Literature-Inspired Games

Inspired by Lewis Caroll's famous classic novel Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, this game was developed by designer American McGee (of DOOM and Quake fame). In a drastic departure of the original tale, Alice, who is now older, is a lone survivor of a fire that killed her family. She has been locked up in an asylum and must travel thru Wonderland once more in order to restore her sanity. She is a darker person now, and because of this, Wonderland is also dark and twisted.

Thanks to Grand Assault for this entry

Based on the famous science fiction novel Roadside Picnic (Piknik na obochine, 1977) by Russian writers Arkadi and Boris Strugatski. There is also a famous movie adaptation of the novel by Andrei Tarkovski, but the game actually is much closer in concept to the book although instead of having numerous Zones around the world, the game s focused around the Ukranian town of Chernobyl, the site of the most severe nuclear accident in history.

Based on the H.P. Lovecraft mythos and short story, The Shadow Over Innsmouth, you will immerse yourself in the dark underworld of Lovecraft's New England and find the horrible secrets lying beneath.

Based on the books by the Polish fantasy author Andrzej Sapkowski, The Witcher is a new addition to the RPG genre from Europe, starring the main character from the books - Geralt, a professional monster-slayer.

There is also a much improved enhanced version of the game.

You play the role of police officer McCoy, a Blade Runner, whose special job is to hunt down replicant rebels. But during your investigations, you also get to see their side, and your vision of the world and society begins to change...

Based on the movie of the same name, which in turn was based on Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick.

This game is an adaptation of one of the world's most renowned mystery stories, written by the illustrious author Agatha Christie and originally published in 1939 under the name 'Ten Little Niggers' and again in 1940 as 'And Then There Were None'.

Based on Tom Clancy's best-selling book about a covert multi-national team of soldiers who are on the frontline of anti-terrorism warfare.

Thanks to Uber for this entry

In a faithful recreation of Bram Stoker's mythology, the player learns about the origins of Dracula's curse, how he took the path of evil when his beloved one committed suicide, thus becoming damned forever, and how he finally made a pact with the Prince of Darkness to become a vampire.

Based more on the trilogy of books by Robert Ludlum than the three hit action movies (Bourne Identity, Bourne Supremacy and Bourne Ultimatum), the game does however including several levels that were Hollywood-envisioned, such as the escape from Zurich embassy, or the Paris car chase in a Mini, two events not found in the novels.

Thanks to CelShader for this entry

This game is based on one of Agatha Christie's most famous novels. Step aboard the beautiful Orient Express, a 1930s train which travels between Istanbul and Paris, to help famous Belgian detective Hercule Poirot solve a murder mystery.

Sherlock Holmes, with the help of Dr. John H. Watson, investigates strange disappearances in relation to the activity of a secret cult of Cthulhu; a fascinating blend of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's story of Sherlock Holmes with H.P. Lovecraft's Cthulhu mythology.

Based on Raymond E. Feist's Riftwar saga (and co-written with Feist himself) is Betrayal At Krondor, a new tale in the Riftwar universe. The story begins as Gorath, a moredhel (dark elf) renegade, who intended to warn the people of Krondor of the upcoming moredhel invasion, is attacked by an assassin.

Thanks to Elfflame for this entry

In this adventure game, players get the opportunity to step into the shoes of one of Agatha Christie's most illustrious characters, detective Hercule Poirot. The story is based loosely on her book by the same name so readers who have read that novel will find this new and different.

Inspired by Jules Verne's book The Mysterious Island, you play a young woman who is stranded on an uncharted island. Attempting to break a world record by sailing around the world by herself, Mina is washed overboard during a storm and manages to swim to a beach. She must learn to survive by finding food and shelter and will eventually find a way to explore the entire island.

Voyage is a point-and-click adventure inspired by Jules Verne's two novels From the Earth to the Moon and Around the Moon. But unlike those two books, the main character actually makes it to the moon surface, although his two companions do not survive the trip.

This 1992 DOS title is based on the legendary Frank Herbert novel of the same name and visually inspired by the 1984 David Lynch movie, Dune is a strategy-adventure hybrid where the player takes the role of young Paul Atreides, the son of Duke Leto.

The 2001 game Frank Herbert's Dune is actually based more on the TV mini-series than the novel.

Piers Anthony's book Demons Don't Dream set up the mystical world of Xanth. Two demons are controlling humans to fight for the future of the land - if Dug wins, the magic is gone forever.

This pirate adventure game was inspired by the classic 1888 novel Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson. Players take the role of Jim Hawkins, the boy from the book who fled with his share of Long John Silver's treasure four years ago.

Based on a book by French author Maurice Leblanc.
Arsène Lupin is a French thief who arrives in London with one purpose - to steal 5 precious objects in the same amount of days from 5 distinguished locations, and get away clean. Will Lupin succeed in foiling Sherlock Holmes and Scotland Yard?

Turkish novelist Alev Alatli's series of books, “Kabus” (The Nightmare, 2000) and “Rüya” (The Dream, 2001), were inspirations for Culpa Innata. The novels makes projections for the world, namely the New World Order with reference to Bilderberg, Club of Rome. In fact, we note that she even anticipated September 11 as a showdown among the instigators of the post-modern fascism, which - if unchecked - she fears will be the dominating the future of the world.

Based upon Harlan Ellison’s short story of the same name. It is about an evil computer named AM that has destroyed all of humanity except for five people he has been keeping alive and torturing for the past 109 years. Each survivor has a fatal flaw in his or her character, and in an attempt to crush their spirits, AM has constructed a metaphorical adventure for each that preys upon their weaknesses.

The direct sequel to Betrayal at Krondor, Return to Krondor takes the player back to the fantasy world of Midkemia, which is once more in peril. It is based on Robert E. Feist's second part in the Riftwar saga.

Thanks to Elfflame for this entry

This hit Xbox 360 Live Arcade downloadable game is based on the novel Empire by famed story-teller Orson Scott Card, who envisions a future America where the rift between right and left ideologies reach a breaking point and a deadly internal civil war rages on in the United States.

Thanks to CelShader for this entry

Inspired by the classic novel by Jules Verne, the game is set in 2005, and you play as a young reporter covering a story for a discovery magazine. After her helicopter crashes near a volcano in Iceland, the earth opens up and you enter a weird fantastic world beneath the earth.

Based on a H.P. Lovecraft story, Prisoner of Ice puts you in the role of Lt. Ryan, an American agent stationed aboard the submarine H.M.S. Victoria on a rescue mission to the Antarctic. The Victoria picks up two mysterious crates during the course of the rescue. Before you know it the Captain is eaten alive by the cargo, a horrific monster with whom you are trapped aboard the submarine. And that's just the start of your problems.

The player is transported into several of Edgar Allan Poe's most famous works including "The cask of Amontillado" and "The Tell-Tale Heart". All of the stories are surrealistically rendered with claymation figures and haunting music. Burrough's reading of "The Masque of the Red Death" is not to be missed.

Based on The Sword of Shannara by Terry Brooks, this game is a 2D point-and-click adventure with some RPG elements. Your father once slew the evil warlock King Brona, but his angry spirit has returned and only you can stop it.

Thanks to Zozoulini for this entry

Inspired by Jules Verne's famous novel Around the World in 80 Days, trace the steps of Verne's original character, Phileas Fogg, in a fantastical trek through Egypt, India, Japan and America. Players take the role of Englishman Oliver Lavisheart.

Recreating the path of the hero Atreyu in Michael Ende's 'The Neverending Story, you travel thru the world of Fantasia thru puzzle stage, platforming stages, all presented in 3D real-time graphics.

Thanks to Zozoulini for this entry

This 1990 submarine simulator follows the story found in Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan novel, Red Storm Rising, about a terrorist attack on a Soviet oil complex which threatens to throw the world into World War 3.

Day after day, a lovely young princess gazes out the window at a world she can't experience. On her 15th birthday, she runs away from her privileged life in search of an adventure. On her journey, she meets young Hans Christian Andersen - a poor teenager struggling to make his way in life. Together they meet the Little Mermaid, the Ugly Duckling, and other characters made famous in Andersen's fairy tales.

Based on the novel UBIK from Philip K. Dick you are playing the main character from the book, called Joe Chip. You are working for a company called Runciter Associates in Los Angeles (in the year 2019) and your job is to protect companies against industrial spying.

Shadow Of The Comet is a unique horror adventure, inspired by the terrifying writings of H.P. Lovecraft. In 1834, in the small New England fishing village of Illsmouth, the distinguished British scientist Lord Boleskine lost his mind. After studying ancient manuscripts of evil repute, he had travelled to this place to observe the passing of Halley's comet. What he observed that night, however, turned him into a raving lunatic. Now, 76 years later, Halley's comet is coming back, and young astronomer John T. Parker has travelled to Illsmouth to try to uncover the truth.

Hard To Be A God is an action/RPG based on the science-fiction novel, by the same title, written by the Soviet writers Arcady and Boris Strougatsky, published in 1964. In the future, mankind dwells into space-exploration, ultimately coming across the planet Tsurinak, where humans live still in the medieval ages.

(Coming Q1 2010, also on Xbox 360)

Based on the first part of Dante Alighieri's epic 14th century poem Divine Comedy, this up-coming Electronic Arts game is sure to be a critical hit as it retraces Dante's journey through the nine circles of Hell, guided by the poet Virgil.

(Coming Soon; Release Date TBA)

This Russian-developed FPS shooter is based on story by Russian author Dmitriy Glukhovskiy. The setup: In 2011, a worldwide nuclear catastrophe decimated civilization. Moscow citizens retreated to the tubes, building a network of city-states along the underground subways to avoid the surface, where radiation spawned breeds of psychic supermutants. It is being developed by many of the programmers who worked on 2007's hit 'STALKER: Shadow of Chernobyl'.

The english translation of the book has not been released it. It is coming in December 2009.