15 Of Your Favorite Video Games You Didn't Know Were Inspired By Books

BOOK IT'S BASED ON: Alamut by Vladimir Bartol (1938)

Vladimir Bartol's Alamut is a less than flattering portrayal of the Hashshashin, a medieval band of warriors and assassins, but it serves as the inspiration for Assassin's Creed nonetheless. The Hashshashin, the etymological root of "assassin," were a specific sect of Nizari Ismailis, themselves a sect within Islam who opposed the Sunni Seljuq authority during the medieval period. Alamut paints the group as dangerously deceived, while the game takes a different approach, casting the Assassins as largely a force for good whose intense loyalty comes not from drugs and deception but from dedication to a cause. The scene in which Altair plunges from a tower comes direct from the novel, as does the Assassin's motto, "nothing is true; everything is permitted," which is a slight variation on, "Nothing is an absolute reality; all is permitted."

BOOK IT'S BASED ON: Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand (1957)

Ayn Rand's system of objectivism is everywhere in BioShock. In both Atlas Shrugged and 2K's hugely influential shooter, a society of brilliant minds secludes itself away from the ungrateful world. However, while the former champions this individualism and isolationist capitalism, the later strongly critiques it. As players explore the underwater city of Rapture, they find a world ravaged by self-indulgent experimentation and rampant individualism to the detriment of society. BioShock is an exploration of the extension of Rand's vision--not increased production, not incredible innovation, but rather a society so focused on the individual that it devours itself alive. 

BOOK IT'S BASED ON: The Witcher series by Andrzej Sapkowski (1994)

The Witcher is one of the more direct book-to-game adaptations, but even it is quite different than its literary inspiration. Both follow the adventures of Geralt of Rivera, a monster hunter (called a witcher) in a fantastic setting based on Polish myth. But rather than The Witcher books drawing people to the games, it's largely worked in reverse. Though Sapkowski is a cult favorite in Poland, the books weren't translated into English until 2007, the same year as the release of the first game. Since The Witcher 3 garnered so much attention for its commitment to fantastic open-world storytelling, it's no surprise that players have turned to the books for more of the same. 

BOOK IT'S BASED ON: Parasite Eve by Hideaki Sena (1995)

Hideaki Sena's Parasite Eve is an interesting case--the game isn't an adaptation, because it's actually the canonical sequel to the novel. The novel is a sort of biological horror story where mitochondria have developed consciousness and intelligence that surpasses humanity's. In the game, the player takes on the role of Aya Brea, a New York City police officer trapped in the middle of the mitochondria's plot for domination. Combining the horror of the novel with survival-horror mechanics, Parasite Eve takes a step further than the novel, imagining a future where mitochondria have already begun to destroy human bodies in revenge. It's a fitting sequel that applies what works so well about the novel to video games, turning the horror into an even more frightening experience when players feel it first-hand.

BOOK IT'S BASED ON: Metro 2033 by Dmitry Glukhovsky (2005).

Dmitry Glukhovsky's Metro 2033 takes place in post-apocalyptic Moscow, as humanity's last survivors live in the underground remains of the metro system. Under the rule of warring factions, people must try to survive their hostile world as well as their brutal leadership. In Metro 2033 the game, the story is largely the same, but when you play rather than read about the events it becomes much more about horror and survival than pure sci-fi. Though the events do differ somewhat, the influence and relationship between the book and game is clear. The adaptation is a prime example of how a narrative can change when adapted into a different form, as the game's survival horror elements make the terror of the novel more visceral and enjoyable for those who like their media terrifying.

BOOK IT'S BASED ON: Roadside Picnic by Arkady and Boris Strugatsky (1971)

The Strugatsky brothers' Roadside Picnic takes place after an extraterrestrial event that spans several locations throughout the world. These events, which weren't seen, have left the sites full of dangerous phenomena and objects with supernatural properties. S.T.A.L.K.E.R. isn't a direct adaptation, instead taking that premise and applying it to the Chernobyl accident site and swapping the extraterrestrials for government experiments. The game references plot points and characters from the book, making it a sort of reimagining of the well-regarded novel rather than a direct adaptation, but with a compelling throughline between the two nonetheless.