After first being teased back in March, THQ has officially announced a video game adaptation of The Last Ronin, the popular Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles graphic novel written by co-creator Kevin Eastman. All that was shown was a brief teaser which features four candles that each go out one at a time until one remains. The game is being developed by Black Forest, the studio behind the recent remakes of the first two popular Destroy All Humans! games.
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The game, titled Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin is in development for Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and PC. No release date was provided nor was any gameplay shown, so for now there is not much known officially about the title just yet besides the title, developer, and platforms.
Who Is The Last Ronin?
As the trailer suggests, The Last Ronin follows the last survivor of the Ninja Turtles. The graphic novel is set in a dark and desolate futuristic New York City. It is a violent and dark take on the Ninja Turtles, even moreso than much of the original comic book run by Eastman and Laird.
This is your spoiler warning for the identity of the Last Ronin. The identity of the last surviving turtle is revealed at the end of the first issue to be a more cynical and jaded Michelangelo. No longer the party dude he once was after the deaths of his brothers, the older and less hopeful turtle spends his days seeking revenge wielding both his own signature weapons and those of his dead brothers.
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Though the two original creators went their separate ways long ago, they have each returned to the franchise at various points over the years, though never in a collaborative capacity. The Last Ronin, however, follows a story idea the duo conceptualized when they were still working together. As such, despite not being directly involved, they are both credited on it together for the first time in many years with the franchise. The graphic novel itself was written by Tom Waltz and Kevin Eastman. The art was penciled by Eastman, Ben Bishop, Esau, and Issac Escorza, colored by Luis Antonio Delgado with assistance from Samuel Plata, and lettered by Shawn Lee.
Kevin Eastman also recently announced The Last Ronin 2 at San Diego Comic-Con 2023, an upcoming sequel to the acclaimed graphic novel. As for the game, it is likely it will primarily cover just the events of the first entry. However, how closely it will stick to the story and events is currently unknown. Given the levels of violence and the darker themes of the story, it is hard to imagine a faithful adaptation receiving less than an M rating, though as for now the game has yet to be reviewed by any game ratings boards.
Right now, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem is playing in the theater, which our reviewer called “the best TMNT yet” in a review which you can read right here.
Are you excited about The Last Ronin game? Did you like the graphic novel, or is this your first time hearing of it? Let us know in the comments and on our social media feeds!
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