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L'Arte di God of War

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Un'approfondita cronaca della lunga odissea che ha dato vita allo splendido e brutale mondo di Kratos e Atreus...
Per Kratos questo è un nuovo inizio. Vivendo come un semplice uomo fuori dall'ombra degli dei, il Fantasma di Sparta cerca la solitudine nelle terre per lui sconosciute della mitologia norrena. Con un nuovo scopo e il figlio al suo fianco, Kratos dovrà combattere per sopravvivere, mentre forze potenti minacciano la nuova vita che si è creato.

Entrate in Midgard e iniziate la vostra esplorazione, con questo indispensabile compagno al gioco di God of War, che Magic Press Edizioni, Dark Horse Books e Santa Monica Studio sono orgogliosi di presentarvi. Un documento unico che offrirà ai lettori un viaggio esclusivo dietro le quinte della creazione di una storia epica.

224 pages, Hardcover

First published April 24, 2018

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Sony Interactive Entertainment

2 books2 followers
Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC is an American multinational video game and digital entertainment company that is a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, the central hub for the American businesses under the Japanese conglomerate Sony Corporation.

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5 stars
234 (68%)
4 stars
82 (23%)
3 stars
25 (7%)
2 stars
2 (<1%)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
Profile Image for Sleepy Boy.
1,010 reviews
April 1, 2025
Excellent look at the art development of what to me became a phenomenal game with a helluva story to tell. Beating all of the optional Valkyries remains a point of pride for myself. The art itself is superb.
Profile Image for Jedi JC Daquis.
926 reviews46 followers
June 26, 2018
Of course I loved the game! But would the extra money spent on buying the art book worth it? Every cent, sir. Every cent.

The Art of God of War is a graphic love letter of Santa Monica studios to all the fans who absolutely loved playing the game and also to themselves. It chronicles how the art progressed from the time it was conceived to the final touches and even to a place which cannot be accessed in the actual game. This book is a concrete evidence on how much time and artistry they have given a masterpiece, a literary behind-the-scenes documentary for those who wanted more than just playing the game.

God of War isn't even my all-time (PS4) favorite game. That belongs to Doom. But I was disappointed with Doom's "The Art of" book because there is one thing it failed to deliver that GoW Art Book succeeded:

The Art of GoW made the readers feel how much passion they gave to creating the game. It is more than a showcase of talent, but a testament on their perseverance and grit in making a game that will be remembered for a long time.
Profile Image for FrontalNerdaty .
476 reviews9 followers
January 14, 2023
Another excellent art book from the fine folk at Dark Horse comics. By this point DH have nailed the flow of these books. That said I do wish we had a little more writing to go with the excellent pictures. I would love to know how the developers landed on certain aspects of the game but what’s featured here is still excellent.

4/5.
Profile Image for Forsythia.
358 reviews10 followers
March 7, 2020
There's so much detail, so much work put on this video game masterpiece, it analyzes the thought process behind every choice of object/scenery/outfit/character they had to create in order to make it look as realistic and accurate to the Norse mythology as they had planned initially. Definitely is it worth it, I recommend this artbook to every art lover even if they haven't played the game, and those who love they game and are eager to learn more about it. I was all over this book for the past two days, now my brain is full of Norse gods and mythological monsters...
Profile Image for Yaroslav Chernovol.
152 reviews5 followers
October 9, 2022
В наближенні до виходу гри God of war: Ragnarok у мене з'явилась дика ностальгія по світу гри God of war. Пройшов у новій грі+, переглянув фільм "Плекання Кратоса", тепер прийшла черга артбука.

Шикарні ілюстрації та концепь арти. Ранні світу та герої. Невеличкий опис що хотіли показати автори тими чи іншими локаціями. Особливо порадував концепт-арт валькірій.
Profile Image for Murtaza.
66 reviews9 followers
May 7, 2023
This was my first time reading an art book on my PS5, and the developer commentary was fantastic. Getting in-depth knowledge of how ideas work and how they're made into a final product was awesome. You should definitely buy this on your PS5 or PS4 console since the commentary it's so worth it.
Profile Image for Myron John.
73 reviews1 follower
February 18, 2020
A beautiful look at the detail, artistry and passion that was put into creating one of the best interactive experiences ever created - pushing the limits on what a video game has the potential to be.
Profile Image for Ashwin.
38 reviews
July 17, 2019
A great companion to a masterpiece!
God of war is a great looking game! This book gets into the details of the development process for location and level design with concept art, along with descriptions of the reasoning behind the choices that the team made. The passion that Santa Monica Studio has for the franchise shows in the little details they've put into even the seemingly trivial parts of the game. Huge respect for the devs and artists. Highly recommended for fans of the game who'd like to understand more about the process that went into bringing the game to life.
19 reviews
January 9, 2020
Fantastic artwork, but I would have liked more actual content explaining the thoughts and processes. How was it decided that Kratos would use an axe, and eventually get his dual blades back, how did the engine of the game help or hinder art development? Some input from the programmers as well as the artists would have helped.

That said, it was a very good book. Lots and lots of amazing artwork!
Profile Image for RatGrrrl.
997 reviews25 followers
December 11, 2023
I have had a bit of a hyperfixation with art books for games and hobbies since...forever. From the many beautiful Warhammer/ 40K/ Horus Heresy books, through little bonus concept art books accompanying certain editions of video games, to the full gorgeousness of the Dark Souls Collected Visions. So when I say this is absolutely up there with the ridiculous tomes from FromSoftware, and might even be my personal favourite due to the detail, organisation and insight into the creative process on display. 

The artwork is mind-blowing, obviously, but the way the bitesize information relating it to the creative process of the game, and the delineate segments seriously elevate this art book. It's incredible to see the disparate designs and how they were refined and brought together under one cohesive creative vision and living, breathing realms. 

If you like art books, making ofs, and God of War, I can't recommend this enough. I've played the game so many times at this point, but taking in this gloriousness is making me need to returns to the realms. 
Profile Image for Joshua Whitehouse.
4 reviews7 followers
May 13, 2018
A beautifully illustrated book that explores the intricate amount of detail that the creative team put into making this game world feel lived in, yet also fantastical. All of the designs, from the vast landscapes to the mythic beasts that inhabit them look like they belong within the ancient Nordic stories that inspired this God installment. Every realm is distinct and has it's own unique color pallet to help distinguish them from one another. There are many great landscape paintings as well as many detailed pictures of characters, weapons, and tools that are featured in the game. Plenty of insightful snippets of how the artists decided on what worked best and how various character designs and environments evolved throughout development. This book is highly recommended to anyone that loves God of War, Norse Mythology, and desires to see the inner process of how it all came together.
Profile Image for Chris.
777 reviews14 followers
June 21, 2018
I love these "Art of..." books. Particularly when it's from such a beautiful looking game as God of War.

From the world, the characters, the creatures, buildings, weapons and the monsters everything is covered in an extensive amount of detail.

This is a giant picture book and it's awesome. I would have liked a bit more information on the creative team's thought process, I mean it's there but it mostly makes way for the art. I can't fault anyone for that but it would have been nice to read more about the behind the scenes thinking.

This is one of those occasions where it's fair to judge a book by it's cover. Like I say with all of these type of books, if you love the game and have an interest in the amazing art of the world, check it out.
Profile Image for Álvaro.
106 reviews3 followers
November 24, 2018
God of War ha sido, sin duda, mi juego favorito de 2018. Llevaba tiempo pensando en comprarme este libro de arte, así que cuando lo he visto en la tienda no he podido aguantarme las ganas. No me arrepiento jajaja Dejando a un lado las ilustraciones y concepts arts (que son una pasada), me ha parecido muy interesante lo que cuenta. Cómo decidieron la estética del juego, en qué se inspiraban, los problemas que se encontraron al diseñar entornos y personajes... Una "lectura" muy recomendada para todos los amantes de la ilustración y de esta saga.
Profile Image for will tooher.
77 reviews5 followers
February 2, 2021
Absorbing and dripping with atmosphere. One of the best art books out there and for one of the greatest video games in recent years. This is a marvelous collection of paintings inspired by Norse myth and the creative process behind each concept is explained in detail. Makes me really want to play the game again.
Profile Image for Ani Martinez.
334 reviews
May 2, 2025
Despite not being a huge GoW fan, I absolutely love seeing concept art from games to appreciate the care & detail the artists and devs put into it.

From character design to creature designs or even environmental designs, and more. There is so much into this book and honestly great for: game lovers, art lovers, and those who want to study how a game can go from conceptualizing -> finalization.
Profile Image for Misaki Lenomi.
65 reviews3 followers
December 3, 2025
This book is an epic journey of fantasy art. From the valley of concept, moodboard, sketches and drafts to the high peak of highly detail 3D rendering, scupture. Brief but important info about the level design process, character design etc. Well balance between Celtic pre-Viking culture and the Fantasy legacy of GOW franchise.

Well done SantaMonica Studio!
10/10 GOTY 2018
Profile Image for Bryan.
242 reviews10 followers
May 27, 2018
A wonderful companion to the game. The depths that the artists/creative team goes to bringing these things to life. I would pay the price of this book again just to see what they left of the cutting room floor. I imagine the artwork to be substantial.
Profile Image for Zachary.
90 reviews3 followers
May 20, 2018
Typically excellent art book from Dark Horse
Profile Image for Gosila.
149 reviews8 followers
Read
June 21, 2019
Unglaublich schöne Designs!
Profile Image for Jorge Rodighiero.
Author 5 books54 followers
March 7, 2020
I love the concept art present in this book, but I truly hoped to have more to read about the artists' thinking and their process.
Profile Image for Mike Mali.
119 reviews1 follower
May 27, 2020
God of War is one of the greatest video games I've ever played. This book goes beyond just concept art, and provides a look into the entire creation process of the game.
Profile Image for Nick.
98 reviews
June 27, 2022
Awesome art and concept book. It gives insight into the decisions that went into how locations and characters were designed. A great addition to an amazing game.
Profile Image for Zach Owens .
254 reviews3 followers
December 21, 2023
I just got around reading the art of the game. I am a few years too late, but either way, it was awesome to see the art!

Now, on to part 2!
Profile Image for Stephen West.
179 reviews11 followers
April 3, 2023
The Art of God of War is an absolute masterpiece. As a fan of the God of War franchise, I was blown away by the stunning artwork and detailed commentary that this book offers. The illustrations are breathtaking, with incredible attention to detail and a real sense of mood and atmosphere. The concept art and sketches give a behind-the-scenes look at the creative process, and it's amazing to see how the characters, creatures, and landscapes of the game were brought to life.

But what really sets this book apart is the commentary. The insights from the development team provide a fascinating glimpse into the world of God of War, from the early brainstorming sessions to the final touches on the game. The interviews and anecdotes give a real sense of the passion and dedication that went into creating this masterpiece.

Overall, I would highly recommend The Art of God of War to anyone who loves the game or appreciates great artwork. It's a fantastic addition to any fan's collection, and it's a testament to the incredible talent and hard work of the development team. This book truly deserves 5 stars.
6 reviews
September 4, 2020
It's a Must for the long-time fans and whoever is even remotely interested in both Norse mythology and video game design.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews

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