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  1. Games

9 iconic video game skies, 'artistically' improved with wolf-moons

Features
By David Houghton published 14 January 2015

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

A modern classic

A modern classic

Of all the new art spawned by human minds over the last decade, the legendary three-wolf moon is perhaps the most affecting. Powerful, poignant, rousing, and not at all tacky enough to make a person's eyes burst, its early, not at all ironic success as an Amazon top-selling t-shirt has spawned a bona fide cultural phenomenon. Everyone worships the moon-wolf. All aspire to its natural, raw emotion and endlessly yearning purity.

So many games these days claim to be artistic, to contain depth and meaning beyond the mere pushing of buttons and killing of baddoes. But without moon-wolves and wolf-moons, all are mere charlatans. Shallows jokes in comparison. So I've decided to improve them by adding that which they lack. Click on. You'll see. Spellbound, you'll be, spellbound.

Page 1 of 11
Page 1 of 11
Batman: Arkham Asylum

Batman: Arkham Asylum

Because sometimes, standing alone on a rooftop, staring grimly into the night just isn't poignant enough on its own.

Page 2 of 11
Page 2 of 11
Grand Theft Auto 5

Grand Theft Auto 5

A skyline to make any Mirror Park-listening hipster weep with ironic joy.

Page 3 of 11
Page 3 of 11
The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask

The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask

Twilight Princess cross-over confirmed!

Page 4 of 11
Page 4 of 11
No Man's Sky

No Man's Sky

I sort of hate to do this to such a beautiful game, especially before it's out, but any game whose screenshots contain so damn many moons is asking for it.

Page 5 of 11
Page 5 of 11
Mortal Kombat

Mortal Kombat

Perform a double-flawless followed by a Fatality when a wolf howls at the moon in order to unlock secret character, Lupine. Don't worry though, he'll be in the main roster in part two.

Page 6 of 11
Page 6 of 11
Portal 2

Portal 2

Still alive. And howling.

Page 7 of 11
Page 7 of 11
Destiny

Destiny

Because even if you're an ambiguous, silent, interstellar entity of unknown origin, hovering in vigil above the last human city in the galaxy, you can always be a bit more poetic if you put in the effort.

Page 8 of 11
Page 8 of 11
To the Moon

To the Moon

Surely a wolf-moon can only make such a game even more heartfelt and emotional? Oh sorry, it can utterly wreck it too? Oh right. Let's click on then...

Page 9 of 11
Page 9 of 11
Ghouls 'n' Ghosts

Ghouls 'n' Ghosts

LOL THE OTHER KIND OF MOON LOL IT IS A JOKE

Page 10 of 11
Page 10 of 11
That's no moon...

That's no moon...

So those are my current efforts in making video games more legitimately artistic. But what about you? Are there any other video game skies you think are just begging for the awe and majesty that only a wolf-moon can impart? Let me know.

And while you're here, why not check out some of our other, ridiculous, Photoshop whims. I'm a particular fan of 12 game characters face-swapped with Nic Cage, myself, and I'm also rather partial to Solid Snake doing mundane, everyday jobs.

Page 11 of 11
Page 11 of 11
CATEGORIES
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David Houghton
David Houghton
Long-time GR+ writer Dave has been gaming with immense dedication ever since he failed dismally at some '80s arcade racer on a childhood day at the seaside (due to being too small to reach the controls without help). These days he's an enigmatic blend of beard-stroking narrative discussion and hard-hitting Psycho Crushers.
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