The SEGA Dreamcast is the last games console SEGA made, and was on the market for a relatively brief period between 1999 and 2001. It's a personal favourite of mine as it reintroduced me to console gaming after missing out on the 32 bit generation and was the home of what is still my favourite two games, Shenmue and its sequel.
This Encyclopedia is a very well produced book not as much on the console itself, on which it focus briefly, but its complete library of games. Of course a list of all released Dreamcast games is just a Wikipedia link away. What these sort of books live and die on are production values, namely screenshots, as well as genuinely insightful writing.
I'm pleased to say Chris Scullion's book delivers in all three measures. This an attractive and appealing hardcover bound book printed in high quality and in colour. Screenshots and photographs are large and clear, even on features that take only half a page. Several games also feature multiple insets. And, finally, the writing is indeed insightful with well-measured anecdotes on production or general reception of individual games as well as one or another personal account, without it taking over the narrative.
As this book tends to highlight nostalgia rather than uncovering rarities, more detail is given to games released in the West than Japan-only exclusives. A missed chance, in my opinion, due to the relative rarity in finding books dedicated exclusively to this console. In books such as these, while there are many classic Dreamcast games, and even with the lean catalogue of this console there will always be more early 2000s dross: think the usual sports and licensed games. For this reason, perhaps more insight into less known or talked about pieces would have been welcome.
In the end, though, a fine account, delivering exactly what it promises on the cover, and in style. Impossible not to recommend if you have any measure of a passing interest in the games made for this fascinating machine.
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