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Dark Souls III: Design Works
Collecting the gritty and hair-raising artwork behind the critically-acclaimed DARK SOULS III in a prestigious hardcover tome. DARK SOULS III: DESIGN WORKS features armor and weapon designs, character concepts, enemies, bosses, environments, DLC artwork, and more!
336 pages, Hardcover
First published November 20, 2018
5 people are currently reading
131 people want to read
About the author
From Software
9 books8 followersFromSoftware, Inc. is a Japanese video game development company founded in November 1986. The company is known primarily outside Japan for being the developers of the Armored Core and Souls series, as well as Bloodborne.
FromSoftware have developed for a wide range of platforms, including the Dreamcast, Nintendo DS, GameCube, PlayStation, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox, Xbox 360, Xbox One, PlayStation Portable, Wii, Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Switch, and various mobile devices.
With fifteen titles developed, the Armored Core series is the studio's longest running franchise. The most recent title, Armored Core: Verdict Day, was released worldwide in September 2013 for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. Earlier, less notable outside Japan, titles include the Enchanted Arms, King's Field, Chromehounds, Otogi, and Tenchu series, all of which have been met with mostly favorable reviews.
In 2009, they released Demon's Souls for the PlayStation 3, which brought them international exposure. Its spiritual successor, Dark Souls, was released in 2011. In March 2014, Dark Souls II, was released, while Dark Souls III was released in 2016.[8] A title inspired by the Souls series, Bloodborne, was released in March 2015. The Souls series, along with Bloodborne, received widespread critical acclaim, as well as strong sales domestically and internationally.[9][10][11] They have also received a number of awards, primarily those for the role-playing genre, including multiple "RPG of the Year" and Game of the Year awards.[12][13][14][15] Since release, Dark Souls and Bloodborne have been cited by many publications to be among the greatest games of all time.
n April 2016, FromSoftware revealed that they were working on a new intellectual property, as well as stating their intent to return to the Armored Core series.[19] Two games, the PlayStation VR exclusive Déraciné and the multiplatform Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, were announced at E3 2018.
FromSoftware have developed for a wide range of platforms, including the Dreamcast, Nintendo DS, GameCube, PlayStation, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox, Xbox 360, Xbox One, PlayStation Portable, Wii, Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Switch, and various mobile devices.
With fifteen titles developed, the Armored Core series is the studio's longest running franchise. The most recent title, Armored Core: Verdict Day, was released worldwide in September 2013 for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. Earlier, less notable outside Japan, titles include the Enchanted Arms, King's Field, Chromehounds, Otogi, and Tenchu series, all of which have been met with mostly favorable reviews.
In 2009, they released Demon's Souls for the PlayStation 3, which brought them international exposure. Its spiritual successor, Dark Souls, was released in 2011. In March 2014, Dark Souls II, was released, while Dark Souls III was released in 2016.[8] A title inspired by the Souls series, Bloodborne, was released in March 2015. The Souls series, along with Bloodborne, received widespread critical acclaim, as well as strong sales domestically and internationally.[9][10][11] They have also received a number of awards, primarily those for the role-playing genre, including multiple "RPG of the Year" and Game of the Year awards.[12][13][14][15] Since release, Dark Souls and Bloodborne have been cited by many publications to be among the greatest games of all time.
n April 2016, FromSoftware revealed that they were working on a new intellectual property, as well as stating their intent to return to the Armored Core series.[19] Two games, the PlayStation VR exclusive Déraciné and the multiplatform Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, were announced at E3 2018.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
January 5, 2023
Welcome to today's episode of "I'm currently playing a video game so I'm going to make it my entire personality and everyone else's problem for the foreseeable future."
February 21, 2019
Before I gush over the artwork in DARK SOULS III: DESIGN WORKS, I have to get one complaint off my chest.
Design Works' previous Dark Souls books contained droves of artwork, but the real attraction for me was an in-depth interview with series director Hidetaka Miyazaki and select staff members at the back of each book. The interviews were set in small print, which could make them difficult to read, but they were wellsprings of insight into the design and development of each game. The interviews buttressed and enhanced the artwork, each complementing the other.
DARK SOULS III: DESIGN WORKS contains no interview. I was very disappointed in that. Now, this is partly my fault. I pre-ordered the book on the presumption that it would contain an interview, because the first two did. So, those like me who were hoping for a dozen or so extra pages of background and nitty-gritty details should be forewarned--not against buying the book, because it's so worth the asking price, but merely to set expectations going in.
That said, this book contains far and away the most comprehensive and breathtaking collection of Dark Souls artwork of the three tomes. The beauty on display here is staggering. You'll get to see nearly every character, environment, weapon, even inventory items in all their glory. I lingered on pages longer than I did while reading the other two books, which were gorgeous, but the sheer volume and scope of talent on display here is incredible.
For as much as I loved Dark Souls 3's art direction in-game, the concept artwork puts much of it to shame. Compared to the concepts in the Design Works book, DS3's in-game environments, especially, are too bright. Every environment concept collected in the book is stormy and overcast, more in line with the bleakness that the lore coupled with game systems and final artwork wanted to evoke. This is not to say the in-game artwork is a collective slouch, only to drive home how jaw-droppingly gorgeous and detailed the concepts that inspired the final product were.
Perhaps Miyazaki and/or Design Works decided an interview wasn't necessary because Miyazaki was much more voluble about this game's development before and after its release in the spring of 2016 than he was about any other Soulsborne game. Demon's Souls was a cult classic. Dark Souls was just gaining steam. Dark Souls 2 was polarizing (it's still my favorite), and I can't speak to Design Works' Bloodborne book because I skipped it. Still, the absence of an interview defies a precedent and is disappointing. Nonetheless, anyone even remotely interested in artwork, and especially Soulsborne artwork, should not skip this book.
Design Works' previous Dark Souls books contained droves of artwork, but the real attraction for me was an in-depth interview with series director Hidetaka Miyazaki and select staff members at the back of each book. The interviews were set in small print, which could make them difficult to read, but they were wellsprings of insight into the design and development of each game. The interviews buttressed and enhanced the artwork, each complementing the other.
DARK SOULS III: DESIGN WORKS contains no interview. I was very disappointed in that. Now, this is partly my fault. I pre-ordered the book on the presumption that it would contain an interview, because the first two did. So, those like me who were hoping for a dozen or so extra pages of background and nitty-gritty details should be forewarned--not against buying the book, because it's so worth the asking price, but merely to set expectations going in.
That said, this book contains far and away the most comprehensive and breathtaking collection of Dark Souls artwork of the three tomes. The beauty on display here is staggering. You'll get to see nearly every character, environment, weapon, even inventory items in all their glory. I lingered on pages longer than I did while reading the other two books, which were gorgeous, but the sheer volume and scope of talent on display here is incredible.
For as much as I loved Dark Souls 3's art direction in-game, the concept artwork puts much of it to shame. Compared to the concepts in the Design Works book, DS3's in-game environments, especially, are too bright. Every environment concept collected in the book is stormy and overcast, more in line with the bleakness that the lore coupled with game systems and final artwork wanted to evoke. This is not to say the in-game artwork is a collective slouch, only to drive home how jaw-droppingly gorgeous and detailed the concepts that inspired the final product were.
Perhaps Miyazaki and/or Design Works decided an interview wasn't necessary because Miyazaki was much more voluble about this game's development before and after its release in the spring of 2016 than he was about any other Soulsborne game. Demon's Souls was a cult classic. Dark Souls was just gaining steam. Dark Souls 2 was polarizing (it's still my favorite), and I can't speak to Design Works' Bloodborne book because I skipped it. Still, the absence of an interview defies a precedent and is disappointing. Nonetheless, anyone even remotely interested in artwork, and especially Soulsborne artwork, should not skip this book.
March 1, 2026
Beautiful art and really cool seeing how much detail each design was given, but I was really looking forward to another design works interview in this one. Unfortunately there is none for some reason.
February 10, 2026
Those god damn stairs. Great art btw.
June 20, 2019
Filled to the brim with gorgeous artwork from dark souls 3, my series favorite. You can admire the disturbing enemies in all their twisted glory without them trying to rip your face off. A must for anyone who loves art books and dark souls.
April 30, 2025
A spectacular art book, brimming with dark majesty and design
There is so much art in this book compared to the previous two volumes! With huge double page spreads of fantastic boss designs and concept art of areas within the game. Speaking of the areas within the game the art presented here evokes that ancient worn out of time look added with incredible majestic scale of a dark fantasy. The enemy and boss designs also represent that dark souls feel with grotesque misshapen enemies' and bosses that you simply don't get anywhere else.
Also there is an entire 34 pages worth of weapons designs, that all collectors will value, even myself will most definitely be venturing back into the dark souls 3 world to track down some of these beautiful weapons. There is another section that shows the design of the starting class armours which I found really interesting plus there is a whole chapter dedicated to the two incredible DLCs with concept design of areas, bosses, enemies and weapons throughout.
All the art is labelled, but that's it. No explanations on the concepts and surprisingly no interview at the end which the previous volume did so well. A strange choice indeed.
Overall an excellent art book that all fans of the series will simply gush over, however it lacked a bit of insight that all of us dark souls fans would adore.
There is so much art in this book compared to the previous two volumes! With huge double page spreads of fantastic boss designs and concept art of areas within the game. Speaking of the areas within the game the art presented here evokes that ancient worn out of time look added with incredible majestic scale of a dark fantasy. The enemy and boss designs also represent that dark souls feel with grotesque misshapen enemies' and bosses that you simply don't get anywhere else.
Also there is an entire 34 pages worth of weapons designs, that all collectors will value, even myself will most definitely be venturing back into the dark souls 3 world to track down some of these beautiful weapons. There is another section that shows the design of the starting class armours which I found really interesting plus there is a whole chapter dedicated to the two incredible DLCs with concept design of areas, bosses, enemies and weapons throughout.
All the art is labelled, but that's it. No explanations on the concepts and surprisingly no interview at the end which the previous volume did so well. A strange choice indeed.
Overall an excellent art book that all fans of the series will simply gush over, however it lacked a bit of insight that all of us dark souls fans would adore.
April 9, 2025
Having all that it's description promises, and more, this is a must-have for any FromSoftware fan out there. The artists that worked on this masterpiece of a video game, delivers in equal terms the wonderous and fantastic setting of a world falling apart in their captivating illustrations on a now physical copy.
Jump from page to page in amazement, as each new turn of paper will leave you stunned, terrified, impressed and breathless!
Jump from page to page in amazement, as each new turn of paper will leave you stunned, terrified, impressed and breathless!
December 4, 2018
Really cool. The art for this game is just so inspiring.
March 2, 2019
Absolutely stunning. Not sure if ill ever play a game that will top DS3.
November 22, 2025
Step into Dark Souls without fear of the words “YOU DIED.” For fanboys.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews