Best Books That Inspired Popular Video Games

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Summary

  • Video games take inspiration from literature to create captivating worlds & stories.
  • Books like Metro 2033, Roadside Picnic, & Heart of Darkness inspired popular games.
  • The Harry Potter series inspired countless video games, including the upcoming Hogwarts Legacy.

As video games continue to develop into intricate platforms offering both emotionally satisfying gameplay and compelling narratives, it’s not surprising that some creators draw inspiration from real-world literature to make their games as engrossing as possible. These books serve an essential role in crafting a richly detailed universe filled with distinctive elements and events to remember.

Enthusiasts who enjoy a good dose of video gaming will delight in novels that have significantly influenced the development of popular games. These books are engaging and effectively help gamers envision a realm they already possess some level of familiarity with.

8. Metro 2033

Inspired: The Metro Series

  • Author: Dmitry Glukhovsky
  • Year Of Publication: 2002

The Metro series offers some exceptional gaming encounters, particularly appealing to those who thrive on tension-filled gameplay centered around enduring harsh conditions in a dangerous setting. This collection was influenced by a Russian novel delving into the lives of survivors after a nuclear catastrophe.

Delving into the cramped, labyrinthine subway system teeming with mutated creatures and knowing that your equipment might get damaged at any moment, is an intense ordeal each time. Those who are fans of the Metro series will appreciate the book that sparked this captivating franchise.

7. Roadside Picnic

Inspired: The STALKER Series

  • Author: Arkady and Boris Strugatsky
  • Year Of Publication: 1972

Roadside Picnic” is one of the most impactful philosophical science fiction novels, setting the stage for a series that many fans recognize well. The strange phenomena and nail-biting gunfights in “STALKER ” have transformed it into a hardcore treasure, with its success largely attributed to this highly regarded book.

In this fictional setting, extraterrestrial beings have made contact with Earth, leading to strange areas appearing worldwide. The novel, Roadside Picnic, follows the adventures of an adventurous individual who braves these anomalous regions in search of rare treasures.

6. Heart Of Darkness

Inspired: Spec Ops: The Line

  • Author: Joseph Conrad
  • Year Of Publication: 1899

A groundbreaking novel for its era, “Heart of Darkness” delves into complex power structures and immoral behavior often seen among the upper class, offering a profound social critique. This influential work has sparked numerous other creations, including one of the top story-driven third-person shooter games ever made.

Spec Ops: The Line initially appears to be just another ordinary military shooter game. However, it unexpectedly delves into a thought-provoking narrative that offers one of the most profound stories found in video games. This gripping story serves as a critique of military violence and its portrayal in gaming, revealing depths far greater than anyone would expect from the game’s simple beginning when players start Spec Ops: The Line.

5. The Witcher

Inspired: The Witcher Series

  • Author: Andrzej Sapkowski
  • Year Of Publication: 1986 (first short story)

Initially, The Witcher was a compilation of short narratives, but it eventually evolved into an extensive series and one of Sapkowski’s most renowned works. Nevertheless, there’s no disputing that the books gained popularity due to a video game trilogy based on this dark fantasy franchise, which grew to be one of the gaming industry’s leading names.

The original Witcher series and its follow-up garnered moderate acclaim and financial success, but they merely paved the way for The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt to captivate numerous gamers as one of the top open-world action RPGs ever created. Characters like Geralt of Rivia and his companions have become adored by players worldwide, making them among the most cherished fictional figures in literature, skillfully brought to life through Sapkowski’s storytelling ability.

4. Parasite Eve

Inspired: The Parasite Eve Series

  • Author: Hideaki Sena
  • Year Of Publication: 1995

Parasite Eve is an exceptional SquareSoft JRPG that delved into mature topics, avoided becoming too lengthy, and essentially functioned as a continuation of the novel on which it was based. Hideaki Sena’s book narrates the tale of a flawless being searching for a suitable human host to aid in humanity’s evolution.

Nevertheless, her strategies are excessively extreme and terrifying, making them unjustifiable. Unfortunately, her scheme ultimately collapses when reality fails to meet her lofty expectations. The plot of Parasite Eve, which was sown in this manner, makes the video game adaptation enticing. It stands well on its own without requiring players to have extensive knowledge of the novel that spawned the game.

3. Harry Potter

Inspired: Countless Harry Potter Games, Including Hogwarts Legacy

  • Author: J. K. Rowling
  • Year Of Publication: 1997

J.K. Rowling, a contentious figure among today’s celebrities, nevertheless cast an indelible influence on countless readers through her Harry Potter series, shaping an entire generation with its captivating narrative. The mystical world of Hogwarts has sparked numerous hit video games, leaving fans eager for more.

The impact of the Harry Potter series on video games is significant, ranging from lesser-known direct adaptations to one of the most prominent open-world RPGs in 2023 – Hogwarts Legacy. While Hogwarts Legacy might be the finest game within this universe thus far, it’s yet to fully capture the enchanting allure that made Harry Potter a globally recognized phenomenon.

2. I Have No Mouth, And I Must Scream

Inspired: A Video Game Of The Same Name

  • Author: Harlan Ellison
  • Year Of Publication: 1967

One intriguing narrative worth exploring is “I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream“, a chilling account where a super-intelligent computer annihilates mankind, leaving only five individuals alive for endless torment as the machine’s personal playthings until its eventual demise. This story tackles severe themes that might be challenging for some readers to process.

Consequently, it’s not hard to understand why the video game version of this novel could be intensely unsettling to experience. Nevertheless, the enlarged narrative of “I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream” makes it a worthwhile game to explore for gamers who can handle a dose of disquieting material, particularly if they appreciate classic puzzle-solving games.

1. The Adventures Of Pinocchio

Inspired: Lies Of P

  • Author: Carlo Collodi
  • Year Of Publication: 1881

The Soulslike genre has picked up speed since the launch of Dark Souls, and one standout game from a studio other than FromSoftware that gamers might want to explore is Lies of P. Apart from an overabundance of multi-phase boss battles, the Victorian setting of Lies of P is rich with ambiance and a joy to experience.

In a simpler, easier-to-understand way: This game, with its world inspired by Pinocchio’s story, has a stronger appeal than many would expect. The narrative is compelling enough to honor Carlo Collodi’s original tale, and it adds an additional intriguing aspect to the game’s engaging action combat.

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2025-01-11 06:38