When Games Go Incognito: 5 Titles You’d Swear Were Inspired by Bestsellers

Ever played a game and thought, “I swear I’ve read this before?” You’re not alone. Some video games claim to be 100% original but end up delivering stories and settings that feel like they were ripped straight from the pages of your favorite novels. Let’s dive into five such games where the resemblance to books is uncanny, even if the developers insist otherwise. Don’t worry; we’ll keep it fun and full of pop culture references. Ready? Let’s go!

Video games are an amazing medium, right? They let you live out fantastical adventures, fight dragons, and even save the world (all before dinner). But sometimes, these so-called “original” games have a suspiciously familiar ring to them. Maybe you’ve noticed it too—a plot twist that feels just like that one book you couldn’t put down, or a setting that looks like it jumped right off the pages of a novel you read last summer. Let’s explore those games that claim to be totally original but have some serious book vibes.

• Discover five video games with striking similarities to famous books.
• Uncover the hidden literary influences behind your favorite games.
• Enjoy a fun, engaging read filled with relatable examples and pop culture references.

BioShock Infinite: Welcome to Rapture, Oops, I Mean Columbia

Alright, let’s start with a heavy hitter. BioShock Infinite is one of those games that you play and immediately feel like you’re in the middle of a dystopian novel. The floating city of Columbia, with its creepy, almost cult-like atmosphere, is eerily similar to the settings in certain Ayn Rand books. If you’ve ever read “Atlas Shrugged”, you might get some serious déjà vu.

You’re playing as Booker DeWitt, a guy with a dark past, sent to Columbia to rescue a girl named Elizabeth. Sound familiar? It should. Elizabeth is a lot like Dagny Taggart—strong-willed, intelligent, and central to the entire plot. And let’s not overlook the overarching themes of objectivism and free will, which are straight out of Rand’s playbook.

• BioShock Infinite was released in 2013.
• Developed by Irrational Games, the game has sold over 11 million copies.
• Ayn Rand’s “Atlas Shrugged” was published in 1957, and has sold over 7 million copies in the U.S. alone.

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Geralt, Meet Your Literary Doppelgänger

Okay, I’m gonna throw a curveball here. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is technically based on a series of books by Andrzej Sapkowski. But here’s the twist: the game universe has expanded so much that it feels like its own thing. However, if you dive into the gameplay and storylines, you can’t ignore the similarities to other fantasy novels.

Take the character of Geralt of Rivia. He’s a brooding, monster-hunting loner with a complicated love life—pretty much the fantasy equivalent of the moody teens in Twilight, but with swords and potions. And let’s talk about the political intrigue, the moral dilemmas, and the epic quests. It’s like a blend of “Game of Thrones” and “The Lord of the Rings”, but with way more side quests and fewer hobbits.

• The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt was released in 2015.
• Developed by CD Projekt Red, the game has sold over 30 million copies.
• The Witcher book series started in 1992 and has been translated into over 20 languages.

Horizon Zero Dawn: Post-Apocalyptic World, Meet Tribal Culture

Ever played Horizon Zero Dawn and thought, “This feels like it could be a novel by Margaret Atwood”? You’re not alone. This game’s post-apocalyptic setting, where humanity has reverted to tribal societies while retaining advanced technology, is super reminiscent of Atwood’s dystopian worlds. Think “The Handmaid’s Tale” but with robot dinosaurs.

Aloy, the protagonist, is a strong female character who challenges societal norms. Sound familiar? She’s got the same rebellious spirit as Offred, but instead of fighting a patriarchal regime, she’s battling mechanical beasts. The game’s themes of survival, identity, and the clash between old and new are straight out of Atwood’s literary universe.

• Horizon Zero Dawn was released in 2017.
• Developed by Guerrilla Games, the game has sold over 10 million copies.
• Margaret Atwood’s “The Handmaid’s Tale” was published in 1985 and has been adapted into a hit TV series.

Dark Souls: Welcome to Your Eternal Punishment

If you’ve ever played Dark Souls, you know it’s a punishing game. Like, “throw your controller at the wall” punishing. But did you know it has some serious literary vibes too? The game’s dark, foreboding atmosphere and cyclical nature of life and death are reminiscent of works by Dante Alighieri. Yep, I’m talking about “Dante’s Inferno”.

The levels in Dark Souls are like the circles of Hell, each more brutal and challenging than the last. The game’s lore, filled with fallen heroes and cursed lands, feels like it could be lifted straight from a medieval epic. And let’s not forget the NPCs who speak in cryptic riddles, much like the characters in Dante’s works. It’s almost like Miyazaki and FromSoftware took a page out of Dante’s playbook to create their own version of purgatory.

• Dark Souls was released in 2011.
• Developed by FromSoftware, the game has sold over 5 million copies.
• Dante’s “Divine Comedy” was completed in 1320 and is considered one of the greatest works of world literature.

Firewatch: A Mystery in the Wilderness

Last but not least, let’s talk about Firewatch. This game is all about atmosphere and storytelling. You play as Henry, a fire lookout in a Wyoming forest, communicating with your supervisor, Delilah, via a walkie-talkie. The game’s mysterious and introspective vibe feels a lot like the works of David Lynch, especially “Twin Peaks”. But there’s more to it.

The game’s focus on isolation, human connection, and the unraveling of a mystery is eerily similar to the novel “The Girl on the Train” by Paula Hawkins. Both stories have unreliable narrators, hidden secrets, and an underlying tension that keeps you on the edge of your seat. Plus, the setting in Firewatch is almost like a character itself, much like the eerie, ever-present atmosphere in Hawkins’ novel.

• Firewatch was released in 2016.
• Developed by Campo Santo, the game has sold over 2.5 million copies.
• Paula Hawkins’ “The Girl on the Train” was published in 2015 and has sold over 20 million copies worldwide.

So next time you pick up a video game and get hit with a wave of literary déjà vu, remember, you’re not alone. These games might not admit to their bookish roots, but the similarities are too striking to ignore. Whether you’re exploring dystopian cities, battling mythical creatures, or unraveling mysteries in the wilderness, there’s a good chance that your favorite game has a hidden literary twin. So why not pick up the book that inspired your gaming adventure? You might just discover a whole new level of appreciation for both mediums.

References

1. GameSpot – BioShock Infinite Review
2. IGN – Horizon Zero Dawn Review
3. Eurogamer – Dark Souls Review
4. Interactive movies are not videogames :: Life is Strange™ General …
5. [NO SPOILERS] Any games similar to Life is Strange? : r/lifeisstrange