The best artbooks dedicated to video games

Since the dawn of game design, artists have always sought the keystone that would lead the various users of video games, meticulously conceived and designed by them, to become passionate about the various stories of the protagonists and secondary characters present in the works. For those who think that the work behind a video game is bland or approachable by any enthusiast, know that it is indeed a stressful, hard, long job, made up of research, patience, passion and dedication. The whole amount of thought behind a concept or even a setting derives from a personal know-how of each individual artist, who with his deeper being manages to give that touch of originality and appeal that make this or that unmissable title. by enthusiasts.

Just think of the concept of Mario or Pac-Man, or even> DoomGuy, Guybrush Threepwood or Duke Nukem. Yes, we are talking about archaic, old, but iconic concepts. Any videogame enthusiast who can be called such is able to visualize in a dwarf according to one of the aforementioned protagonists. And why? Simply because they have been studied well, from the concept through the number of pixels occupied by the sprite, to the color palette, from the animations to the voice (maybe Pac Man no, but his sound is unmistakable). There is work behind every single aspect of a video game that is so professional and profound that it makes anyone who approaches it cringe. But trust us if we tell you that if there is the "spark", then there is nothing that can prevent a group of artists from making their creature blossom. Character designer, environment designer, concept artist, rigger, texturer, and we could continue to list the artistic figures behind the magic of a video game, those people who make our greatest passion a real form of art. In this article we want to recommend some of the best artbooks dedicated to video games, the ones that should be present in every fan's library.

The legend of Zelda - Breath of the Wild: Creating a Champion

Let's start with a bang. This artbook is simply awesome. Not only does he go into detail on the creation of all the characters and game environments, but he also gives advice on how to play and offers interviews to the developers. Inside are more than 50 pages of Takumi Wada's illustrations and 55 pages of Hyrule's history and how it was created. What we recommend besides the immediate purchase of this masterpiece is to complete the collection with other books of the fantastic saga, such as The legend of Zelda: Encyclopedia which contains the first 30 years of the history of the saga.

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The art of Cuphead

Anyone who has played Cuphead, or even just seen gameplay, cannot fail to be was struck by the 30's style of the animations, rigorously hand drawn frame by frame. A painstaking and crazy job, seasoned with an excellent dose of patience and study. In this book you will be able to appreciate the designs of the protagonists and all the bosses, of the levels and much more with the comments of the two authors.

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Final Fantasy XV Official Works

For what was discussed and perhaps not even appreciated as much as it actually deserved, Final Fantasy XV is an undeniable concentration of art and creativity. They range from cities such as Insomnia and Altissia, to absurd landscapes such as the settings of Lucis or Niflheim, passing through the various protagonists or antagonists of the story, from Noctis to Ardyn, passing through Aranea or simply the cute Chocobo, mascot of the series together with i Moogle. In this collector's edition you will also get a copy of Noctis and Luna's lovers diary, as well as an acrylic art stand containing an illustration. All embellished with a box that contains all the really well designed and quality material. Buy Final Fantasy XV Official Works on Amazon

The Art of God of War

Kratos needs little introduction. One of the most iconic and charismatic characters ever is the protagonist of the last chapter released exclusively on PS4, and makes the console and the series reach a very high artistic and productive peak. Net of some criticism for the few colossal bosses, God of War is considered a masterpiece from every point of view and this book explores every single detail of design and graphic production. You will discover the secrets behind the concepts of all creatures and characters revisited by the team of Cory Barlog based on Nordic mythology, including concept art, character design and illustrations of the fantastic landscapes.

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The art of Destiny 2

The Art of Destiny 2, the sequel to the successful The Art of Destiny, is a celebration of the art of visual style that Destiny 2 fans have come to love. It is a large and vibrant world and includes planets within our solar system and beyond. The Art of Destiny 2 features hundreds of concept art, from the first sketches and character designs to the main illustrations that the designers used to shape the game worlds. Every step of the process is meticulously detailed, from creating gameplay footage to creating the complex universe. This book celebrates the exceptional attention to detail that the developers of Bungie have devoted to Destiny 2 and maintains the high production quality that has made The Art of Destiny one of the best-selling artbooks (and which of course we recommend that you recover). Featuring never-before-seen exclusive images, developer comments, and more, The Art of Destiny 2 is the perfect gift for fans of the game.

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The Art of The Last of Us Part II

The Last of Us Part II has reached a level of fusion between game and movie never seen before, raising the overall quality of video games and the expectations of gamers. He therefore created a "before" of TLOUII and an "after", both in terms of gameplay and depth of narration. Naturally impossible to leave out the technical-artistic side of the title, with beautifully written and realized characters, Oscar-winning music (in every sense with Santaolalla at the control room), impeccable artistic direction, sumptuous storytelling and level of detail almost on photorealism. Such a title deserves an artbook with counter attributes and this book definitely is. You will find everything an enthusiast wants, from concepts to capture mode with facial motion capture. This limited edition comes with a hard cover inside a case. Fantastic.

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The art of Diablo

Diablo. Point. An artbook on the creation and the concept behind the world of Diablo is a book that any gamer can not help but want. A game that has developed and expanded the genre of "isometric" RPGs becoming the reference point of the genre, precisely "Diablo-Like". A tome containing more than 20 years of brand history with never-before-seen illustrations relating to Diablo, Diablo II and Diablo III. You will discover new and more familiar monsters and nightmares as you descend into the hellish depths of the series.

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The Art of Halo 5: Guardians

How not to mention an icon like Halo? Obviously this is the last artbook released, but what we still recommend is to recover the whole series. In Halo 5: Guardians, 343 Industries continues to fascinate fans around the world with the exploits of the legendary Spartan super soldier, Master Chief, backed by many other characters. This deluxe edition art book chronicles the creative process behind the breathtaking creation of the worlds, vehicles and characters of Halo 5: Guardians, with exclusive details on the creation of characters such as the Arbiter and the Master Chief himself. Complete with commentary from 343 Industries, The Art of Halo 5: Guardians is a journey into the intricate design of creatures and revolutionary gameplay that define the Halo experience. This beautiful hardcover edition is an ideal gift for Halo fans.

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The Art of Ori and the will of the Wisp

Artistically outstanding, this sequel has expanded and improved upon something that already looked perfect. Graphic style that sparkles creativity from all pores, refined and fluid animations and story of manly tears make the Ori saga one of the most inspired of recent years, if not ever. And how to miss an artbook that explains the creative process behind such great beauty? 288 pages of pure enjoyment with more than 500 high resolution illustrations all commented by the authors. The book also contains an unpublished interview with some very interesting behind the scenes.

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The art of Dark Souls 3

Let's finish with a flourish with the artbook dedicated to the last chapter of the legendary From Software saga. Dark Souls 3 is the closing of a circle that opened more than 10 years ago by the progenitor of the series. A dark journey into the depths of human creation, between dark flames, demons and gods. It is undeniable how much behind all the complex and articulated lore of these games there is a crazy, multifaceted, detailed and very deep creative production. This book contains all the most murky and disturbed illustrations and concept art behind the creation of the game world of Dark Souls 3. Also in this case we obviously recommend that you retrieve the books on the other chapters of the trilogy so as not to have any collection holes. >
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