10 Video Games That Are Based On Novels

Novels: just like games! Only with more reading and less visuals and less stuff to do!

By Johnny Owens /

Now, something that may not be known to those of you who didn't waste four years of your life learning how to read is that the term 'visual novel' - a popular genre of video game - is in fact derived from the term 'novel'.

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The term 'novel' is...I dunno some Latin nerd trash that I don't recommend, but (and this is mental), a lot of games actually take inspiration from these 'novels'.

Now this isn't going to be a list of the really obvious ones. You're not going to be finding the Lord of the Rings games on here because...well, what would I even say? Nor are you going to find The Great Gatsby: The Video Game (not a joke, look it up).

No, I'm going with the more obscure novels that have provided inspiration for developers. That or adaptations that maybe you didn't even know existed until now. So maybe I can pull a double whammy with this one: you could find some new reading material and some new games to boot!

(Also, I lied: there are some super obvious ones on here, sorry.)

10. Dr. Jekyll and Mr Hyde

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde stands as a seminal work of literature, particularly in the horror genre, and the author, Robert Louis Stevenson, is one of Scotland's greatest writers. It was also written over the course of a three day cocaine binge - because that was just something you could get at Boots back then.

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So, what does an existential, coke-fuelled horror novella about the duality of human nature and good and evil demand? Did you say a video game? Well, you may just be developer Advance Communication Co.

Released for the NES in 1988, Dr Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is a side-scroller and...is truly atrocious. I don't think I have the word count to explain why and how it's so bad in so many ways. Honestly? It's almost impressive. Basically you need to get to a church and get married and you could be Jekyll or Hyde depending on how pissed off you get at dogs and stuff on the way? There's also a demonic world you get transported to so...at least it's super duper faithful to the text.

Not as bad as the show at least. Oh yes, that's right. Watch that right now, please.

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