6 Perfect Video Games You Didn’t Know Were Based On Books

Whilst we already know that the likes of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, and more recently, 007: First Light are based on a series of bestselling books, there are some video games out there that have also taken inspiration from the written word. As just another form of storytelling, it is no surprise that many of our favorite books are adapted into a video game format, and whether these titles copy the book word-for-word, or just take some brief inspiration, it is a sure-fire way to get fans flocking to a brand-new adaptation.

6

BioShock

Based off the works of Ayn Rand

If you have spoken to me for more than two minutes, you will know that the BioShock franchise is one of my favorites of all time. Touching on themes of philosophy to politics, BioShock has already been likened to the works of George Orwell. However, it is clear to see that much of the game’s inspiration came from the works of Ayn Rand, a philosopher who was best known for developing a philosophical system which she named Objectivism.

With the game’s antagonist, Andrew Ryan, upholding a lot of Rand’s world views, whilst his name being a close anagram of Ayn Rand, it is no denying where its inspiration came from. Not only that, but you only need to take a little walk around Rapture to see the hundreds of “Who is Atlas?” posters, which must be a direct nod to “Who is John Galt?” from Atlas Shrugged.

5

Disco Elysium

Based off Sacred and Terrible Air

Am I getting my favorite games out of the way first? Yes. Disco Elysium is another game that I can talk about until the cows come home, and much like BioShock, it follows some heavy themes such as politics, philosophy, addiction, grief, communism, and much more. As a RPG, players are able to turn our protagonist, Harry, into an amalgamation of their own beliefs and world views, but what many people do not know, is that Disco Elysium is based loosely off an Estonian novel titled Sacred and Terrible Air.

Written by Robert Kurvitz, who also served as the game’s lead writer, it was revealed after the game’s launch that Disco Elysium and Sacred and Terrible Air are based in the same universe, but instead follow a different cast of characters. Unfortunately, Sacred and Terrible Air was never printed in English, but if you are able to read the original, Püha ja õudne lõhn, I would wholly recommend it.

4

Parasite Eve

Based off Parasite Eve by Hideaki Sena

Often compared to the Resident Evil franchise, Parasite Eve, developed by Square, was first published back in 1998 as a direct sequel to a novel by the same name. Written by author Hideaki Sena, the 1995 novel paved the way for some of our favorite J-Horror stories, such as the works of Junji Ito himself. As such, it went onto inspire Square, who collaborated with Sena to release a video game that would serve as a sequel to Parasite Eve.

Featuring references to the beloved novel, yet offering players a standalone horror experience, Parasite Eve gave fans themes of body horror, sci-fi, and a whole lot of gore when it launched on the PlayStation, and whilst it may offer just 10-hours of gameplay, its story is one that has stayed with fans ever since. So, it is perhaps no surprise that an official remake has been requested ever since.

3

Lies of P

Based off The Adventures of Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi

It is hard to believe that the character of Pinocchio was first created way back in 1883 thanks to a children’s fantasy novel written by Italian author Carlo Collodi. Since then, the animated marionette named Pinocchio has gone on to become a staple of many of our childhoods, and thanks to its many adaptations over the years, the story of the marionette wanting to become a real boy is still remembered to this day.

It is this story that inspired Lies of P, a soulslike RPG by Neowiz and Round8 Studio. Released back in 2023, Lies of P went on to meet both commercial and critical success, telling the story of our protagonist “P”, an automaton-like puppet created in the industry of Krat. According to the game’s lead, Choi Ji-won, they chose the story of Pinocchio, which is in the public domain, because it allowed the studio to choose a story that had room for creative expression.

2

Cyberpunk 2077

Based on Neuromancer by William Gibson

Although Cyberpunk 2077 itself is based on the tabletop RPG series created by Mike Pondsmith and published by R. Talsorian Games in 1988, there is no denying that the dystopian world itself was inspired by the likes of William Gibson’s Neuromancer, as well as 1982’s Blade Runner.

First published in 1984, Neuromancer is a science-fiction novel set in the near future. The story follows computer hacker, Case, after he is enlisted into a crew by a powerful artifical intelligence and a traumatized former soldier in order to take part in a high-stakes heist. Now set to receive an Apple TV live-action show with Callum Turner in the main role, it just goes to show just how many stories novels such as Neuromancer have gone onto inspire, including one of the most beloved RPGs of all time in Cyberpunk 2077.

1

Metro 2033

Based off Metro 2033 by Dmitri Glukhovsky

The story-driven, first-person shooter survival series developed by 4A Games has always been inspired by the works of Dmitry Glukhovsky, but Metro 2033 is a perfect example of how Glukhovsky’s sociopolitically charged story and environments have played a key role in the very atmosphere of the beloved video game saga.

Whilst Glukhovsky may be Russian himself, he has been a staunch advocate of being anti-Russian government and what makes this all the more powerful, is that he personally chose Ukrainian studio 4A Games to bring his fictional world to life with the Metro series.

Set in a post-apocalyptic world, Metro 2033 takes us to an irradiated Russia where both creatures and humans alike fight for territory across multiple different factions. As such, this series may look like your standard survival FPS on the surface, but due to Glukhovsky’s world views and his collaboration with 4A Games, its themes add a lot more depth that many players would not expect.