Summary
- Metro Exodus offers a unique take on post-apocalyptic exploration in a semi-open world setting with strong narrative ties.
- Hogwarts Legacy immerses players in the magical world of Harry Potter through detailed systems despite its waning charm over time.
- The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt delivers a compelling narrative, a rich open world, and renowned gameplay, earning its place as a gaming classic.
Novels have been the inspiration for many forms of adaptation for as long as cinema and TV have been around. This is no different with gaming. Many games adapt or take inspiration from innumerable novels across all the genres in the literary landscape. From horror to romance, timeless stories are constantly being adapted and updated into this more modern format.
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This list looks at seven open-world games that are based on novels and ranks them based on how well they fare against each other in terms of direct adaptation and simply how well they play. While some entries are more direct adaptations, each has its merits and clearly shows its inspiration throughout.
6 Metro Exodus
Post-Apocalyptic Russian Wilderness
Metro Exodus
- Released
- February 15, 2019
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ due to Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Partial Nudity, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, Use of Drugs
- Developer(s)
- 4A Games
- Genre(s)
- FPS
- Platform(s)
- PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, PC
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
Metro Exodus is a unique entry on this list as it is not entirely open-world, instead consisting of several miniature open-world levels in which the player can explore. Unlike the previous two games in the Metro franchise, Exodus is not a direct adaptation, but rather a follow-up to the narrative of Dmitry Glukhovsky's Metro novels. Glukhovsky did publish a novelization of the game's narrative. However, it was released post-launch.
Similar to the previous titles in the franchise, both novel and game, Metro Exodus tasks the player with exploring and surviving a world ravaged by nuclear war, giving access to a train that carries the protagonist Artyom and his crew across Russia. While losing some of the claustrophobic elements present in the earlier titles, Exodus does a fantastic job of transitioning the series to a slightly more open world.
5 Hogwarts Legacy
Tell A New Story In The World Of Harry Potter
Hogwarts Legacy
- Released
- February 10, 2023
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen Due To Blood, Fantasy Violence, Mild Language, Use of Alcohol
- Developer(s)
- Avalanche Software
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch, PC
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
While controversial upon release, Hogwarts Legacy is the quintessential way for gamers to immerse themselves in the world of Harry Potter. Functioning as an open-world RPG, Hogwarts Legacy allows the player to take on the role of a new Hogwarts student, go to classes, be sorted into a house, and explore the legendary halls of the school. With multiple in-depth systems for all the facets of magic, Hogwarts Legacy makes the player feel like a wizard or witch in ways no other game has managed to capture.
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While the Harry Potter charm does wear off after some hours, the fundamental systems that make up the game's core gameplay are solid enough to make Hogwarts Legacy worth playing for any fan of the books. It may not be the best way to introduce a new fan to the franchise, requiring some prior connection to the IP to fully appreciate, but the nostalgia many players feel when playing is certainly enough to carry them through the whole experience.
4 Middle-earth: Shadow Of Mordor
Middle-earth In All Its Greatness
Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor
- Released
- September 30, 2014
WHERE TO PLAY
Similar to the last entry, Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor, and its successor, Shadow of War, allow players to immerse themselves in a new story set in a beloved literary world. Taking control of Talion, the player must explore the vast world of Middle-earth in order to exact revenge for the murder of Talion's family. Set between The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, players will see a world somewhat unfamiliar before many of the events that lead up to the start of the book series.
Despite its differences, the world of Middle-earth is impressively accurate to the descriptions found in many of Tolkien's works, thanks in part to the contributions of Peter Jackson and several Tolkien scholars. On top of it all, both games have the revolutionary "Nemesis System," which causes the enemies to remember the player's previous actions, making the open world feel alive and decisions feel important.
3 STALKER 2: Heart Of Chornobyl
Brave The Radioactive Wastes
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl
- Released
- November 20, 2024
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ / Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language, Use of Alcohol and Tobacco
- Developer(s)
- GSC Game World
- Genre(s)
- First-Person Shooter, Open-World, Post-Apocalyptic, Survival
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl is the first entry in the STALKER series in 15 years, making it a hugely anticipated release for many gamers. The game tasks the player with surviving in the exclusion zone surrounding the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, finding anomalies, and collecting anything valuable they can find, all while monitoring the several indicators that monitor stats like hunger and tiredness.
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Heart of Chornobyl is part of a franchise that brings Arkady and Boris Strugatsky's novel Roadside Picnic into the gaming world. While Roadside Picnic itself is not concerned with the Chernobyl incident that features heavily in the games, the overall tone, aesthetic, and concept the game is centered on are all adapted from the book. Despite its unfinished state upon release, subsequent updates have shifted it into the best way to experience the Strugatsky's vision in video game form.
2 The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
Fight Monsters Wherever They May Appear
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
- Released
- May 19, 2015
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Use of Alcohol, Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Nudity, Strong Language, Strong Sexual Content
- Developer(s)
- CD Projekt Red
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
The final entry on this list is The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, the third installment in the Witcher franchise based on Andrzej Sapkowski's Witcher book series. Having now also been adapted into a Netflix series, the Witcher games surround the story of Geralt of Rivia, a monster hunter known as a Witcher, with the third game focusing on his search for Ciri, his adopted daughter. Traveling across the world, fighting monsters and men, and avoiding the nightmarish Wild Hunt, Geralt's journey has never felt this important, making for a compelling narrative and a rich open world.
Having won Game of the Year at The Game Awards in 2015, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is a staple in the open-world RPG genre and is widely regarded by many gamers as one of the greatest games ever made. While the story can drag in parts, the freedom of the open-world and the tightly crafted gameplay elements keep the game entertaining for its entire duration.
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