{"id":971925,"date":"2025-02-28T03:28:40","date_gmt":"2025-02-28T08:28:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.denofgeek.com\/?p=971925"},"modified":"2025-02-28T03:28:41","modified_gmt":"2025-02-28T08:28:41","slug":"best-video-games-inspired-by-books","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.denofgeek.com\/games\/best-video-games-inspired-by-books\/","title":{"rendered":"The 15 Best Video Games Inspired by Books"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>As art forms, literature and video games couldn\u2019t be more unalike\u2026at least on the surface. Video games are hypersensory, stimulating with sight, sound, and touch while giving the player agency to play their way. Novels on the other hand are hyperlinear and unfold in the theater of the mind. One would think it would be difficult\u2013if not near-impossible\u2013to tell the same story across both mediums.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Indeed, video games directly adapted from novels are a rare breed. So rare that there are only a handful of them. However, there are some terrific games <em>inspired<\/em> by novels, and we\u2019ve compiled a list of some of the best ones here. What\u2019s fascinating about the titles listed below is that, while in most cases their stories vary wildly from the original author\u2019s vision, in almost every case the essence of the source material remains intact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\t\r\n\n\t\t<div class=\"ad-dog__cnx-container\"><script id=\"0270c398a82f44f49c23c16122516796\">\n\t\t\tcnx.cmd.push(function() {\n\t\t\t\tcnx({\n\t\t\t\t\tplayerId: \"106e33c0-3911-473c-b599-b1426db57530\",\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t}).render(\"0270c398a82f44f49c23c16122516796\");\n\t\t\t});\n\t\t<\/script><\/div>\n\t\n\n\n<p>With that being said, here are Den of Geek\u2019s 15 Best Games Inspired by Novels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-parasite-eve-parasite-eve-hideaki-sena\"><strong>Parasite Eve &#8211; (<\/strong><strong><em>Parasite Eve<\/em><\/strong><strong>, Hideaki Sena)<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div data-nosnippet=\"true\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Parasite Eve Trailer\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" class=\"js-lazy\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/BPyR9qgcdAU?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>In 1995, Hideaki Sena\u2019s novel <em>Parasite Eve<\/em> helped spark a surge in popularity for J-Horror fiction like <em>Ringu<\/em>, <em>Audition<\/em>, the works of Junji Ito, and the novel\u2019s sequel, a PS1 survival horror RPG by the same name. Developed by Square using the <em>Final Fantasy VII<\/em> engine, <em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.denofgeek.com\/games\/60-underrated-playstation-one-games\/\">Parasite Eve<\/a><\/em> continued the novel\u2019s sci-fi body horror tale, moving the story from Japan to New York City, following NYPD officer Aya Brea\u2019s quest to stop Eve, an evolutionarily corrupted being, from causing the entirety of the human race to spontaneously combust.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Like Sena\u2019s novel, the game was one-of-a-kind in its space. It was a shorter campaign at about ten hours, but the storytelling was focused, the visuals were evocative and spectacular-looking for the time, and most notably, the material didn\u2019t shy away from the scientifically dense exposition of the book, which helped set it apart from the series it was most commonly compared to, <em>Resident Evil<\/em>. And on that note, with remakes of \u201890s classics making all kinds of noise in recent years, a fully realized version of <em>Parasite Eve<\/em> is long overdue.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-the-witcher-3-wild-hunt-the-witcher-andrzej-sapkowski\"><strong>The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt &#8211; (<\/strong><strong><em>The Witcher<\/em><\/strong><strong>, Andrzej Sapkowski)<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div data-nosnippet=\"true\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Official Launch Trailer - The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" class=\"js-lazy\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/XHrskkHf958?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><em>The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt<\/em> has sold over 50 million copies worldwide and earned top spots on \u201cbest\u201d and \u201cgreatest\u201d lists ever since it set the gold standard for modern action RPGs when it released ten years ago. In fact, as the years go by, it becomes clearer and clearer just how monumental CD Projekt Red\u2019s magnum opus is\u2013even in 2025, it can stand up to every other game in its weight class.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>One of biggest indicators of <em>The Witcher 3<\/em>\u2019s staggering success other than the fact that it\u2019s sold over 50 million units to date and counting is that it\u2019s helped raise awareness of its source material, Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski\u2019s <em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.denofgeek.com\/the-witcher\/\">The Witcher<\/a><\/em> novels and short stories, which Netflix\u2019s series is adapted from. The game\u2019s story takes place after the events of the books and show and takes a few liberties with the original lore, but it maintains the spirit of the franchise. Together, the game, books, and show have cemented <em>The Witcher<\/em> as one of the defining fantasy stories of the past 50 years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-bioshock-atlas-shrugged-the-fountainhead-ayn-rand\"><strong>BioShock &#8211; (<\/strong><strong><em>Atlas Shrugged<\/em><\/strong><strong>, <\/strong><strong><em>The Fountainhead<\/em><\/strong><strong>, Ayn Rand)<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div data-nosnippet=\"true\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Bioshock Trailer HD\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" class=\"js-lazy\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/rrqfPG4ZcAA?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>There are a lot of things that make <em>BioShock<\/em> such an intoxicating and timeless experience, from its evocative art style to its unforgettable scripted moments, to the haunting atmosphere of Rapture, the leaky underwater city that serves as the game\u2019s setting. But it\u2019s the ideological potency of the game\u2019s writing that makes it so rich. While the game\u2019s story is wholly original, it\u2019s a less-than-subtle critique of Objectivism, the philosophical backbone of much of Ayn Rand\u2019s work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Andrew Ryan, Rapture\u2019s creator and the story\u2019s unveiled antagonist, is the most obvious embodiment of Rand\u2019s Objectivist worldview, fashioning an ultimately doomed vision of a society where self-centeredness and productivity are paramount. There are numerous references to Rand\u2019s work littered throughout the game, like \u201cAndrew Ryan\u201d being a loose anagram of Ayn Rand, and the \u201cWho is Atlas?\u201d posters hung around Rapture being a flip on the line \u201cWho is John Galt?\u201d from <em>Atlas Shrugged<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-spec-ops-the-line-heart-of-darkness-joseph-conrad\"><strong>Spec Ops: The Line (<\/strong><strong><em>Heart of Darkness<\/em><\/strong><strong>, Joseph Conrad)<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div data-nosnippet=\"true\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Spec Ops: The Line - Launch Trailer\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" class=\"js-lazy\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/kIoJnMT3yUI?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Joseph Conrad\u2019s novella <em>Heart of Darkness<\/em> most notably inspired Francis Ford Coppola\u2019s <em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.denofgeek.com\/apocalypse-now\/\">Apocalypse Now<\/a><\/em>, with both pieces examining the psychological and ethical horrors that war conjures in its ground combatants. While also a riff on Conrad\u2019s classic, <em>Spec Ops: The Line<\/em> leverages the experiential nature of video games to take the themes of <em>Heart of Darkness<\/em> to a new level, putting the moral paradoxes and impossibilities of its characters in the player\u2019s hands. When the game was released in 2012, the age of the bro shooter was in full swing, and it was a sobering subversion of all of the ultraviolent indulgences players had become so numb to.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As protagonist Captain Martin Walker leads his three-soldier Delta Force into a decimated Dubai and his sanity begins to deteriorate, nightmarish visions meeting him at every turn, the story takes on a form and tone unseen in any video game before. The game still stands as one of the most unique mainstream releases ever, and remains a must-play for those who have yet to experience it.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-enslaved-odyssey-to-the-west-journey-to-the-west-wu-cheng-en\"><strong>Enslaved: Odyssey to the West (<\/strong><strong><em>Journey to the West<\/em><\/strong><strong>, Wu Cheng\u2019en)<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div data-nosnippet=\"true\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Enslaved: Odyssey to the West - Premium Edition Launch Trailer\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" class=\"js-lazy\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/L5YG8pbZolk?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.denofgeek.com\/alex-garland\/\">Alex Garland<\/a> made a name for himself as one of the most inventive storytellers in film, with his penned screenplays (<em>Ex Machina<\/em>, <em>28 Days Later<\/em>, <em>Civil War<\/em>) providing unnerving examinations of human nature that, to our horror, ring utterly true. What Garland is less known for is <em>Enslaved: Odyssey to the West<\/em>, a 2010 game whose story is a loose retelling of the 16th-century Chinese novel <em>Journey to the West<\/em>.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Garland\u2019s fingerprints are all over the <em>Enslaved<\/em>\u2019s campaign, but it\u2019s the knockout of an ending that makes the game a true masterpiece. When protagonists Monkey (Andy Serkis) and Trip (Lindsay Shaw) finally reach their destination, they\u2019re faced with a mind-blowing revelation when they confront Pyramid (also Serkis), a man who has transplanted the pre-war memories of a single person into the minds of thousands of wastelanders in an act of mass hypnosis to, in his view, gift them salvation. What happens next is one of the most astounding, thought-provoking final moments of any game, ever.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-dune-ii-dune-frank-herbert\"><strong>Dune II (<\/strong><strong><em>Dune<\/em><\/strong><strong>, Frank Herbert)<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div data-nosnippet=\"true\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Dune 2 II (1992, Westwood) [Intro]\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" class=\"js-lazy\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/8tC32ZIYXlE?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>There are a lot of underappreciated titles on this list, but <em>Dune II<\/em> is the granddaddy of them all. Westwood Studios\u2019 1992 RTS is also the granddaddy of an entire genre, with its gameplay mechanics and presentation influencing some of the most popular RTS franchises in history (<em>Command &amp; Conquer<\/em>, <em>Age of Empires<\/em>, <em>Warcraft<\/em>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While the game ran on relatively primitive hardware, with a version even released on the SEGA Genesis, it was incredibly engaging and had all of the addictive qualities of the aforementioned RTS greats, albeit in a less evolved form. The ties to Herbert\u2019s novel are thin, as the game\u2019s narrative is anything but elaborate, particularly in comparison to the density of the books. But from a gameplay perspective, <em>Dune II<\/em> is well deserving of a spot on the list.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-i-have-no-mouth-and-i-must-scream-i-have-no-mouth-and-i-must-scream-harlan-ellison\"><strong>I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream (<\/strong><strong><em>I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream<\/em><\/strong><strong>, Harlan Ellison)<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div data-nosnippet=\"true\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream - Night Dive Studios Trailer\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" class=\"js-lazy\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/9fneqw1llI8?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><em>I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream<\/em> is a rare case in which both the video game and the book it\u2019s based on were written by the same person. For the 1995 point-and-click adventure game, writer Harlan Ellison worked with studios Cyberdream and The Dreamers guild to adapt his 1967 short story, which revolves around sentient supercomputer AM, who destroys all of humanity save for five survivors who he spends the next 109 years torturing in the center of the Earth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Both versions of the story are twisted as hell, but what was so riveting about the game was its unique, language-based control scheme (players put together words to control the characters\u2019 actions), which added a literary element to the surrealistic, gnarled visuals, which were quite handsome (in their own, sinister way) for the time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-goldeneye-james-bond-series-ian-fleming\"><strong>Goldeneye (James Bond series, Ian Fleming)<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div data-nosnippet=\"true\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Goldeneye 007 Promotional Trailer 1996\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" class=\"js-lazy\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/MFmQFGhc-cU?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Saying <em>Goldeneye<\/em> is inspired by Ian Fleming\u2019s James Bond novels is a bit of a reach. It\u2019s based squarely on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.denofgeek.com\/movies\/how-goldeneye-updated-the-james-bond-franchise\/\">the Pierce Brosnan film<\/a>, which is based on the character from the books. Despite the degrees of separation, Rare\u2019s iconic N64 first-person shooter needs to be on this list because it holds such a special place in the hearts of gamers of a certain age.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Goldeneye<\/em> is nearly 30 years old now, and because of that, it\u2019s easy to lose sight of just how groundbreaking it was for the time. When it was released in 1997, the N64 had been released just one year earlier, and its library was largely comprised of traditional kids&#8217; games. <em>Goldeneye<\/em>\u2019s mature presentation and depictions of violence were novel for Nintendo\u2019s machine, but the kicker was how amazing the first-person shooter gameplay felt in split-screen multiplayer. The N64 split-screen deathmatches are almost unplayable now (that framerate is brutal), but the game was a beacon of joy that countless \u201890s kids will never forget.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-lego-harry-potter-harry-potter-series-jk-rowling\"><strong>LEGO Harry Potter (<\/strong><strong><em>Harry Potter<\/em><\/strong><strong> Series, JK Rowling)<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div data-nosnippet=\"true\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"LEGO Harry Potter Collection \u2013 Launch Trailer | PS4\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" class=\"js-lazy\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/tiv2tySHzQQ?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>While <em>Hogwarts Legacy<\/em> certainly made a splash when it dropped in 2023, it\u2019s the <em>LEGO Harry Potter<\/em> games that resonated with a broader audience on top of being more directly adapted from the books\/movies. Traveller\u2019s Tales did a fantastic job capturing the feel of the books and films while imbuing the campaign\u2019s storytelling with the charm and wholesome humor of LEGO.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>LEGO adaptation games are, pound-for-pound, some of the most undervalued games on the market. They do big business of course, but they\u2019re often dismissed as cash-grabby, shallow, bargain-bin titles. This couldn\u2019t be further from the truth\u2013these games are genuinely well-made and insanely fun, and the <em>LEGO Harry Potter<\/em> games were some of the first truly great entries in a long line of LEGO games that don\u2019t seem to be going anywhere any time soon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-star-wars-shadows-of-the-empire-shadows-of-the-empire-steve-perry\"><strong>Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire (<\/strong><strong><em>Shadows of the Empire<\/em><\/strong><strong>, Steve Perry)<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div data-nosnippet=\"true\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Star Wars Shadows of the Empire Official Trailer\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" class=\"js-lazy\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/KONIFMAYWwg?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Before Disney expanded the Star Wars universe to dizzying proportions, there was a little thing called <em>Shadows of the Empire<\/em>, a multi-media project launched by Lucasfilm in 1996 to drum up hype for the upcoming prequels. The story was set between the events of <em>The Empire Strikes Back<\/em> and <em>Return of the Jedi<\/em> and introduced a new character, Dash Rendar, who acted as the player character for the N64 game <em>Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The game wasn\u2019t quite a launch title for the N64 (it came out three months after the console\u2019s release), but it went on to be regarded as a defining first-wave N64 game. The graphics were mind-blowing in a transitional period when polygons were hype as hell, and the licensed music and familiar locales (Hoth was a killer opener) brought the nostalgia hard. Gameplay-wise, the game was a little janky, particularly in the platforming sections. But as a package, <em>Shadows of the Empire<\/em> was a solid example of a licensed game done right.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-metro-2033-metro-2033-dmitri-glukhovsky\"><strong>Metro 2033 (<\/strong><strong><em>Metro 2033<\/em><\/strong><strong>, Dmitri Glukhovsky)<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div data-nosnippet=\"true\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Metro 2033 - Launch Trailer (Official) HD\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" class=\"js-lazy\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/QThDHIu8sZE?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>What\u2019s extraordinary about <em>Metro 2033<\/em> is the specificity of its cultural identity. The game is based on a novel of the same name by Dmitri Glukhovsky, a Russian author and critic of the Russian government who hand-picked Ukrainian studio 4A Games to develop the game adaptation of his novel because he aligned with them spiritually, culturally, and politically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This can all be felt in the game, which like the novel is set in a post-apocalyptic Russia\u2019s Metro system, which has been infested with irradiated creatures and human combatants from warring factions. The game plays like a straightforward first-person shooter and isn\u2019t extraordinary in this respect\u2013but its dingy atmosphere and sociopolitically charged story help it transcend the FPS genre.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-lies-of-p-the-adventures-of-pinocchio-carlo-collodi\"><strong>Lies of P (<\/strong><strong><em>The Adventures of Pinocchio<\/em><\/strong><strong>, Carlo Collodi)<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div data-nosnippet=\"true\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Lies of P Official 4K Gameplay Trailer | gamescom ONL 2022\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" class=\"js-lazy\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/R5TUYKAzGZs?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s one thing to stay faithful to a classic story. It\u2019s another to distort a classic story so far beyond recognition that it becomes something completely new. The latter approach is a riskier endeavor, but <em>Lies of P<\/em> proves it can be done as long as the concept is inspired and well thought-out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As wild as it sounds, turns out taking Caro Collodi\u2019s <em>Pinocchio<\/em> and using it as a foundation to tell an eerie Baroque tale bolstered by Souls-like gameplay was a wonderful idea by Neowiz and Round8 Studio. Everything in this game clicks; the visuals, gameplay, and narrative all come together in a satisfying, harmonious way. The fictional European city of Krat is one of the more unique game settings in recent memory, and strangely, the game\u2019s oddness somehow aligns it nicely with the spirit of the original novel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-s-t-a-l-k-e-r-shadow-of-chernobyl-roadside-picnic-arkady-and-boris-strugatsky\"><strong>S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl (<\/strong><strong><em>Roadside Picnic<\/em><\/strong><strong>, Arkady <\/strong><strong>and<\/strong><strong> Boris Strugatsky)<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div data-nosnippet=\"true\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl - Final Launch Trailer HD\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" class=\"js-lazy\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/wGD4bRFMRlY?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><em>S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl<\/em>\u2019s roots lie in Arkady and Boris Strugatsky\u2019s <em>Roadside Picnic<\/em>, a Russian sci-fi novel that went on to inspire several other projects, including filmmaker Andrei Tarkovsky\u2019s <em>Stalker<\/em>. Developed by Ukrainian studio GSC Game World, the game combines first-person-shooter gameplay with RPG mechanics and a non-linear narrative with multiple endings, which helped distinguish it from the FPS pack when it was released in 2007.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Above all else, what made the game special was its dark, nebulous atmosphere, which it inherited from the novel. The setting of The Zone and Chernobyl is ominous, bleak, and terrifying, with anomalies and abominations abound. The open-endedness of the story lends to the game\u2019s overall mystique, and it earned cult-classic status that led to an unlikely, long-overdue 2024 sequel that was released in the midst of the Russa-Ukraine conflict.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-middle-earth-shadow-of-mordor-the-lord-of-the-rings-jrr-tolkien\"><strong>Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor (The Lord of the Rings, JRR Tolkien)<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div data-nosnippet=\"true\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor - Game of the Year Edition - 4K Trailer | PS4\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" class=\"js-lazy\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/BWkKx0GLa5Q?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The truth is, <em>Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor<\/em> would probably be a great game even if it didn\u2019t have<em> <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.denofgeek.com\/lord-of-the-rings\/\"><em>The<\/em> <em>Lord of the Rings<\/em><\/a> license attached to it. In other words, the Tolkien of it all doesn\u2019t add a whole lot to the experience in this instance. The game made the list not because of its interpretation of the <em>LotR<\/em> lore or aesthetic, but because its simply a badass third-person action game that is incredibly fun to play.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The game\u2019s <em>Arkham<\/em>-inspired combat system is its greatest strength, hands down. The Nemesis system is a cool way for players to navigate the game and apply creative decision-making, but at the end of the day, it\u2019s all a means to an end, an excuse to head somewhere new to find some more asses to kick. Like Rocksteady\u2019s Batman games, the combat makes the player feel insanely empowered, which is a hell of a drug.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-dante-s-inferno-inferno-dante-alighieri\"><strong>Dante\u2019s Inferno (<\/strong><strong><em>Inferno<\/em><\/strong><strong>, Dante Alighieri)<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div data-nosnippet=\"true\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Dante&#039;s Inferno trailer\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" class=\"js-lazy\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/UUOZRRU_Dyg?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>This one\u2019s a big-time sleeper: <em>Dante\u2019s Inferno<\/em>, developed by Visceral Games (best known for the <em>Dead Space<\/em> series), ostensibly looks like a <em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.denofgeek.com\/god-of-war\/\">God of War<\/a><\/em> clone. And you know what? It kind of is a <em>God of War<\/em> clone. But this isn\u2019t a bad thing! It\u2019s a killer action-adventure game with sinister visuals and a mythical setting based on <em>Inferno<\/em>, the first part of Dante Alighieri\u2019s <em>The Divine Comedy<\/em>.\u00a0<br>The game follows Dante as he battles through the Nine Circles of Hell to save his wife\u2019s soul from Lucifer. While the comparisons to <em>God of War<\/em> hurt the game\u2019s perception a bit, the third-person, ultraviolent action was wholly appropriate considering the tone of the story. The combat is fast, frenetic, and razor-sharp, the score is spectacular, and the story is simplistic in a good way. There are a lot of people who haven\u2019t played this game but absolutely should.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>As art forms, literature and video games couldn\u2019t be more unalike\u2026at least on the surface. Video games are hypersensory, stimulating with sight, sound, and touch while giving the player agency to play their way. Novels on the other hand are hyperlinear and unfold in the theater of the mind. One would think it would be [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":44,"featured_media":972138,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"dog_exclude_from_homepage":false,"dog_do_not_display_featured_image":false,"dog_external_link":"","dog_product_price":0,"dog_product_button_label":"Buy Now","apple_news_api_created_at":"","apple_news_api_id":"","apple_news_api_modified_at":"","apple_news_api_revision":"","apple_news_api_share_url":"","apple_news_cover_media_provider":"image","apple_news_coverimage":0,"apple_news_coverimage_caption":"","apple_news_cover_video_id":0,"apple_news_cover_video_url":"","apple_news_cover_embedwebvideo_url":"","apple_news_is_hidden":"","apple_news_is_paid":"","apple_news_is_preview":"","apple_news_is_sponsored":"","apple_news_maturity_rating":"","apple_news_metadata":"\"\"","apple_news_pullquote":"","apple_news_pullquote_position":"","apple_news_slug":"","apple_news_sections":[],"apple_news_suppress_video_url":false,"apple_news_use_image_component":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[792,763],"article_type":[776],"topic":[1236,2527,3569,1340],"sponsored":[],"feeds":[],"coauthors":[131],"class_list":{"0":"post-971925","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-books","8":"category-games","9":"article_type-features","10":"topic-bioshock","11":"topic-dune","12":"topic-goldeneye","13":"topic-the-witcher","14":"entry"},"apple_news_notices":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v26.0 (Yoast SEO v26.0) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>The 15 Best Video Games Inspired by Books | Den of Geek<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"From Dante to Ayn Rand to children&#039;s fairy stories, the history of video games inspired by novels is long and varied. Here are some of the best.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.denofgeek.com\/games\/best-video-games-inspired-by-books\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The 15 Best Video Games Inspired by Books\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"From Dante to Ayn Rand to children&#039;s fairy stories, the history of video games inspired by novels is long and varied. Here are some of the best.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.denofgeek.com\/games\/best-video-games-inspired-by-books\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Den of Geek\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-02-28T08:28:40+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-02-28T08:28:41+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.denofgeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/BookInspiredGames.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1200\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"675\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Bernard Boo\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Bernard Boo\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"12 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.denofgeek.com\/games\/best-video-games-inspired-by-books\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.denofgeek.com\/games\/best-video-games-inspired-by-books\/\",\"name\":\"The 15 Best Video Games Inspired by Books | Den of Geek\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.denofgeek.com\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.denofgeek.com\/games\/best-video-games-inspired-by-books\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.denofgeek.com\/games\/best-video-games-inspired-by-books\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.denofgeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/BookInspiredGames.png?fit=1200%2C675\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-02-28T08:28:40+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-02-28T08:28:41+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.denofgeek.com\/#\/schema\/person\/9a39e0ce296a8a26858371f3b52af1a0\"},\"description\":\"From Dante to Ayn Rand to children's fairy stories, the history of video games inspired by novels is long and varied. Here are some of the best.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.denofgeek.com\/games\/best-video-games-inspired-by-books\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.denofgeek.com\/games\/best-video-games-inspired-by-books\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.denofgeek.com\/games\/best-video-games-inspired-by-books\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.denofgeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/BookInspiredGames.png?fit=1200%2C675\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.denofgeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/BookInspiredGames.png?fit=1200%2C675\",\"width\":1200,\"height\":675,\"caption\":\"Collage of video games including The Witcher and BioShock\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.denofgeek.com\/games\/best-video-games-inspired-by-books\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.denofgeek.com\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"The 15 Best Video Games Inspired by Books\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.denofgeek.com\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.denofgeek.com\/\",\"name\":\"Den of Geek\",\"description\":\"\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.denofgeek.com\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.denofgeek.com\/#\/schema\/person\/9a39e0ce296a8a26858371f3b52af1a0\",\"name\":\"Bernard Boo\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.denofgeek.com\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/6201eaf636fe7d6becc806aee79fade1\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.denofgeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/bernard-boo.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/eab543c2e6d181d1129762fff1d403520bd338ee289c5b55e3ff51367c09cdba?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Bernard Boo\"},\"sameAs\":[\"http:\/\/denofgeek.com\"],\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.denofgeek.com\/author\/louisamellor\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"The 15 Best Video Games Inspired by Books | Den of Geek","description":"From Dante to Ayn Rand to children's fairy stories, the history of video games inspired by novels is long and varied. Here are some of the best.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.denofgeek.com\/games\/best-video-games-inspired-by-books\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"The 15 Best Video Games Inspired by Books","og_description":"From Dante to Ayn Rand to children's fairy stories, the history of video games inspired by novels is long and varied. Here are some of the best.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.denofgeek.com\/games\/best-video-games-inspired-by-books\/","og_site_name":"Den of Geek","article_published_time":"2025-02-28T08:28:40+00:00","article_modified_time":"2025-02-28T08:28:41+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1200,"height":675,"url":"https:\/\/www.denofgeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/BookInspiredGames.png","type":"image\/png"}],"author":"Bernard Boo","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Bernard Boo","Est. reading time":"12 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.denofgeek.com\/games\/best-video-games-inspired-by-books\/","url":"https:\/\/www.denofgeek.com\/games\/best-video-games-inspired-by-books\/","name":"The 15 Best Video Games Inspired by Books | Den of Geek","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.denofgeek.com\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.denofgeek.com\/games\/best-video-games-inspired-by-books\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.denofgeek.com\/games\/best-video-games-inspired-by-books\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.denofgeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/BookInspiredGames.png?fit=1200%2C675","datePublished":"2025-02-28T08:28:40+00:00","dateModified":"2025-02-28T08:28:41+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.denofgeek.com\/#\/schema\/person\/9a39e0ce296a8a26858371f3b52af1a0"},"description":"From Dante to Ayn Rand to children's fairy stories, the history of video games inspired by novels is long and varied. Here are some of the best.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.denofgeek.com\/games\/best-video-games-inspired-by-books\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.denofgeek.com\/games\/best-video-games-inspired-by-books\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.denofgeek.com\/games\/best-video-games-inspired-by-books\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.denofgeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/BookInspiredGames.png?fit=1200%2C675","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.denofgeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/BookInspiredGames.png?fit=1200%2C675","width":1200,"height":675,"caption":"Collage of video games including The Witcher and BioShock"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.denofgeek.com\/games\/best-video-games-inspired-by-books\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.denofgeek.com\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"The 15 Best Video Games Inspired by Books"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.denofgeek.com\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.denofgeek.com\/","name":"Den of Geek","description":"","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.denofgeek.com\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.denofgeek.com\/#\/schema\/person\/9a39e0ce296a8a26858371f3b52af1a0","name":"Bernard Boo","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.denofgeek.com\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/6201eaf636fe7d6becc806aee79fade1","url":"https:\/\/www.denofgeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/bernard-boo.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/eab543c2e6d181d1129762fff1d403520bd338ee289c5b55e3ff51367c09cdba?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Bernard Boo"},"sameAs":["http:\/\/denofgeek.com"],"url":"https:\/\/www.denofgeek.com\/author\/louisamellor\/"}]}},"parsely":{"version":"1.1.0","canonical_url":"https:\/\/denofgeek.com\/games\/best-video-games-inspired-by-books\/","smart_links":{"inbound":0,"outbound":0},"traffic_boost_suggestions_count":0,"meta":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","headline":"The 15 Best Video Games Inspired by Books","url":"http:\/\/www.denofgeek.com\/games\/best-video-games-inspired-by-books\/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"http:\/\/www.denofgeek.com\/games\/best-video-games-inspired-by-books\/"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.denofgeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/BookInspiredGames.png?resize=150%2C150","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/www.denofgeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/BookInspiredGames.png?fit=1200%2C675"},"articleSection":"Books","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Bernard Boo"}],"creator":["Bernard Boo"],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Den of Geek","logo":""},"keywords":[],"dateCreated":"2025-02-28T08:28:40Z","datePublished":"2025-02-28T08:28:40Z","dateModified":"2025-02-28T08:28:41Z"},"rendered":"<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"wp-parsely-metadata\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@type\":\"NewsArticle\",\"headline\":\"The 15 Best Video Games Inspired by Books\",\"url\":\"http:\\\/\\\/www.denofgeek.com\\\/games\\\/best-video-games-inspired-by-books\\\/\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"http:\\\/\\\/www.denofgeek.com\\\/games\\\/best-video-games-inspired-by-books\\\/\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.denofgeek.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/02\\\/BookInspiredGames.png?resize=150%2C150\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.denofgeek.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/02\\\/BookInspiredGames.png?fit=1200%2C675\"},\"articleSection\":\"Books\",\"author\":[{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"Bernard Boo\"}],\"creator\":[\"Bernard Boo\"],\"publisher\":{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"name\":\"Den of Geek\",\"logo\":\"\"},\"keywords\":[],\"dateCreated\":\"2025-02-28T08:28:40Z\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-02-28T08:28:40Z\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-02-28T08:28:41Z\"}<\/script>","tracker_url":"https:\/\/cdn.parsely.com\/keys\/denofgeek.com\/p.js"},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.denofgeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/BookInspiredGames.png?fit=1200%2C675","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":972487,"url":"https:\/\/www.denofgeek.com\/games\/best-video-games-inspired-by-comic-books\/","url_meta":{"origin":971925,"position":0},"title":"The 15 Best Video Games Inspired by Comic Books","author":"Louisa Mellor","date":"March 5, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"There is perhaps no video game subgenre more hit-or-miss than comic book games. There are a ton of them out there, and a large majority of them are bargain-bin schlock, unworthy of the source material that \u201cinspired\u201d them. But some comic book games are genuinely inspired, taking the essence of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Comics&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Comics","link":"https:\/\/www.denofgeek.com\/comics\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Batman Arkham Knight","src":"https:\/\/www.denofgeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Batman-Arkham-knight.jpg?fit=1920%2C1080&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/www.denofgeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Batman-Arkham-knight.jpg?fit=1920%2C1080&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/www.denofgeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Batman-Arkham-knight.jpg?fit=1920%2C1080&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/www.denofgeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Batman-Arkham-knight.jpg?fit=1920%2C1080&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/www.denofgeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Batman-Arkham-knight.jpg?fit=1920%2C1080&resize=1050%2C600 3x, https:\/\/www.denofgeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Batman-Arkham-knight.jpg?fit=1920%2C1080&resize=1400%2C800 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":108290,"url":"https:\/\/www.denofgeek.com\/games\/halo-a-guide-to-the-expanded-universe\/","url_meta":{"origin":971925,"position":1},"title":"Halo: A Guide to the Expanded Universe","author":"jbindeck2015","date":"November 15, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Since Halo: Combat Evolved launched in 2001 to huge critical acclaim and blockbuster success, it jump started the original Xbox's popularity, securing its place in today's console wars. But Halo has gone beyond video games since its introduction. There have been books, comics, and TV specials that expand the universe\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Games&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Games","link":"https:\/\/www.denofgeek.com\/games\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":112277,"url":"https:\/\/www.denofgeek.com\/games\/star-wars-what-we-want-from-viscerals-new-game\/","url_meta":{"origin":971925,"position":2},"title":"Star Wars: What We Want from Visceral&#8217;s New Game","author":"jbindeck2015","date":"April 16, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Since Amy Hennig joined Visceral Games as creative director for a new Star Wars video game, anticipation is rising for what could be the first major Star Wars game in years. Fans of the franchise have faced cancellations and teases over the last years, from the cancelation of 1313 to\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Games&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Games","link":"https:\/\/www.denofgeek.com\/games\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":112758,"url":"https:\/\/www.denofgeek.com\/books\/learning-to-adapt-the-cinematic-explosion-of-young-adult-books\/","url_meta":{"origin":971925,"position":3},"title":"Learning to Adapt: The Cinematic Explosion of Young Adult Books","author":"jbindeck2015","date":"April 2, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Before\u00a0Divergent's $54 million opening weekend, there was much uncertainty about how the adaptation of the first book in Veronica Roth\u2019s blockbuster Young Adult series would fare in theaters. With its similarities to Suzanne Collins\u2019s Hunger Games, and a budget close to $100 million at a bad time for YA novel\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Books&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Books","link":"https:\/\/www.denofgeek.com\/books\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":111776,"url":"https:\/\/www.denofgeek.com\/books\/the-star-wars-expanded-universe-5-things-that-made-it-matter\/","url_meta":{"origin":971925,"position":4},"title":"The Star Wars Expanded Universe: 5 Things That Made it Matter","author":"jbindeck2015","date":"April 28, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"The Star Wars Expanded Universe is about to change drastically. After over twenty years, Lucasfilm announced that any Star Wars stories told outside the confines of the films and cartoons are now subject to canon change. Fair enough. They're only stories, after all. But the Star Wars Expanded Universe has\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Books&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Books","link":"https:\/\/www.denofgeek.com\/books\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":390474,"url":"https:\/\/www.denofgeek.com\/games\/chris-perkins-interview-dungeons-dragons-the-sundering-and-shared-worlds\/","url_meta":{"origin":971925,"position":5},"title":"Chris Perkins interview: Dungeons &#038; Dragons, The Sundering and shared worlds","author":"jbindeck2015","date":"November 17, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Dungeons & Dragons celebrated its 40th anniversary earlier this year. The anniversary coincides with the release of the Fifth Edition of the venerable role-playing game and the revamp of one of its most popular world settings, the Forgotten Realms. If you are a fan of heroic fantasy novels \u2212 even\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Games&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Games","link":"https:\/\/www.denofgeek.com\/games\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.denofgeek.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/971925","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.denofgeek.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.denofgeek.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.denofgeek.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/44"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.denofgeek.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=971925"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.denofgeek.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/971925\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":972022,"href":"https:\/\/www.denofgeek.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/971925\/revisions\/972022"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.denofgeek.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/972138"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.denofgeek.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=971925"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.denofgeek.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=971925"},{"taxonomy":"article_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.denofgeek.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/article_type?post=971925"},{"taxonomy":"topic","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.denofgeek.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/topic?post=971925"},{"taxonomy":"sponsored","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.denofgeek.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/sponsored?post=971925"},{"taxonomy":"feeds","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.denofgeek.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/feeds?post=971925"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.denofgeek.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=971925"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}