In 2024, one of the widespread and recognizable non-Marvel or DC Comics creations turned 30: Hellboy. Sure, the Darkish Horse Comics staple has been round for 3 many years now, having appeared in some really exceptional print tales alongside the way in which. In fact, given his icon standing, it’s no shock that Anung Un Rama has transcended the comedian e book medium on quite a few events.

Since his first wide-release story, 1994’s Seed of Destruction, Hellboy has tried out quite a few mediums. He’s a merchandise mover with loads of t-shirts, motion figures, and posters to indicate for it. He has popped up on the films 3 times, with Ron Perlman and David Harbour taking him on. Hellboy has even made the soar to animation. To not point out, he has additionally cracked paranormal instances within the online game realm.

To say Hellboy’s gaming tenure has been a combined bag can be an understatement. Whereas his visitor appearances in Injustice 2 and Brawlhalla had been enjoyable, his devoted titles have confirmed much less so. Right here all of them are, ranked from worst to relative finest.

5. Hellboy II: The Golden Military – Tooth Fairy Terror

Following the success of Hellboy in 2004, director Guillermo del Toro launched Hellboy II: The Golden Military in 2008. In the end, it failed to succeed in the heights of its predecessor, however the solid, manufacturing design, and story are all fairly sturdy. Nevertheless, the identical can’t be stated for its shoddy cellular recreation tie-in, Tuesday Creatives’ Hellboy II: The Golden Military – Tooth Fairy Terror.

Launched in December 2008, Tooth Fairy Terror was accessible on the Apple App Retailer free of charge, and it’s not onerous to determine why. Because the terrifying tooth fairies from the movie fly towards you, it’s important to faucet on them to “shoot” them. To reload, shake your display screen, then get again to defending your self. Survive so long as you’ll be able to and rack up as excessive of a rating as attainable.

There’s not way more to it than that. Tooth Fairy Terror is fundamental, boring, and completely skippable for even probably the most devoted Hellboy followers.

4. Hellboy: Canine of the Evening/Hellboy: Asylum Seeker

Hellboy: Canine of the Evening was initially developed for PC again in 2000, later transferring to the PlayStation in 2003 underneath the brand new title Hellboy: Asylum Seeker. The truth that that is the very first Hellboy-centric online game ever, and that it appears some quantity of effort was made to translate the supply materials right into a online game, is about all that this dual-titled Cryo Studios effort has going for it.

Asylum Seeker/Canine of the Evening has gamers management Hellboy (David Gasman) himself as he investigates the disappearance of considered one of his fellow Bureau for Paranormal Analysis and Protection brokers. He makes use of his fists (usually simply his common one, not the huge stone one) and his revolver to fend off enemies, slowly wandering round numerous environments to piece collectively what occurred to his good friend.

All in all, this recreation is gradual, the fight of the tank-control-bound Hellboy feels hole at finest, and the graphics are hideous, even for the period. There’s some quantity of reverence for the Hellboy comics right here within the design and story, however the execution is a giant swing and a miss.

3. Hellboy: The Stench of Evil

Going again to the realm of cellular video games, we come to a different recreation meant to drum up hype for Hellboy II: The Golden Military, in addition to tie into one other soon-to-be-mentioned Hellboy recreation. This time round, it’s G5 Leisure’s Hellboy: The Stench of Evil, which was launched on July 10, 2008 and brings the title character into the thrilling world of motion platforming. The issue is, this recreation isn’t very thrilling.

The Stench of Evil is a reasonably bare-bones platformer. Hellboy runs and jumps by a number of totally different environments, plowing by enemies with ease. Should you take sufficient punishment to refill the fad meter, your assaults do much more harm. For a cellular recreation, the visuals are respectable, with pretty detailed environments and loads of shade.

On the entire, Hellboy: The Stench of Evil isn’t horrifically unhealthy, neither is it significantly good. It’s a middle-of-the-road promotional recreation and nothing extra.

2. Hellboy: The Science of Evil

After spending a while away from the console scene, Hellboy and his companions made their grand return in 2008. Hellboy: The Science of Evil brings the del Toro Hellboy universe to Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PSP, full with Perlman again as Large Purple, Selma Blair as Liz Sherman, and Doug Jones as Abe Sapien — all three being playable, no much less. They unite to defeat the evil Herman von Klempt (Jürgen Prochnow) and his forces.

In comparison with the earlier three video games, The Science of Evil is a large step ahead, however it’s nonetheless not nice. The design, voice appearing, fight, and story can’t fairly make up for the considerably missing graphics and uninspired gameplay. With a bit extra polish and growth, The Science of Evil may’ve been the Hellboy journey avid gamers had wished for years.

It has additionally been stated that Lobster Johnson, voiced by the legendary Bruce Campbell, was slated for a DLC launch, just for such content material to be canned. That is simply one other instance of The Science of Evil coming so near greatness simply to finish up lacking the mark.

1. Hellboy: Internet of Wyrd

Effectively over a decade after receiving his personal devoted recreation, Hellboy returned to the gaming forefront in 2023 through Hellboy: Internet of Wyrd. It’s not utilizing a film franchise as its foundation, neither is it designed to advertise one thing else. It’s only a Hellboy story, within the aesthetic of the Hellboy comics, with Darkish Horse and Mignola straight concerned. However, how effectively does all of it come collectively?

Internet of Wyrd is undeniably probably the most lovely Hellboy-centric recreation so far, showing as a comic book come to life. The late, nice Lance Reddick makes for a wonderful Hellboy, who’s searching for a lacking BPRD agent by a dimension referred to as the Wyrd. Sadly, the fight on this roguelike (to not be confused with roguelite) title leaves a lot to be desired, leading to a lot of the gameplay feeling boring and repetitive.

With 30 years behind him, evidently, Hellboy has but to obtain a really definitive online game adaptation. Hopefully, sooner or later within the subsequent 30, that recreation will come alongside.