PlayStation has been the home to a diverse offering of fantastic stories. The brand has built its reputation on single-player narrative-driven titles, and as PlayStation continues to evolve, its stories have gotten even stronger as a result. The legacy of PlayStation is truly impressive, and with franchises like The Last of Us and God of War under its belt, that success continues.
The Last of Us and God of War have been some of the company's most successful exclusives, in general. These two series have further proven PlayStation's ability to harbor well-crafted, story-driven games, and this growth has also birthed a variety of spin-offs. Newer franchises like Death Stranding and Horizon carry this tradition forward, and if these series and other PlayStation exclusives want to continue their growth, looking to The Last of Us and God of War's embrace of comic spin-offs might be the key.
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The Last of Us and God of War Have Used Comic Books to Expand Their Lore
Comic Books Can Fill in the Gaps
Granted, there have been several PlayStation franchises that have had their own line of comic books, like Uncharted, Bloodborne, and Ratchet & Clank, but The Last of Us and God of War have used this medium as a way to really dive deeper into its characters and worlds. Between the two, other PlayStation-exclusive studios could benefit from taking note of how these franchises go about fleshing out their stories beyond the games.
The Last of Us: American Dreams
- Writers: Neil Druckmann and Faith Erin Hicks
- Publisher: Dark Horse
After The Last of Us launched, the Left Behind DLC followed several months before that. However, before the DLC, there was American Dreams. American Dreams and Left Behind are directly connected, as they both follow Ellie and her friend Riley before the events of the first game. Both give deeper insight into Ellie and her life in the Boston quarantine zone, shining a brighter light on the franchise's bleak post-apocalyptic world.
HBO's The Last of Us series is currently underway.
God of War: Fallen God
- Writer: Chris Roberson
- Publisher: Dark Horse
This comic spin-off takes place between the events of God of War III and God of War (2018). After defeating Zeus, Kratos sets off to escape his past, but that turns out to be a task far easier said than done. During his journey, he finds himself in Egypt, introducing an exciting new setting. This comic has even ignited speculation that the next God of War game will be set in Egypt. That remains to be seen, but regardless, the comic book is a fascinating look into Kratos' struggle against himself.
Santa Monica Studio has yet to confirm if the next God of War takes place in Egypt.
Three PlayStation Exclusives Are Begging for Comic Book Spin-Offs
- Death Stranding
- Ghost of Tsushima/Ghost of Yotei
- Helldivers 2
In this day and age, game development can take a long time, and comic books could be the answer to expanding the lore of particularly large franchises. Death Stranding and Ghost of Tsushima/Yotei could be the perfect stage for such storytelling to be told. When it comes to the former, Hideo Kojima has already made it clear that he's determined to expand the world through new mediums, like Death Stranding's A24-produced spin-off film. With the latter, players could revisit Jin while also getting a deeper look into new protagonist Atsu. Helldivers 2's lore is so action-packed and filled with great humor, comic writers would likely have a field day adapting the multiplayer shooter.
Ultimately, comic books are some of the best ways for games to be adapted into a new form while still maintaining their tone. PlayStation's knack for great exclusives is bound to continue, and while full-blown games are great, comic books could open the door for the company to broaden its storytelling capabilities.
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