3.67 avg rating — 55 ratings

"Arguably the best book around on RPGs. Very well-written, contains many insights from a veteran of the industry, plus interviews and design documents from other veterans and classic RPGs."

3.66 avg rating — 249 ratings

"Matt's book is the best resource around for the history of the genre. From PLATO RPG in 1974 to Oblivion in 2006, everything is in here. Shame about the horrible black & white pictures, but the rest is solid."

3.95 avg rating — 39 ratings

"A fantastic catalog of ALL P&P RPGs up to 1991, including supplements and revisions. Each title is followed by a very brief summary, and there are interesting articles and interviews from game designers through the book."

4.11 avg rating — 580 ratings

"The most exhaustive analysis of Dungeons & Dragons you’ll ever read. From early D&D manuscripts to why clerics can't use cutting weapons, Jon Peterson's research is overwhelming - but perhaps a bit too overwhelming, as some editing could definitely benefit this 720 page-long monolith."

3.69 avg rating — 262 ratings

"A look at MMORPGs from a behind-the-scenes angle, talking about economics, logistics, world-building and the social environment. "

3.62 avg rating — 395 ratings

"Half of the book reads as a Richard Garriott biography, making it an interesting read for CRPGs fans. The rest of the book is also full of stories on DOOM, Counter-Strike and the Columbine shooting."

2.93 avg rating — 45 ratings

3.80 avg rating — 357 ratings

4.20 avg rating — 24,367 ratings