For many years, books and films have served as a rich source of inspiration for game developers worldwide. The compelling characters, distinctive settings, and captivating storylines found in fictional works have laid the groundwork for countless games spanning various genres.
In fact, games take much more from books than game design. No matter your preference—be it classic literature, sweeping fantasy epics, or intense crime dramas—there’s a game designed to transport you straight into the core of your favorite fictional universe.
Online Games Inspired by Novel or Fiction
1 Spec Ops: The Line
Much like the movie Apocalypse Now , the game Spec Ops: The Line , developed by Yager Development, draws direct inspiration from Joseph Conrad’s 1899 novel Heart of Darkness . Set during current warfare scenarios in the Middle East, this video game brings significant moments and personalities from its source novel directly to your screen. Instead of journeying into the Congo of the late nineteenth century, players navigate a conflict-ridden Middle Eastern city. With each chapter, you start to see how things aren’t always what they seem. The narrative throws in unexpected twists and delves into complex ethical dilemmas.
2 Metro Exodus
Inspired by Dmitry Glukhovsky’s book series, Metro Exodus is a first-person shooter developed by 4A Games and published by Deep Silver. After an apocalypse, humans now live beneath the surface in dark tunnels. They risk their lives venturing into the dangerous outside world for essential supplies.
Follow Artyom, a Moscow Metro survivor, on a quest to find a new home. You’ll explore many settings in this game, such as Russia’s frozen wastelands and the green woods by the Volga River. Every location tests your skills with its own set of obstacles. You won’t believe how incredible the graphics look or how much detail goes into each environment. Imagine traversing the harsh wilderness of a devastated Russia—that’s what “Metro Exodus” offers. This game combines intense shooting mechanics with heart-pounding moments where every bullet counts against fierce enemies lurking around every corner. Players find themselves lost in its colorful and detailed world. Gear up with different weapons to battle not only monstrous mutants but also opposing gangs who are all trying to rule what’s left of the wasteland.
You can greatly expand your understanding of the world of Metro with the help of books. Moreover, you have access to free novels online from this series. They also cover other games in the series. Not only does FictionMe have top-notch app design, but the library is also quite extensive. Thanks to the ability to read free novels online, you can get to know the plot of Metro and other books better. Very soon, you will find similar novels that will help you stay in your fictional world for as long as you want.
3 Assassin’s Creed
Many games are direct adaptations of books, but even original games often draw ideas from literary works. For example, the popular video game franchise Assassin’s Creed is inspired by Vladimir Bartol’s 1938 novel Alamut. The first game’s producer, Jade Raymond, took inspiration from the novel’s plot, which is set in the Persian fortress of Alamut, located about a hundred kilometers from modern-day Tehran.
If you are a regular reader of novels, you may notice many similarities between books and games. This is because games often draw inspiration from different cult novels. After reading novels online, you will see dozens of references in many games. If you are worried about the availability of novels online, you just need to visit the App Store. There are different IOS novels apps and you will find your reading app.
4 S.T.A.L.K.E.R.
The S.T.A.L.K.E.R. video game series, inspired by the novel Roadside Picnic and the movie Stalker, explores a unique post-apocalyptic world. Authored by Soviet-Russian writers Arkady and Boris Strugatsky, the novel forms the foundation of these adaptations. Set in the “Zone,” a hazardous area formerly visited by aliens, the games draw adventurers with the promise of untold riches despite the dangers. The first title, S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl, closely mirrors the novel’s storyline, offering players an immersive experience that captures the essence of the original science-fiction narrative.
5 Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor
Both Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor and its sequel, Shadow of War, are set in the universe of J.R.R. Tolkien’s celebrated works. Tolkien is famous for The Lord of the Rings series, The Hobbit, and The Silmarillion. These stories explore Arda and Middle Earth.
While The Lord of the Rings movies closely followed Tolkien’s narrative, Shadow of Mordor presents an original story by Monolith Productions, focusing on the orcs’ return to Mordor and Sauron’s rise. Despite some criticism from fans over its violent depictions, the game’s engaging story and enjoyable gameplay, featuring Talion in Mordor, captured players’ attention.
Conclusion
You should see the overlap between the graphics, story, and characters between these games and the books. In some games, the similarities are obvious, while others use the books only for inspiration and interpret the stories in their own way. Each approach is interesting and has a right to exist.
