Abandonware DOS title

The most popular based on a novel games

Many classic games were based on books, whether novels or short stories. This literary influence brought rich narratives and intricate worlds to the gaming medium. Some notable examples include "The Lord of the Rings" by J.R.R. Tolkien, which inspired numerous games that explore Middle-earth's epic battles and complex lore. "Rendezvous with Rama" by Arthur C. Clarke provided a foundation for games that delve into the mysteries of space exploration and alien encounters. "The Mist" by Stephen King led to atmospheric horror games that capture the suspense and terror of the original story.
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Transarctica

DOS19933.9/5 Silmarils
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James Clavell's Shogun

DOS19894.3/5 Infocom
James Clavell's Shogun, a text adventure game developed by Infocom and released in 1989. Infocom was known for its interactive fiction games, and "James Clavell's Shogun" was one of its later releases.This text adventure game is based on James Clavell's novel "Shogun" and follows the story of John Blackthorne, an English navigator who becomes invol...
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Arrakis

DOS20003.8/5
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Mixed-up Mother Goose

DOS19874.1/5 Sierra On-Line
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Death Gate

DOS1994protected3.9/5 Legend Entertainment
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Shannara

DOS1995protected4/5 Legend Entertainment
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Arthur: The Quest for Excalibur

DOS19894/5 Infocom
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The Fellowship of the Ring

DOS19864/5 Beam Software
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The Hunt for Red October

DOSMac OS19874.1/5 Oxford Digital Enterprises
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Zorro

DOS19953.3/5 Capstone
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William Shatner's TekWar

DOS19954/5 Capstone
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Flight of the Intruder

DOS19904/5 Rowan Software
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Gateway 2: Homeworld

DOS1993protected3.9/5 Legend Entertainment
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20000 Leagues under the sea

DOS19883.8/5 Coktel Vision
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The mist

DOS19854/5 Angelsoft
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Hook

DOS19924.2/5 Shadow Software
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Below The Root

DOS19843.8/5 Dale Disharoon, Inc.
Below the root is an atipycal early 2 dimensional adventure game based on the Zilpha Keatley Snyder novels: the Green Sky Trilogy. The player can choose one of many characters, each with different skills and embark in a quest to eliminate the distrust between two races: the Erdling and the Kindar.
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Callahan's Crosstime Saloon

DOS19973.9/5 Legend Entertainment
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Rendezvous with Rama

DOS19853.7/5 Telarium
Rendezvous with Rama is an interactive fiction (text adventure) game released in 1984. Telarium, a subsidiary of Spinnaker Software, was known for producing narrative-driven games based on popular literary works. This adaptation of Arthur C. Clarke's novel is one of the earlier attempts to translate a science fiction classic into an interactive for...
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9 Princes in Amber

DOS19854.1/5 Telarium
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Return to Ringworld

DOS19943.8/5 Tsunami Media
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Red Storm Rising

DOS19894.1/5 MicroProse Software
Red Storm Rising is a submarine simulation video game developed and published by MicroProse in 1988, based on the novel of the same name by Tom Clancy and Larry Bond. The game is set during a hypothetical World War III scenario, focusing on naval combat between NATO and Warsaw Pact forces. Players command a modern nuclear submarine from a first-per...
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Return of the Phantom

DOS1993protecteddemo3.7/5 MicroProse Software
Return of the Phantom is adventure game set in France, designed by Raymond Benson, developed by MicroProse Software and released in 1993 for DOS only. Return of the Phantom is a third-person adventure game based on the book Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux.
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The Fourth Protocol

DOS19874/5 The Electronic Pencil Co.
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Dragonflight

DOS19913.6/5 Thalion
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J.R.R. Tolkien's Riders of Rohan

DOS19974.1/5 Papyrus Design Group
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Dune Generations

Windows XP/98/952002canceled3.8/5 Cryo Interactive Entertainment
Dune Generations was a canceled 3D MMO strategy game set in the Dune universe that was never published. Dune Generations was in development by Cryo Interactive Entertainment, but it was canceled in 2002 when the company filed for bankruptcy. As of 2002 the game was still in the alpha stage; what's left are some screenshots ...
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War of the Lance

DOS1990protected4.3/5 SSI Strategic Simulations Inc.
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The Cardinal of the Kremlin

DOS19903.9/5 Capstone
The Cardinal of the Kremlin is an abandoned simulation game involving espionage, politics and govern management set in the cold war years. It was designed by Kenneth Rothschild, developed by Capstone and released by IntraCorp in 1990 for DOS and Amiga. The Cardinal of the Kremlin was based on the Tom Clancy novel of the same name.