Comics are always fun to write about. The best part is always the investigation though. It’s an excuse to sift through the Internet and read dozens upon dozens of nerdy, fan-made comics wherein I either laugh hysterically, or scream, “yes exactly” on points that I agree with. Most of my articles have been about Nintendo properties like Mario and Pokémon, but I did write some Final Fantasy ones as well. I could probably cover those topics until the end of time since there is seemingly an endless supply out there. People really love those properties be it through comics, fan art, or just writing about them like me and the rest of the fabulous team here at TheGamer. That said I’ve come with a change of pace. It’s nothing huge, but today’s selection will focus exclusively on PlayStation games.
I grew up with Nintendo and it’ll never leave my kid like soul, but if I had to categorize myself as a “fanboy” of one of the three systems I guess I’d fall into the PlayStation camp. I hate those titles though. I’m a fan of games, owning almost every current console on the market. It’s easy to say that that’s because it’s part of the job, but who am I kidding? I just love games! That said, yes, I know a bit more about PlayStation stuff than I do Nintendo currently, which is to say I can easily explain where a lot of the jokes in these upcoming thirty panels are coming from.
28 God Of The Hill
John McDevitt and Scott Mitchell created this comic for Ready Soup. Yeah, there was no way I could rename that. It’s already too clever from the title of this comic alone. This is too perfect. Hank Hill from King of the Hill may not be as gruff as Kratos, but he’s also the type of man that doesn’t like to open up about his feelings. He’s a man’s man. He likes to watch football, BBQ, build stuff, and most importantly, sell propane and propane accessories.
Sharing is embarrassing for him, even to his wife and especially his son.
That’s something Kratos and Hank share. Also, I’m not sure if Kratos would like a cold one, but he sure does love to drink we know that for sure. He’s also a man of few words. Where they differ the most is tearing monsters apart, limb from limb. That said Hank isn’t afraid to get a little crazy now and again. He constantly threatens to whoop someone’s behind and quite literally he does a few times. This doesn’t lead to anyone, or anything perishing, but the point is these two are more alike than you know. I love this panel and its simple nature.
27 The Phantom Plot
Mart Virkus created this comic for Arcade Rage. Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain seems like eons ago, but it only came out in 2015. That game absorbed my life for the better part of two months. I loved it to pieces. It may not be the best game in the series, but it certainly plays the best. What do I mean by that? To me, every Metal Gear game has an insane story and while that may be the case for The Phantom Pain it’s sort of tucked away in the shadows. The joke this comic is trying to hammer home is exactly what I just said. There are so many awesome gameplay moments that make it shine, but if you want to know what’s going on you have to go online to fill out the backstory.
To call the other games straightforward would be a lie. They are also confusing, but on a different level. At least they try to tell something. Due to budget cuts and Kojima and Konami not getting along, well, the grand scale had to be cut and in this instance, it was the story. That’s why I’m so conflicted with my overall feelings for it.
26 Grown Up Toy Story
Andy Kluthe created this comic for Nerd Rage. I cannot express how excited I am for Kingdom Hearts III. I’ve been waiting over a decade for that “III” to appear in a big game on consoles. With every new trailer I get more jazzed at the prospect of new worlds. Toy Story’s looks absolutely incredible! Sora and the others look adorable as Lego-like people, but this whole thing brings to question a point made here in this panel. Andy, in the game, is still probably young right? Otherwise, why would they be in his iconic room? That’s probably the case.
Anyway that point aside it’s a fact of life that when we grow older, like into our teens, we change hobbies, which is to say we get rid of a lot of toys. That’s how I was although I still liked to build Lego kits back then. Then when I got into my later college years I started getting collectibles. You know video game, or anime statutes, or figures. We like to say collectibles, but come on. They are toys. That doesn’t make them any less cool even if some of them are oddly scantily clad.
25 Twitter Cell
Jerry Holkins and Mike Krahulik created this comic for Penny Arcade. Sam Fisher, the star of the Splinter Cell series, doesn’t seem like the type of secret agent that would get into using Twitter. The joke here instead focuses on the name itself: Splinter Cell. Get it? As in Splinter Cell-Phone.
Got a new pair of glowing green goggles. #Blessed
Another way to look at it is just a cynical viewing of how we run through our daily lives. Remember when we used to just exist? When we didn’t have our eyes constantly glued to our phones, or other smart devices and don’t post every single photo, or thought we had. Would agents in the field do this? Probably not, but you never know. Maybe they have like a secret Twitter for just FBI, or CIA members. Either way, I’m not condemning smart technology, because personally, I think it’s making life better. That doesn’t mean there aren’t problems, but like mankind, it’s ever-evolving. You just need to know how to balance your life out with reality and tech. Relying too much on tech may doom us all.
24 Ellie The Ninja
Andrew Gregoire created this comic for IAMARG. The Last of Us is a masterpiece in every sense of the word. It’s yet another zombie game, true, but it manages to tell a fantastic story. It’s harrowing, sad, and it’s going to make you feel terrible. That is to say, Joel may technically be the protagonist, but he is no hero. There’s no one you could really call a hero in this universe. Apocalypses tend to turn mankind against itself when resources are precious. One simply has to do what they must in order to survive. Even Ellie does some pretty harsh stuff in the game. If anyone is innocent in all of this she is despite those trying times. Children are the most innocent in any situation.
That’s the setup to say that there are gameplay mechanics that make this gripping narrative silly by comparison.
For example, the slightest noise from Joel can send the Clickers into a rage, but Ellie can walk right in front of them and they do nothing. Sort of breaks the narrative illusion, right? I’d rather it break than have it be an excruciating escort mission the whole way through.
23 Made A Deal With The Dragon
Andy Kluthe created this comic for Nerd Rage. E3 2016 may be Sony’s best press conference ever. They opened with God of War not only being announced and shown via an onstage demo, but a live band accompanied it. This is the year we also got a release date for The Last Guardian, a teaser for Insomniac’s Spider-Man game, the debut of Days Gone, Resident Evil VII, and so on. On a smaller scale, they also teased that Sony and Activision were partnering up for a remaster of the first 3 games exclusive to PS4. They didn’t show any footage though. Instead what they brought to the table was Crash in Skylanders Imaginators. Oh…joy.
At first, I was excited when the familiar music played and Shawn Layden, the President and CEO of Sony Interactive Entertainment America, came dancing out with Crash’s shadow behind him. It was like a one-two punch. A deal with the devil as it were. Yes, you can get Crash Bandicoot back, but first a Skylanders game. That’s the basic gist of the joke here. I do like how they depicted Crash as the guy in the suit. That should have been the toy. Then maybe I would have picked it up.
22 Uncharted In Real Life
Uros Pavlovic and Borislav Grabovic ActionTrip created this comic for ActionTrip. I want to title this strip as Uncharted: Girlfriend Mode. Guys, surely you’ve played gaming sessions before with your girlfriend, or your wife right alongside you. Maybe she’s intently watching your game, commenting on everything you do, or perhaps she’s more passive and just wants to be close to you even though she’s on her tablet. Love is not about spending every waking moment together. You can be in the same room, not saying a word to each other, and still enjoy each other’s company. That’s true love right there.
This is what half of Twitch looks like.
Now, if you somehow don’t know the context for this one, there’s a brief moment in Uncharted 4 where Drake plays Crash Bandicoot with Elena on their couch. In the game, she’s watching him, but this comic reimagines how it would actually work out. That’s not to say girls don’t play games either. It’s just a funny comment on our society views women and games. It doesn’t make it true, because I know a lot of girls that play games. It’s just one f those funny life clichés.
21 Goodbye Random Redneck
Jerry Holkins and Mike Krahulik created this comic for Penny Arcade. I’m a big fan of the Far Cry series, but as I said in my article discussing games that should be forgotten, well, let’s just say I didn’t like Far Cry 5. There are a lot of reasons why. That’s not the point of the comic though so let me switch gears. There are a lot of random citizens running around that you can save in the greater wilds of Hope County and they all kind of behave poorly, or at least not in the way you would expect them to. Even though I wasn’t a fan of the game overall I will admit rescuing people put a smile on my face because it always led to something funny. A great example is showcased above in the comic.
I can’t tell you how many times I saved a civilian only to see them run away and get mauled by a wild cat, bear, or whatever. That’s not all. A lot of the times they also stole my car and sped away. Terribly I might add and sometimes even then animals got in the middle. The AI definitely leaves something to be desired in Far Cry 5, but it was funny to me nonetheless.
20 Infamous: Bohemian Rhapsody
Jerry Holkins and Mike Krahulik created this comic for Penny Arcade. It’s been awhile since I last visited Seattle in the late 90s for my uncle’s wedding, but if it’s anything like it’s neighboring state, Oregon, and the culture surrounding Portland, then I think I get the gist of it today. I guess today is a relative term since Infamous: Second Son released in 2014, but it couldn’t have changed that much in four years when this was published, right? Anyway, it doesn’t really matter what it’s currently like for this joke to work. That is to say it is a video game and reality doesn’t matter.
The city of Seattle, again fit to scale or not, is beautiful. It’s also filled with tons of beatnik and other bohemian, or chill cultures. I can’t believe we haven’t seen any other Infamous games since then. They may not have a DC, or Marvel logo in their names, but they are great superhero games nonetheless. To be more specific they were really trying to evoke X-Men without the license. That, or it was a comment on race.
19 Sticks And Stones
Alex Di Stasi created this comic for Corpse Run Comics. I wasn’t a fan of the Tomb Raider series before the 2013 game came out. There’s still plenty to make fun of it for, or that is to say there is plenty of weird mechanics, or story bits to scoff at. How does one become the best hunter of man in mere hours especially after crying about it initially? Adrenaline does a lot for the body, but does it make you into the Terminator? I think not.
Here’s another weird thing. What’s more lethal than the swarm of soldiers Lara faces? That is to say what is her secret weakness? All of the diseases living in the tropical environments she hides away in. I mean remember the blood pool she has to wade through at the beginning of Tomb Raider? Yikes…
18 Grand Theft Auto Finds A New Target
Metal Gear Solid 2 and Grand Theft Auto III were two of the most high profile games on the PlayStation 2. The next generation of consoles, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, introduced the world to new styles of gameplay in the Metal Gear and Grand Theft Auto franchises. Part IV of GTA and part four of Metal Gear Solid released within a month of each other, garnering new universal praise from critics. This, of course, started a rivalry between Bellic and Snake that would span eras — as we see here in this MGS5 comic.
17 The Face Of The Reaper
Jerry Holkins and Mike Krahulik created this comic for Penny Arcade. Darksiders was such a cool idea for a game. It was originally planned as a quadrilogy with each game featuring a new horseman. It started with War, went to Death, and now the third game is apparently about Fury.
When you picture him in terms of popular media he’s always a skeleton in a black robe. The joke here is that he looks totally awesome. Darksiders II’s version looks like something an angst-ridden teen would draw in his notebook. While that may sound lame, and parts of him are a little weak, he’s a lot cooler than a bag of bones in black garb that’s for sure. Plus if you really Diablo games, then give this a shot. I guess a better loot example would be Destiny although that’s kind of a dirty name nowadays.
16 Assassin’s Creed: Seabiscuit
Jerry Holkins and Mike Krahulik created this comic for Penny Arcade. Your horse in Assassins Creed III is amazing. It defies the laws of physics. With a quick whistle, it will come sprinting from around the corner, or even just literally appear behind you. It breaks the illusion since it’s impossible for a horse to appear at the snap of your fingers. That is unless your horse is constantly trailing you without your acknowledgment. Like this comic points out it could be an assassin too, stalking you at every moment. You laugh, but I would securely buy a hood to put on my horse in the game. I’d even be up to play as the horse in some sort of mini-game.
15 Don’t Stake Me Bro
Jerry Holkins and Mike Krahulik created this comic for Penny Arcade. The joke showcased in this strip has virtually nothing to do with Castlevania: Lords of Shadow. Gabriel Belmont isn’t a bro, or behaves in any way that could be conceived as a bro. His enemies and comrades also don’t behave like bros. So where does this “don’t stake me bro” line come from? This line about “don’t stake me bro” is a play off of that. It’s kind of a crass and lazy joke since it, again, has nothing to do with Castlevania. That said it made me chuckle at least.
14 Loot Caves For The Win
Jerry Holkins and Mike Krahulik created this comic for Penny Arcade. At this point, I honestly don’t know what Bungie’s plans are for Destiny. When they first came out and discussed it openly at the PS4 reveal event in 2013 it sounded magical. A hybrid of RPGs, shooters, and MMOs the likes gamers have never seen or played before. I bought it hook line and sinker to the point where it even got me to purchase the special edition white PS4 that was bundled with the game. Despite the lack of content, I had a lot of fun, expecting them to support it further down the line. The free updates and even the DLC left something to be desired and let’s not even get into my thoughts about the “sequel” right now.
It seemed like even when players found something they legitimately liked about the game Bungie patched it out. Take this comic for example. Does anyone still remember the loot caves? It was so long ago, but basically, some secret areas glitched out, which made giant caches of rare gear to appear. It was awesome, but of course, it threw off Bungie’s prepared balance, or whatever so they shut it down. I just don’t get it. Would this be an issue if this were a Microsoft exclusive? Their Halo games are far more beloved than Destiny. So is Activision the real problem?
13 Portals Lead To Laziness
This comic was made for Omake Theater. Portal was such a groundbreaking game when it came out in 2007. It was clever, mesmerizing, and even funny. It paved the way for puzzle games showcasing that they didn’t have to be straight up, well, puzzle games. Prior to this when I heard “puzzle game” I imagined it was something like Tetris. Since 2007 big studios and indie developers have run Portal’s idea and have helped further redefine what a puzzle game can be. It’s thanks in part to Portal for paving the way.
Fluff aside, let’s talk about a thought we all had while playing the game. What would we do with a portal gun in real life? What about using it for a bathroom run? Maybe you’d just create a shortcut into the kitchen so you could grab a soda, or whatever while crunching those long game sessions. That’s what this panel reminded me. It’s not as crazy as some of my ideas, but solid nonetheless. I could use a nap in my portal hammock right now. E3 has drained me, but in a good way.
12 Jasoooooon!
Andy Kluthe created this comic for Nerd Rage. PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale, no matter which way you swing it, is a blatant rip-off of Nintendo’s Super Smash Bros. series. Sure it plays slightly different, but come on. At least they weren’t shy about this fact and to their credit they weren’t the first to copy Nintendo. Anyway cheap clone or not I enjoyed it even if Sony doesn’t have the most recognizable and beloved characters compared to Nintendo. The crazy thing to me, given that fact, is that they skipped some of their biggest exclusives. Heavy Rain is a perfect example and I love how thought out Nerd Rage’s ideas is for one its characters, Ethan Mars. It looks silly, but I would have loved to play as him.
This just makes me want to brainstorm more attacks for his character. One of his attacks could be screaming “Jason!” at the top of his lungs. Throwing origami would be another cool move. And then there’s the fact that he passes out regularly. Maybe this could be like a big attack transformation. My point is you messed up Sony. If this happens again he better be in it.
11 The EA Awakens
Andy Kluthe created this comic for Nerd Rage. Disney made a deal with EA to exclusively make Star Wars games for the hungry fans out there. That was five years ago. How many games have they produced since then? Three. The three games that have released thus far include Star Wars: Galaxy of Heroes, Star Wars Battlefront, and Star Wars Battlefront II. There are also four games currently in development. One of them was just announced At E3 called Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order. Another one, from Visceral, was canceled, or technically put on hold. They closed the studio, but apparently, it’s just on hiatus.
Point is I’m confused. Of the three games, they released I would say one of them was good, but also not entirely without fault. I thought EA and Disney would work hand in hand to pump out content like crazy. I didn’t think they would make any of the games as depicted above, but you get what I mean. Technically Battlefield Endor kind of exists with some DLC for Star Wars Battlefront II. Anyway someone needs to rescue Star Wars from EA because I cannot take the pain any more! Please don’t let them cancel another game.
10 Pay With Your Apologies
John Kleckner created this comic for Hejibits. Remember when the PlayStation Network went down in 2011? Not only was PSN down for almost a month the data of over 77 million users was breached. Not being able to play games online, or purchase them is one thing, but it’s another when your personal data has been hacked into. It was a devastating loss for Sony in one of the PS3’s darker times. You know how Sony thanked everyone for their patience? Thirty free days of PlayStation Plus along with granting users the ability to choose two PS3 games and two PSP games from a small list, which was incredibly poor.
The other part of this comic points at Nintendo’s disastrous 3DS launch. It released at $249 and sold so poorly that they not only dropped the price six months later to $169, but they gave a gift to people who already bought the 3DS. They dubbed it the Ambassador Program and gave them ten NES games, but more importantly ten Game Boy Advance games. These were exclusive, never made available to purchase on the 3DS’ eShop. Even though both companies offered only old games, I think Nintendo is the obvious winner here.
9 Buying Resident Evil On Repeat
Alex Di Stasi created this comic for Corpse Run Comics. I cannot count on my fingers the number of times I’ve played the original Resident Evil, which is to say more than ten. That includes the GameCube remake, which has been ported almost as many times. That’s all to say I’ve played and bought it a lot. It’s an amazing game that started a fantastic video game franchise let alone kickstarted the survival horror genre. It may not have been THE first, but it’s definitely responsible for popularizing it.
It’s times like these that I truly wish there was one console.
Think about it. Do you have a loyalty to a Blu-ray player company that plays exclusive discs? No! You buy the player and you literally watch any Blu-ray disc. Wouldn’t that be great if that were how it worked for video games? Yes, I know. Without competition, we wouldn’t be where we are now. I just hate having to rebuy the same game over and over again. Yes, I also know what you’re thinking. Stop buying games like Resident Evil over and over again. Well, sir, or madam, I can’t help giving my money away to one of the best games ever created and I think that’s sort of the idea with this comic here.
