When video games get adapted for TV or the big screen, their production is always accompanied by an exorbitant amount of fanfare.

That holds true for the new Halo series on Paramount+, which takes one of the most iconic video game franchises of all-time and gives it the live-action treatment. Starring Pablo Schreiber as Master Chief and Jen Taylor as Cortana, Paramount spared no expense in bringing the Halo universe alive for a new audience.

Paramount even launched a bombastic trailer during the AFC Championship Game earlier this year, giving us a closer look at the war-torn landscapes and brooding atmosphere the series is hoping to cultivate during its first season.

Halo has already been greenlit for a second season, but we're still waiting on firm details for its filming and release dates. The odds are good, however, that we'll be waiting at least a year for Master Chief's adventures to continue. And if you're looking to make that wait easier, there are plenty of great video game adaptions ready for your steaming pleasure.

Of course, there's already a variety of other Halo productions available online — including The Fall of Reach, Legends, Nightfall, and Forward Unto Dawn. But if you're looking to step into another video game universe, you have even more options. Many of these films and TV shows earned middling Metascores, but don't let that scare you off. These productions may not have won over critics, but most viewers (especially gamers) found them to be an entertaining romp through some of the most iconic virtual worlds ever created.

Castlevania

Metascore: 71
Best for: Fans of animated series
Where to watch:

, Google Play, iTunes, Netflix, Vudu
Seasons: 4

Don't let its cartoony appearance fool you — the world of Castlevania is filled with just as much destruction and despair as Halo. The Netflix series follows Trevor Belmont (Richard Armitage), the last descendant of a family renowned for hunting Count Dracula and other nightmarish demons. In this adaptation, Trevor is tasked with saving the town of Wallachia from Dracula. The series earned a favorable Metascore from critics, largely due to its sleek animation and cultivating a world that feels just as oppressive and haunting as the games. The show ran for four seasons, before Netflix unceremoniously pulled the plug.

"Gruesome, bloody, and (for most of its runtime) mostly devoid of hope, Castlevania doesn't skimp on darkness." — Steve Greene, IndieWire

Resident Evil: The Final Chapter

Metascore: 49
Best for: Fans of unadulterated action films
Where to watch:

, Google Play, iTunes, Tubi, Vudu
Runtime: 106 minutes

Resident Evil: The Final Chapter never gives you a chance to catch your breath. Its action is stylized and gory, and most reviewers found it to effectively capture the spirit of Capcom's popular franchise. Milla Jovovich once again steps into the shoes of Alice, as she battles through undead hordes that have taken over Raccoon City. The movie largely revolves around its fast-paced action, although its story carries a bit more weight than previous installments in the series. Resident Evil fans will especially enjoy this big screen adaptation, although there's more than enough action to keep most people engaged during its 100+ minute runtime.

"Once one is acclimated to this chaos-cinema form, the writer-director's simultaneous economic storytelling and boyish imagination come into clear view." — Ethan Vestby, The Film Stage

Tomb Raider

Metascore: 48
Best for: Fans of Indiana Jones
Where to watch:

, Google Play, iTunes, Vudu
Runtime: 118 minutes

Tomb Raider was reborn into 2018, this time casting Alicia Vikander as Lara Croft. While it's lead heroine might be different, the same adventure-loving spirit persists throughout the film — even if it's a bit grittier than earlier installments. In this reboot, Lara is searching for her missing father, who mysteriously disappeared after searching for hidden treasure on a remote island near Japan. Things quickly get out of hand, and Lara is left fighting for her life as she uncovers the true about her father's disappearance. A sequel was indefinitely delayed in 2021, with little news of when it will resurface.

"Tomb Raider feels like a perfectly paced trio of espresso shots, with a shot of adrenaline to the heart as a chaser." — Inkoo Kang, Slate

Monster Hunter

Metascore: 47
Best for: Fans of Godzilla-sized action sequences
Where to watch:

, Google Play, iTunes, Vudu
Runtime: 103 minutes

Monster Hunter strays quite a bit from its video game inspiration, yet still manages to capture the spirit of this long-running franchise. While the game limits itself to weapons such as greatswords and daggers, the movie spin-off is happy to introduce rocket launchers, tanks, and other high-tech gadgets to slay the film's gigantic antagonists. Jovovich carries the action (as she did in Resident Evil), although Ron Perlman, Tony Jaa, and T.I. step in when backup is needed, each one portraying a different hunter or soldier.

"There are monsters, there are explosions and there is Ron Perlman with beautifully feathered hair. This is a film that is all about spectacle." — Mary Beth McAndrews, Paste

Rampage

Metascore: 45
Best for: Fans of Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson
Where to watch:

, Google Play, HBO Max, iTunes, Vudu
Runtime: 107 minutes

Rampage the video game doesn't offer much exposition for its action, and that's true of its movie adaption as well. There's a loose narrative revolving around Primatologist Davis Okoye (Johnson) and an experiment gone wrong, which turns one of his primate subjects into a beast larger than most skyscrapers, but Rampage is largely driven forward by city-scale action sequences. Its low Metascore is reflective of a plot that can't figure out what story it wants to tell, although Johnson and some impressive CGI make it an enjoyable film. And if you played the original Rampage game, make sure you keep your eyes peeled for some fun Easter eggs.

"Johnson's singular charisma grounds Rampage in a consistent personality, even as the tone veers wildly from broadly comic to selectively sentimental to casually horrifying." — A.A. Down, The A.V. Club

Mortal Kombat (2021)

Metascore: 44
Best for: Fans of sci-fi thrillers
Where to watch:

, Google Play, , iTunes, Vudu
Runtime: 110 minutes

Released in 2021, this version of Mortal Kombat boasts some of the best fight scenes of any video game adaptation on this list, thanks to final blows which often turn as gruesome as their source material. Fan-favorite characters make appearances throughout, with Sonya Blade (Jessica McNamee), Kano (Josh Lawson), Jax (Mehcad Brooks), popping up throughout the adventure. Don't get too wrapped up in its plot lines, however, as Mortal Kombat is best viewed as an over-the-top action flick. If you enjoy this 2021 adaption, you can check out an older Mortal Kombat film from 1995 along with a follow-up in 1997 (Mortal Kombat: Annihilation).

"The action film is as unpretentious as Charlie Sheen eating a Krispy Kreme doughnut at Six Flags. In short: blissfully dumb entertainment." — Johnny Oleksinski, New York Post

Assassin's Creed

Metascore: 36
Best for: Fans of adventure films
Where to watch:

, Google Play, iTunes, Vudu
Runtime: 115 minutes

Unlike Monster Hunter, which takes quite a few creative liberties, Assassin's Creed sticks surprisingly close to its source material. It follows Callum Lynch (Michael Fassbender) as he unlocks the memories of his ancestors with Abstergo Industries and explores the historical landscapes of Spain — all in hopes of unraveling the mysteries surrounding two rival factions, the Assassins and Templars. Fassbender is joined on camera by an impressive supporting cast, with Marion Cotillard portraying the head of Abstergo, Sofia Rikkin, and Michael K. Williams stepping into the shoes of Moussa, an Assassin descendent that was abducted by Abstergo for its experiments.

"There's no great leap of faith in Assassin's Creed, but a surprising amount of the time, it at least finds steady footing." — Adi Robertson, The Verge

Warcraft

Metascore: 32
Best for: Diehard Warcraft fans or fantasy buffs
Where to watch:

, Google Play, iTunes, Vudu
Runtime: 123 minutes

Critics weren't won over by Warcraft, but fans of the video games couldn't seem to get enough of its fantastical world, with the title holding down an 8.1 user score. And while Warcraft is often a convoluted game, filled with political intrigue and long-winded plot lines, the movie manages to touch on all the key aspects without becoming bloated. Instead, fans were treated to sweeping CGI battles, well-written characters, and enough fan-service to please even the most discerning Warcraft buff.

"Warcraft wins by not trying to be the second coming of a 10-hour cinematic trip through Mordor with Hobbits and jewelry." — Brian Truitt, USA Today

Max Payne

Metascore: 31
Best for: Fans of the antihero
Where to watch:

, Google Play, HBO Max, iTunes, Vudu
Runtime: 100 minutes

We're still waiting on an official Grand Theft Auto movie, but another popular Rockstar franchise has managed to make the jump to the big screen. Max Payne follows the eponymous character (played by Mark Wahlberg) as he seeks revenge on those who murdered his family. It's a dark film by all accounts, but one that critics thought offered exceptional style and directional vision — even if its plot was a bit thin. It might be more grounded than Halo, but there's no denying its penchant for flair and over-the-top shootouts.

"A dumb film with a great conceptual hook from a director who visualizes better than he dramatizes." — Sean Axmaker, Seattle Post-Intelligencer

Silent Hill

Metascore: 31
Best for: Fans of psychological horror films
Where to watch:

, Google Play, iTunes, Vudu
Runtime: 125 minutes

Silent Hill is one of the most chilling horror games on the market, a feeling that's perfectly captured in this nightmare-inducing adaptation. Rose (Radha Mitchell) is seeking a cure for her young daughter when she winds up in the mysterious ghost town of Silent Hill. The entire film plays out like a video game on the big screen, and despite all the death and destruction surrounding Rose, several characters manage to make it out alive (including Christopher Da Silva, played by Sean Bean). Its script leaves a bit to be desired, but anyone seeing a faithful video game adaptation would be hard-pressed to find one better than Silent Hill.

"A step in the right direction for console-to-screen transitions and a twisted masterpiece of set design." — James Dyer, Empire