STALKER, which first person shooter enthusiasts have hailed as one of the most under appreciated games of the genre, is actually based on a science fiction book published in Russia during the 1970s.The game takes heavy inspiration from the dystopian novel, with players taking control of a “stalker”—intrepid individuals who explore (and steal leftovers) from a wasteland after the wake of a nuclear bomb. This makes for some great gameplay mechanics, including, of course, the need to be aware of radiation levels. Some players have said that “STALKER is basically Fallout for adults.”Another post-apocalyptic game set in Russia—but that's where the similarities end, really—Metro 2033 was based on a book published in the US in 2005... which was based on (fictional) stories told by people on an online message board in Russia.It's kind of a wonky origin, but damned if it didn't make for a good game. Many of the elements present in the game were also in the message board and novel, including radioactive future Nazis. Boy, those Nazis accomplished something, didn't they—becoming the most often killed antagonists in video games ever.The Witcher, a pretty badass fantasy game about a dude named Geralt who kills people and bangs busty bar maids (who give him collectible postcards with the fantasy equivalent of sexting pictures), was based on a “cult hit” series of novels published in Poland since the 90s. Since the game has become popular, the books have been (mostly) translated into English.Are the books as good as the game? Maybe: the Geralt character goes around sleeping with women and killing mythological monsters. Somehow that sounds like a lot more fun to actively engage in in a video game than reading about in a book.