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Black Myth Wukong‘s journey from a most-wishlisted game on Steam to the most-played single game on Steam is a fascinating example of how literary works should be adapted into video games, to be precise RPGs.
While this Chinese marvel based on the epic novelJourney to the Westdoesn’t belong in the open-world games section, its branching is a blessing in disguise since it is a rather rewarding experience.
Importantly, Wukong isn’t a retelling of the original story, as the novel serves as a foundation, from which a fresh and familiar world was born. There is a huge potential behind many literary works with rich and detailed universes that can be translated into open world games if done correctly.
The Unmeasurable Power of Black Myth Wukong
The triumph ofBlack Myth Wukongis a blueprint for how to adapt a rich, narrative-driven story into a game that caters to more than 10 million players, according to sales.
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This can only inspire developers to consider adapting popular fantasy and sci-fi books into games that do justice to their stories. Wukong, set in a world filled with demons, ancient relics, and celestial prisons, follows the journey of the Destined One, the Monkey King reincarnate, as he battles through various areas to reclaim relics and escape divine punishment set onto him centuries ago.
The game is a mix of the myth and new story, and this managed to interest players, of course, along with perfect gameplay, out-of-this-world graphics, and an intriguing skill tree that demands careful point allocation.
The first title that springs to mind that can replicate Wukong’s success is theMistbornseries by Brandon Sanderson. The world of Scadrial, with its dystopian setting and magic system at the center of the series, is a perfect backdrop for a series of open world games with RPG elements.
The city of Luthadel, covered in ashes in UE 5 is something to dream of, and when you add its dark, atmospheric aesthetic, it can only lure people in, both fans of video games and fans of the books.
Sanderson’s laws of magic is a delicate system, and Allowmancy, one small part of it, is the thread the game will hang. Allomancy allows characters to ingest and burn metals to acquire and enhance abilities.
Reminiscent of crafting materials in other games, there are 16 different Alomantic metals, divided into four categories, physical, mental, temporal, and enhancement. Of course, it isn’t that simple, and these further divide. What is important is how categories and metals can be reflected in the game’s mechanics.
How to visually and mechanically replicate these powers in the game is a huge challenge. There are many powers, including creating time bubbles with cadmium or bendalloy.
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What I see as a possible solution would be a look-and-lock system. A player would select the target and then choose the power they want to use. For example, burning steel allows a character to push metal objects away, while iron enables them to pull objects toward them.
Mistbornis an open-world RPG by proxy, offering endless possibilities for Allomancy to come into gameplay. The ash-covered Luthadel is made for exploration and many abilities can only make players relive the moments from the books as Vin and the company attempt to overthrow the Lord Ruler.
It is a frightening task, but imagine if we finally get to play a game set in a vast universe like Cosmere.
Other Publications Begging for Open World Adaptation
Sanderson is not the first of his kind and not the last one as well. Long before him,storytelling giants like George R. R. Martin, Stephen King and Neil Gaiman have treasured us with rich, detailed worlds begging for open-world adaptation.
For example, I can see Coraline fighting ‘button-eyed’ creatures with the help of Ghost Children through a summon ability Ghostly Thread. Her sword would be a sewing needle, or dual-wielding blades reminiscing of scissors.
Coralineis already a game within a novel that begs to get to the screens. This soulslike will put a female character at the center, and instead of dark and gritty aesthetics, a vibrant Other World awaits the players, but with a dreadful secret and an ambiguous ending.
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Open world games adapted from books have a rich history. The concept isn’t new, but developers need to be far braver and get their hands into some other titles thanThe Witcherand its go-to hero Geralt of Rivia.
Roland Deschain is the unlikely hero we want.The Dark Towerseries by Stephen King is a perfect candidate for an open-world MMO/RPG. Roland is similar to theRed Dead Redemptionhero arc, but this gunslinger’s quest is to reach the Dark Tower, the nexus of all realities, giving away a slither ofDiablo.
The world of Mid-World, with its decaying remnants of advanced technology, feudal society, and an environment torn by time and space anomalies, would be a unique setting.
In this version of Mid-World, players would explore ancient ruins, desolate towns, and forests all the while fighting the King’s multiverse evil superminds, including Walter Padick also known as Man in Black, the Crimson King known to some as Lord of Discordia, among many other evils.
The game would benefit from the mix of gunplay, magic, and time-space manipulation, while still staying true to the central theme, destiny. Roland’s journey across the decaying remnants of advanced technology leads to an infinite quest, meaning that the potential game could have vast replayability.
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King’s magnum opus isn’t the only one worth translating into a video game.ITis another novel that can be turned into a fantastic sandbox video game with different level designs and maps, as players try to eliminate Pennywise and escape their darkest nightmares.
If there are developers brave enough to take on some fantastic literary creations across genres, they need to respect the source material and be unafraid to add their own creative spin.
The journey from page to screen is not easy, as in addition to creative vision, budget is crucial, andBlack Myth Wukong, might not be a success if it wasn’t supported by the Chinese tech giant, Tencent.
Nevertheless, the first game inThe Witchertrilogy was made on a shoestring budget and crushed upon release.
What are some of your ideas for open world games based on books? Let us know in the comments below.
Nikola Pajtic
Articles Published :120
Nikola is an avid gamer and a pop culture buff. When he is not writing, he is either playing Final Fantasy, thinking about what Lovecraft stories can be adapted into film or video game, and watching new Doctor Who episodes.
