Whether you are a designer looking for tips, an artist seeking inspiration, or a passionate games enthusiast, you will find everything you need to know in this essential, illustrated guide to the creativity on display in games today. Characters featured hail from every game genre, including cute & cuddly creations such as Pac-man & Mario, through to sexy, sassy heroines such as Lara croft & Dark Lineage's Kya, to brooding enigmas such as Jericho cross. Interviews with the game designers reveal their sources of inspiration, along with fascinating early designs that show exactly how they went about turning a bright idea into a classic character. Tips & techniques explain what makes a character grab the public's imagination, & provides practical ideas for the would-be game artist.