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š The Influence of Classic Literature on Game World Design
Classic literature and modern video games may seem worlds apartābut in truth, they share a deep and evolving relationship. Many of todayās most compelling game worlds are rooted in the same stories that shaped myth, philosophy, and imagination for generations. From Danteās Inferno to Lovecraftās madness, from Homerās epics to Orwellian dystopiasāliterary inspiration fuels game world design in powerful, unexpected ways.
Letās explore how the timeless tales of classic literature continue to influence the creation of digital worlds.
šļø Why Literature Still Matters in Game Design
Classic literature isnāt just a source of storiesāitās a well of themes, structures, and ideas that resonate across centuries. Game designers draw from these texts to:
- Build philosophical depth into their worlds
- Explore universal themes like heroism, mortality, or madness
- Recreate rich, symbolic settings
- Adapt narrative structures that still captivate modern audiences
By grounding game worlds in literary tradition, designers elevate storytelling and give players a sense of timelessnessāthe feeling that this world existed long before you arrived.
š¹ Iconic Examples of Literature in Game Worlds
š„ Danteās Inferno ā Hellscapes & Morality Systems
Inspired by The Divine Comedy, games like Danteās Inferno (2010) or even the Dark Souls series mirror Danteās layered depiction of sin, punishment, and spiritual journey.
š§ Design takeaway: Use layered world-building to reflect internal or moral journeys.
š¦ H.P. Lovecraft ā Cosmic Horror & Unknowable Worlds
Games like Bloodborne, Call of Cthulhu, and The Sinking City dive into Lovecraftian horrorāemphasizing madness, ancient gods, and the fragility of reality.
š§ Design takeaway: Ambiguity, dread, and environmental clues over direct exposition.
āļø Homer’s Epics ā Heroic Arcs & Mythic Settings
Games like God of War, Assassinās Creed Odyssey, and Immortals Fenyx Rising borrow directly from The Iliad and The Odyssey, placing players in mythic quests full of gods, monsters, and moral dilemmas.
š§ Design takeaway: Heroās journey structure + epic-scale environments.
š George Orwell ā Dystopian Design & Surveillance Themes
1984ās themes of control, surveillance, and lost humanity influence games like BioShock, We Happy Few, and Papers, Please.
š§ Design takeaway: Use environmental storytelling and player restrictions to convey authoritarian systems.
š Beowulf & Medieval Epics ā Dark Fantasy & Honor Systems
Games like The Witcher, Dragon Age, and Dark Souls channel medieval poetry and chivalric epics, blending monster hunting with the crumbling legacies of fallen kingdoms.
š§ Design takeaway: Use ancient myths and cultural codes to shape NPC societies and quests.
š ļø How Classic Literature Shapes Game Worlds
1. Worldbuilding with Literary Themes
- Frankenstein = fear of unchecked creation (used in sci-fi horror like SOMA)
- Moby Dick = obsession and futility (seen in boss-focused games like Shadow of the Colossus)
- Paradise Lost = rebellion, fall from grace, and moral ambiguity (reimagined in Halo, Destiny, or Darksiders)
š§ Pro tip: Let your world visually reflect the internal struggles of its characters or the themes of your story.
2. Narrative Structure
Classic texts often follow epic, tragic, or cyclical structures:
- The Heroās Journey (from The Odyssey)āused in RPGs like Zelda or Final Fantasy
- Tragedy (from Shakespeare or Sophocles)āshaping games like Spec Ops: The Line or The Last of Us Part II
- Satire & Allegory (Gulliverās Travels, Animal Farm)āused in Undertale, Disco Elysium, and Stanley Parable
š§ Pro tip: Use classic structure as a spine, then innovate with interactivity.
3. Character Archetypes
- The tragic hero (Macbeth, Oedipus) ā Kratos in God of War
- The unreliable narrator (Poe, Kafka) ā Daniel in Amnesia
- The immortal villain (Dracula) ā countless RPG antagonists
š§ Pro tip: Reinvent archetypes by letting players become them or deconstruct them through gameplay.
š Games That Wear Their Literary Hearts Proudly
| Game | Inspired By | Influence |
|---|---|---|
| Bioshock | Ayn Randās Atlas Shrugged | Objectivism vs. utopia gone wrong |
| The Witcher Series | Slavic folklore + Sapkowski’s novels | Folk horror, ambiguous morality |
| Planescape: Torment | Classical philosophy, metaphysics | āWhat can change the nature of a man?ā |
| Sunless Sea / Fallen London | Gothic literature, Poe, Lovecraft | Rich, text-based horror and lore |
| 80 Days | Around the World in 80 Days by Jules Verne | Interactive storytelling, steampunk world travel |
āļø Tips for Designers Inspired by Classic Literature
- š Read beyond plot: Focus on themes, tone, and structureāwhat emotional truths can you translate into gameplay?
- š Donāt just adaptāreinterpret: Use the spirit of the work, not just the setting.
- š Make the world react: Reflect literary ideas through NPCs, weather, architecture, and player decisions.
- š§± Use intertextual storytelling: Let players find books, poems, or echoes of texts that reward curiosity and deepen lore.
- š Allow for reflection: Like a great novel, give players room to pause and interpret.
šÆ Final Thought
Classic literature doesnāt ageāit evolves. The themes of power, loss, identity, obsession, and morality are as relevant in pixels as they were in parchment. When designers bring these timeless stories into games, they arenāt just referencingātheyāre continuing the tradition of storytelling in a new medium.
So whether youāre drawing from Greek epics, Gothic horror, or Enlightenment philosophy, game worlds become richer, deeper, and more human when they carry the echoes of the stories that came before.
Want help integrating a specific literary theme or designing a game world inspired by a classic author? Letās make your game feel like a playable masterpiece. šš®
