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Before the Pixels
They say there’s nothing new under the sun, and that goes double for fiction. Good writing doesn’t just come from nowhere, and it’s actually a good thing to be able to say you got an idea from a great book or movie. So it should come as no surprise that almost all of the best written games draw direct inspiration from literary and filmic sources. And if you enjoyed a game’s story, chances are you’ll enjoy the source just as much. But for any given game, where did the inspiration come from, and which ones are right for you? That’s where we come in. With this feature, we will recommend books (and occasionally movies) that served as inspiration for popular games. We’ll also tell you about books that may not have been on a developer’s mind when they were creating the games, but are similar enough that you’re sure to enjoy them. All of these can be checked out for free either directly from the Prince Rupert Library or through inter-library loan.
Click on the titles on the left side to see the articles.
Skyrim
Used with permission from Bethesda
The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim®
Released on November 11th, 2011, Skyrim is the fifth major entry in the long running Elder Scrolls series. Taking place in the fictional province of its namesake, Skyrim trades in the Lord of the Rings aesthetic of the previous game for a more brutal, down-to-earth experience featuring lots of battle axes, horned helmets, mead halls, and other viking themed elements. With a world as vast and deep as Skyrim's, it's likely that even if you started playing it when it came out, you still haven't seen all it has to offer. But even if you aren't looking for more, you might find it interesting to check out what the writers and designers at Bethesda were reading when they were creating Skyrim, and as a library, we can help with that.
Halo
Used with permission from Microsoft
Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary®
Halo has been one of the Xbox and Xbox 360’s premier exclusives since 2001. A science fiction space opera epic of a first person shooter, Halo has chronicled humanity’s war with the fanatical alien Covenant and the unrelenting tide of the parasitic Flood for over ten years now. With the release of Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary Edition, we’ve chosen this series to begin offering our suggestions.