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EnglishWhat Are Video Game Codexes and How Can You Read Them?
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A video game codex is the in-game text you unlock or find while playing—lore entries, character dossiers, item descriptions, historical notes, and faction records that flesh out a game's world. You read them inside the game's menu, or, if you want to read them away from the screen, through collections like Library of Codexes, which compiles in-game text from series such as The Elder Scrolls, Mass Effect, Dishonored, and World of Warcraft and offers it as downloadable ebooks.
Codex vs. manual vs. wiki
These three are easy to confuse, but they serve different purposes:
| Source | What it contains | Where it comes from |
|---|---|---|
| Codex | In-game lore and worldbuilding text | Written by the game's developers, unlocked through play |
| Manual | Controls, setup, and mechanics instructions | Packaged with the game or published by the developer |
| Wiki | Community-compiled facts, guides, and data | Written and maintained by players |
A codex is authored content—part of the fiction. A manual tells you how to play, and a wiki tells you what players have figured out. If you want the story behind a faction or a piece of equipment, you want the codex.
Why players read codexes
- Lore and worldbuilding: Codex entries often explain history, politics, and culture that the main story only hints at. In series like Mass Effect or The Elder Scrolls, they carry a large share of the setting's depth.
- Collecting: Many games treat codex entries as collectibles, so reading them is part of completion.
- Reading away from the screen: Some players prefer to read long entries on an e-reader or print them out rather than scroll through a menu.
How to read codexes through Library of Codexes
Library of Codexes describes itself as a collection of in-game text from video games, organized so you can read it as ebooks. The site's main page presents three steps:
- Select a video game series. The series list includes Assassin's Creed, Baldur's Gate, BioShock, Bloodborne, Dishonored, Dragon Age, Fallout, Mass Effect, Nier, Pillars of Eternity, Red Dead Redemption, The Elder Scrolls, The Witcher, World of Warcraft, and many others.
- Select an ebook format. The available formats are AZW3, EPUB, and PDF.
- Download. A Reset option clears your selections if you want to start over.
The site also lists "Ebooks" and "Zipping Files" as categories, which suggests some downloads arrive as archives—useful to know before you open a file.
Choosing a format
- EPUB — the most widely supported format for e-readers and reading apps outside Amazon's ecosystem. A good default if you're unsure.
- AZW3 — Amazon's Kindle format. Choose this if you read on a Kindle or the Kindle app.
- PDF — fixed layout, best for reading on a computer or printing. Less flexible on small screens.
Common snags
- Missing entries: A collection may not include every codex from a game, especially for titles with large or frequently updated text. Check what a download contains before assuming it's complete.
- Zipped files: If a download arrives as an archive, you'll need to extract it before your e-reader or reading app can open the ebook. On most systems, double-clicking the file opens it; on mobile, you may need a file manager app.
- Format mismatch: An AZW3 file won't open in most non-Kindle apps, and some older e-readers handle EPUB poorly. Match the format to your device before downloading.
If your goal is to understand a game's world, start with the codex entries for the series you're playing and read them alongside the story. If your goal is offline reading, pick EPUB or AZW3 depending on your device, and confirm the download extracted cleanly before you sit down to read.