Video games have long been at the intersection of art and entertainment, and the legacy of books providing an influence on games hints at this relationship. A game has to tell a good story, so it’s no surprise that the world of literature has had much to impart on game developers over the years. Let’s take a look at some games you may not have known were based on great books.

1) Legend Of Zelda

The all-time gaming series Legend of Zelda has captured many hearts, but no matter how many adventures you’ve had exploring these puzzle-packed worlds, you may not have known that this great game series was inspired by a literary figure.

In the literary world, there’s only one Zelda – Zelda Fitzgerald, the wife of F. Scott Fitzgerald and an author in her own right. Zelda creator Shigeru Miyamoto has often spoken how Zelda Fitzgerald formed the inspiration for his gaming creation and he was strongly influenced by her novel Save Me The Waltz.

2) The Witcher

The Witcher is an immersive action-based RPG enjoyed around the globe, but in Poland the characters in the Witcher tales are equally well known from a series of stories. The Witcher started life as a collection of short stories which grew into fully formed novels.

“After the adaptation of these tales into a best-selling video game, the world started to take notice of its literary origins and the Witcher series has been translated into many languages around the globe,” says Mark A. Dingman, a writer at OXEssays and PaperFellows.

3) Parasite Eve

Creepy survival game Parasite Eve was developed in Japan, and it follows the journey of police officer Aya battling against a demonic practice that appears in female form. This spooky game is powered by a great story so lovers of the game won’t be surprised to learn that it’s based on a book. In fact, Parasite Eve the game is a spiritual sequel to a novel of the same name – so for a bit of backstory on a game you love, pick up the paperback.

4) Dark Souls

The challenge of battling your way to the end of this super-savage game is akin to reading an epic tale such as War and Peace. Dark Souls’s reputation as a hardcore game has made it beloved amongst true gamers. “Its nightmare monsters and eerie setting take their inspiration from a Japanese manga called Berserker,” says Henry Hammond, a game expert at Boomessays and Essayroo. “Picking up these comics reveals a stunning similarity in design.”

5) Spec Ops: The Line

2012 FPS Spec Ops: The Line appears as a classic shooter in an action-packed wartime setting but players of the game quickly become immersed in this world thanks to the taut narrative and character development that brings this game together. The creators of the game drew on a classic of the colonial genre – Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness – when they set about creating that brooding tone this game is known for.

6) BioShock

BioShock’s dystopian world slowly unfolds before the player’s eyes, revealing the twisted demise of a capitalist, 1920s society. The developers took their inspiration for this setting from Ayn Rand’s controversial classic Atlas Shrugged and the philosophy of greed, as well as the swinging ‘20s setting in which Rand was placed, all made their way into the game. There’s also a nod to the book through the recurring character Atlas.

7) Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Hyde,

Nintendo’s 1988 game Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Hyde has become infamous as one of the worst games of all time – its complex plot and uninterpretable gameplay meant it was an instant flop that grew into a cultural classic. The inspiration for the game – a Victorian novel by Robert Louis Stevenson – may go some way to explaining this rare misfire from Nintendo, as Stevenson’s work wasn’t best suited to the video game adaptation.

8) Call of Cthulhu

This 2018 game was a powerful sequel to a previous game that only hinted at the creepy world of Darkwater Island. As the title suggests, this sequel and its first installment were heavily inspired by H. P. Lovecraft’s work. Throughout a series of books, Lovecraft introduced us to the mythic creature Cthulhu and the setting for these games are strongly based on Lovecraft’s creepiest locations.

There you have it – the hidden connection between books and games. The best games create immersive worlds with memorable characters – a storybook world for you to explore.

Lauren Groff is a writer at Ukwritings.com and Academic Writing Services. She has published poetry and prose in a variety of print and digital locations and is inspired by the cultural intersections between art, literature and gaming. She is also a proofreader at Custom writing service.

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