Fantasy Series That Need Video Games Now

As the gaming industry has become more competitive due to widespread commercial success, it becomes much harder for developers to take a chance on a new IP. Fortunately, the world of literature is filled with hundreds of successful book series that can act as the building blocks for a new hit game series. With the titanic success of The Witcher 3, it’s clear that game adaptations can be successful without waiting for Hollywood to provide exposure to great series. All that’s necessary is a solid development team and source material to work from.

With this idea in mind, I’ll be listing series in the Fantasy genre that I believe have the potential for greatness. First and foremost I’m excluding any series that I have not personally read. Second, the series needs to not have any successful movie or TV show adaptations. Third, I’m limiting my selection to no more than one series per author. Lastly, there needs to be at least two or more books in a series. The nature of video games as a long-form entertainment medium is valuable in giving a spotlight to stories that have lots of content.

The Stormlight Archive by Brandon Sanderson

It was tough to choose just one of Sanderson’s fantasy series, as his elaborate worlds offer so much potential for imaginative gameplay elements. I went with Stormlight over his other popular series, Mistborn. This is due to the sheer epic scale and breadth of content to draw from.

The Stormlight Archive is set in the world of Roshar, a continent inhabited by dozens of diverse and unique cultures. Roshar is also frequently plagued by devastating storms which empower gemstones used as currency by the general populace. In ancient times, the people of Roshar were protected from dark forces by a legendary order of knights called Radiants. The Radiants wielded blades that could cut through any substance and armor that empowered their every move. For reasons unknown they one day abandoned humanity, leaving only their weapons of great power. Now in the present time, the Radiants have begun to return as humans once again find themselves able to harness magical forces lost to time.

Stormlight is planned to be ten books in length with each entry totaling 1,000 plus pages. The story is told from the perspective of many different characters with special attention given to three. The first is Kaladin, a soldier who finds himself a slave. Second is Shallan Davar, a scholar, and low-ranking noblewoman. Third is Dalinar Kholin, a high prince and famous military general of the nation known as Alethkar. Each of these characters is masterfully written with a multi-layered personality. I could see a game adaptation with any one of them being placed as the central protagonist for the epic narrative.

Stormlight is filled to the brim with large-scale warfare and political intrigue as many factions seek to influence the fate of the world. The world itself is also incredibly alien and unlike anything I’ve read in fantasy before. The magic system is also incredibly intricate with each order of Radiants having access to different abilities. Some of these abilities include gravitational manipulation, transmutation of matter, and illusion crafting. As a result of this grand scope, Stormlight’s detailed world could only be best explored through a game adaptation.

Gameplay-wise, I think the world makes a great sandbox for a single-player-focused RPG in a similar style to The Witcher. I can see individual story arcs comprising different games. There is also the potential for multiple DLC campaigns which focus on other characters or subplots that happen in the story. However, combat would be very flashy and fast-paced, more akin to a hack and slash game. I feel this style better reflects the power level of these characters over the Souls-like combat system that has now become the standard for RPGs.

2. The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher

Jim Butcher’s novel series has been previously adapted into a television show which aired on the Syfy network in 2007. However, the show only ran for one season and was not very successful, as many fans disliked the deviation from the source material. I’d love to see the series receive a solid adaptation that can bring new fans to the series. The episodic nature of the series can allow for many avenues of potential game development.

The Dresden Files is an urban fantasy series focused around the powerful wizard, Harry Dresden, and his adventures as a consultant for the Chicago police department. Harry provides insight and assistance for solving potentially supernatural crimes and homicides. With sixteen books out right now there is certainly enough content to make a game around.

This setup would make for a great mystery game with a touch of horror. Dresden often finds himself face to face with classic horror monsters like werewolves, vampires, and evil spirits. I could see gameplay going in many different directions. One potential option would be a heavily choice-based game similar to a Telltale game like The Wolf Among Us. A more action-oriented third-person game like the early Resident Evil titles could also work. Open-world gameplay would be something I would like to see even though it’s the industry standard nowadays. Dresden often takes on multiple little jobs during the course of the novel, allowing for the creation of dozens of memorable NPCs and side quests.

3. The Band Series by Nicholas Eames

This last series is relatively new, with only two books so far. A third is currently in the works. Each book focuses on a new group of heroes who all live in an interconnected world. In Eames’ setting, bands of mercenaries are paid top dollar to dispose of monsters and fight against them in gladiatorial arenas for amusement.

Eames himself has stated that the series was heavily inspired by his love of video games and music, with many Easter eggs for classic game franchises scattered throughout the books. This series is such a joy to read and a game adaptation would be the ultimate way to bring the author’s vision full circle.

Because this series is based on classic fantasy RPG games, that’s just what the video game should be. I’m thinking that gameplay would be similar to a Bioware title such as Dragon Age: Inquisition. You would have the ability to fully customize and outfit your own personal band of mercenaries and journey across the world, looking to grow your renown by leveling up the party and finding magical items. Each character would have their own strengths and weaknesses, allowing for many different party compositions and potential recruitment options.

If this all sounds rather generic, that’s because it’s meant to be. The Band series has a very lighthearted, tongue-in-cheek comedic tone that sets it apart from other stories in the genre. I was often reminded of the Borderlands series while reading, as many characters have goofy names or hilarious personality traits that cause them to be extremely memorable. In order to be successful, a game adaptation needs to nail this tone. It’s a pivotal aspect of what makes the series so engaging and would give the game a distinct style to keep players hooked.

Well, those are some of my top picks for the next big book-to-game adaptations. Hopefully, I piqued your interest and brought your attention to some new books to read yourself. There are a lot of good stories out there, so expect more of these in the future.