Video Game Novels

[Xanatos]

Read any?

I got into Mass Effect novels recently. Read Mass Effect: Revelation, Ascension and Retribution in short period of time, I was bit surprised to find out that they were not just great novels catering fans of the series but great sci-fi books on their own.

Mass Effect: Revelation would be my favorite, mostly because it's a prequel to my favorite game in the series. I wish there was more on Saren and Sovereign, at least a tiny taste of their first interaction, although I see how that might spoil the very first Mass Effect to those two people that read the book first. If for some strange reason you don't like Quarians Ascension should fix that, on the other hand Retribution is great for those who want to find out more about Reaper indoctrination. These novels reminded me once again just how rich and expansive universe Bioware managed to create in such a short time.

I'm also not sure whether to read Mass Effect: Deception, from what I've heard and read that book sucks some serious balls.

[Mystyrion]

I was actually pleasantly surprised in the Infinity Blade novel. I'm not sure what caused me to buy it, but I felt it was a pretty good book that gave a ton of depth to what very little you actually learn in the game.

I also really enjoy the Forerunner series in the Haloverse written by Greg Bear.

Lastly I've read a couple Diablo novels from the Sin War and the Elder Scrolls books. Neither were terrible and I enjoyed reading them, but definitely not anywhere on my must read list.

[Crescent]

I read most of the DMC novels(/manga) earlier last year in chronological order(excluding the games):

-DMC3#1 Code1: Dante Manga written by Suguro Chayamachi: Non-canon, Storyline shallow but the dialogue is what gets you plus Vergil appears more ruthless.
-DMC3#2 Code2: Vergil Manga written by Suguro Chayamachi: Non-canon, Arkham and Vergil begin the process of resurrecting the Temen-ni-gru and Alice is a randomass fill in and acts as messenger for the both of them.
-DMC3#3 Code3: Lady Manga: Final story, Unfinished

-*DMC 1 Novel* by Shinya Gokeida: Also non-canon, For those who don't know the novel Tony is an alias for Dante, and Gilver an anagram of Vergil, also considered a possible prelude to the events in DMC3 save for a few 'minor' tweaks for eg. ignoring the ending with Trish, fact that Vergils supposedly already in Mundus grasp, Dante age etc).
-*DMC2 Novel* by Shinya Gokeida: Non-canon, Set some time after DMC1 and almost directly before DMC2, plenty of action..naturally.
-*DMC4 Deadly Fortune Novel by *Morihashi Bingo*: 2 parts, yet to buy.

(*Back then the canonicity of the novels were taken as genuine before Devil May Cry 3, along with the fact that the creator of DMC, Hideki Kamiya was involved and worked very closely with him on both novels. Also Morihashi Bingo was the scenario writer for DMC4(and one of DMC3) soo... take it however you like, canon or notXD The official authors are named mainly due the fact that there are many translations summarised by fans n the general community).

All in all, great fill-ins between the series, canon or non-canon, exciting to imagine it all intertwine with the storyline so far. The mangas are great, and really fit in to the timeline unlike the novels (save for some retcons in both) but they're awesome too. However my only fault lies with the fact that Nero IS in fact Vergil's son, a cheap, lazy turn of events if ya ask meXD

[DragonHeart]

I've heard some of the Warhammer 40k books are excellent even without playing any of the games.

I read a few random WarCraft novels back in the day. They were ok, nothing special. I can barely remember them so clearly they didn't move me one way or another.

I did read The Last Wish, which is one of the books The Witcher games/world is based on. So kind of a reversal there. It's more a collection of short stories than a single coherent storyline. It was pretty good. I have yet to read the others.

Oh, I tried to read the first Assassin's Creed novelization. I was really disappointed with the sample I read. The author was literally describing exactly what happens as you play the game, exactly in the same order. Yes, it was hideously awkward. And bad. And yet the books are rated highly everywhere I look. =/

[Clint]

I read the Metal Gear Solid novelization. I figured, the game has a good story, so the writer had plenty of material to write a good book with. It was okay, and actually kind of funny, but it portrayed Snake in the wrong light. He went around breaking guard's necks.

Snake is supposed to be an espionage expert. Sure, you killed guards in the games, because when you're playing, it just makes everything easier, but in a novel, you want to show just how good he is by reducing the number of casualties, as dead bodies are clues to your path throughout the facility. It's fairly easy to track, and alerts everybody to your presence. That was the only problem I had with that book. It was good otherwise.