Books have always been a medium for telling great stories. As the author of The Fallen Age Saga, I would know. I’ve seen amazing books like Lord of the Rings get turned into movies. Books have also been adapted into TV shows. There are lots of different stories out there that we know on the big screen that got their start as books. But did you know that some video games were books once too?
Video games, in my eyes, are a wonderful way to deliver an impactful story. Being an author, my biggest wish is to see my books become video games. I think games provide something that other mediums don’t: Interaction.
It’s very clear when we look at this list that these games were amazing because their story was powerful and the ability to interact with this story is also powerful.
1. The Witcher
You may have known this one, but if you didn’t, yes, The Witcher was originally based off of a series of books by Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski.
The Witcher has been hailed as one of the best fantasy RPG games ever. It’s also gotten it’s own Netflix show.
The Witcher began as a short story that was written in 1986 titled ‘Wiedzmin’ (“Witcher”). Eventually, Sapkowski continued the story and curated a series with several novels and short stories.
2. Metro 2033
Set in the haunting remains of Russia following a nuclear apocalypse, Metro 2033 is a dark survival game that has captivated gamers across the world. It was originally a novel published in 2002 by Russian author Dmitry Glukovsky.
Metro 2033 is one of the most unique book-video game series out there, because the books and games bounce back and forth to fill the story in. It’s a very interesting way to have people engaged in the story look between the different mediums.
3. Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege
Tom Clancy’s name is on many games, movies, and TV shows, but he didn’t really write all of these stories. However, Rainbow Six is one story that Clancy did write that got turned into a video game.
Clancy was heavily engaged in the military genre and penned best-selling books like The Hunt for Red October. He also co-founded Red Storm Entertainment in 1998. This same developer studio released the game Rainbow Six off of his novel.
Ubisoft purchased the Tom Clancy name, with many of its popular franchises like The Division, Splinter Cell, and Ghost Recon, including his name on them.
4. Dante’s Inferno
Dante’s Inferno is a third-person slasher released in 2010 that included gritty violence and a dark story. It also drew a lot of its inspiration from the Italian poet, Dante Alighieri, who’s 12th classic work was also called Dante’s Inferno.
Although not a direct adaptation, the game did a lot to bring Dante’s leveled rings of the underworld to life.
5. Cyberpunk 2077
Cyberpunk 2077 is another CD Projekt Red title that drew inspiration from literary works. Cyberpunk 2077 is a SciFi RPG that was one of the most highly anticipated releases of 2020. Although the launch was not stellar, Cyberpunk 2077 still has its ups and has become a very recognized name in the video game world.
Cyberpunk 2077 was actually based off of a series of tabletop roleplaying books written by Mike Pondsmith. The books follow a narrative progression, with the original beginning in 2013 and the most recently released Cyberpunk Red taking place in 2045. Cyberpunk 2077 takes place after the series, taking some details and dates from the books as well as some characters and events.
It’s pretty interesting to see how video games have found inspiration in literature.
Which one shocked you the most? Did you know any of these titles found their start in books? Let us know in the comments below. Remember to keep your discussions polite and respectful.
Zainah Yousef
Zainah Yousef is the author of The Fallen Age Saga and specializes in gaming, social media advice, and reviews. She's been writing all her life and she probably won't stop anytime soon.
