Video game art for a gentler, more literary age

There are all kinds of alternative reimaginings of game art around these days. Some of them are realistic, some are cute. Some are dark, and a large proportion is deeply, disturbingly ‘sexy’. But very little is as refined, classy, or wonderfully, intelligently observed as the video game book covers from Gametee. Reworking gaming’s classics as literary classics, this range of (currently) 16 pieces covers everything from Final Fantasy VII, to Portal, to BioShock, Skyrim, and Shadow of the Colossus.

While the artistic attention to detail in these things is astounding--each is a flawless recreation of the kind of art, layout, and colour-schemes found on countless classic novel reprints--it’s the clever, underplayed, abstracted game references in the visuals and text that makes them such timeless, textured temptations. ‘Of a Thousand Miles, by Jenova Chen’? ‘The Upside Down House’, from Ryan Publishing’s ‘Stories for Girls’ range? There’s some staggeringly, delightfully clever, genuinely artistic stuff on show here. At £14.99/$25.47 each, or £29.99/$50.93 for three, they’re also a damnably economical way to almost imperceptibly class up your home or office with game art, without making it look remotely like a 15 year-old’s bedroom.

Do you have something really cool that you'd like to share with us? Let us know! Maybe we'll even post it. You can email us at suggestions@gamesradar.com or find us on Twitter @gamesradar.

David Houghton
Long-time GR+ writer Dave has been gaming with immense dedication ever since he failed dismally at some '80s arcade racer on a childhood day at the seaside (due to being too small to reach the controls without help). These days he's an enigmatic blend of beard-stroking narrative discussion and hard-hitting Psycho Crushers.