Video game universes that deserve a spin at the tabletop (and what game would you use)

[The Butcher]

Borderlands. The run-down aesthetic, the wasteland planet, the venal yet heroic protagonists, the corporate big bads, the alien mystery. This franchise pushes so many of my buttons that I sometimes think of running it. I think the protagonists all could be accurately modeled as starting Traveller (Classic/Mongoose/Cepheus) PCs, though the intense gunplay of the series might not be the best fit for the system; if one wants a combat-heavy game, with leveling and loot as well, Stars Without Number might be a better fit.

Elder Scrolls. This one's had more than one fan adaptation (that I'm looking into right now) and even an abortive module by Bethesda itself (marred by plagiarism) but it really did deserve a comprehensive, official Runequest (Mythras) edition with all those fascinating races and factions laid out for ease of use. With material for each clasic era (ESO, Morrowind, Oblivion, Skyrim).

Warcraft. This one's had some adaptations but IMHO none that's ever done it justice. Shadow of the Demon Lord is probably the system that's come the closest to it in spirit.

 

[Baragei]

even an abortive module by Bethesda itself (marred by plagiarism)

It just works!

 

[Wormturn]

Overwatch: I like the idea of a supers setting with tightly defined power sources, and Overwatch's near-ish future blend of bio/cyber/science origins and its lack of magic, with a theme of sentient AIs vs humans vs humans, is something I'm currently cannibalising for a future game. I'll be taking Champions Now out for a spin, but you know how it is with superhero systems...whatever one of the eleventy billion works best for your table.

Star Wars Battlefront II: The juxtaposition of the Star Wars setting and OMG WAR IS RELENTLESS GRINDING SPLATTER-HELL AIIIEEEE gameplay is something I'd quite like to see at the tabletop. I dunno what I'd use though: a reskinned Twilight 2000? Phoenix Command? More seriously, probably M-Space.

 

[CRKrueger]

For Warcraft I'd do what EverQuest D20 did - Take whatever version of WotC D&D you want, and do a massive conversion to make all the game stuff fit. I don't know that 5e has enough Shiny Gubbinz to make a full Warcraft build, especially now that they go to massively high levels. You might need D20 or 4e. I suppose a more traditional SuperHero game (as opposed to the Punch Spidey in the Mary Jane kind) could do it too, since they're set up to handle set-piece Boss Fights with God and Demon Lord power levels as part of the genre.

Elder Scrolls, that's a no-brainer, Mythras like you said.

With Borderlands, it all depends on the tech porn. If you really want to geek out on all the different weapons and power abilities, then maybe something like FASA Shadowrun or Cyberpunk 2020 or Savage Worlds. If you don't really care about all the tech detail, just use Apocalypse World ( I wouldn't do it, but you like AW). It has pretty much the same setting anyway.

 

[Simon Hogwood]

Assassin's Creed: Never mind the modern-day bits, but dueling world-and-history-spanning conspiracies battling across history's most picturesque periods? This calls for a swashbuckling, pulpy ruleset, maybe Savage Worlds or Ubiquity.

BioShock: Probably this is actually a terrible idea since most of what makes the game is the visual atmosphere, but if it could be pulled off . . .

The Legend of Zelda: Pretty much crying out for a Dungeons & Dragons adaptation. Pelgrane has a Fantasy Western variant, Owl Hoot Trail, that I think would make a great basis for this, as it reduces the six stats to three that map fairly closely to LoZ's Triforce.

 

[Weru]

The X-COM franchise would make for some good tabletop fun. Savage Worlds or OSR D&D, maybe BRP would be a way to go. Not sure how I'd represent the research and engineering part of the game.

Horizon Zero Dawn is an interesting setting. Would prolly use BRP for that.

A Grand Theft Auto TTRPG could be some dumb fun but I've never really found a good tabletop system for cars and car chases.

Final Fantasy would seem like an obvious one, but I'd much prefer Suikoden or Vandal Hearts (which is class based and would make a decent D&D setting).

FIFA cos you can release a new edition every season

EDIT: Can't believe I forgot Battle Brothers a really fun tactical skirmish game where you're the captain of a Mercenary company.

 

[The Butcher]

Star Wars Battlefront II: The juxtaposition of the Star Wars setting and OMG WAR IS RELENTLESS GRINDING SPLATTER-HELL AIIIEEEE gameplay is something I'd quite like to see at the tabletop. I dunno what I'd use though: a reskinned Twilight 2000? Phoenix Command? More seriously, probably M-Space.

Funny because (1) I am installing this game right now and (2) on the subject of "franchise videogames where the official franchise RPG would be a poor fit" I'm forced to mention Warhammer: Vermintide which might work best with D&D5 or Savage Worlds than any WFRP that I know of.

With Borderlands, it all depends on the tech porn. If you really want to geek out on all the different weapons and power abilities, then maybe something like FASA Shadowrun or Cyberpunk 2020 or Savage Worlds. If you don't really care about all the tech detail, just use Apocalypse World ( I wouldn't do it, but you like AW). It has pretty much the same setting anyway.

AW does leave us out of the loot train and lots of playbooks don't quite fit the endless shoot-out thing (Hardholder, Skinner, Angel spring to mind).

SW is one I left out because funnily enough it's my knee-jerk response to "adapt videogame to tabletop."

 

[VisionStorm]

Deus Ex: Interlock/Cyberpunk 2020 (Obviously )

City of Heroes/Villains: Maybe Mutants & Masterminds, or Marvel Super Heroes RPG (FASERIP).

Legend of Zelda: Maybe D&D (not sure which edition)?

Castlevania: Also D&D.

Most video games I play these days are RPGs, though, some with their own tabletop RPGs already. I was playing Shadowrun Returns till a week or two ago, for example. I've also been playing Fallout 4 lately (settlements keep drawing me in), which also has a tabletop RPG (from Modiphius, *pukes*).

 

[TheophilusCarter]

Mass Effect, for sure. I would love something in Fate or Mythras, but even d20 would work okay (Esper Genesis is pretty Mass Effect-like ... ).

 

[Chris Brady]

It just works!

Couldn't resist...

Deus Ex: Interlock/Cyberpunk 2020 (Obviously )

City of Heroes/Villains: Maybe Mutants & Masterminds, or Marvel Super Heroes RPG (FASERIP).

Legend of Zelda: Maybe D&D (not sure which edition)?

Castlevania: Also D&D.

Most video games I play these days are RPGs, though, some with their own tabletop RPGs already. I was playing Shadowrun Returns till a week or two ago, for example. I've also been playing Fallout 4 lately (settlements keep drawing me in), which also has a tabletop RPG (from Modiphius, *pukes*).

I like these.

Huntdown: I'm waffling between Cyberpunk 2020 and Atlas Games Feng Shui. I'm actually working on a similar setting for when my Space Opera campaign ends.

 

[Simlasa]

One favorite old game of mine is Project Eden. A squad-based mix of puzzles and combat set in a huge Necromunda-ish city with vast amounts of old structure beneath the streets. There's a bit of transhumanism, creepy gangs and monsters. The good guys are a squad of police/troubleshooters who have to descend deep into the place to solve a growing mystery.
The setting seems like it should be full of stories but the game never got a sequel or a remake.
I'd probably want to use M-Space for it... or classic Traveller with some tweaks.

 

[Brock Savage]

My favorite guilty pleasure on Steam, Age of Barbarian. It has loincloth barbarians, Lovecraftian horrors, dinosaurs, apemen, and lots of nudity. Barbarians of Lemuria would be ideal for a short term game and, with a little work, I could make it work in 5e for long term play.

 

[Voros]

I grew up on arcade games in actual arcades, never owned a Nintendo or PC like most kids so I came to modern video games pretty late in my 20s and was converted/spoiled by discovering these great games that felt like natural extensions of classic arcade games because of their emphasis on mechanics, subtle thematic storytelling and visual design.

For system I think you'd need something crafted from the ground up for each one of these games and intended for one-on-one or small group play.







This one would probably be impossible to do properly as its effect is all tied into its mechanic but its setting is probably the closest to a conventional fantasy rpg...perhaps an Into the Odd base.



Now this one would be do-able with some variation of D&D or Mythras. Considering the magic system I'd say the latter although one would perhaps need a boosted power curve.

 

[Brock Savage]

@ Voros Mrs Savage happened to walk past while I was looking at your post and said they were very good games. I have not heard of any of them but will definitely check them out.

 

[Simlasa]

Shadow of the Collosus RPG, On The Shoulders Of Collosus

 

[Voros]

Looks promising.

 

[Supervisor194]

Civilization.

 

[Séadna]

The Longest Journey had a unusual fantasy world, but it would have to be fleshed out a bit.



Also the supernatural world of the Wadget Eye games Unavowed and the Blackwell series. Very World of Darkness but with some strange twists.

 

[Ladybird]

AW does leave us out of the loot train and lots of playbooks don't quite fit the endless shoot-out thing (Hardholder, Skinner, Angel spring to mind).

Moxxi would work as a hardholder, and Roland could pick up the playbook as a higher-level advance; Dr Zed could work as an angel, he's not ideal but almost everyone on Pandora is mad anyway. But I think you'd need to give characters a fighting playbook and a roleplaying playbook; there aren't enough combat mechanics in AW to hang an entire session around.

 

[Simlasa]

Looks promising.

There's not much to it really. Short and simple system for climbing up giant monsters and fighting them.

 

[Dumarest]

​

Ninjas and Superspies unless there's something better.

​

 

[EmperorNorton]

I still think that a modern (as in guns and rocket launchers, etc) take on D&D4e's system would be perfect for XCOM.

 

[Silverlion]

Mass Effect, True 20. It's in-game classes even break down to the main class lines on the game (you'd need the revised 2E book with class building rules) but it could be done.

 

[Chris Brady]

Mass Effect, True 20. It's in-game classes even break down to the main class lines on the game (you'd need the revised 2E book with class building rules) but it could be done.

To be fair, most of Bioware's games can be broken into D&D classes, so...

 

[Shipyard Locked]

Final Fantasy would seem like an obvious one...

The best thing about a Final Fantasy setting would be the ability to change classes back and forth like in FFV, FF Tactics, Bravely Default etc. It's a pain to justify in-lore but would be such a boon for players. I find that a lot of people want to change classes mid-campaign, so an official way to do that without losing the continuity of the character would be sweet.

 

[PolarBlues]

City of Heroes/Villains: Maybe Mutants & Masterminds, or Marvel Super Heroes RPG (FASERIP).

Oh yes, City of Heroes for sure. Great setting. I think there was an attempt, maybe even two, to make an official TTRPG based on CoH (I am sure I have the quickstart pdf somewhere).

Anarchy Online (huh?) has also a cool setting with a lot of potential.

 

[Halda]

Fallout: Hard to say what system. It was going to be GURPS based at first, but it has really moved away from that. There is also Exodus, which was going to be fallout until a license stuffup. I have had a bit of a look at it, seems serviceable. A D20 based system could work, or possibly BRP.

 

[The Butcher]

Oh yes, City of Heroes for sure. Great setting. I think there was an attempt, maybe even two, to make an official TTRPG based on CoH (I am sure I have the quickstart pdf somewhere).

A tabletop RPG was to be released by the late, lamented Eden Studios.

Eden head honcho and AFMBE auteur George Vasilakos even inspired a zombie-themed villain in the game!

 

[Doc Sammy]

Resident Evil: Using either BESM at low levels or GURPS 3E in general

Fallout: You could use GURPS or any of the d20 System spin-offs like Modern, Future, or Apocalypse

The Elder Scrolls: AD&D or D&D 3.5/Pathfinder 1E

 

[AsenRG]

Does mixing universes count? Because a mix of MK, Tekken, Virtua Fighter and Dead or Alive would be awesome!
Systems can be Fight: the Fighting Game RPG 2e, of course. Or maybe Metahumans Rising? Amusingly, GURPS 4E with Martial Arts and Technical Grappling might do a good job as well.

 

[under_score]

FTL: Faster Than Light: I would maybe use Fragged Empire due to its ship customization options and the way party members take roles operating different systems mirrors FTL pretty well.

Alpha Protocol: What's a good system for a modern day spy thriller? TSR's Alternity seems a good fit for building out agents and outfitting them, but it'd be a lot of work to strip out all the sci-fi stuff. I recall their Dark*Matter setting was pretty good for that, but then you'd need to strip out all the paranormal stuff.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance: Mythras would be good for this.

Sid Meier's Pirates!: Night Owl's Freebooters, or maybe Dumarest's Flashing Blades.

 

[Ladybird]

Mass Effect, True 20. It's in-game classes even break down to the main class lines on the game (you'd need the revised 2E book with class building rules) but it could be done.

I seem to remember GR trying to licence Mass Effect, but Bioware were crazy protective of the setting. They may be more willing now that the core ME storyline is done, but after the poor reception ME:A got (And ME:3, to a lesser extent), there may be nobody left wanting to.

I still think that a modern (as in guns and rocket launchers, etc) take on D&D4e's system would be perfect for XCOM.

I think ranges and scale are the problems with trying to replicate many videogame combat systems. TTRPG's can do melee-range tactical skirmish combat really well, and that's a good time, but for ranged combat to really feel fun at that scale you need to break out the big battle map, and... that's less fun. You also need to make the fights last a decent chunk of time, to make them feel worth the time investment, but that means less time for exploring the setting and doing RP; at that point, you may as well play either the videogame or Necromunda, depending on the experience you actually want.

(Incidentally, Necromunda is my answer for this question, and it's even legit as there's a videogame coming. GorkaMorka too, although that game was cancelled.)

Also in videogames, it's relatively easy to make weapons feel different (In real-time games) because of the level the player is interacting with them, whereas in many RPG's most weapons feel pretty similar to use; ranged weapons tend to feel like really long swords. It's inherently not going to be as satisfying.

 

[AsenRG]

Alpha Protocol: What's a good system for a modern day spy thriller?

Good question, indeed!
Terror Network. Millennium's End. Night's Black Agents. Feng Shui 2, for a more "action style" spy thriller (but at least cutting off the supernatural archetypes doesn't spoil anything).

or maybe Dumarest's Flashing Blades.

I'm sure Dumarest is flattered!

 

[Dumarest]

Dumarest's Flashing Blades.

Shhh...I haven't announced the acquisition yet!

With my aggressive marketing strategy and the inherent genre superiority of Flashing Blades, the days of D&D's marketplace dominance are numbered!

 

[AsenRG]

Shhh...I haven't announced the acquisition yet!

With my aggressive marketing strategy and the inherent genre superiority of Flashing Blades, the days of D&D's marketplace dominance are numbered!

FREEDOM!

 

[Brock Savage]

FTL: Faster Than Light

Dude I was totally gonna suggest FTL and Into the Breach but then I thought, "Nah, no one would think they're cool but me."

GorkaMorka too, although that game was cancelled.)

Gorkamorka is an excellent and underrated game.

Also in videogames, it's relatively easy to make weapons feel different (In real-time games) because of the level the player is interacting with them, whereas in many RPG's most weapons feel pretty similar to use; ranged weapons tend to feel like really long swords. It's inherently not going to be as satisfying.

I agree that under some systems all the weapons feel kinda samey which isn't cool. That said, ranged weapons usually feel different to me than melee because at the very least you have to deal with cover, LoS, range, and ammunition unless there's a great deal of abstraction involved.

 

[TheophilusCarter]

On the note of Fallout, I've been running a Fallout game on and off for a pal o' mine via email for some time. We're using the Doctor Who Roleplaying Game (Vortex system), and it works quite well. There are enough special abilities to use for mild PC mutations, and the alien creation rules are great for mutant creatures of all sorts.

 

[Dammit Victor]

C'mon... all y'all already know my first three answers are going to be Super Mario Bros, and Paper Mario, and Mario + Luigi-- in some sort of D&D clone-- but I do appreciate that you let me be the first to say it. Bonus points for the inclusion of Mario + Rabbids and/or Donkey Kong Country.

Is it cheating to name a videogame that already got a bite at the tabletop apple? Because we're coming up on the 30th Anniversary of Street Fighter: the Storytelling Game and I think we're overdue for an update incorporating the later videogames' mechanics (Super Meter/Moves) and lore, an update to the New Storyteller's system design, and various balance and bugfixes. This setting includes Final Fight and Rival Schools and is a precursor to Captain Commando.

Golden Axe for Barbarians of Lemuria. Brütal Legend for Barbarians of Lemuria. DOOM for Barbarians of Lemuria.

Phantasy Star, but don't ask me what system. Something D&Dish.

Kingdom of Loathing and West of Loathing, obviously as some kind of Microlite hack that incorporates their idiosyncratic naming conventions.

 

[Doc Sammy]

Red Dead Redemption: Boot Hill 2E or 3E

 

[CRKrueger]

Red Dead Redemption: Boot Hill 2E or 3E

I’d use Aces & Eights, especially since a lot of the Old West games use “QuickDraw Time” which maps pretty well to breaking out the Shot Clock for wound placement.