Literature-Inspired Indie Games

The indie game Nantucket lets players pick up where the novel Moby Dick left off. Inspired by the 1851 classic by Herman Melville, Picaresque Studios' Nantucket is a tense strategy game that places players in the shoes of Ishmael, the sole survivor of the Pequod. Presented in a unique sketch-based art design, the game tasks players with hunting the mythical white whale that sunk the Pequod in the novel. Combat is handled through the use of simulated cards and dice rolls, and players can upgrade their ships and equipment. Within the first day of release, the game received positive reviews and is poised to further entice fans of literature.

Thanks to partnerships with authors like Tom Clancy, Andrzej Sapkowski and Dmitry Glukhovsky the gaming industry has celebrated a fruitful incorporation of literature, but rarely do gamers see the influence of legendary authors in their games. The indie game Nantucket is a distinct game not just for gameplay reasons, but for its relationship with Moby Dick as both and inspiration and focus of story. Literature may seem like a dying medium, but with continued support from the gaming community, it may find a second life as fans obsess over the inspiration material.