The rare video game novelization isn’t as common as it used to be, but there are some great books out there that expand on the lore of iconic games.
It could be argued that the medium of video games offers audiences a multimedia experience reaching beyond the bounds of other — more conventional modes of art. However, despite improving on many of the literary medium’s narrative cornerstones, video games often reinvest their stories back into the world through novelizations based on their worlds and characters.
From literary reimaginings of popular video game narratives to expansions of pre-existing lore and events, video game novelizations can provide players with more ways to interact with their favorite franchises. Beyond this, they can even learn more about the game universe than was presented to them in the original video game.8 Crysis: Legion — Peter Watts
Retelling the urban combat narrative of Crysis 2’s campaign, Peter Watts’ hard science-fiction roots are showcased with this official novelization that was released parallel to the game itself.
Like the video game source material it takes inspiration from, Crysis: Legion details the wartime exploits of the game’s protagonist, Alcatraz, as combat reaches the continental United States. As such, the BSFA-nominated intricacies and detail of Watts’ writing are not wasted by one of gaming’s quintessential FPS franchises, but bolstered by its roots in the sci-fi genre. Beyond a paint-by-numbers retelling of the installment’s plot, Crysis: Legion expands the lore of the Crysis game universe and directly ties into to Crysis 3’s narrative.7 Halo: The Kilo-5 Trilogy — Karen Traviss
Karen Traviss’ literary exploits are renowned in the world of video game tie-in novelizations, as her musings have expanded on all manner of science-fiction properties, from Halo to Gears of War, and even LucasArts’ Star Wars: Republic Commando title.
Exploring the tenuous peace kept between humanity and the rest of the Halo universe’s species and factions, Traviss details the exploits of ONI Task Force Kilo-5 in her novels Halo: Glasslands, Halo: The Thursday War, and Halo: Mortal Dictata. Drawing parallels to subversive intelligence operations run by the FBI during the 1960s, the Kilo-5 Trilogy explores the splintering Sangheili culture and the morally gray lengths to which humanity will stoop to ensure its own survival.
While Traviss’ literary talent is non-negotiable, and on full display throughout the Kilo-5 Trilogy, her lack of adherence to established Halo lore does raise some concerns when reading her work as an expansion of the Halo universe. However, as works of video game novelization, her writings are among the best.6 Cyberpunk 2077: No Coincidence — Rafel Kosik
Given the renown and shared culture of both Rafal Kosik and CD Projekt Red, it’s no surprise that Cyberpunk 2077’s only novelization was placed in his proven hands.
