On October 24th, Capcom started a new videogame series called the "GameBook" series. Interestingly, it focuses on retro titles, re-releasing them with detailed full-color booklets.

The first game Capcom released in the series is Strider. As you might be able to guess, that got my attention pretty quickly. Unfortunately, I had to put off getting my copy until very recently. It came in the mail yesterday.

I was expecting the "GameBook" series to be something like a Special Edition DVD release: full of extras, making-ofs, and little-known tidbits. I was also expecting it to be packaged in a standard PS2 case, with the booklet included as an insert. I was wrong on both counts. Sort of.

First of all, the term "GameBook" is something of a misnomer. It's not a game that includes a book, it's an actual hardcover book that just happens to have a game included with it. The game itself is a copy of the PSone port of the game (labeled correctly this time, though I don't see how they'd screw it up with this release), NTSC format.

...and Japanese. Everything's in Japanese. In fact, there's two separate warnings on the cover that say "For Japan Only" and "FOR SALE AND CONSUMER USE IN JAPAN ONLY. COMMERCIAL USE AND RENTAL ARE PROHIBITED." So if, anytime in the near future, you don't hear from me for several years, you can assume that Customs tracked me down.

I don't think they'll be exporting this series.

Anyway, everything being in Japanese leads me to my next point: I have no way of knowing what they're actually saying in this book. Japanese writing is, bar none, the most beautiful writing on the planet. Why can't we all speak English and write in Japanese characters?

Looking through the book, though, it looks like it's just one long, extended walkthrough, complete with breakdowns of power-ups, enemies, bosses, stages, and checkpoints within the stages. Like it's a hardcover version of a Prima Strategy Guide, or something.

The very last page of the GameBook, however, is interesting. It's titled "Column" (in English), and seems to be the "secrets and making of" section, based on the pictures on the page.

Personally, I'm very impressed by this release. I never thought Capcom would release something so distinguished. This is awesome and worth every cent I paid for it.

Also worthy of note is that the next game scheduled to receive this treatment is Tenchi wo Kurau II: Sekiheki no Tatakai, which is confusing, as most people haven't heard of it, and coincidentally is the only other Capcom game bearing a Moto Kikaku credit (aside from all the games featuring Hiryu, of course).