saw the DVD-ROM rerelease of the game, in which the cutscenes were in MPEG2 format instead of Smacker video. The DVD-ROM version saw further rereleases, some of them by Mindscape, some of them as bargain-priced pack-ins with other adventure titles. The official strategy guide, Amerzone: Strategies & Secrets was released in June 1999. In addition to a walkthrough of the game, it contains a guide to the Amerzone universe, an interview with Sokal and some behind-the-scenes information. Another book, Amerzone: Memoirs of an Expedition, was put out by Casterman in November 1999. It compiles the art from the game and also some concept art that didn't make it into the final product. It is annotated with text explanations of the images, most of which are from the in-game expedition journal. On January 29, 2014, the Android port of the game was released. It is identical to the iOS release. Reception Sales Amerzone was a surprise commercial success; GameSpot UK noted in June 1999 that it had become a "big hit in France". Following its release in France in March 1999, it sold 10,000 units by early May, a number that French paper Libération considered a promising sign. The game proceeded to have a long shelf life. Its global sales surpassed 500,000 copies by March 2002. At the time, Mathieu Van Overstraeten of La Libre Belgique noted that these sales were unusual for Benoît Sokal's work, as each volume of Inspector Canardo averaged 30,000 units sold. In 2007, Michel Bams of Sokal's White Birds Productions reported that Amerzone had risen above 1 million sales. Ultimately, the game sold 1.5 million copies by 2013. Critical reviews The game was generally positively received at the time. The presentation was ubiquitously praised: the visuals were called "magnificent" and "amazing", and frequently compared to those of Myst, although some complained of excessive pixelation. The cutscenes were praised for high video quality. The storyline and atmosphere were called "very good", "interesting and well-developed" and "sublime", with some critics drawing comparisons to Jules Verne novels. The linearity of the narrative drew criticism, however. More divisive was the difficulty: some welcomed it for keeping players from getting stuck, while others complained that it made the game too simple and end too soon. There were also occasional complaints that the point-and-click interface was cumbersome or awkward. The sound design was the most criticized aspect of the game: the limited