The CRPG Book (Expanded Edition) by Bitmap Books is the definitive guide to the history of computer role-playing games – in English, spanning 684 pages with reviews of over 450 games from 1975–2019.
- 684 pages, hardcover with sewn binding & gold foil cover
- Over 450 game reviews – from Ultima to Disco Elysium
- Mod tips, dev quotes & hints on running games on modern hardware
- Edited by Felipe Pepe, written by 167 volunteers from around the world
The CRPG Book – Expanded Edition (Bitmap Books)
If you love computer role-playing games, this book is essential. Please note: The book is written entirely in English. Edited by Felipe Pepe and published by Bitmap Books, it spans 684 pages covering the full history of the CRPG genre – from the earliest PLATO-era dungeon crawlers to modern masterpieces like Disco Elysium.
What's Inside?
The book reviews over 450 games from 1975 to 2019, organised chronologically, featuring vibrant in-game screenshots, mod recommendations, developer quotes, and practical tips on how to run classic games on modern hardware. Every entry honestly assesses a game's place in history – strengths and weaknesses included.
The Expanded Edition Upgrade
Compared to the original, this Expanded Edition adds 156 pages of new content: 65 new game reviews, revised entries, a cover art gallery, and brand-new articles on niche topics such as French, Korean and Chinese RPGs, MMORPGs, BBS games, browser games, RPG Maker titles and fan translations.
By the Community – For the Community
The book is the result of nine years of work and the collaboration of 167 volunteers from every continent – developers, journalists, modders, critics and passionate fans. Contributors include industry legends such as Chris Avellone, Tim Cain, Ian Frazier, Richard Cobbett and many more. A Polish player writes about The Witcher, a Russian contributor covers Konung, a Taiwanese writer recalls Chinese Paladin – making the perspective uniquely global.
Good to Know: For a Good Cause
All author profits from book sales go to the Brazilian NGO Vocação, which provides education and employment opportunities for children and teenagers from underprivileged backgrounds. More than £41,000 has been donated to date.
Any Downsides?
To be fair: The book is in English only – a potential barrier for non-English speakers. Coverage also ends in 2019, so recent releases aren't included. And there's no author index, meaning you'll have to flip through pages to find a specific contributor's entries.
Technical Specs
| Pages | 684 |
| Dimensions | 254 mm × 203 mm |
| Binding | Hardcover, thread-sewn |
| High-quality edge-to-edge lithographic print | |
| Extras | Gold foil cover & spine, bookmark ribbon, shrink-wrapped |
| Cover Art | Original artwork by Jan Pospíšil |
| Language | English |
Games Featured in the Book
Show all 450+ games (expand)
Games are listed in the book in roughly chronological order, followed by thematic sections in the Expanded Edition. Below is a representative selection of titles covered:
- Beneath Apple Manor (1978)
- Akalabeth: World of Doom (1979)
- Temple of Apshai (1979)
- Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord (1981)
- Ultima I: The First Age of Darkness (1981)
- Rogue (1980)
- Dungeons of Daggorath (1982)
- The Bard's Tale (1985)
- Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar (1985)
- Ultima V: Warriors of Destiny (1988)
- Ultima VI: The False Prophet (1990)
- Ultima VII: The Black Gate (1992)
- Ultima Underworld: The Stygian Abyss (1992)
- Wasteland (1988)
- Pool of Radiance (1988)
- Champions of Krynn (1990)
- Eye of the Beholder (1990)
- Dungeon Master (1987)
- NetHack (1987)
- Angband (1990)
- Might and Magic I: Secret of the Inner Sanctum (1986)
- Might and Magic III: Isles of Terra (1991)
- Might and Magic VI: The Mandate of Heaven (1998)
- Heroes of Might & Magic III (1999)
- Betrayal at Krondor (1993)
- Lands of Lore: The Throne of Chaos (1993)
- Star Trail (Realms of Arkania II) (1994)
- Baldur's Gate (1998)
- Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn (2000)
- Planescape: Torment (1999)
- Fallout (1997)
- Fallout 2 (1998)
- Fallout 3 (2008)
- Fallout: New Vegas (2010)
- Diablo (1996)
- Diablo II (2000)
- Neverwinter Nights (2002)
- Knights of the Old Republic (2003)
- Morrowind (2002)
- Oblivion (2006)
- Skyrim (2011)
- Daggerfall (1996)
- Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura (2001)
- Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines (2004)
- Gothic (2001)
- Gothic 2 (2002)
- Divine Divinity (2002)
- Divinity: Original Sin (2014)
- Divinity: Original Sin 2 (2017)
- Dragon Age: Origins (2009)
- Mass Effect (2007)
- Mass Effect 2 (2010)
- Wizardry 8 (2001)
- Jagged Alliance 2 (1999)
- System Shock (1994)
- System Shock 2 (1999)
- Deus Ex (2000)
- Icewind Dale (2000)
- Icewind Dale II (2002)
- Temple of Elemental Evil (2003)
- Torchlight (2009)
- Path of Exile (2013)
- Pillars of Eternity (2015)
- Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire (2018)
- Tyranny (2016)
- Wasteland 2 (2014)
- Wasteland 3 (2020)
- Shadowrun Returns (2013)
- Shadowrun: Dragonfall (2014)
- Shadowrun: Hong Kong (2015)
- Torment: Tides of Numenera (2017)
- Disco Elysium (2019)
- The Witcher (2007)
- The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings (2011)
- The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt (2015)
- Dark Souls (2011)
- Demon's Souls (2009)
- Final Fantasy I (1987)
- Princess Maker 2 (1992)
- Darkest Dungeon (2016)
- Dwarf Fortress (2006)
- Caves of Qud (2015)
- UnderRail (2015)
- Age of Decadence (2015)
- Legend of Grimrock (2012)
- Etrian Odyssey (2007)
- Dungeon Crawl Stone Soup (2006)
- SpellForce: The Order of Dawn (2003)
- Sacred (2004)
- Two Worlds (2007)
- Risen (2009)
- Elex (2017)
- GreedFall (2019)
- Expeditions: Viking (2017)
- Konung (1997) – Russian CRPG
- Chinese Paladin / Xian Jian Qi Xia Zhuan (1995) – Chinese CRPG
- Darkstone (1999) – French CRPG
- Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance (2001)
- Neverwinter Nights 2 (2006)
- Barkley, Shut Up and Jam: Gaiden (2008)
- Cultist Simulator (2018)
- Fear & Hunger (2018)
- ... and many more classics, hidden gems and international titles
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