesting stuff, huh? Comic image below of issue 7.

Mass Effect
Mass Effect has some of the most die hard fans out there in video game land. The story in the game was great and final to an extent, but definitely left room for advancement. If you want to read more about the story, you have two choices in novel form... Mass Effect: Revelation and Mass Effect: Retribution.

The first novel, Revelation, came out before the game was actually released. In this novel, you follow David Anderson, who was actually in the Mass Effect game (he was Shepard's commanding officer before he got control of the ship). This story is basically the entire storyline that Shepard is trying to get out of Anderson as the game plays along. You eventually are told what happens in Mass Effect, but for fans who read the book before the game was released, they got to know it all along and see things unfold in a different light. Just another way that video games are bridging the gap between mediums.

The second novel takes place after the events of Mass Effect the game and is supposed to bridge the gap between 1 and 2. You are introduced to many characters who are supposed to be present in part 2. Only time will tell though.

Dead Space
Ah, Dead Space. The biggest shocker to come out of EA in years. This game took us all by surprise and left us with more questions than we had answers. EA promises the upcoming Wii game will answer a lot of our questions but they really haven't shed too much light on the future...but they have about the past.

In the Dead Space comics, readers were shown the events that took place before the game and even before the movie. The events took place on the planets surface and showed how the infection came to rise and the forces behind it. The comics were a miniseries, so there were only a few, but real fans will be able to find them on ebay. Usually, they go for under 10 bucks for the lot, plus shipping.

The comic books events left off where the dead space movie, Downfall, picked up. In the movie, you see events unfold from within the Ishimura. The anime isn't too long, and is actually pretty good. It does a good job shaping up the events leading up to the hit game. If you haven’t played the game yet, this would be a good starter.

Dragon Age Origins
You may be thinking to yourself, what the hell is Dragon Age Origins? Well, dear reader, it's the upcoming game from BioWare (makers of Mass Effect) that takes place in a fantasy realm (think elves, dragons, and goblins) with the same layout as Mass Effect. There will be branching conversations, big story, the whole nine yards. For hardcore fans of BioWare, one thing we can always look forward to is a book prequel (they did the same with Mass Effect as stated above). Dragon Age Origins is no different. The lead writer for the game released a novel by the name of "Dragon Age: The Stolen Throne." In this book, you are basically shown the world where the video game will take place. You are introduced to characters such as Maric, the prince who had his thrown stolen away and his mother murdered in the night by a rival throne, and Loghain, the outlaw archer who helps him escape his captors to regain his throne. The book is amazing even if you aren't interested in the game. Lot of people over at Amazon seem to think the same. I highly recommend this read.

Prototype
Prototype is a newer game compared to some of the others on this list but it already has it's own comic. Released around the time the game came out, these comics follow the story of Alex Mercer as he comes to terms with his new found power. The cover art is done by veteran X-Men illustrator Jim Lee and is publisher by WildStorm (same as Gears of War comic). There is only 6 issues since it was a mini series, but they are good ones. The whole set can be found at a local comic shop since it's so new, or just go to ebay.

Halo
What, you didn't think I would forget about this guy, did you? While I haven't read any of the Halo books and comics, they bear mentioning due to the sheer amount of titles. From novels to comics and the upcoming anime, it seems us gamers can't get enough of the man in green. Below, you will find a list of just some of the ways you can get into the Halo universe through other media outlets.

• Halo: The Fall of Reach (Novel)
• Halo: The Flood (Novel)
• Halo: First Strike(Novel)
• Ghosts of Onyx (Novel)
• Contact Harvest (Novel)
• Halo: The Cole Protocol (Novel)
• Halo Uprising (Comic Series, probably the most popular)
• Halo: Helljumper (Comic Series, brand new)

These are just a few of the many different types of Halo media out there. Rest assured, with the new games coming out, you'll be seeing a lot more.

Resistance: Fall of Man

Resistance: Fall of Man was a big title for the PS3 when it initially launced. It was the game that led the system into next gen. It goes without saying that it garnered a pretty big fan following and when fans gather, other medias will too. Resistance went in two directions like most games with a novel by the name of "The Gathering Storm" and a comic series from WildStorm.

Others Not Mentioned
The world of video games have a lot more games out there that have been adapted to book, comic, or movie form. Just because it's not in this list doesn't mean it doesn't exist. If your favorite game wasn't mentioned above, check for it below in other games that made the transition to different medias. If you know of one or have a favorite that wasn't mentioned, talk about it in this thread.

Hope I was able to give you some extra information on the games you all know and love. I know it wasn't news, but I like writing things like this. Let me know if you do too and I'll try to keep it up.

Other Games Converted Into Comics/Novels:

• Starcraft - Lots of novels out there about Starcraft and a new comic series too
• World of Warcraft - countless novels and a pretty big selection of comics
• Mirror's Edge - No novels yet, but it looks like this was transitioned into a comic miniseries. So, if you loved the game, you'll love the comic.
  
• Dante's Inferno - Comics will be coming out soon, but this game is based on a poem (a big one in book form) by Dante Alighieri
• Warhammer - while it wasn't a video game first, there are a bunch of them. You can find novels galore on this universe...same with comics.
• Resident Evil - Resident Evil fans can find numerous novels that coincide with the games going all the way back to 1. I read the first 5 or so back when I was in high school and they are actually pretty damn good. Not too long either, about 200 pages each.
• Metal Gear Solid - Comics abound about this game with some being pretty hard to find. I tried finding some novels pertaining to the game but I think most were out in Japan.
  
• Silent Hill - Even though it was made into a movie by Uwe Boll as director, there are still other ways to get your Silent Hill fix. Numerous comics are out there as well as some novels. Check it out at amazon.

[SpikedDeception]

I was never the hugest comic fan, or for that matter a fan of video game related books, but I read a bit of the Angel comics and now I think I'm hooked.

So... Huh. So far, I'm liking the selection. As much as I liked Prototype, I don't think I'd like the comic. It was just too much of an emotion-stricken emotionless killer story. They wanted you to feel bad for a guy who, while having the coolest first name ever, had no problem randomly killing anyone, anything everywhere.

But, personally? I think I need to check out Dead Space and World of Warcraft, since I just got back into it. But Starcraft? STARCRAFT? Damn... If I'd known Starcraft had its own comic...

So, one of these days, you and I need to head back out to Chuck's on a scavenger hunt.

[VA1N]

Originally Posted by SpikedDeception

I was never the hugest comic fan, or for that matter a fan of video game related books, but I read a bit of the Angel comics and now I think I'm hooked.

So... Huh. So far, I'm liking the selection. As much as I liked Prototype, I don't think I'd like the comic. It was just too much of an emotion-stricken emotionless killer story. They wanted you to feel bad for a guy who, while having the coolest first name ever, had no problem randomly killing anyone, anything everywhere.

But, personally? I think I need to check out Dead Space and World of Warcraft, since I just got back into it. But Starcraft? STARCRAFT? Damn... If I'd known Starcraft had its own comic...

So, one of these days, you and I need to head back out to Chuck's on a scavenger hunt.

I pointed the damn comic out to you when we were there. You just had your nose so far into the Angel comic you didn't realize, lol. Here's the images for the starcraft comic series. So far, I think they only released 3.

[SpikedDeception]

Hey! Hey, hey! I would have remembered a STARCRAFT comic! You did no such move!

But in all honesty, if you did, yeah... I missed it COMPLETELY.

[VA1N]

I believe the starcraft comic is a monthly one too, which means it will keep coming out. I don't think it's a miniseries.

[vivians]

Groupe PPR le mois dernier pour devenir le premier actionnaire du parc de Chicago a été la base de la hausse des prix de détail à l'exercice précédent de 7 à 10 pour cent. Toutefois, Macaluso Président a déclaré la performance de l'entreprise en 2011 "est encore très forte" des chiffres de ventes ont été près de 2008 niveaux pré-crise. Elle croit que la force actuelle de l'impact replique montre franc suisse large, mais pour l'industrie horlogère suisse, la situation est quelque peu compliquée, surtout beaucoup de sa propre production et le développement de tous les composants et les mouvements montres tag heuer haut de gamme de l'entreprise (Chicago Park se produit également jusqu'à 100 mouvements). Plus le prix de l'or d'apporter une pression supplémentaire. 220 ans d'histoire du parc de Chicago, près de 80% des cas, fait d'or, la plupart des clients sont très friands de ce métal précieux, en particulier l'Extrême-Orient.Haut de gamme industrie horlogère suisse dans la deuxième année, les prix ont continué à riseRecently, l'industrie du luxe horloger suisse montres IWC conna?t un double test. D'une part, le franc suisse contre l'euro et le dollar a continué d'augmenter, seulement d'augmenter par rapport au dollar en Juillet a atteint 12,9%. D'autre part, l'or, replique de montre qui est largement utilisé dans de nombreuses montres haut de gamme, le métal, chute brutale des marchés boursiers mondiaux sous l'influence de highs.CHF est une forte majorité des problèmes rencontrés par la première société de montres.

[kittykoobee]

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