‘Street Fighter’ Meets ‘Mortal Kombat’ in New Four-Player Action Game [Exclusive]

Bit Bot Media has a wide variety of offerings on its official site, from original comics like the meta-horror True Believers series to Blu-ray releases for cult favorites like PG: Psycho Goreman and Shin Ultraman, and other merchandise made in partnership with franchises like The Terminator. They’ve even backed publications based on classic games, most recently launching a BackerKit campaign for a new comic set within the Thief universe. However, creating their own video games remains one of the company’s specialties. They currently have 14 released titles on their website, with another 5 in development, including their ambitious sci-fi action experience, Unioverse. Now, ahead of San Diego Comic-Con, they’ve landed a new project that will whisk players into the over-the-top world of a bloody and brutal modern comic breakout hit.

Collider can exclusively reveal that Bit Bot is partnering with renowned comic artist Tyler Kirkham to turn his series, Final Boss, into a video game, which is now available to wishlist on Steam. We’re also thrilled to share a first look at the trailer for Final Boss. If the name itself was any indication, Kirkham was inspired not just by genre-defining action classics but also by retro beat-’em-ups and fighting games to capture the feeling of non-stop action, making this adaptation feel as if it was meant to be. The comic creator will be a key collaborator throughout development, which will be handled by Bit Bot and its in-house studio, Mecanimal. Alongside him, Bit Bot co-owner Joshua Viola is also slated to help lead the creative process alongside a veteran of the games industry, Creative Director Frank O’Connor, the former Franchise Creative Director of FPS giants Halo and Perfect Dark.

Published by Image Comics, Final Boss was written and illustrated by Kirkham, who has a long history as a fan-favorite artist at both Marvel and DC, and provided the deluxe cover for the aforementioned Thief: Pulse of Promise comic. The story follows the exploits of Tommy Brazen, a former street brawler who used to use his recently discovered powers for paid gigs. When he discovers that the dark secrets of his past are tied to something much greater than he ever imagined, though, he’s thrust into the middle of an ever-escalating battle. Mimicking this, the game will be an homage to arcade games, starting as a side-scrolling pixel-art beat-’em-up à la Double Dragon or Streets of Rage with increasingly challenging levels designed for up to four-player couch co-op before ending on a climactic boss battle where the style switches to a more modern-inspired one-on-one 3D fighting game. O’Connor further emphasized how the Final Boss adaptation strikes a balance between genre-bending gameplay and staying true to the source material.

“At its heart, Final Boss is about escalation. The gameplay mirrors the structure of the story. What begins as a cooperative street fight gradually narrows into a personal showdown. It’s a format that lets us combine two beloved genres while remaining completely faithful to the spirit of the comic.”

‘Final Boss’ Was Made to Feel Like a Video Game

As a more direct connection to the comics, the Final Boss video game will introduce all bosses with animated comic panels. Bit Bot co-owner and musician Celldweller, whose work can be heard on plenty of other video games like Dead Rising 2 and the 2013 Killer Instinct reboot, will also compose the score. While there is plenty of work to be done, the beauty of adapting Kirkham’s comic for the team was how easy it was to translate between mediums. “One of the things that immediately excited us about Final Boss is that the comic already feels like a video game,” Viola added in another statement. “Tyler created a world that celebrates arcade brawlers, fighting games, comics, and action cinema. Rather than simply adapting those ideas, we’re building a game around them.”

Final Boss can now be wishlisted on Steam. Further updates will be shared across all of Bit Bot Media’s social media pages as development continues.