Summary
The rise ofvideo game to movie adaptationshas been widely discussed and criticized within the gaming community. Since the success of films such asSonic The HedgehogandThe Super Mario Bros. Movie, people have been divided over whether adapting stories and characters from video games to the big screen is a good idea.
However, adaptation has been a part of video game culture for decades. From the 1983 classicThe Hobbiton the ZX Spectrum to the 2024 AAA releaseBlack Myth: Wukong, literature has provided extensive inspiration for many playable titles. Not only that, many popular video game characters also have their roots in books, as this list highlights.
Nintendo’sProfessor Laytonseriesfollows the adventures of Hershel Layton, an English detective, and his sidekick Luke as they solve mysteries and puzzles in various locations. The games are narrative-driven, featuring hundreds of puzzles that players must solve on their way to the gripping conclusions of the stories.
The creators of Layton’s character have mentioned that they drew significant inspiration fromSir Arthur Conan Doyle’sSherlock Holmesbook series. Not only do they both hold the title of detective, but they also share a London setting and embody gentlemanly personas.
The Binding of Isaacis a highly rated indie game heavily inspired by theBiblical story of the same name. In the game, players control Isaac - a young boy who must escape his abusive mother’s sacrificial intentions after supposedly hearing a divine voice command her to sacrifice her son.
Drawing from its source material, the game carries themes of faith, sacrifice, and survival. It weaves dark, symbolic imagery with roguelike mechanics to create a unique narrative that blends religion, mythology, and psychological horror.The Binding of Isaacserves as an exploration of the unsettling power of religious devotion and fear.
ThroughoutBloodborne, players encounter the Great Ones - ancient, god-like beings whose existence influences the world in horrifying ways. These beings draw large inspiration from the works ofH.P. Lovecraft, particularly his story of Cthulhuin the 1928 magazine “Weird Tales.”
With their other-worldly structure,the Great Ones embody cosmic horrorand the insignificance of humanity in the face of incomprehensible forces - motifs shared by their Lovecraftian inspiration. Moreover, the Great Ones echo themes of forbidden knowledge, madness, and existential dread.
Geralt of Rivia isThe Witcherseries' anti-hero, navigating a morally ambiguous world and challenging the notions of good and evil while maintaining his protagonist status. Drawing completely fromAndrzej Sapkowski’s book series of the same name, Geralt’s character reflects plenty of themes of dark fantasy literature, including the brooding nature of the misunderstood.
Sapowski’s influences come from rich traditions of European folklore and include the works of authors such as J.R.R. Tolkien and Michael Moorcock. Geralt mirrors the common complexity and moral grayness found in characters from all three authors.
Romeo Monty, a character inThe Sims 2, mirrorsShakespeare’s iconic tragedyRomeo and Juliet. In the game, Romeo represents a modern (and satirical) adaptation of the male love interest from the original play. Much like Shakespeare’s Romeo, however, he is impulsive, passionate, and caught in a forbidden love affair with the daughter of a rival family.
The Sims 2cleverly reimagines the Shakespearean drama in a contemporary setting and manages to retain the original plot themes of love and family rivalry while stillallowing players to shape Romeo’s fate.
6Juliette Cap - The Sims 2
Part Of A Not-So-Tragic Tale
Leading on from the previous entry, Juliette Capp fromThe Sims 2is the stand-in for Juliet in the game’s recreation ofShakespeare’s famous tragedy,Romeo and Juliet. As with Romeo Monty, her character retains traits from the original story such as the forbidden romance and heart-strong tendencies.
She is portrayed in the game as a privileged young woman from a wealthy family, living in a suburban Veronaville, rather than her original historical setting.The Sims 2allows players to give the character more agencythan the original portrayal, controlling her fate and hopefully saving her from her tragic demise.
Just like Romeo Monty and Juliette Capp, Simba fromThe Lion Kinggame draws inspiration froma classic Shakespearean tragedy- this time it’sHamlet. Simba is supposed toemulate the character of Hamlet, trying to avenge his father’s death while maintaining royal status over his kingdom.
Both characters wrestle with feelings of guilt, self-doubt, and the burden of destiny. However, the lightheartedness ofThe Lion Kinggame allows for the somewhat dark plot to take place in a brighter and more vibrant animated world.
8Ophelia - Elsinore
Providing A Fresh Perspective
Anotheradaptation ofHamletcomes in the form ofElsinore, a 2019 indie game that allows players to play as Ophelia: Hamlet’s love interest throughout the original play. InHamlet, Ophelia has no control over her deadly fate and is displayed as somewhat of a plot device in Hamlet’s story.
InElsinore, she regains her agencythrough the player, allowing for her survival to take priority over the original plot of the play. She can influence events, manipulate relationships, and make decisions that alter the course of the narrative.
The Creature inCastlevania, a character inspired byMary Shelley’sFrankenstein, takes on a darker, more monstrous role than Shelley’s original tragic figure. While Mary Shelley’s Monster is a misunderstood being, seeking acceptance and battling with his creator’s neglect, theCastlevaniaadaptation is portrayed as a more aggressive force.
Despite this, both versions share themes of abandonment, identity, and the consequences of creation. The Creature is, of course, adapted to fit the game’s action-centred gameplay and its gothic monster theming.
10Dracula - Castlevania
Bram Stoker’s Iconic Creation
Castlevania’s supernatural antagonist, Dracula, is a reimagined version of the iconic character fromBram Stoker’sDracula. Where the original is a dark aristocratic figure driven by a thirst for immortality,Castlevaniatransforms him into a more active and aggressive villain.
Like The Creature, Dracula is meticulously regenerated to fit the game’s action-centered gameplay but does retain the themes of mythological power and a connection to the undead.Castlevaniaemphasizes Dracula’s cruelty, strength, and mastery over dark magic, making him a threatening presence in the game’s gothic world.
