Stephen King's Influence On Video Games

Check out 1up.com's article,  "Stephen King's Influence on Video Games: How The Mist inspired and shaped Half-Life and Silent Hill."  1up.com

The article notes that even though King is not a gamer, "even though King doesn't play, his works have been referenced and celebrated in many titles."  These include games such as Alan Wake, and the multi player game The Secret World, which "directly references one of King's most popular recurring characters, the demon Flagg, through a street name."  (Cool, I didn't know that)

Spot Art

The references go on and on, but are highlighted by Silent Hill
Silent Hill is packed with references to Stephen King's work (one biggie is "Bachman Road," which refers to the author's old pen name), but the fog that shrouds the haunted little town practically has King's signature all over it. The snowy mist is home to twisted creatures that The Mist's Mrs. Carmody might be familiar with. Moreover, the fanatical Dahlia Gillespie might find a friend in Margaret White, the equally fanatic antagonist of King's Carrie
Harry Mason's tour of Silent Hill begins with a particularly inspired scene: he battles with a pterodactyl-like creature that comes crashing through the window of the diner he's sheltering in, a tribute to an iconic moment from The Mist wherein a leathery bird-monster breaks through the window of the supermarket. 
But Silent Hill also utilizes the quieter horror themes woven through The Mist. Like David Drayton, Mason is an everyman who needs to do his best in a strange place that wants him dead. His ammunition is limited, his skill with firearms average at best, and he can't sustain too many hits. His survival depends on speed, wits, and pure luck, as does Drayton's. When you have two rounds in your gun and you're up against a mantis-lobster that's five times your size, there isn't room for error.
The full article by Nadia Oxford is HERE.
Check out my article Stephen King Video Games.

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