Skip to main content
GamesRadar+ GamesRadar+ GamesRadar+ The Games, Movies, TV & Comics You Love
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
flag of UK
UK
flag of US
US
flag of Canada
Canada
flag of Australia
Australia
  • Games
  • TV
  • Movies
  • Hardware
  • Video
  • News
  • Reviews
  • Guides
  • Deals
  • More
    • PS5
    • Xbox Series X
    • Nintendo Switch
    • Nintendo Switch 2
    • PC
    • Platforms
    • Tabletop Gaming
    • Comics
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • SFX
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
    • Newsletters
    • About us
    • Features
Total Film
Gaming Magazines
Gaming Magazines
Why subscribe?
  • Subscribe from just £3
  • Takes you closer to the games, movies and TV you love
  • Try a single issue or save on a subscription
  • Issues delivered straight to your door or device
From$12
View
Trending
  • Summer Game Fest
  • New games for 2025
  • Upcoming Switch 2 games
  • Switch 2 stock
Recommended reading
Death Stranding 2
Open World Games I'm enjoying Death Stranding 2, but I wish Hideo Kojima would stop teasing me with cool powers I'll never have
Marvel's Rivals
Third Person Shooters Marvel Rivals Vanguard mains say "there’s nothing we can do except hope a DPS can kill them" as the flyer meta dominates Season 2.5: "A tank exodus is probably not far from happening"
Marvel Rivals upcoming character Emma Frost seen in the Season 2: Hellfire Gala trailer
Third Person Shooters "Kneel, peasants": Marvel Rivals fans are thirsting over another hero, this time begging Emma Frost to use her chokehold ability on them
Marvel Cosmic Invasion
Action Games I was already excited for Marvel Cosmic Invasion after the studio's incredible retro TMNT brawler, and 30 minutes of hands-on has me even more confident that the spirit of '90s arcade gaming is alive and well
Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra screenshot of Captain America facing off against Black Panther
Action Games Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra – Everything we know so far about the upcoming superhero game
Marvel Rivals Doctor Strange Multiverse of Madness undead costume
Third Person Shooters Marvel Rivals' nerfs to Doctor Strange have turned him into a punching bag, and its taking me back to my nightmarish days as a Reinhardt main in Overwatch
Resident Evil Village
Games The 25 best video game villains you just love to hate
  1. Games

We don't need another hero in these comic book games

Features
By Lucas Sullivan published 8 October 2015

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

Doing it their way

Doing it their way

By now, you should know that comic books don't have to revolve around spandex, super powers, and noble deeds. Sometimes its more interesting to cast the spotlight on characters who would rather goof around than fight crime, or have no qualms with killing to accomplish their goals. Often, their lack of superpowers makes them that much more relatable - and relatable protagonists are the foundation of an excellent story.

Of course, it doesn't hurt to accentuate a fascinating narrative with some great gameplay. The following games' heroes (and antiheroes) may not have Batman's batarangs, Wolverine's claws, or Spider-Man's webs, but they'll entertain and enthrall you regardless, capturing the spirit of the comic books they're based on without turning them into required reading. Once you've played 'em, you'll probably want to go about changing that.

Page 1 of 10
Page 1 of 10
The Wolf Among Us

The Wolf Among Us

When you were a kid, you probably never imagined that the heroes and villains of your favorite fairy tales could also double as key players in an engrossing crime drama. Acting as a canonical prequel to Bill Willingham's comic series Fables, The Wolf Among Us is a brilliant mix of mythical elements and a gritty detective story, with fresh, contemporary takes on timeless (and copyright-free) characters like Snow White and Mr. Toad. You play as Bigby Wolf, who's reformed since his Big Bad days into the gruff, eminently likable sheriff of a hidden New York City district full of magical beings. TWAU is a stellar, perfectly paced murder mystery, full of tense conversations, tough choices, and satisfying 'Eureka!' moments. It also does a great job of blending storylines you recognize from your childhood with decidedly adult themes, but always in a tasteful way.

Page 2 of 10
Page 2 of 10
Rogue Trooper

Rogue Trooper

Judge Dredd is the most recognizable product of British comic 2000 AD, but don't count out Rogue Trooper, the blue-skinned footsoldier from the war-ravaged planet of Nu-Earth. Unlike Dredd, whose only noteworthy game is the pen-and-paper-style Judge Dredd: Countdown Sector 106, Rogue Trooper's actually starred in a worthwhile shooter. This third-person run-'n'-gun casts you as Rogue, a lone, genetically modified infantryman battling against an army across environments devastated by biological weaponry. Its gameplay isn't revolutionary, but interesting mechanics make up for it: the scavenging and crafting systems were ahead of their time, and you have the ability to fuse your fallen squadmates into your gear, giving your guns and armor actual personalities in the process.

Page 3 of 10
Page 3 of 10
Astro Boy: Omega Factor

Astro Boy: Omega Factor

You might know him from his long-running anime appearances or not-so-hot CGI film, but Astro Boy started out his robot-lad life in the pages of Osamu Tezukas manga over half a century ago. Its impossible not to adore this androids childlike demeanor and entirely innocent dedication to doing the right thing. Given his propensity for firing lasers out of his metal hands, much like Mega Man, it only makes sense to have Astro star in his very own sidescrolling platformer, made by the masters of 2D shooting at Treasure and Hitmaker. Flying around and zapping renegade robots is an absolute blast (pun intended), and Astro remains chipper and cherubic throughout. The complex plotline even manages to transcend the comics, wrapping nearly every character together in one unprecedented chronicle that encourages multiple playthroughs.

Page 4 of 10
Page 4 of 10
The Punisher

The Punisher

Frank Castle may ultimately be fighting on the side of good, but his methods would turn the stomach of any other hero out there. If threatening, beating, torturing, or murdering a hapless thug gets the job done, the Punisher will do it in a heartbeat. His dedication to vigilante vengeance is captured perfectly in this third-person shooter from Volition Inc., the developers best known for the Saints Row and Red Faction series. The tone of this PS2 game owes a lot to the comic run that revitalized the Punisher as hardboiled crime fighter: Garth Ennis and Steve Dillons The Punisher (also known as Welcome Back, Frank). It's worth playing just to witness Castles unflinching brutality - curb-stomping, dunking heads into deep fryers, and tossing thugs into shark tanks are all fair game in The Punisher.

Page 5 of 10
Page 5 of 10
Sam & Max Hit the Road

Sam & Max Hit the Road

This anthropomorphic animal duo got the 3D treatment courtesy of Telltale Games, but the charm and absurd wit of the original PC adventure can't be topped. LucasArts perfectly captured the buddy-cop dynamic between the straightforward gumshoe Sam and his maniacal little buddy Max, with hilariously quirky dialogue reminiscent of their comic book exchanges. The answers to the wacky puzzles actually feel like solutions that Sam and Maxs warped minds would devise, and the backdrops are unforgettable (what other game offers bungee-jumping from the nostrils of Mount Rushmore?). It's all the more authentic for the fact that Steve Purcell, the creator of Sam & Max, worked for LucasArts and was heavily involved with the project.

Page 6 of 10
Page 6 of 10
The Walking Dead

The Walking Dead

If you haven't played at least one season of the most renowned modern-day adventure series, you've been messing up. As with the original comic series by Robert Kirkman, Telltale's take on The Walking Dead smartly focuses on human drama, choosing to make the zombie apocalypse more of an ominous backdrop rather than a relentless, frenzied threat. The tender story of Lee and Clementine fighting to survive in this hostile new world is flat-out unforgettable, and every choice you make feels like it has substantial weight, whether or not the outcomes of your decisions end up being the same. Its most climactic scenes range from uplifting to absolutely devastating, but every moment is well worth experiencing for yourself.

Page 7 of 10
Page 7 of 10
The Darkness 2

The Darkness 2

When young mobster Jackie Estacado was imbued with the ancient evil known as The Darkness, he gained the ability to shear his enemies in half with enormous, sentient nether-tentacles and summon mischievous Darklings to do his bidding. But theres one thing stopping him from achieving godhood: all his powers are negated by sources of light. Jackie has to pick his targets carefully during firefights, making sure to strike from the shadows to maximize his offensive capabilities as he rends mobsters into bloody chunks. This polished FPS builds on the paranormal action and strong story of the first game, accentuating the sleek visuals and gory execution moves with a subtly cel-shaded aesthetic that looks just like the comics. It also introduces spiffy new abilities - most notably the power to engage in dual-pistol, dual-tentacle combat for a total of four lethal weapons at your fingertips.

Page 8 of 10
Page 8 of 10
Turok: Dinosaur Hunter

Turok: Dinosaur Hunter

There's a good chance you're familiar with the seasoned dino slayer known as Turok, either through the beloved N64 games or the so-so reboots of 2002 and 2008. But what you might not know is that Turok's origins lie in comics, dating as far back as 1974. Turok: Son of Stone tells the story of the Native American warrior Turok and his brother Andar, who wind up trapped in the dinosaur-infested Lost Valley and must fight to survive. That concept got a different spin for the N64 games, which decreed that the Turok was a champion chosen each generation who could keep the time-displaced Lost Lands separate from our reality. In any case, the original Turok still makes for a fine FPS all these years later, provided you can overlook the short, fog-filled draw distances. There's just something undeniably righteous about blasting shotgun shells into a T-Rex's underbelly or taking down a velociraptor with your bow and arrows.

Page 9 of 10
Page 9 of 10
XIII

XIII

This French-made comic about an amnesiac assassin makes for a memorable cel-shaded shooter, bridging a slick comic-panel style with FPS stealth. Full of conspiracies and political intrigue, XIIIs plot is as enthralling as its shootouts, with our disoriented protagonist trying to deduce whether or not he actually murdered the President of the United States. Stylish flourishes are everywhere: pinpoint headshots and precision knife throws are commemorated with freeze-frame close-ups, and enemies will often shout out their death screams in giant bold lettering. The game covers a fraction of the 20-volume comic run, up to the end of the fifth volume - which leaves plenty of room for a sequel, should it ever become remotely possible.

Page 10 of 10
Page 10 of 10
Lucas Sullivan
Lucas Sullivan
Social Links Navigation

Lucas Sullivan is the former US Managing Editor of GamesRadar+. Lucas spent seven years working for GR, starting as an Associate Editor in 2012 before climbing the ranks. He left us in 2019 to pursue a career path on the other side of the fence, joining 2K Games as a Global Content Manager. Lucas doesn't get to write about games like Borderlands and Mafia anymore, but he does get to help make and market them. 

See more Games Features
Read more
Death Stranding 2
I'm enjoying Death Stranding 2, but I wish Hideo Kojima would stop teasing me with cool powers I'll never have
Marvel's Rivals
Marvel Rivals Vanguard mains say "there’s nothing we can do except hope a DPS can kill them" as the flyer meta dominates Season 2.5: "A tank exodus is probably not far from happening"
Marvel Rivals upcoming character Emma Frost seen in the Season 2: Hellfire Gala trailer
"Kneel, peasants": Marvel Rivals fans are thirsting over another hero, this time begging Emma Frost to use her chokehold ability on them
Marvel Cosmic Invasion
I was already excited for Marvel Cosmic Invasion after the studio's incredible retro TMNT brawler, and 30 minutes of hands-on has me even more confident that the spirit of '90s arcade gaming is alive and well
Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra screenshot of Captain America facing off against Black Panther
Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra – Everything we know so far about the upcoming superhero game
Marvel Rivals Doctor Strange Multiverse of Madness undead costume
Marvel Rivals' nerfs to Doctor Strange have turned him into a punching bag, and its taking me back to my nightmarish days as a Reinhardt main in Overwatch
Latest in Games
Xbox Gamescom 2023 logo featuring a stylized city skyline in green
Of the 9,000 workers let go in Microsoft's layoff blitz, less than half were at Xbox specifically
Phil Spencer
"Phil is not retiring anytime soon": Xbox responds to rumors Phil Spencer is leaving after Microsoft's next console launch
Dying Light: The Beast
Dying Light dev Techland has reportedly chucked two more cancelled games into today's river of bad news
Elder Scrolls Online
After 18 years, Elder Scrolls Online director and studio head Matt Firor is leaving the company amid Microsoft layoffs: "There are many more stories to be told, adventures to be had"
Hades 2 Patch 10 lead art
I blinked and Hades 2 has another patch out, but here's the real news: Supergiant says it "will likely be our final patch before our v1.0 launch"
Link is in a barrel in The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker on Nintendo Switch 2
Twink Link is being freed: Nintendo apparently backtracks, says you are allowed to call yourself Twink Link as it works to unban a Switch 2 it "flagged by accident"
Latest in Features
María Gabriela de Faría as The Engineer
James Gunn's Superman may be setting up The Authority movie with its enigmatic villain The Engineer
Sam sits in a bike looking across at a city in Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
70 hours in, Death Stranding 2 is one of few open world games that justifies having such a huge map
Nintendo Switch 2
I can't use the Switch 2's handheld mode, so I'm hoping a Lite is on the horizon
Guy Gardner, Hawkgirl, and Mister Miracle as the Justice Gang in Superman
The Justice Gang explained - The non-Justice League in James Gunn's Superman may be influenced by team of classic DC supervillains
Team Fortress 2 characters looking at a map
I have 464 games on my Steam wishlist, 23 games in my Steam Summer Sale shopping cart, and I can feel my already overstuffed library giving me the side-eye
Heavy Metal Death Can demo screenshot
I got a nicotine rush and set zombies on fire in this PS1-style survival horror demo, and it's basically Resident Evil on a submarine
  1. Sam fires at the ghost mech squid boss in Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
    1
    Death Stranding 2: On the Beach review: "This tarpunk delivery epic is more Metal Gear Solid than ever, for better and worse"
  2. 2
    Rematch review: "As with Rocket League, the just-one-more-game pull is magnetic"
  3. 3
    Tron: Catalyst review: "Disc slinging is a thrill in this gorgeous rendition of the series, but I'm let down by a time-loop story that falls flat"
  4. 4
    FBC: Firebreak review: "A disappointingly bland multiplayer FPS that's missing far too much of what made Control special"
  5. 5
    Dune: Awakening review: "Both extremely compelling and extraordinarily boring, sometimes at the same time – yet still a true Dune love letter"
  1. A T-rex in Jurassic World Rebirth
    1
    Jurassic World Rebirth Review: "An unscary sequel that needed a little more time in amber"
  2. 2
    M3GAN 2.0 review: "A bold sequel with a slightly underwhelming conclusion"
  3. 3
    28 Years Later Review: "Enough terror, splatter and suspense to satisfy”
  4. 4
    Predator: Killer of Killers review: "Great characters, thrilling action, and gorgeous Arcane-esque animation"
  5. 5
    From the World of John Wick: Ballerina review: "Brilliant action, even if the plot gives you a sense of déjà vu"
  1. Lee Jung-jae as Gi-hun in Squid Game season 3
    1
    Squid Game season 3 review: "A staggeringly excellent final season wraps up one of the greatest Netflix shows ever"
  2. 2
    Ironheart review: "A relic of Marvel's content-at-all-costs era"
  3. 3
    Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3 review: "The show's most assured run of episodes to date"
  4. 4
    Doctor Who season 2, episode 8 spoiler review: 'The Reality War' is "a mix of the good, the bad, and the truly baffling"
  5. 5
    Doctor Who season 2, episode 7 spoiler review: 'Wish World' is "an exciting and ambitious" start to the season finale, with hints of WandaVision

GamesRadar+ is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

  • About Us
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Advertise with us
  • Review guidelines
  • Write for us
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Careers

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...