6 Video Games Based on Books That Every Reader Should Play

Books have inspired countless films and television shows, from Mike Flanagan’s seven-episode adaptation of Stephen King’s Carrie to the big-screen version of Colleen Hoover’s Verity. Video game adaptations are less common, but they offer something special: the chance to step inside a literary world and explore it for yourself.

These games draw inspiration from novels and stories in different ways. You don’t need to read the books first, though knowing the source material can make the experience even richer.

1. BioShock (2007)

Nearly two decades after its release, BioShock remains celebrated for its atmospheric storytelling. In this first-person shooter, you play as Jack, a plane crash survivor who discovers the crumbling underwater city of Rapture.

Writer and lead director Ken Levine has discussed the influence of Ayn Rand’s philosophical novels Atlas Shrugged and The Fountainhead. The name of the game’s resistance leader, Atlas, also nods to Rand’s work.

In a 2022 interview with DualShockers, Levine compared The Fountainhead to BioShock, describing both as stories that work on the level of a compelling potboiler, even as they explore larger ideas.

The series includes three main games, available together in BioShock: The Collection on multiple platforms. For more time in Rapture, try John Shirley’s official prequel novel, BioShock: Rapture.

2. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt (2015)

Based on Andrzej Sapkowski’s fantasy novels, The Witcher games build on the author’s world while telling stories of their own. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, released in 2015 and remastered in 2026, stands out for its absorbing quests, real-time combat and references for longtime readers to discover.

Writing for Polygon, Francesco Cacciatore praised CD Projekt Red’s approach to the books, noting the developer’s respect for Sapkowski’s work and its ability to create a compelling new story without frequently contradicting it.

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt — Remastered earned a Metascore of 92 and ranked among Metacritic’s highest-rated games of 2026.

3. Hogwarts Legacy (2023)

Set roughly a century before the first Harry Potter novel, Hogwarts Legacy invites players into the wizarding world inspired by J.K. Rowling’s books. Rather than following Harry, Ron and Hermione, you create a fifth-year Hogwarts student, join one of the school’s four houses and learn spells throughout your adventure.

Familiar places such as the Forbidden Forest and Hogsmeade await exploration, while several characters have ties to well-known wizarding families. Among them are Professor Phineas Nigellus Black, an ancestor of Sirius Black, and Professor Matilda Weasley, a relative of Ron Weasley.

The game has sold more than 40 million copies worldwide across PC, PlayStation, Xbox and Nintendo platforms. Warner Bros. also announced a sequel in 2026.

4. Warrior Cats: Clans of the Forest (2026)

More than 20 years after the first Warrior Cats book appeared in 2003, Clans of the Forest lets players explore its woodland world as a cat of their own creation. You can customize your character’s size and fur, then join ThunderClan, ShadowClan, WindClan or RiverClan. Your choice helps shape the story.

Rather than retelling a single book from the extensive series, the game creates a new adventure rooted in Erin Hunter’s world of clan rivalries, survival and territorial disputes. Readers can also encounter familiar cats, including the battle-scarred Brightheart and Cloudtail, nephew of the series’ original protagonist, Firestar.

The game received generally favorable reviews and a Metascore of 78. In a GameSpace review, Cal highlighted the pleasure of seeing locations once encountered on the page brought to life.

5. Parasite Eve (1998)

Hideaki Sena’s 1995 horror novel Parasite Eve won the inaugural Japan Horror Novel Award and helped shape the genre’s future. Squaresoft’s 1998 game builds on the book’s science-fiction horror, moving the action to New York City. Players follow police officer Aya Brea as she confronts a mysterious organism capable of causing people to spontaneously combust.

Built using the same engine as Final Fantasy VII, the game combines combat with survival horror staples such as managing inventory and searching for medicine and ammunition. It earned a Metascore of 81 and mostly positive reviews.

Revisiting the game in 2018, Polygon writer Ashley Oh described it as a time capsule and reflected on the pleasure of exploring Squaresoft’s late-1990s catalog.

6. Lies of P (2023)

Lies of P gives Carlo Collodi’s 1883 tale The Adventures of Pinocchio a dark new setting. You play as P, a puppet with humanlike free will, fighting through the plague-stricken Gothic city of Krat in search of answers.

The game pays tribute to Collodi within its story: Geppetto’s human son is named Carlo, and an in-game developer’s note honors the author directly.

As a soulslike action RPG, Lies of P pairs its grim reimagining with fast-paced combat reminiscent of Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. In his 2023 Polygon review, Diego Nicolas Arguello praised the game’s bleak story of greed and power, as well as the distinctive identity it carves out for itself.

 

Source: Polygon