If there's anything to be said about the Dark Souls games, it's that they have some of the most passionate fans out there. It seems like an entire generation of gamers fell in love with the notoriously difficult yet deeply addictive series, and this is in part due to the world, the gameplay and the people behind the games. For those who want to know more about the Soulsborne games, two fans have put together a pair of cohesive books known as Dark Souls: Beyond the Grave.

The Beyond the Grave books go into heavy detail on FromSoftware's action-RPG series. Authors Damien Mecheri and Sylvain Romieu present fans of the series with a look at these games' development, their grim worlds and the mechanics behind why the series' combat works. Fans of the series should give these books a look for a deeper dive into the why and how behind the Soulsborne games.

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The Lore

These two books could have easily acted as a lore compendium without going too much deeper. However, Mecheri and Romieu take the extra step of drawing parallels between the lore of the Soulsborne games and real-life mythology. Much of the game's lore is presented in the form of legends and myths, so these comparisons end up holding lots of extra weight. Beyond the Grave's examination of the world of the Soulsborne games provides just as much to superfans as it does to casual enjoyers of the series.

Players could absolutely find the lore of the games elsewhere, but the main appeal of Beyond the Grave is how deep the authors go with their study. The book goes into what inspired FromSoftware while creating the Soulsborne games. In fact, any Soulsborne fans interested in game development will find plenty of reasons to appreciate Beyond the Grave.

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The Creation

Another major focus of the books is the work behind the Soulsborne series. Game development is often one of the most overlooked aspects of video games, as much more focus is, understandably, put on the end product. Still, the process of how a great game is made is really fascinating to learn about, even more so if someone is a fan of said game. Beyond the Grave goes into every aspect of game development, including both the successes and shortcomings that FromSoftware faced.

One point the book focuses on is how the series was designed to make the world as fascinating as possible to players while keeping the lore a mystery. The books highlight how two of the series creators, Hidetaka Miyazaki and Takeshi Kajii, held onto the philosophy that a vague world filled with myths and legends would be more engrossing to fans. According to Beyond the Grave, this design philosophy paid off immensely.

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The Games

The Dragon God screaming in Demon's Souls

Beyond the Grave is split into two volumes that each cover a selection of Soulsborne games. The first volume discusses the games from Demon's Souls to Dark Souls II, while the second volume covers everything from Bloodborne to Dark Souls III. There's something in this duo for a wide range of Soulsborne fans, no matter what their favorite game is. Everything is explored, from the themes of Bloodborne to the level design behind Demon's Souls and everything in between.

However, the main reason why fans need to check these books out is because, through breaking down elements of the games themselves, Mecheri and Romieu explain why they have had such a cultural impact. Beyond the Grave makes the case that the Soulsborne games are art, making them appeal to both non-fans and fans alike.

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