Summary
It is a common belief that getting people to read books in an age of addictive distractions like the internet and video games is nearly impossible. One way to increase literacy in gamers might be to enclose books within their video games. In-game books can expound upon obscure lore, expand worldbuilding in cost-efficient ways, or tell a fun little story.
It may seem like an odd choice to include a gameplay feature that completely halts all action, graphics, and open-world exploration for a linear text adventure, but there is still something authentically magical and immersive about turning the leaves of a book, as the following open-world games demonstrate.
The chunky, pulsating, and often grotesque world ofDread Delusionbrims with rich history and lore that demands elaboration. Besides the one the player uses to cast spells, books do not appear as collectible objects but as enormous tomes set upon alters that tell the tale of fallen gods and the mortal world’s war against them. These texts are lovingly adorned with immersive fonts, time-stained pages, and evocative illustrations about the stories within.
Although there are fewer books in thisindieElder Scrolls-inspired gamethan in other open-world adventures, these stories are well worth the read. Like the game itself, there is an emphasis on “quality over quality,” as each story reveals fascinating secrets about the mysterious and psychedelic Oneric Isles.
TheWitcherseries is based on abook series by Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski. It is appropriate then thatThe Witcher 3should contain some literature for the player to find scattered across The Continent. Much of Geralt’s literary diet consists of bestiary entries or scraps of paper with clues about his target or next quest step.
However, many provide greater insight into the world and its dark history or distractions to lighten the mood. Books can be found as loot, on bookshelves, or among a merchant’s stock. There are also manuals of magic, humorous short stories and anecdotes, and even stories about witchers, including the exploits of Geralt himself.
Reading is often taken for granted as a skill in the modern world, with the global literacy rate at around 85%. However, this would have been drastically lower in the past. Asa realistic depiction of the Medieval era,Kingdom Come: Deliverancereflects this by making Henry, its protagonist, illiterate by default.
AcrossKingdom Come’s open world are skill books, which increase Henry’s skills (if he has the minimal level of skill required), and lore books, which contain poetry or factual information that can provide a good way to learn about local history. Reading can only take place in a comfortable place of study, and Henry can only subject himself to a limited amount per day before he gets a headache.
WhenGuild Wars 2launched, its creators announced that one of their design philosophies was to reduce clutter by way of quests and lengthy dialogue to help encourage non-stop action and movement from their players. However, they still placed lore books across the world that helped to fill the gap betweenthe originalGuild Warsstoryand the events ofGuild Wars 2.
After the “Heart of Thorns” expansion, collectible lore books, ranging from adorable children’s books about turning sentient cacti into party food to revelations about the gods and the cosmos, were added to the world, which players could pour over later in town of their guild hall. With such a vast world developed over a decade, there are nowhundreds of readable booksto be found across Tyria.
Minecraft is an open-world sandbox famous for its minimalistic storytelling. The lore of the world is disseminated through mysterious, long-abandoned ruins and the corrupted presence of dangerous enemies. The words of these fallen civilizations do not appear, and while villagers offer books of enchantment for sale, they are unreadable and used only forthe improvement ofMinecraft’s armor, weapons, and tools. However, thanks to the book and quill, players can produce their own written books.
While writing a bunch of books and reading them back may not seem like the most satisfying way to experience literature in an open-world game, creative players have made their own custom worlds filled with interesting written books. One of the most famous isThe Uncensored Library, a world containing an impressive library created by Reporters Without Borders and BlockWorks full of complete texts that would have otherwise been censored or made unavailable in certain countries.
The gold standard for open-world games with readable books is easilyThe Elder Scrollsseries, which has included perusable tomes sinceThe Elder Scrolls 2: Daggerfall. Each game since has added a mountain of texts, each with more immersive ways to read them than the last. Occasionally, opening a book rewards players with a skill point, perhaps as a way to condition players into a habit of reading.
Not every sequel contains the texts of the previous games, but the entry that contains the largest collection isThe Elder Scrolls Online, which features the entirety (or most of) the continent of Tamriel, and therefore the majority of the books collected from acrossTES, includingDaggerfall,Morrowind,Oblivion, andSkyrim, as well as originals written specifically for the MMO.
