Over the past couple of years we’ve started to see some success with video games being translated to both film and TV. The resounding success of HBO’s The Last of Us or even more recently, Warner Bros’ A Minecraft Movie are proof enough in and of themselves that this success is not only possible, but sustainable, given the right level of care. And most importantly, it makes some of the best stories in modern history accessible to an audience that might otherwise never get a chance to experience these stories. It’s a win-win. So what if we did the same thing for books?
In an increasingly digital age, a good old fashioned paperback book is starting to feel more and more like a relic of a bygone era. To a disgruntled millennial English major like myself, the very thought is nausea-inducing. Sure, some of the books I’ve read over the course of my academic career were boring. I don’t necessarily think everyone is going to click their heels for joy reading Shakespeare or Dante or even more modern works by Hemingway or O’Connor. There’s a restlessness in modern students, an increasing desire to be “entertained.” Which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it does threaten the continued persistence of written works.
So what if we made them into video games? What would a video game based on a Shakespeare play look like? And how would it preserve the legacy of literature? Is that even possible? The thing is, there are some really, really fantastic stories that would be awesome to see conveyed in video games. And perhaps seeing these stories depicted in a fresh light would allow for them to see renewed interest in their original form. Here are a few literary works that would make awesome video games, given the chance.
Beowulf – Author Unknown (around 975 AD)
If you were like me, you probably read this one in high school. If you were really unfortunate like me, you also probably had to read it in the original Old English translation. And yes, though this one has been adapted into a game before by Ubisoft in 2007, it is a terrible representation of the original, so I’m electing to ignore its existence. Beowulf is an epic poem from the Early Middle Ages telling the story of a Scandinavian hero named Beowulf and his quest to defeat the monster Grendel, Grendel’s mother, and eventually a dragon. The story is dark, graphic, and terrifying, but remains a lasting testament to Old English literature and the evolution of the Hero’s Journey.
Turning Beowulf into an open world RPG, allowing the player to take control of Beowulf, would be awesome. Imagine riding around early Scandinavia following clues to seek out Grendel, or veering off on side quests to hunt monsters and other enemies to protect the local people. You could even find ways to incorporate some of the Old English itself, maybe in background song or even the game’s dialogue itself, with subtitles in modern English. There are so many possibilities for a classic epic like Beowulf as a non-terrible video game, and I hope to see this one get its chance someday.
Frankenstein – Mary Shelley (1818)
Perhaps the most well known horror story and the most frequently adapted, there is no shortage of Frankenstein media out there, including a handful of games. But what you’ll hardly ever find is a faithful adaptation of the source material. The story tells of the titular Victor Frankenstein, a scientist who manages to create a living creature after years of study. Being horrified at what he has created, he abandons the creature, who is forced to live on the run and survive on its own. The creature eventually becomes consumed by vengeance, killing Frankenstein’s loved ones in retaliation for his refusal to acknowledge him or improve his life.
Frankenstein feels like it would be a fantastic management style puzzle game, with the player taking on the role of Frankenstein himself and acquiring the necessary ingredients and tools needed for his grand experiment. Later, when he is forced to track down his creation, he could utilize those same tactics in studying scenes to determine the creature’s location, objectives, etc. This story is a true horror gem in its original form. It doesn’t need to be dramatized to enhance the horror, and this would be a great opportunity to show how awful the original story truly is.
A Christmas Carol – Charles Dickens (1843)
Another classic, but one you’ve probably seen way more film adaptations of than anything else. A Christmas classic, Dickens’ novella tells the story of Ebenezer Scrooge, a crotchety old cheapskate known for his predatory business practices and cruel demeanor. On Christmas Eve, he is visited by the ghost of his former business partner, who warns him to change his ways or risk eternal damnation. He is subsequently visited by 3 spirits, the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future, to convince Scrooge to change his ways.
Without combat or really any enemies to face (other than Scrooge himself), A Christmas Carol would likely thrive best as a point-and-click narrative game, similar in style to Life is Strange. Perhaps Scrooge walks around his old school while with the Ghost of Christmas Past, interacting with his notebooks, trinkets, or observing his past self. Maybe there would be a cool chase sequence while with the terrifying Ghost of Christmas Future, running in fear from its terrifying visage while experiencing visions of that future. It would be fun to see a more faithful adaptation of the story in game form, and it could be just as compelling as those that exist in film, given the chance.
What books would you adapt into a video game? Let us know in the comments down below!
