With hundreds of new releases coming out in any given year, from indie titles to AAA, it can become quite an intimidating task for developers to come up with truly inspired, unique ideas. As such, inspiration must be found from a great variety of sources, with all sorts of different entertainment mediums seeing a transition into interactivity.
While movie tie-ins certainly have their place in the industry, it could be easily argued that novels provide the finest source for potential video game narratives, with some of the greatest games of all time being book adaptations. As such, this run-down will feature some absolute highlights that have been ripped straight from the pages.
10 American McGee’s Alice
Although it has many of the same characters and takes place in the same world, American McGee’s Alice undergoes a major tonal shift away from Lewis Carol’s iconic 1865 novel Alice’s Adventures In Wonderland. Portraying Wonderland as a cruel, bleak world, and its inhabitants equally so, this is one title sure to shock those of you only familiar with the original.
While the title can be a bit overly linear at times, this iteration of Wonderland remains a stark and intriguing area to explore, its mysteries providing more than enough cause to continue past the more horrific elements. Though it may not be 1:1, American Mcgee’s Alice is still an excellent adaptation of some truly legendary material.
9 Dante’s Inferno
Dante’s Inferno is a game that ultimately equals out to be more than the sum of its parts. Sure its story has little to no relation to the actual journey of Dante in the Divine Comedy, eschewing much of its inspiration’s poetic material. Sure its gameplay borrows heavily from the God Of War series. None of these gripes matter much when you’re actually playing the game.
It remains an absolute blast to fight through the demons of hell, with some of the most flashy combat imaginable, and a few instances of sincerely inventive boss design. The game was heavily overlooked in its time, and deserves a reappraisal, as it is still a memorable title that has the potential to provide hours of fantastic entertainment.
8 Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six
There are so many different games with Tom Clancy’s name attached that it can be a bit confusing trying to figure out which were actually based on books, versus which just used the man’s vast legacy as a marketing tactic. Though there are a few titles directly based on his novels, none are quite so distinctive as the original Rainbow Six.
Going on to become a massive multi-million dollar franchise, Rainbow Six was developed alongside Tom Clancy’s authoring of the novel, with him and the team keeping regular correspondence to ensure the game stayed as accurate as possible. Being the first major success in the tactical shooter subgenre, Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six showed gamers in 1998 a style of gameplay not seen prior, and remains a tactically satisfying and exciting play to this day.
7 Far Cry 2
While not a direct adaptation, Far Cry 2 pulls heavy inspiration from Joseph Conrad’s 1899 novella Heart Of Darkness, letting players experience their own descent into madness. Many different elements and themes make their way from page to screen, allowing this title to hold a depth in storytelling practically unmatched by newer entries in the series.
The gameplay here is top-notch, as well, seeing you make your way through one of the most detailed open worlds of its time, carefully taking down bandit camps, and completing a variety of actually interesting missions. If you are a fan of the newer entries in this long-running series who hasn’t played this slightly aged gem, you’re doing yourself a disservice, and missing out on what is potentially the best title of the early 2000s.
6 Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban (PS2)
Harry Potter is an iconic series of novels, known widely across the globe. It is also an incredibly consistent one, with each of its 8 major entries seeing reasonable arguments being made for why that one is better than the rest. The video games in this globally beloved franchise are quite a bit less debated over, with most fans being able to agree that The Prisoner Of Azkaban is the greatest of all.
It can be a bit confusing trying to figure out which version of the game those fans are referring to, though, as each different port of the title saw a myriad of alterations, making them all unique in their own way. The PS2 edition is the most widely recognized and available, playing similarly to other typical over-the-shoulder action titles of the time, but with a magical twist.
5 The Hobbit
JRR Tolkien’s legendary universe has been ripe for adaptation since release, with the first video game in this long-running franchise being released all the way back in 1985. Fans quibble often as to which Lord of the Rings movie tie-in should be crowned as champion overall, or perhaps it should be Shadow of Mordor?
In doing so they often forget that before The Hobbit trilogy of films existed, there was already a fantastic adaptation of that celebrated 1937 novel. Released in 2003 for the 6th generation of home consoles, The Hobbit is still a surprisingly refreshing play to this day. The game remains graphically satisfying even decades after release, as it went for a cartoonish graphic style that holds up rather nicely for being decades old, and its gameplay remains as fresh as ever, seeing how platforming games are not as common as they were at the time. Whether you’re looking for a casual bit of fun, or you’re a hardcore fan of the source material, this is one title sure to not disappoint.
4 Parasite Eve
Easily one of the most underrated RPGs of all time, Parasite Eve also holds the distinction of being one of the absolute greatest sequels to a novel ever released. Expertly continuing the original’s haunting narrative, and seeing a satisfying conclusion for all but one of its main cast of characters, there is little confusion as to why this title continues to hold a beloved spot in the hearts of many JRPG fans.
It may be a little tricky actually getting to play this one-of-a-kind title, though, seeing as how it was never ported from the PSX. This is a true tragedy for gamers all across the globe, who may never get to experience some of the finest gameplay of its era. C’mon, Square Enix, what are you waiting for?
3 Metro 2033
The Metro series presents gamers with some of the very best survival horror gameplay they are likely to ever see. Set in a post-nuclear society, Metro sees what remains of Russian civilization taking refuge from the horrors of the outside world by forming a new society underground, in the depths of their vast metro system.
Taking a heartily realistic approach to its setting, Metro 2033 serves up the scares in a way many other post-apocalyptic narratives simply can’t match. It is almost always pitch black down in the metro tunnels, with a mutant potentially lurking behind every corner. Those looking for a truly affecting shooter should look no further, until you go to check out its equally excellent sequels!
2 S.T.A.L.K.E.R Shadow Of Chernobyl
Based heavily upon the Russian novel, Roadside Picnic, and that book’s 1979 film adaptation Stalker, Shadow Of Chernobyl places you into one of the most intriguing and mysterious worlds ever depicted in gaming. You play as a titular S.T.A.L.K.E.R, trespassing your way into the Chernobyl exclusion zone, which has fallen into further ruin following a second disaster.
Featuring the tightest tactical gunplay of its era, the first S.T.A.L.K.E.R game is no joke, and will challenge you to your limits. It is incredibly rewarding, though, to send out the final shot of a firefight, knowing you have bested some of the smartest enemy AI of all time. They will rush while you reload, they will try to flank around your cover, and ultimately it is up to you to outsmart them. Though it may be quite difficult, it is certain to be one of the most invigorating gaming experiences of your life.
1 The Witcher 3
The Witcher is a franchise that has, by this point, greatly superseded its humble origins as a novella, with many casual fans not even knowing that the video games were based on a series of Polish books. Yet adaptations they remain, and they are some of the most faithful novel adaptations to ever be released.
The Witcher 3, in particular, deserves all manner of praise that it often receives, being regularly stated as one of the greatest modern RPGs. With its breathtaking world design, a wealth of side-quests, and engrossing narrative, there is sure to be little confusion as to why. A game that will no doubt be remembered fondly for decades to come, The Witcher 3 is without a doubt the greatest book-to-game adaptation of all time and one of the absolute best open-world RPGs ever to be released.
