Summer Eternal Anthology is a striking, beautifully designed collection of essays, interviews, and artwork documenting the development efforts of a video game company.
The anthology is a unique hybrid of various elements. The first half includes in-depth discussions about the video game industry, particularly the efforts of Summer Eternal — the game developer that published the book— to forge a collectively owned company, starkly contrasting the industry’s dominant corporate models. This section features thoughtful interviews with science fiction writer Ted Chiang, economists discussing the gaming business, and industry veterans, including some working on Summer Eternal’s upcoming role-playing game project, Red Rooster. One producer shares his personal involvement with firefighting, as context for the game’s plot.
The book’s second half reveals details about Red Rooster, including its setting, characters, and plot. It also offers fascinating discussions of aspects of video gameplay, including: music, the mechanics of interacting with non-player characters (NPCs), and managing a player’s inventory. This section also provides extensive, tantalizing artwork, such as concept art and character sketches.
Attention to detail is obvious, especially in a complex, invented history for the game world, written like an academic paper. The page layouts are creative, and as the book progresses, there’s a sense of exploring the unknown. As the company’s game director states in the acknowledgments, the book aims to be a balance of “a cultural journal, a game announcement, and an expedition log.”
While an intriguing collection, it also has some drawbacks. Because it’s about a game that’s not yet produced, it keeps some key aspects under wraps. Part of the book’s purpose is to generate interest from potential players and investors; as such, it serves as more of a supplement or tease than a “main event.” There are no plot resolutions, and while it offers excellent insights regarding video games, casual gamers might be overwhelmed.
Nonetheless, this is a handsome guide to the philosophy and inner workings of a company developing an innovative, immersive video game.