The Bookwalker: Thief of Tales

Lore & Background

The Bookwalker: Thief of Tales follows Etienne Quist, a novelist cursed with the inability to write. A black market source tells him they can lift the curse if he steals items from books for them. Quist can open portals to dimensions where books are real, and players explore these realms to find and steal objects. The gameplay blends adventure and role-playing elements: players talk to non-player characters, solve puzzles, and use objects from both the book worlds and Quist's real-life apartment. Inside book realms, players can find items to craft power-ups and tools, and melt down objects to create magical ink that changes the story or enhances combat. Combat is turn-based. The perspective shifts between first-person in the real world and isometric in the book realms.

Reader's Guide

The Bookwalker: Thief of Tales received positive reviews on Windows but mixed reviews on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S, according to Metacritic. Rock Paper Shotgun praised the premise but felt the game runs out of ideas after several hours, and criticized the writing and combat as bland, though they suggested it would be a good game to play on a subscription service. Windows Central noted that post-launch patches fixed issues they had, and praised the premise, art, and what they called a 'simple yet effective gameplay loop'. The game's significance lies in its creative premise of stealing from living books and its hybrid genre approach, though critical reception was divided on its execution. Its legacy may be as a niche title appreciated for its concept and art style, with technical improvements after launch.

Did You Know?

• The game was released on June 22, 2023 for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and Windows.
• Players can melt down objects to create magical ink that changes the story or gives more powerful attacks in combat.
• Rock Paper Shotgun suggested the game would be a good title to play on a subscription service.