Key conclusions
- The games are similar
Call of Cthulhu
and
Wanderer
bring iconic horror literature to life with unique stories and choices. -
Edge from nowhere
and
World War Z
pay homage to Lovecraft and Brooks with immersive gameplay and lore references. - Names like
Parasite Eve
and
I have no mouth
offers exciting adaptations that delve into the dark themes from the original books.
From ancient civilizations to modern writing groups, history has gifted us with many talented authors who have produced incredible novels worth more than an entire library. Many are rich in imagery, world-building and intriguing characters, creating whole new worlds with poetic flourishes. In this way, the books really lend themselves to the screen, and directors and game developers alike draw on the words and bring them to life.
While we've seen many innocuous books adapted into a horror game – take Alice: Madness Returns inspired by Lewis Carroll Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, for example – this list explores games of various genres inspired by horror literature. Some take creative license to elaborate on the original story, some are updated with new interpretations, and some faithfully reproduce their written copies. Either way, it's worth checking these out Games based on horror books.
10 Call of Cthulhu
HP Lovecraft: Call of Cthulhu (1926)
Call of Cthulhu is a survival horror RPG. As troubled private detective Edward Pierce, the player is called upon to investigate the mysterious death of the Hawkins family. As they delve into the strange lifestyle of Darkwater and interrogate its suspicious inhabitants, they will uncover the true forces at work in the fight for sanity.
Based on the story of the same name by H.P. Lovecraft, Call of Cthulhu shrouded in the same dreaminess, madness and mystery as the original text. However, it relies on its own narratives, allowing the player to make choices that affect the course of the game and lead to four different endings. There are also upgradable skills, hidden sections and puzzles that offer something for all players.
9 The Wanderer: The Making of Frankenstein
Mary Shelley: Frankenstein (1818)
- issue: October 30, 2019
- Developer: Games La Belle
- platforms: Windows, macOS, Nintendo Switch
- Top Critic Rating: 70
U The Wanderer: Frankenstein's Monster, the player controls the titular classic horror figure from the moment he wakes up, embarking on a journey across Europe to discover his creator. Although the gameplay is quite minimal with a lot of walking around and the occasional puzzle or mini-game, the stunning art style and phenomenal soundtrack can take the game into one atmosphere.
The Wanderer: Frankenstein's Monster is a retelling by Mary Shelley frankenstein, is widely considered to be one of the first science fiction novels ever written. Just like the book, this game explores themes of good and evil, right and wrong, and marginalization. However, there are five different endings, each depending on the player's actions (or inactions).
8 The edge is nowhere
HP Lovecraft: Madness in the mountains (1931)
From the developer of the beloved Spiro franchise, Edge from nowhere is an adventure game published by Oculus for their VR systems. Playing as Victor Howard, whose plane crashed, killing his co-pilot, the player must traverse dangerous mountains and cliffs in search of his missing fiancé, Ava Thorne. Victor is not alone and must survive against the creatures that ambush him at every turn using a combination of platforming, stealth and shooting.
Edge from nowhere inspired by HP Lovecraft's Madness in the mountains which tells the story of an expedition to Antarctica, during which they explore ancient ruins and discover creatures inaccessible to humans. The game's VR format really brings Lovecraft's work to life, taking players out of safety and allowing them to experience the vastness of the world.
7 World War Z
Max Brooks: World War Z (2006)
World War Z is a third-person shooter set on a zombie-ridden Earth. In the co-op campaign, the player along with four friends must move through a series of locations and survive the hordes of zombies to escape by completing various tasks. With different guns and classes that can be leveled up to unlock power-ups, World War Z offers a very satisfying fight.
Although the game differs from the book in terms of characters and some plot points, it retains the image of the world in Max Brooks Crisis. It also references the language used in the book, such as “zeke”, and operations, including the Battle of Yonkers, adding to the sense of lore and world building.
6 Castlevania: Lords Of Shadow
Bram Stoker: Dracula (1897)
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow follows Gabriel Belmont of the Brotherhood of Light, who must unite heaven and earth and resurrect his wife by seizing the power of the Dark Lords by taking pieces of the Masks of God from them. The main character is tormented and complex, and some twists and turns are completely unpredictable. The hack-and-slash combat is brutal at times, complementing the puzzle and platforming elements.
Although it doesn't strictly follow Brom Stoker's storyline Draculaand unlike other games in Castlevania franchise, Lord of Shadows significantly reimagines the universe, acting as a kind of prequel to Dracula's existence and taking place in his own game scale. Along with the iconic vampire figure, the game also references Le Fanu Carmilla and Mary Shelley Frankenstein.
5 A world of horrors
Junji Ito: Various
A world of horrors is a turn-based RPG. The player, as one of 14 playable characters, must explore a pixelated world and fight creatures in the style of space horror to prevent the impending apocalypse. A world of horrors It's impressively hand-drawn entirely in Microsoft Paint, its 1-bit art style adding to the game's creepiness.
This game combines the inspirations of Lovecraft and Junji Ito to create a unique aesthetic and gameplay. For example, “Theatre of Corpses” is a reference to It doll house and the name “Tommy” can be seen on one of the tombstones in the cemetery. Therefore, A world of horrors is a fantastic experience for horror manga fans.
4 Parasite Eve
Hideaki Shona: Parasite Eve (1995)
Parasite Eve begins with NYPD detective Aya going on a blind date to an opera played by Melissa Pierce. However, the romance is cut short when everyone but Aya, her date, and Melissa spontaneously combust. Melissa turns out to be “Eve”, a mutated monster. The player must investigate to understand this supernatural event and stop Eve from destroying the rest of the human race.
Parasite Eve was marketed as a sequel to Shona's novel of the same name, which asked the question: What if mitochondria were conscious? The game is every bit as creepy as the book, with plenty of monsters and scientific abominations. Different types of weapons and settings, exploration elements and puzzles do Parasite Eve a great nostalgic experience for all fans of the original Resident Evil games.
3 Telltale The Walking Dead
Robert Kirkman: The walking dead (2003)
U Telltale's The walking dead, the player takes control of criminal Lee Everett, who avoids prison time when the police transport he was traveling in crashes. He quickly discovers that the world is on the brink of a zombie apocalypse. He heads to suburban Georgia, where he finds a girl, Clementine, and vows to reunite her with her parents.
This game is based on the comic book series of the same name by Robert Kirkman and honors the source material with a graphic style and parallel storylines. The trajectory of the story is determined by the player's choices. Telltale's The Walking Dead forces the player to invest in complex characters and then forces them to make difficult moral decisions, making it one of the most emotionally affecting zombie games out there.
2 I have no mouth and I must scream
Harlan Ellison: I have no mouth and I must scream (1967)
I have no mouth and I must scream is a sci-fi slash psychological horror game. It revolves around “Mastercomputer” AM (an American supercomputer built for global warfare) who has gained sentience and developed an extreme hatred for the human race. Taking turns as the last five people on Earth left alive by AM to be tortured, the player must navigate special scenarios to redeem each character for their wrongdoings.
The game is based on the book of the same name and basically follows the same plot to the end, with the author himself involved in the project. like a book I have no mouth deals with very dark and edgy real-world themes that will make the player feel uncomfortable and unsettling. Both the game and the novel offer an introspective, dystopian commentary on the shortcomings of humans and artificial intelligence.
1 Dagon: by HP Lovecraft
HP Lovecraft: Dagon (1919)
Dagon: by HP Lovecraft sees the player in the place of the narrator of a Lovecraftian story, Dagon. In this walking simulator style game, players can explore the wasteland of the sea that they discover while out to sea in a lifeboat and the horrors that inhabit it. There are also point-and-click elements with hidden secrets that reveal factual information about the author's life and the story itself.
The experience is accompanied by a verbatim narration Dagonwhich perfectly accompanies the nature of the game process. The visuals of this game are also stylized and visceral; the fishy saltiness of the ocean can almost be felt through the screen. In general, Dagon: by HP Lovecraft it's an educational, immersive experience that embodies the original story very well.
