What would we do without our hobbies? Whether it is watching movies, gardening, hobbies are what make our lives interesting and fun. People who love both books and movies are particularly lucky since they can also enjoy a combination of the two. Books about video games and virtual worlds are becoming more and more popular these days, especially in the young adult category. This isn’t that surprising – young adults love playing video games, so it makes sense that they like to read books that deal with video games. However, that also works the other way around. Did you know that there are many popular video games that are based on books? It was actually books that made these video games famous!
1. The Wicher
Andrzej Sapkowski first wrote a collection of short stories called The Witcher which he then followed with the novels called The Saga. He became an instant success in Poland, and the books soon got turned into a video game that we all know and love. The characters are the same, but the game isn’t set in the same time period as the books. If you are interested, there are 5 books written in this series; however, some of them still haven’t been translated (although there are some translations done by dedicated fans).
2. STALKER
The STALKER games are partly based on the film Stalker, as well as on the novel Roadside Picnic, written by Boris and Arkady Strugatsky. The concept of the book is similar to the game – there are certain zones that have supernatural properties due to aliens who visited them some time ago. The games are more action-packed and there is a lot of shooting involved, but the similarities are still obvious.
3. Parasite Eve
Parasite Eve is a great example of how books and video games can work together to form an interesting story. The game is based on the book called Parasite Eve which was written by Hideaki Sena, but it serves more as its sequel than a simple adaptation. If you are interested in horror and biology, you should definitely check out both the book and the game, and you won’t be disappointed.
4. I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream
The novel I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream, written by Harlan Ellison, has already won a Hugo award, and we couldn’t be happier that it has been turned into a video game. This one is especially great for all those who love horror mixed with AI and technology. In both the game and the book, the whole civilization, except 5 people, has been destroyed by an angry computer called AM.
5. BioShock
BioShock is a case of a video game being based not only on one book but on an author. Ayn Rand was an author most known for Atlas Shrugged and The Fountainhead. The game BioShock is completely based on her novels and philosophies which she called Objectivism. The character from the game called Andrew Ryan is pretty much Ayn Rand herself, and this is just one of many ways in which this video game incorporates this author into the game.
6. Metro 2033
Metro 2033 is a wonderful example of how well things work out when the video game makers include an author in the game making process, especially if the game is based on the book written by that author. Metro 2033 is a book about post-apocalyptic Moscow and the game has many similarities including the setting, the main character Artyom, as well as several other characters.
