7-7-7 Rule for Game Design (Paperback)

Outstanding. I kept finding reasons to come back to it.

I picked this up after getting stuck on a project and it turned out to be exactly the right book at the right time. The author is unusually honest about where the simplifications break down, which I appreciated. The balance between theory and practice is well judged; neither side dominates. If you have the prerequisites, this is an easy recommendation. I will be keeping it on my desk rather than the shelf.

Excellent from start to finish. No filler, no padding.

I picked this up after getting stuck on a project and it turned out to be exactly the right book at the right time. There is a section near the end that ties several earlier ideas together in a way I had not seen before. The progression from chapter to chapter is well thought out; nothing feels out of order. The book rewards careful reading. Skimming it would be a mistake. An easy five stars from me. I look forward to whatever the author writes next.

Useful in parts. Fine as a reference, less so as a cover-to-cover read.

I read this over a couple of weekends alongside a small side project, which turned out to be the ideal way to approach it. Some terminology is introduced without much ceremony; I had to look a few things up along the way. The index and cross-references are surprisingly good, which matters for a book I will come back to. The progression from chapter to chapter is well thought out; nothing feels out of order. Borrow it first if you can, or at least check the table of contents carefully before buying.