Highlights

  • The Last of Us and Halo TV adaptations have different approaches to source material, impacting fan reception and future potential.
  • The Last of Us stays mostly faithful to the game, drumming up hype for future seasons, while Halo takes bold liberties with its established lore.
  • Streaming services are embracing video game adaptations, but success lies in honoring the source material while making necessary changes.

Both The Last of Us and Halo's franchises have received major TV adaptations with the popularity of these two properties birthing live-action adaptations for streaming services. The Last of Us making a home at Max while the Halo series has found its place at Paramount+ has offered gamers two interesting versions of some beloved titles. However, when it comes to the teams behind these shows, they have been approached in vastly different ways.

The Last of Us and Halo aren't the first games to receive a live-action adaptation, but they are two of the most recent properties to get the television treatment. As live-action takes on video games continue to grow in popularity, The Last of Us and Halo have been two of the most talked about on the list. That said, they have been received very differently.

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The Last of Us and Halo's Different Approaches To The Source Material

The biggest difference between these two adaptations is how they handle the source material. Choosing how to handle the source material when adapting a video game is probably one of the most important choices studios have to make before going ahead with these projects. On the one hand, studios don't want to drift too far away from the source and alienate longtime fans, while on the other hand, the show's writers want to provide something new to audiences as well. It's a delicate balancing act that The Last of Us achieved better than the Halo series, at least at first.

The Last of Us Staying True To The Games

One of the main aspects of The Last of Us that has given it such praise from critics and viewers is how true it stays to the games. The show is tremendously faithful to the first game, probably thanks to Neil Druckmann being a major part of the production. The Last of Us series does make changes here and there, like the tear-jerking change to Bill and Frank's story, but the overall essence of the show is nearly identical to the game.

From the set design to character portrayal, the show stayed pretty spot on with its adaptation, which has drummed up a lot of hype for future games and the show's upcoming second season.

The Halo Series Takes Chances

Rather, the Halo series takes liberties with its source material. These changes to Halo's lore have been divisive, and whether these changes work well or not is subjective. Although it's a bold move for the Paramount+ series to steer away from such long-established lore, it does give a fresh take on the franchise. But these changes may have ultimately kept the Halo series from igniting excitement for future games and seasons the way The Last of Us has. Despite a rocky first season, the second one has been an improvement, so there may be room for the Halo series to walk in the footsteps of The Last of Us eventually.

Streaming Services Are Beginning to Fully Embrace Video Games

Creating live-action versions of popular gaming franchises seems to be the new trend in film and television. With Amazon Prime set to add its own addition to the list with its Fallout adaptation, it's clear that there's a market for these revamped takes. However, it seems that the key to a successful adaptation is honoring the source material while only making changes that seem necessary or serve the story even better.

The main fault of the Halo series is that it seems to have steered too far away from the games it's based on and too early. The Halo franchise is over 20 years old, so it can be risky to play with such longstanding story elements. Although Halo may have taken some bold risks compared to The Last of Us, both shows seem to have found invested audiences.