This is a graphic novel that sets out to cover the long history of video games as a medium. As someone who has been fascinated by games since the age of 5, I found the concept extremely interesting, and having read the entire thing I can say that the book certainly did not disappoint.

'The Age of Video Games' has its two protagonists, Jean and Émilie themselves, travel through time, and sometimes into the worlds of each specific game they are referencing, telling the story of how video games started as a concept, how they interconnect with the history of programming and the personal computer, and how they evolved into the global industry that is now an inseparable part of modern pop culture. There are also many mentions of the people who helped shape the gaming medium, from the early days of the Atari and on. It was good seeing some lesser known names appear, and also seeing the many, many women who have been a part of gaming history since the beginning, being mentioned and credited for their contributions too.

The book wins major points for using comic book format to tell its story. Having the reader being flooded with facts could have become boring very soon, but the beautiful, colourful illustrations accompanying the banter really kept things interesting. I loved the art, and I loved all the video game references and how it changed and adapted accordingly when it depicted different worlds and characters. It kept a solid balance between remaining consistent and making each homage immediately recognisable.

Of course it was impossible to reference every single game, but the book really does an impressive job in covering a lot of ground in that regard. Apart from the big players that one cannot omit when talking about the history of gaming, it was nice seeing indie titles also referenced. On a personal level, it was also good seeing games like 'Full Throttle', 'Maniac Mansion, and 'Grim Fandango' pop up as well. If I had a nitpick, it was that the modern slang sometimes felt a bit inorganic, but admittedly the jokes between the two characters did land for me.

It's a read I'd recommend to anyone with an interest in the history of gaming, as it's a love letter to the medium written with a lot of knowledge and a lot of love for the subject matter.

A big thank you to Andrews McMeel Publishing for providing me with a copy.

I enjoy reading books about video games, and I enjoy graphic novels, so this book was basically the perfect fit for me! It covers the history of video games (so it’s technically nonfiction) but also has a fantasy element with the author/illustrator of the book being transported to various game worlds. The art was gorgeous and they did an excellent job capturing known video game characters and settings to be easily recognizable. The book was also surprisingly humorous at times. Being a graphic novel, it was an easy read, but had plenty of interesting information. I would recommend this for anyone who is interested in video game history.

Such a cool fun concept! This should be the new way of textbooks. So cool to see the history of video games in a graphic novel format.

"The Age of Video Games" is a graphic novel that tells the history of video games in many different forms by Jean Zeid and Emilie Rouge. The artwork is bright and fun and the information is solid, but there was a lot of jumping back and forth throughout time that became a little confusing. Many of the jokes (usually at the expense of the sentient hand-held game console Roby) fell a little flat. An interesting read, especially as someone who grew up with early computer games and at the beginning of the internet. It was fun to spot the different visual references to games. An additional purchase for libraries where informational graphic novels are popular.

As an avid gamer I was excited to pick up this one. Anything that is a deep dive, especially into the history and evolution of video games or different technologies is probably something I will find interesting. I really enjoyed the format of the graphic novel, not just taking us chronologically through the history of video games, but also touching on a wide range of different aspects of video games and how they progressed. I think for anyone there are going to be games they wished had been mentioned, but there's no way to name everything and I felt the author did a good job of not only naming huge titles, but also highlighting a lot of other titles as well, all the way from the beginning of the industry to today. Plus, I loved that even through I've been gaming all my life pretty much there was a lot I didn't know and tons of little factoids that ranged from nuggets of knowledge to humorous tidbits.

this had some fun facts, but the chronology was so discombobulated, the language contained a lot misused Gen Z slang, and the explanations ranged from explaining what MMORPG means and then following it up with what MMO means, as well as including phonetic pronunciation of MMORPG (hint: it's just the letters) and gives a definition for "fail", but then doesn't explain LAN or AAA

alsooooo, the art style, premise, and language reminded A LOT of Side Quest: A Visual History of Roleplaying Games so that was interesting

I am from the Nintendo generation and I have to say I have never known any of the facts, people, or how video games came to be. My husband and I love video games so much and we kept devouring the information. I loved the illustrations they were well done. If you are a gamer like everyone is in my house then read the origins of gaming…. Game over!

I want to thank NetGalley for letting me read this cool ARC

The progress of the video game industry has come far since its beginnings of games like Pong and Spacewar!. Its history is intertwined with the history of computers "to demonstrate the machine's capabilities". The guides, Jean and Emilie, throughout the graphic novel are a little obnoxious, but the history of video games that they unveil is intriguing. History and video game lovers alike may enjoy this read!

#ThxNetGalley #JeanZeid #TheAgeofVideoGames

The Age of Video Games offers a unique view on the evolution of video games, showcasing key milestones, technological advancements, and cultural shifts that have shaped the industry whilst exploring niche corners of the Gaming industry.

Zeid also shows the global impact of video games, giving attention to developers and trends in ways the average reader wouldn’t usually look into.

However, while the book covers a lot of ground, it occasionally feels as if some points are brushed over briefly. Some sections skim over significant moments or innovations that would have benefited from deeper exploration. Additionally, the writing can feel slightly disjointed at times, making it harder to maintain engagement.

The Age of Video Games is a solid read for those interested in gaming history and culture, but it may leave more experienced gamers or industry enthusiasts wanting a bit more depth.

I really enjoyed this book. Following along with the story was easy especially given that it is a graphic novel. The art style is adorable. I love how it references all these old video games as well as newer ones which could appeal to everyone.

Thank you for gifting me an early copy of The Age of Video Games!

I loved how they introduced the authors of the book by putting them in a story. They are the main characters of the book and because of that it does not feel like someone is explaining us something. However, because they are explaining facts and the history of video games, a lot of text is present and after a while, I felt like it was a bit long.
The concept was just amazing! In almost each chapter they would rediscover a video game that was representative of a certain year/period and the evolution of video games.
It was nice to learn fun facts as well as names of video games I had never heard of. The chapter focusing on e-sport was also interesting to read as it is something quite new and that I do not know much about.
The end was also really fun, I enjoyed it!

The Age of Video Games: A Graphic History from Pong to VR and Beyond by Jean Zeid & Émilie Rouge

For fans of joysticks, cartridges, and pixelated nostalgia, The Age of Video Games offers a lively, illustrated romp through the evolution of gaming. Authors Jean Zeid amd illustrator Émilie Rouge deliver a vibrant chronicle that spans from the humble bleeps of *Pong* to the immersive realms of virtual reality, making it a delightful pick-up for anyone who’s ever gripped a controller.

The book’s greatest strength lies in its sprawling tour of gaming history. Readers will find themselves playing a mental game of “have I played this?” as iconic titles, consoles, and industry milestones flash by. From Pac-Man to minecraft and beyond the journey is peppered with familiar faces and lesser-known gems, ensuring both casual gamers and seasoned enthusiasts will uncover something to spark curiosity. While self-professed gaming and history buffs may find much of the content familiar, the authors sprinkle in enough obscure trivia to send even experts down a Wikipedia rabbit hole.

Visually, the graphic-novel-style illustrations by Émilie Rouge are playful and colorful, though they may not win over every reader. The art’s whimsical, cartoonish flair suits the lighthearted tone of the book, but those craving hyper-detailed renderings of their favorite franchises might find it a tad simplistic. That said, art is subjective—some will adore its retro charm, while others might shrug.

At its core, The Age of Video Games succeeds as an accessible, engaging primer on gaming’s past. It doesn’t aim to be an exhaustive academic deep dive but rather a celebratory homage to the medium’s creativity and cultural impact. Whether you’re a parent introducing your kids to Super Mario lore or a Gen Z gamer curious about the pre-Xbox era, this book is a breezy, entertaining gateway into the stories behind the screens.
3 stars out of 5.
Press start and dive in!

Thanks to Andrews McMeel publishing for providing this book for review through netgalley all opinions are my own.

#TheAgeofVideoGames #NetGalley

This graphic novel goes through the history of video games from early game systems to modern gaming and everything in between. It is interesting, informative, and entertaining. As a casual gamer, I learned quite a bit and was sharing some of the fun facts with those around me.
The artwork is lovely and does a great job representing the games and creators as well.

I don’t believe I was the target audience for this graphic novel. I was excited to learn about the history of video games as I’m trying to get in more non-fiction reading this year. The art style is fantastic and I enjoying looking at the cells. The plot was a bit light and there was a lot of data dumping. I learned a decent amount but it wasn’t a fun exploration.

Thanks to NetGalley for allowing us to preview this graphic novel.

I really enjoyed discovering this graphic novel. From a drawing point of view, I wasn't very convinced by the cartoony style at first, but the further you get into the story, the more you realize that it works very well with the different eras/designs of the games, so all in all, I think it's pretty well done. The universes of the games presented are recognizable, and the illustrator's artistic is also evident.

As for the theme, I think it's pretty well done. We see a wide range of video games through its history, from retro game to Sims, from 2D games to virtual reality games. There are lots of names and dates, so you can get a bit lost, but this graphic novel should be seen as an encyclopedia.

The humorous note at the end of the novel adds a little something to the stories that keeps us turning the pages. In short, I recommend this great book to fans of video games of all kinds. I've already got an idea of what I'd like to give him as a present, it's so complete.

Anyway, happy reading!

Eve

The Age of Video Games is a graphic novel covering the history of videogames as a medium. The two authors alongside a mascot appear as characters that guide us through history and across the globe.

There were parts of this that worked very well for me and parts that didn't. Let's start with the good. I enjoyed learning more about the history of videogames, a medium I have loved for as long as I can remember. It was great to see franchises I love appear throughout the book alongside learning new tidbits about the gaming industry. The authors take care to spotlight diversity in gender, race, and sexuality.

However I constantly got pulled out of the flow of the story by the characters guiding us through the history of videogames. They are bland stereotypes that don't quite feel appropriate for an adult audience. The jokes they make don't land and are at times even mildly offensive. I also didn't enjoy the way they included millenial slang on top of the game slang that isn't always used in the correct fashion.

The art though is wonderful. The semi-realistic art style suits the informative storytelling and most real life people are well depicted. Some smaller nitpicks I have was that Twitch as a platform wasn't mentioned. Also the subtitle isn't quite accurate since there wasn't much speculation about where the gaming industry will go in the future.

Overall this graphic novel is a fun way, packaged in a neat art style, to learn about the gaming industry. While I personally didn't enjoy the characters leading us around, not everyone will feel bothered by this. The Age of Video Games would make a great gift for anyone that enjoys videogames.

The Age of Video Games is a fantastic introduction to video game history. I especially appreciate how comprehensive it is, while still remaining fun.

OKAMI MENTION 10/10 BOOK FOR THAT ALONE

Serious review: What a lovely way to present and honour the history of video games that really manages to touch up all aspects of the industry! From Pong to even the current day mention of Genshin Impact and the impact of mobile free-to-play games!