Review – [lock-on] Vol. 006 is an enormous piece of video game literature bursting with passion for the industry

If you grew up playing video games in the 1990s and early 2000s, your go-to means for coverage of the gaming industry was probably on the pages of magazines like Nintendo Power, Game Informer, Electronic Gaming Monthly, GamePro, among many others. While video game journalism is alive and well on the web, print publications have sadly become a very rare breed in the 21st century. That makes the [lock-on] gaming journals from Lost in Cult more than just great reading material that covers any and all aspects of video games — it makes them heartfelt works that honor and continue the tradition that is print video game journalism.

Full disclosure: Lost in Cult graciously offered a review copy of [lock-on] Vol. 006 to Zelda Universe for the purposes of this review.

[Lock-on] Vol. 006 is their biggest publication yet, coming in at well over 500 pages in its physical version. Don’t let the term “journal” give you the wrong impression, because this is no lightweight paperback that can fit comfortably on the magazine rack at your lock supermarket. 67 written pieces and an array of fantastic artwork pack this cinder block of a hardcover from front to back, including a contribution or two from members of the Zelda Universe community.

While the book features pieces about a wide variety of video game franchises, the spotlight is cast specifically on Final Fantasy and The Legend of Zelda, with the former serving as the cover art on the hardcover edition. If any one section serves as the main attraction in [lock-on] Vol. 006, it has to be the series of interviews with three of the most important names in Final Fantasy: longtime artist Yoshitaka Amano, game designer Hironobu Sakaguchi, and composer Nobou Uematsu. These three men have all been foundational in shaping what Final Fantasy has been since its inception, their efforts all helping to make it the most renowned RPG series of our time. To have an interview with just one of these brilliant creators would have been a highlight for the book — to have all three under one cover makes [lock-on] Vol. 006 a must-read publication for Final Fantasy fans.

Legend of Zelda fans also have an interview here that should be of great interest to them. Zelda Universe’s very own Chelsea Reed had the opportunity to speak at length with the one and only Matt Mercer, who recently served as the English voice for Ganondorf in Tears of the Kingdom, as well as Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment (although the interview was conducted prior to Age of Imprisonment’s reveal). Matt is among the most prolific voice actors in animation and video games, which makes it fascinating to read about the pressure he felt while auditioning for the role. The discussion reveals that Matt is a true, passionate fan of The Legend of Zelda series, someone who grew up playing the games and already had tremendous respect for it before portraying its iconic villain.

Beyond interviews, readers will find a wide variety of personal essays, narrative analyses, retrospectives, among other types of pieces, covering Final Fantasy and The Legend of Zelda. Most of the marquee entries from each series have an editorial dedicated to them. As you might expect, Final Fantasy XI, VII, VIII, IX, and X all get a section (or two) to themselves. For Zelda, it means Ocarina of Time, Majora’s Mask, The Wind Waker, Twilight Princess, and Breath of the Wild take center stage at some point.

But then there are some pieces that explore the less appreciated entries, championing the games that aren’t brought up as often when discussing Final Fantasy’s and The Legend of Zelda’s illustrious histories. “Crystallising the Future” by Mariah Qaiser argues for Final Fantasy XIII having an unsung impact upon the series in recent years; “Reclaimer” by Tom Hunter does similar with Zelda II: The Adventure of Link, while also advocating for its influence on early 2D adventure games as a whole. In a book with dozens upon dozens of articles, it’s the unexpected pieces like these that perhaps stand out more than any others.

While Final Fantasy and The Legend of Zelda take up the most pages, Lost in Cult makes sure that many other gaming properties get their turn in [lock-on] Vol. 006. From retro to modern, from the most prominent AAA blockbusters to indie darlings that were crafted with the utmost care by a handful of people, this is a volume that celebrates all corners of the video game medium. Pieces about Planet of Lana and Oxenfree feel right at home alongside those covering the likes of Metroid Prime, Alan Wake, and Persona 5. A few sections feature a recurring theme among its written entries, but as a catalog, this is a wonderfully eclectic volume.

Being over 500 pages in length, odds are that you’re not knocking this out in one sitting. [Lock-on] Vol. 006 is the kind of book that’s best served being read across multiple sessions, giving a handful of pieces the opportunity to settle and leave an impression on you. Even after reading every last written contribution, the abundant artwork throughout the book is reason enough to frequently reopen that cover and peruse the pages. There are some gorgeous illustrations found in this volume, enough that it would have made for a worthy artbook with or without the essays and interviews. Whether stunning or simply charming, the art is always fitting for the subject it’s paired with.

Unlike when we review video games or Legend of Zelda manga here at Zelda Universe, a numerical score feels much too impersonal to reflect [lock-on] Vol. 006’s quality. Thus, in lieu of our usual rating out 10, we offer our highest recommendation that you read this incredible piece of video game literature should you ever have the chance.

For more information on [lock-on] Vol. 006, and other publications from Lost in Cult, please visit their website.

Verdict: Highly recommended