Role-playing games, or RPGs, have been around since the dawn of video games. Before the digital world, kids would simply use pen and paper to live out their Dungeons & Dragons fantasies. At a certain point in our video game timeline, the Japanese separated themselves from their western counterparts and made RPGs with their own cultural influences.
The history of JRPGs is long, and Bitmap Books took on the ambitious task of transcribing that story in their latest book. Titled A Guide to Japanese Role-Playing Games, this coffee table book covers the entire history of Japanese role-playing games from 1982 to 2020. Over 600 games are included in the guide, including Persona, Shin Megami Tensei, Yakuza, and Shining Force.
The beautiful front cover, which was illustrated by Stephanie Sybydlo, “is finished with special pantone inks and metallic silver foil details.” The book comes in a hardcover as standard, with thread-sewn binding for extra durability. If you’re a collection connoisseur, the company has a special Limited Edition version of the book. There are only 2,000 copies, and once they are gone, they’re gone for good.
The collector’s edition comes with a heavy-board slipcase and a bunch of goodies, including:
- Bookmark
- Set of postcards
- A2 poster
- Custom-made pixel heart 2GB USB drive
The USB drive comes pre-loaded with indie JRPGs that are currently in development. They include Jack Move, Shrine’s Legacy and 8-Bit Adventures 2. You can check out the full details on Bitmap Books’ store page.
The book will be available on June 14, 2021 for £34.99.
