Dishonored: The Dunwall Archives

by Dave Marshall (Editor), Arkane Studios

The artworks, manuscripts, and scraps of information gathered throughout Dunwall are collected at last. It has been a long and difficult journey to archive these tales of our cursed city, but it is my hope that you, reading this now, will take heed, and learn from those gone before you to forge your own destiny. The Dunwall Archives are now yours--what will you do with them now that you know the truth in these pages?

Genres: Video Games, Art, Fantasy, Steampunk, Fiction, Reference, Comics

212 pages, Hardcover

First published December 2, 2014

Reviews

[Ingrid]

Well, I love Dishonored, so of course I'm going to love a book collecting in-game pieces of writing that lets me enjoy reading them sitting comfortably in my chair instead of when I'm impatient to get on with playing the game. It's a pretty book, too, with a whole lot of art accompanying the text. I would have liked if there was some kind of internal order to how the texts were presented instead of them following after each other seemingly at random, but it's a minor complaint. All in all, I loved this book and I'm glad to have it on my shelf for guaranteed rereads.

[Tazio Bettin]

This gorgeous hardcover book is no less than the complete collection of all the concept art, advertising posters, Sokolov's paintings and every single book, letter and reading material within the game. As far as game encyclopedias go, I have never seen anything quite so beautiful and lavish in my life. It is, simply put, beyond the mere concept of gorgeous, and if you are a fan of that great game that is Dishonored, you will find this book is money well spent.

[Stephen West]

"Dishonored: The Dunwall Archives" is an outstanding collection of lore and artwork that transports readers to the dark and intriguing world of Dunwall. From the moment you open the book, you're immersed in the rich history and culture of the city, learning about its architecture, fashion, politics, and more.

The book is beautifully designed, with stunning illustrations and intricate details that bring the world of Dishonored to life. The pages are filled with concept art, sketches, maps, and other visuals that offer a glimpse into the creative process behind the game.

But what really sets this book apart is the depth and complexity of the lore. The authors have clearly put a lot of thought and effort into crafting a rich and believable world, with its own history, mythology, and social dynamics. As you read through the various sections of the book, you'll encounter a diverse cast of characters, each with their own unique story and motivations.

One thing I particularly enjoyed about the book is how it expands upon the game's themes of morality and choice. The authors delve into the philosophical underpinnings of the game, exploring questions of power, responsibility, and the nature of good and evil. It's a thought-provoking and insightful read that adds another layer of depth to the already compelling world of Dishonored.

Overall, "Dishonored: The Dunwall Archives" is a must-read for fans of the game, as well as anyone interested in world-building, art, or storytelling. It's a masterfully crafted book that combines stunning visuals with rich and immersive lore. Highly recommended!

[Hali]

I look into the great eye as I take away life slowly. There's a kind of deep connection, with the beast knowing I'll be coming back again and again, removing pieces for hours, sometimes days.

They sing for us, a funeral lament that causes me to tremble.

This is a beautiful, haunting collection of the art and written excerpts that make the world of Dishonored as engrossing and alive as it is.

I love the sincere way it is compiled, and the deep sense of dark truth that is captured inside each and every fragment of a diary entry, letter, or story of an unsatisfactory life, lived long or short.

Also included in this book are a timeline of major events, maps, wanted posters and advertisements. Histories of characters, and information about the occult, charms and runes, corruption and power, and the Overseers dedicated to putting an end to such things and the people who utilize them. Often with brutality and single-minded religious zeal.

A living, breathing world, and a more peaceful way in which to enjoy the lore.

Absolutely gorgeous.

[kairoswouldnever]

So nice to have a physical copy of this beautiful artbook. So nice to have so many bonecharms, Corvos, Outsiders, witches, and gangsters in it. Love the entire timeline thing in the beginning of the book that tells the precise date on which Jessamine and Corvo did the do for the first time.
The only, I think, minus to this book - and something of my personal subjective view of the both Dishonored artbooks - is that there is not a single concept art of a shrine to the Outsider. Not a single one. I would've loved to look at those and read about them, but alas.
Regardless, I love Dishonored. Love of my life, I shit you not. And this artbook is a must-have for any Dishonored fan.

[Monika Cacev]

This is an excellent book for anyone who loves the Dishonored franchise. It's a book of designs, concept art, sketches, behind the scenes work and most importantly excerpts of various plays, letters, short stories, diaries and documents that further enrich the world. I absolutely loved reading these, as they were fascinating tidbits about Dunwall and the Isles, but I was mostly impressed at the designs and concept art.

Either way I recommend this, especially if you love the games as much as I do (though if you do, chances are you already have this).

[Amy Johnson]

A perfect accompaniment to Dishonored! I love the game, and this book provides interesting maps, timelines, artwork and lore to accompany it.

I don't think that there is any new content, pretty much all of this is already in the game. I don't mind personally, it's nice to revisit the various notes, books and journals you discover throughout the levels.

Must read for anyone who enjoys the game! It might interest people who haven't played it, though without background context I'm not sure how much of it will make sense.

[Alan]

This book is certain proof of how much of an absolute BANGER Dishonored is. The art is captivating and the unique lore of a fantasy-like steampunk setting makes it a very interesting genre to explore. I grew up on Dishonored so I definitely have my biases. But I cannot neglect to say how good this game and really the series is. The comics are okay, and the novels have their ups and downs. But the art books and major compendiums are always worth revisiting so I can have a refreshing playthrough in my next run, with some new outlooks on even the most niche details.

[Layth Salah]

I really wanted this to be good, but alas; it is a nice book, don't get me wrong, but it needed way more attention as it seems that it was put together hastily and without attention to order or style.
You can see that some artworks are not included from the game, which is sad since the game presented one of my favorite art styles.
I thought this will be a relaxing thing to go through, but it was frustrating more than anything else since it seems like a nice thing that went to waste.

[Myles]

A fantastic collection of journal entries, manuscripts, and art from Dishonored taken right from the game. A great read for fans of the series or those looking to dive more into the lore, characters, and locations of the game.

Be advised, I own this physically and digitally, and due to the price of the physical copy I advise to get this digitally, although depending on your device you may not get the full effect of the artwork.

[Audrey]

I have wanted to read this book since I learned of its existence. It was only recently that I was given the opportunity to actually acquire and read this artfully masterpiece.
It is a complete collection of readable things from the game with the exception of smaller notes and the actual stories, but well worth it for Dishonored fans.

[Dahlia]

Gorgeous artwork and interesting texts that give more insight into the story. A true fan will enjoy everything. However, I had a feeling the artbook's narrative just stopped suddenly without any proper ending and that the sequence of artwork was random. Felt a bit incomplete and rushed.

[Daniel Sexton]

This has really cool snippets from notes and books throughout the game which flesh out the game further. It also contains some of the best art from the game as well. I would have given it a perfect score, but I would have maybe liked some lore that isn't in the game already.

[Riley]

I've always wanted to read this! It's a great collection of text and pictures from the game. I loved having this glimpse into the world!

[Beth.]

If you love the game and it's lore, you'll love this too.

[A M H]

A collection of various lore notes and some nice art for those who like the world of Dishonored.

[Adrian Halpert]

A great collection of maps, artwork and lore from the game. Anybody interested in world building, like myself, will love this book!
4.5/5 Stars

[Ben Vandersluis]

A great way to return to the world of Dishonored without having to start another play through. 👍

[Strange Trees]

So excited to finally get this, and it does not disappoint!
An interesting change from video game artbooks, this not only displays lots of lovely concept art, including the Sokolov and Delilah paintings, but also most (if not all) of the flavour readings found throughout the game. Notes about technology, geography, whale harvesting, and even experts from plays featuring the naughty exploits of Tyvian royalty. Each piece of writing is paired with relevant concept art, so it makes for an interesting, almost encyclopedia-like collection.
While there isn't any developer commentary like most artbooks, I was super excited that there was a fairly detailed timeline included, which gave previously unknown information such as birthdates of major characters, the timeframes of previously mentioned wars, ect ect.
Overall, definitely recommend this one to any fans of Dishonored, especially fans of the world building and storyline :)

[Tyler]

I had been wanting this book for a long time, and now that I finally have it, I'm in love with it. The artwork is gorgeous, it was one of the things that stuck with me even after I finished the game, and having it all compiled in this book is fantastic. The lore and excerpts were great, I absolutely love the world of Dishonored. It's one of my favorite games ever, and this book is a true gem that I am delighted to have on my shelf. I'm even more excited for Dishonored 2 now! I NEED IT!!

5 glowing stars.

[M]

Fantastic art and as well as written excerpts. in someways I prefer this as I'm not an artist! This is compared to other Black Horse books like Bioshock Infinite and Fallout 4, Though i could still spend hours looking at those too. I think the amount of work that goes into the design of characters and location these days really deserves to be classed as true art.

If you are a fan of the game or like steampunky things you will love this.

Why not 5*? only personal, reserving 5* this year for novels that really blow my socks off.

[vonblubba]

Artbook dedicato al mondo di Dishonored, questo volume raccoglie oltre a numerosi concept art, anche tutti i testi di libri/lettere/documenti in cui Corvo Attano può imbattersi durante il gioco. Una meraviglia per gli occhi dalla prima all'ultima pagina.

[Aleksiel]

The artwork is absolutely stunning. The book itself contains every piece of novel, letter, journal and information that can be found in-game. It also includes a timeline from the beginning of the Outsider until the end of Dishonored.

[David Kidd]

A fun addition to the game!

If when you first encountered these documents you were really more concerned with the Dishonored game mission at hand, then this book is a great supplement to the game.

[Neil]

The artwork is sublime, and beautifully reproduced

[Salamanda]

page 192 Trimble's Coin error final paragraph "...gathering to watch to bullies fight." second "to" should be "two".

[William]

Awesome

Really good. All fams should read. I liked it a lot. Nice book and good art. Worth the money. Awesome.

[Silvia Miau]

A MASTERPIECE!!!