You always hear about movies/tv/etc being adapted to video games or occasionally vice versa, usually with sub-par results. But what about novel series? Any reads that you'd recommend which were also made into video games? What about stuff that would make a fun game? Be sure to say if you are listing #existing book-to-game series or #proposed ones. ;-)

I'll start it off with these:

Existing

These all have been made into video games.

  • The Witcher series by Andrzej Sapkowski - I've only played the first 2 and I was one of the few who liked the controls in the first game more than the controls in the 2nd. The books, I will admit were not my favorite, but I know if I didn't mention them then every other comment will be about them. Too much contempt and too slow paced for me. Game takes place in same world, has same characters, but follows its own story

  • Harry Potter - Read and enjoyed the books. Never played the games, lego or otherwise.

  • The Riftwar Saga by Raymond E Feist - The game "Betrayal at Krondor" (note that the bundled Antara game is not related to this book series whatsoever) takes place in the same world, has characters from the books, dialog and chapter text feels like it comes from books, game has it's own story that was later made into a secondary novel series. This was one of my favorite games growing up and I loved the books too. Looking back on the books, some of that is definitely nostalgia; the books were decent but definitely not top-notch by today's standards, the series was written in the 80s and especially the first two have the feel of a new author. I still would recommend them, just not as strongly as something like Harry Potter or The Dresden Files.

Proposed

AFAIK, these only exist as books right now, but would probably make fun video games.

  • The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher would make a great action/rpg or action/mystery setting.
  • Stormlight Archives by Brandon Sanderson would make a great action/rpg setting. His Mistborn series would work really well too. I think Stormlight would have a slightly better time transitioning to video games but it's really so damn close that it's a toss-up.
  • The Grimnoir Chronicles by Larry Correia would make a great shooter + super-powers game.
  • Hard Luck Hank by Steven Campbell would make a great Monkey Island or Deponia type point-and-click adventure.
  • The Gentleman Bastards by Scott Lynch might make a good setting for some kind of heist/elaborate confidence-trick game (less GTA; thinking something like a more like a mix of Sly Cooper, Ocean's Eleven, and Game of Thrones). Heads up that the first half or so of the first book is a bit dull but wait it out and you won't regret it.
  • The Expeditionary Force by Craig Alanson might make do as a good backdrop for a sci-fi stealth game where you have to complete missions without revealing that you're human.
  • The Posleen War series by John Ringo might make a decent space marine/mech-suit fighter game or even a decent sci-fi RTS. I will say I got bored of the books after the 2nd or 3rd one but the first book was pretty solid.
  • Codex Alera also by Jim Butcher would probably make a pretty good Elder Scrolls type open-world fantasy rpg setting.
  • Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card would make a pretty cool team battle game (like Gears of War/COD/etc/etc team deathmatch) BUT I think this would be pretty damn cool in VR. Apparently, someone else liked this idea too but dev was stopped. ::crosses fingers that it resurfaces someday::

EDIT: Btw, in case anyone is interested in avoiding spoilers:

  • Been awhile since I read the Witcher books... I think the tv show and the books have roughly the same plot from what I could remember. IIRC, the games d their own thing so there's no really any danger of spoilers and either the books or TW1/TW2 games are safe to play first. I haven't gotten to TW3 yet, so I can't confirm but I believe it is also separate plot from the books.

  • Betrayal at Krondor takes place after the events in the 4 Riftwar Saga but you don't really need to have read the books to enjoy the game. The events in the game take place in a second 4-book series called the Riftwar Legacy which does contain spoilers for the game.

  • Haven't played the HP games, so I can't comment on those w/r/t spoilers. The movies follow the books pretty closely from what I remember so if you've seen the movies/read the books, I assume you're fine but not sure about spoilers if you start from the game.

  • As mentioned below, Mass Effect you should start with the games as the books will have spoilers.

  • Lords of the Rings. I only played one of them (War in the North I think) and it was a completely separate plot from the books/movies. I think some of the lego ones might follow the book/movie plots but am not sure. The MMO should be separate I think. If in doubt, read the books / watch the movies first and you should be good.

4 years ago*

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Bioshock: Rapture is really solid. I loved it.

4 years ago
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There were games base on Wheel of Time and Riders of the Pern, also Frederic Pohl's The Gateway

4 years ago
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Interesting, I was never aware of any of those; especially surprising since I really liked WOT books.

For anyone else who is curious: here's some youtube footage visually reminds me of Lands of Lore 2 or unmodded Morrowind. Unfortunately, doesn't seem to be available on steam/gog, so folks would probably need to track down used physical copies or turn to... other... means.

4 years ago
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Existing Books to games

Jurassic Park - The books are way better than the movies, or the games that they spanned.

Dune - Best Sci-Fi saga of all time, and the games invented the modern RTS

Game of Thrones - The books are great, the games are... (?)

The Wolf Among Us - Based on a graphic novel really, but I really enjoyed the game.

The Riverworld books - (This is a rarity) - The game is an strange RTS, the first books in the saga are really interesting, but the last books are awful.

Neverending Story - The book is amazing, every game made from it is awful.

RingWorld - The original HALO, this books really inspired the franchise. It has a couple of graphic adventures inspired by the original story by Larry Niven. RingWorld:; The revenge of the Patriarch, and Return to the RingWorld.

Watchmen - Another superb graphic novel. The games are so so.

Nobody mentioned Dracula? - The book is really really good.


Proposed book to games

  • The original setup of Starship Troopers could make awesome games.

  • We need more games based on the Discworld.

  • We need more games based on the Dune Universe

  • Howl's Moving Castle saga of books could be good material for point and click adventures.


Proposed games to books

  • We need books based on the Legacy of Kain universe
  • We really really need books based on the Oddworld.
4 years ago
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TF2 Comics <3

4 years ago
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I played Return to Krondor when I was 12.
It was an awesome game.

Assassin's Creed has books and comics

Many super hero comics had lame games (except Arkham Series and last Spiderman): Iron Man, Constantine, Hulk etc...

4 years ago*
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