Would you read video game novelizations? If so, which ones?

[PopQuiz]

I grew up reading quite a few movie novelizations because I was an avid reader and loved experiencing the movie in a personal way. The movies were still the real experience for me, but there was something cool about having certain sections fleshed out.

I often feel that lots of video games could benefit from novelizations, particularly moreso than people constantly asking for movie adaptations.

Would you read a novelization of a video game, and if so, which ones?

 

[nded]

The Tetris one.

 

[deftones r cool]

Nah - I couldn't expect the quality of the writing to be all that great, honestly. There's Halo and Resident Evil novels I don't really care about as is. Already own enough real books I've yet to read.

 

[sir_crocodile]

I did.

Read some Nintendo Worlds of Power:

Blaster Master
Wizards & Warriors
Castlevania 2
Bionic Commander

Also read four sonic the hedgehog novels:

Sonic the Hedgehog in Robotnik's Laboratory
Sonic the Hedgehog in the Fourth Dimension
Sonic the Hedgehog and the Silicon Warriors
Sonic the Hedgehog in Castle Robotnik

Though those weren't based on specific games. Sonic ones were quite fun, nintendo worlds of power ones mostly sucked. Especially the castlevania one which was like a chocolate advert

 

[Hailinel]

I read a bunch of the Worlds of Power novelizations as a kid (Castlevania II, Mega Man 2, Blaster Master, etc.). Absolute cheese and skewed hilariously away from the plots of the games, but as an elementary schooler, I thought they were goofy fun.

 

[MadnB]

I've started reading the Warcraft books and I'm loving them. I think I would enjoy something set in the Metroid universe, if written well

 

[-shadow-]

Eternal Darkness would make for one hell of a book. Sure you wouldn't have any control over the sanity effects, but I do think a good adaptation could work around that without a problem.

 

[Gunny T Highway]

I read a bunch of the Halo novels when I was younger. They were not that bad and added further to the lore of the Halo Universe that made me enjoy the games more. I would read a Metroid novel if done properly.

 

[RepairmanJack]

I read the Resident Evil ones a long time ago, I don't know if I'd be interested in any others.

I bet Destiny could have some cool fiction written around it but probably not a novelization of the actual game.

 

[sir_crocodile]

I read a bunch of the Worlds of Power novelizations as a kid (Castlevania II, Mega Man 2, Blaster Master, etc.). Absolute cheese and skewed hilariously away from the plots of the games, but as an elementary schooler, I thought they were goofy fun.

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MAN I COULD SURE GO FOR A DELICIOUS HERSHEYS CHOCOLATE BAR ABOUT NOW

 

[Mupod]

I read the Dead Space one about Altman once. It was okay.

When I was a kid I remember seeing Doom novels in book stores but never read one. In my mind they are written exactly like the 'NO JOHN, YOU ARE THE DEMONS' thing.

I've started reading the Warcraft books and I'm loving them. I think I would enjoy something set in the Metroid universe, if written well

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The only one I ever read was The Last Guardian (predates the PS4 game by many years) which dealt with a lot of Medivh/Khadgar/Karazhan stuff. Quite a bit of the Karazhan raid drew directly from that book which I thought was pretty cool.

 

[Catdaddy]

Nope – kind of goes along my same thoughts as movies, why give me the story the game does. That said, I don't mind when they give either a brief backstory or sequel tie in. But as far as a straight adaption of the game.. nah..

 

[The Booktastic Bus]

Currently reading the Japanese translation of the MGS1 novelisation. It's... alright... nothing special. More for language study than content tbh.

 

[Ravelle]

I loved all three Mass Effect novels by Drew Karpyshyn.

 

[PSqueak]

I'd read an Undertale novelization in the form of a choose your own adventure book.

If written just right it could be a total mindfuck.

 

[Hailinel]

MAN I COULD SURE GO FOR A DELICIOUS HERSHEYS CHOCOLATE BAR ABOUT NOW

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The author turning Castlevania II into some campy Captain N-level nuttiness was amazing.

 

[Rotobit]

Here's a fun quote from the Metal Gear Solid 1 novelization:

"Merry Christmas," Snake said as he delivered two powerhouse punches, left and then right, into the guards' faces. The soldiers plopped to the floor. "I forgot to tell you--Christmas is early this year."
​

So I'm a little on the fence...

The Metal Gear Solid 4 one by Project Itoh is actually pretty good though, it depends on the writer really. The first couple Mass Effect spin-off books were alright, same goes for the Dragon Age interquels set before Inquisition. A straight novelization is pretty pointless though in most cases, especially as games become more and more filmic.

I feel like Nintendo's properties have the most potential because they're such blank canvasses but they'll probably never allow it outside of the occasional manga.

 

[Kalentan]

Are you talking just purely direct novelizations of the games themselves or novels set within the same universe?

Cause I own every Halo book out currently other than The Flood which is almost 1 to 1 adaption of Halo: CE.

 

[jamsy]

Xenogears.

Just gotta make sure to have a good writer/editor.

 

[The Kidd]

I read the Mass Effect ones when I was younger, was obsessed with the series. They were decent if you wanted an excuse to jump back into the universe while you were waiting for the next game.

Read a few Dragon Age books as well, wasn't as obsessed with the series as I was with ME, but would say they were actually good books.

I partially read one Halo book in middle School, but never finished it.

Read all these in my teens, so I have no idea if I'd be able to stomach any of them now.

 

[MadnB]

The only one I ever read was The Last Guardian (predates the PS4 game by many years) which dealt with a lot of Medivh/Khadgar/Karazhan stuff. Quite a bit of the Karazhan raid drew directly from that book which I thought was pretty cool.

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It's so far one of my favorites, along with the others in the collection "Warcraft Archive". I've also barely played WoW, but a lot of my friends did, so it's cool talking with them about the lore from different point of views

 

[Deleted member 8593]

I read the Infinity Blade novels by Brandon Sanderson. Wouldn't necessarily recommend or reread but I've read worse stuff.

As I am mostly interested in characters rather than lore, I'd probably read a well written Uncharted or Kid Icarus book.

 

[Unaha-Closp]

I read the first Mass Effect novel about whathisface and thingymabob. Not having a go a ME lore I plain can't think of them now. Lambert? Not Hackett. Fuck I can't remember Shepards Commander and the name of the Bad Guy....damn I suck. I'm not going to look it up. I love the first ME game - anyway it was about them and it was okay. Did buy the next 2 but never read them. Too many other books to read so I just play the games and leave the novelisations alone.

 

[Kalentan]

To expand on my other post, I'm currently in the middle of reading, Halo: Legacy of Onyx and it's quite good! The main PoV is a teen rather than some soldier and so you get a good look at civilian life and it's honestly really fascinating. A look into how someone who just barely survived the glassing of their world views the aliens who tried to kill her, not from a soldier or adult but from a teen. Unless it somehow shits the bed later on, it's for sure kept me enthralled.

 

[violent]

Only as an accompaniment to the game. I'm not sure I would invest in a standalone novel.

 

[Ralemont]

I read the SD Perry Resident Evil novels for awhile. I'm sure they werent good but 13 year old me loved the hell out of them. And towards the end she actually wrote a few original novels that took the timeline in a more interesting direction than Resident Evil 4 (and beyond) did.

 

[Andri]

I greatly enjoyed Novelisations of Mass Effect,Dragon age, Fire Emblem and PMD games, which were quite popular some years ago on sites like Fanfiction.net

 

[banter]

Fuck I can't remember Shepards Commander and the name of the Bad Guy....damn I suck. I'm not going to look it up. I love the first ME game - anyway it was about them and it was okay.

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Saren.
I liked the ME books, so I guess my answer to the OP is yes and obviously Mass Effect. Currently reading the Andromeda prequel book in fact.

 

[Zaied]

I've read several that have tied into their games such as the Crysis novels, RAGE, and Assassin's Creed Unity. I generally like them because they give some much needed background on the characters and sometimes show the story from another angle. I would've loved to see an inFAMOUS novel.

 

[RabidDwarf76]

I would love to read the complete saga of Xeno Gears if it was well written. I'd also love an English translation of Digital Devil Story just to read the source material for the Shin Megami Tenei series.

 

[Zeno]

Not novelizations, but I'd probably be interested in novels of video game settings I find interesting that aren't about the main story from the game.

 

[Weltall Zero]

Lord of the Clans is a genuinely good fantasy novel; one of the best I've read, in fact. The rest of the Warcraft novels I've read are of wildly varying quality, but I also liked The Last Guardian, which is basically the Warcraft movie in book form with more character development, written 16 years ago.

Xenogears.

Just gotta make sure to have a good writer/editor.

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Man, I would love for a competent writer to adapt Xenogears into a series of novels. Unfortunately considering modern Japan, it would probably only see the light as trash-tier light novels, like anything related to videogames / anime / manga.

 

[Vic_Viper]

The Metal Gear Solid novelization was decent. But I hear amazing things regarding the MGSV novelization. Not sure if its in English though yet.

Now comic adaptations on the other hand I have read! The MGS by Ashley Wood was amazing. Also really liked the Deus Ex comic tie in.

 

[NoKisum]

I would read the fuck out of the novelizations for the Team ICO games.

 

[Fou-Lu]

I read several fanfiction novelizations of video game stories when I was a kid. I can't say any of them were super great or memorable, but I did read them, so that's something.

 

[Cess007]

I remember reading the ICO novel. It was good, but a little disappointing. It focused more on the Queen (and her past) than on Ico and Yorda. I also have the Bioshock novel there, but I never started it.

I would read the fuck out of the novelizations for the Team ICO games.

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It's good if you want more information about the castle and the Queen. Ico and Yorda are not the focus. Tho, it's understable, it's not a novelization of the game, rather than a novel based on the game

https://www.amazon.com/ICO-Castle-Mist-Miyuki-Miyabe/dp/1421540630

 

[Phendrift]

I think Witcher books would be cool! ;)

 

[RabidDwarf76]

I think Witcher books would be cool!

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This is a joke right? Cause if not, boy do I have good news for you!

 

[Deleted member 14002]

I thought you meant turning books into visual novels.

 

[Phendrift]

This is a joke right? Cause if not, boy do I have good news for you!

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Yes it's a joke lol

 

[PopQuiz]

Are you talking just purely direct novelizations of the games themselves or novels set within the same universe?

Cause I own every Halo book out currently other than The Flood which is almost 1 to 1 adaption of Halo: CE.

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I was originally referring to direct novelizations, since like you said, spinoff novels are pretty prevalent (i've read all the Mass Effect ones, for instance).

I've just played quite a few games lately where I thought, "Man, I'd really love if they spent more time here and I got more of what the protagonist was feeling and thinking here."

 

[It’s Time To Go]

Quite a few of the Halo ones are good.

 

[Unaha-Closp]

Saren.
I liked the ME books, so I guess my answer to the OP is yes and obviously Mass Effect. Currently reading the Andromeda prequel book in fact.

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Thank you. Saren. I kept think Nhilus but knew I was wrong. Damn faulty brain.

 

[PopQuiz]

That first Mass Effect book did a cool job giving more background on who Saren was, as well as Captain Anderson.

 

[Stryder]

Mass Effect
Elder Scrolls
Fallout
Metal Gear Solid
Zelda

Just to name a few

 

[Wulfram]

There were novelisations of the Baldur's gate games, I believe they were generally regarded as awful and made a mess of the characters.

One of the more interesting cases is perhaps Raymond E Feist writing books of the games that were set in his universe. IIRC they were pretty OK, but the books of his I'd recommend people to start with.

Generally I'd rather see new stories set in the same world, video game stories don't really lend themselves to adaptation.​

 

[Chairmanchuck (另一个我)]

Ico was pretty great:

 

[Ultima_5]

I read a bunch of movie novelizations when I was like 13. I don't think I read any video game ones. totally wouldn't read one now

 

[SmarmySmurf]

Read the first couple Mass Effect ones, but once the story shit the bed as early as the second game it felt pointless to continue. I'll probably never read another tie-in ever, the burnt feeling was way too big and ME was just too perfect for an extended universe that nothing else will ever be more fitting. And if I'm being honest, it's kind of like the Halo thing: put all this stuff in the fucking games, I don't really want to go outside a game to get game story*.

*except Souls universe analysis. But that's analysis.

 

[Heretic Kazuma]

I have yet to read it, but I've heard promising things of Digital Devil Saga's adaptation.