9 Video Games Based on Literature

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We, as humans have used literature to learn, investigate, and escape from reality. The stories and topics guiding us to understanding, discovery, and in the case of fiction; possible distant lands. With the adaptation into movies and TV shows, you are able to see those stories come to life on the big screen. Then they entered the interactive world of video games where you are able to play as the main character; going on missions, finding artifacts and items, and defeating the enemies.

The chance to play as your favorite characters boast a desire amongst the gaming population. To see how the gameplay of the story is in relation to the literature they know and love. We are going to look at some classics that have gone from the imagination of the authors mind to being played by gamers everywhere.

The Witcher

The Witcher has become popular among it’s fans as the novels have now become a TV series as well as adapted for video games.

The video game is based on the series of fantasy novels with the same name by author Andrzej Spakowski. The books, TV series, and video game follows the protagonist, Gerald of Rivia. A Witcher with supernatural abilities and powers, who hunts down monsters in a medieval setting.

If you enjoy the supernatural in a medieval setting, then check it out (if you haven’t already)!

Enslaved: Odyssey to the West

Enslaved: Odyssey to the West is loosely based on Chinese literature from the 16th century titled: Journey to the West. Though there are some major differences, there are similarities between the two pieces.

The video game is a modern interpretation of a post-apocalyptic action story with a bit of science fiction to pull it all together. There are similarities between the book and the video game. Tripitaka and Monkey, the main characters wear headgear. This allows Tripitaka to keep the mischievous but fierce warrior (Monkey) under control.

Assassin’s Creed

The story of Assassin’s Creed came from the 1938 Slovenian novel called Alamut by Vladimir Bartol. In his novel, the main line spoken by the assassins is ”Nothing is absolute reality, all is permitted.” This was change slightly in the game as ”Nothing is true, everything is permitted.”

Though the game is not a direct adaptation of the novel; the first game does contain many similar themes and character actions that derive from the novel characters. With the success of the Assassin’s Creed games, there is now a series of Assassin’s Creed books to read.

Middle Earth

There have been many games based on or around the literature of J.R.R. Tolkien: The Lord of the Rings. Such games include Lego games, Lord of the rings: War in the North, Lord of the rings Online and Middle Earth: Shadows of Mordor. Most follow the story of the ring as they do in the novels and movies. Middle Earth: Shadows of Mordor, however, is a side story to the well- known books. It focuses on a character whose family was slain in front of him on the night Sauron and his army return to Mordor.

Of course you’ll find elements and characters that intertwine with the LOTR and The Hobbit within this game. Elements such as Golem and the knowledge of the one ring’s creation and power.

Dante’s Inferno

This game is based on a poem called The Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri. It took him twelve years to write this imaginative version of the afterlife. The game, Dante’s Inferno, follows the main character, Dante, who descends into Hell after returning home to find his love murdered. While in Hell, Dante faces each level of Hell depicted in The Divine Comedy as well as his own demon. All this in order to redeem himself.

Each level of Hell within the game is a maze you must navigate. You will encounter landscapes, enemies, and characters based on the sins and sinners described within the poem.

Parasite Eve

The game, Parasite Eve, acts as a sequel to the book with the same name. The book introduces the concept of a parasite laying dormant within our bodies, waiting for the right evolutionary conditions to take over.

The game continues the story in New York City following an NYPD cop Aya Brea after the parasite, Eve’s return from dormancy to reek havoc on the world.

Metro 2033

Metro 2033 is a story by author Dmitry Glukhovsky, that takes place in a desolated Russia after a nuclear war. The land is over run by mutated creatures and those who live are underground subway system to survive. The game with the same name follows a similar plot as the books.

In the game you play a man named Artyom, trying to protect your little slice of the metro by taking out human and mutant enemies. You also explore areas both above and blow ground. Just make sure you have the appropriate equipment to handle the residual radiation from the nuclear war.

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

This familiar literature and one I didn’t know was brought to the video game world. The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson.

The game as the book, is about the duality of human nature. This side-scroller finds Dr. Jekyll on his way to his wedding and for reason unexplained everyone gets in his way. They attack and anger him until he turns into Mr. Hyde. This causes the game to switch, now battling demons until you calm down and eventually transform back into Dr. Jekyll, but if you take to long, you are overrun by evil forces.

Might not be the best graphics or gameplay, but might be a fun one to see a classic story come to life.

Bioshock

The original game was not only based on the novels, but the the philosophy as well of author Ayn Rand. The character, Ryan creates his own city, Rapture, to explore his own ideas of the world.

Ayn Rand’s own philosophy is the idea that you should follow your own self-interest and profit from your own abilities and ambitions while being uninhibited by others, which is the thinking behind Ryan’s Rapture.

Final Thoughts

It’s amazing when the imagination of one can create not only something you can read to escape into. Then also gain visual and interactive aspects as well when created into movies and video games. I personally love to see characters, landscapes, and enemies come to life. To visually see, play as and defeat characters within the game world is creatively fascinating.

To find that literature has been adapted to cinema and then video games shows that the adaptation of imagination is never ending.

If you’re looking for more video games based on novels, Click Here to find your next novel based game to play.