Since a long time, it has been common to convert video games into novels. But it is also a common practice to do the opposite. Every gamer should be familiar with the popular book adaptation of Witcher.
Interestingly, the first entry in the action-adventure series Assassin Creed was inspired by a 1938 novel by Vladimir Bartol called Alamut. The novel portrays the Persian fortress of the 11th century located 60 miles away from Tehran.
Here’s a list of five more video games that were inspired by novels.
Note: This article is based on the personal list of the authors
BioShock and Bloodborne are three stories-rich videogames that were inspired by books.
1 Stalker series
Stalker is a popular first person shooter loosely inspired by Roadside Picnic (1972), co-authored with the Strugatsky brothers. Redrick “Red”, a veteran Stalker, travels into dangerous areas often visited by extraterrestrials in search of artifacts. There are many mysteries to be solved and superhuman abilities that keep you busy for many days in Stalker games.
2 BioShock
Bioshock has Ayn Rand all over it. BioShock’s City of Rapture is based on Ayn Rand’s objectivist philosophy. Her philosophy emphasized individualism above all else. This ideology can lead to utopia and a society that is inherently destructive. These dark sides are well presented in the Bioshock game’s storylines.
Andrew Ryan, founder of Rapture, and the owner/operator of the Ryan industry is named after the author. Frank Fountain, a character in Ayn Rand’s popular novel The Fountainhead, is named after him.
3) Bloodborne
Bioshock and Bloodborne are very similar in that they both draw heavily from the author’s work, rather than adapting a whole novel.
Bloodborne’s case is H.P. Lovecraft’s influence can be seen all over the place, from the streets of Yharnam down to the portrayals of Gothic-themed horrors with witches or werewolves and a host of other Lovecraftian horror elements.
4) Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six
Since Red Storm Entertainment was acquired by publisher Ubisoft, Tom Clancy’s games are gaining popularity. Every Tom Clancy title since then has been nothing but a fantastic ride. Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six adds to this growing list. The game is based on the novel ‘Rainbow Six,’ and features the rise of a fictional counterterrorism group. Players are given the task of executing well-planned missions that lead to success.
5) Call of Cthulhu
Call of Cthulhu, another first-person shooter action adventure horror survivor videogame, is based on a 1981 tabletop board game. Players must pay attention to details and use their intelligence to solve puzzles and obstacles along the way.
Call of Cthulu, another excellent example of video games heavily influenced by Lovecraft horror novels is also available.
Call of Cthulhu 2018 features players taking on the role of Edward Price, a retired private investigator who is tasked with solving a mystery death of the Hawkins family that died in a terrible fire accident.
There are many other video games
This personalized list only mentions a few of the most memorable story-driven videogames that were heavily adapted from novels. There are many other video games that were adapted from books. You can count on the Harry Potter series as well as the Lord of the Rings titles.
Books are heavily influenced by games like Sherlock Holmes, The Godfather and The Walking Dead.