March: March of the Authors
The theme of March of the Authors is how literature influences and inspires video games. Whether it’s adapting a classic novel, referencing a comic book, or paying homage to a literary genre, this monthly theme celebrates the creative connection between games and books. Challenge yourself to play games that are based on or inspired by your favourite literary works, or discover new stories that spark your imagination.
Games that qualify: games that are based on or inspired by books, comics, or other literary works. For example: The Witcher games, Batman games, Metro games, The Stanley Parable, Alice: Madness Returns, etc.
You can use the following (or similar) format to make it easier for everyone’s progress to be tracked, but feel free to add any extra thoughts about the game(s) to your post!
name of game 1 | achievements obtained | playtime this month | unfinished/finished
name of game 2 | achievements obtained | playtime this month | unfinished/finished
name of game 3 | achievements obtained | playtime this month | unfinished/finished
total: | achievements obtained | playtime this month | Number of games finished
Theme song
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uxs_HYw_mLk
FAQ
Do I have to participate in this month’s theme?
No, as with every theme, these are merely suggestions for anyone who is unsure about what to play next. If you already have a battle plan for your backlog and/or don’t like this month’s theme, you’re free to ignore it.
What happens if I don’t participate in the monthly theme?
Nothing.
What happens if I play all of my unfinished games this month?
Your backlog will be a much smaller place.
I don’t have any unfinished games - I’ve beaten everything I’ve started.
Really? well that makes one of us… I salute you.
I already finished my entry can I play another?
Go ahead - the goal is to reduce your unfinished games list. The more you can play the better.
A few places I found useful to search for games that match with the theme:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_video_games_based_on_comics
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Video_games_based_on_novels
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/32827.Books_That_Became_Video_Games
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_video_games_based_on_cartoons
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_video_games_based_on_anime_or_manga
My selection based on the theme: Sam & Max
| Name | Achievements obtained | Playtime | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hardspace: Shipbreaker | 20/27 | 35h | beaten |
| Sam & Max 301: The Penal Zone | na | 6.7h | beaten |
| Songbird Symphony | 6/11 | 8.6h | beaten |
| TOTAL: | 26 | 50.3hours | 3 games Beaten |
Hey thanks for the links! I found a couple I missed. :D
Haha, that’s funny, in my country we have a national event at libraries called “March - month of readers” to promote reading and books. We have a lot of workshops, lectures… They would be proud of your thematic contribution! ^_^
| Name | Category | Achievements obtained | Playtime | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Memoranda | Inspired by Haruki Murakami’s short stories | 11/11 | 5.8h | Completed |
| TOTAL: | 11 | 5.8h | 1 |
8 years later, maybe it’s time to finish this…
| Name | Achievements obtained (-previous) | Playtime (-previous) | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Witcher® 3: Wild Hunt | 49/78 (-28) | 147h (-107h) | Beaten* |
| TOTAL: | 21 | 40h | Beaten games: 1 |
*But only the base game…
American football season is over, so I have more free time for gaming. :D
| Game title | Achievements obtained | Playtime this month | Completion status |
| Dracula: The Resurrection | No achievements | 4h40m | completed |
| Dracula 4 and 5 - Special Steam Edition | No achievements | 11h05m | completed |
| Odysseus: Long Way Home | No achievements | 6h12m | completed |
| Salammbô: Battle for Carthage | No achievements | 1h03m* | unfinished |
| Total: | 0/0 | 22h26m | 3 completed, 1 unfinished |
* Actually more like 2-3h, but to get the game to work, I had to start it outside Steam.
| Persian Nights: Sands of Wonders | 31/31 | 7.5h(-4h) | Completed |
| Dracula 4 and 5 - Special Steam Edition | No achievements | 0 | unfinished |
| total: | 31/31 | 7.5h(-4h) | 1/2 |
I am trying to finish Joe Devers Lone wolf. Game is basicaly a book, so it should count.
| Joe Dever’s Lone Wolf HD Remastered | achievements obtained | playtime this month | unfinished/finished |
| total: | achievements obtained | playtime this month | Number of games finished |
Would a game based on / inspired by a musician and his musical works count (e.g., Frederic: Resurrection of Music which is based on Chopin’s music)? Chopin is an author, right? Or do you prefer literary authors (books, plays, the written medium) only?
BTW, I don’t think this affects me…I don’t think I’d be playing any such games for the theme.
Edit: Similarly, I assume games based on movies (that were not also books) wouldn’t count? e.g., “Alfred Hitchcock - Vertigo”? Actually, a little Googling shows that the movie Vertigo was based on the 1954 novel D’entre les morts (From Among the Dead) by Boileau-Narcejac.
Edit 2: What if something started as a video game but ended up as a book (e.g., Tomb Raider). That doesn’t seem like a case of how “literature influences and inspires video games,” but the other way around…
This one is specifically about literary works, good idea about including other media in a future theme, though!