A publication linked to the release of an important update of Dark Souls 3. If the Dark Souls series managed to seduce players and journalists, it was mainly by word of mouth. It was such a great success that Dark Souls 2 was named "Game of the Year" 2014 by the vast majority of gaming magazines and websites. To date, this saga is one of the most important in the gaming industry. The odd thing is that these games are well known for their difficulty and their cryptic universe. This publication narrates the epic success story, but also describes its gameplay mechanics and its specific lore across more than 300 pages. Characters, plots and the scenario of the three Souls (Demon's Souls, Dark Souls and Dark Souls II) are deciphered by Damien Mecheri and Sylvain Romieu, who spent a long year studying these dense and enigmatic games down to the smallest detail.

The story of Final Fantasy VIII is singular, complex; it blends sorcery and time travels. The book The Legend of Final Fantasy VIII unravels some grey areas of the game and discusses many theories, to lead the reader to a full understanding of its scenario. The book also dives into the game's development, its gameplay, its influences, and focuses on the part it played in the japanese role-playing game industry. Both a testimony of love and a base of many reflections, the book sometimes goes beyond the video game sphere. It aspires to figure out what makes Final Fantasy VIII such a unique, bold and well crafted RPG. When its named is pronounced, some players may look up at the sky, a smile on their face: is it just a good memory, or the nostalgia for a golden age?

Thanks to the unexpected success of the game NieR: Automata, which sold more than two million of copies since its release in February 2017, Taro Yoko confirmed his position as a video game auteur, and the entire world is now aware of his talent. The book The Strange work of Taro Yoko: From Drakengard to NieR: Automata covers every aspects of the games created by Taro Yoko: their development process, their story, their game design, their music, and of course their profound and philosophical themes. The icing on the cake: Taro Yoko himself wrote the foreword.

This second volume dedicated to the Soulsborne series pursues the study of these games, their cryptic stories, their aesthetic and their design philosophy. Bloodborne and Dark Souls III are as different as they are complementary. What they tell us of the studio From Software, the creator Hidetaka Miyazaki's approach and the video game industry is enriching. While the authors thought they exhausted the topic in the first volume, these two additional games provided food for new thoughts. This book deals with the development process, the analysis of the stories and their themes, and the music of each game. The last chapter, for its part, goes beyond this scope to study the series with a transversal approach, from the visual influences and marketing choices to the evolutions of the games.

In depth investigation into a famous series of video games In just three episodes, the Bioshock series managed to score some big points amongst players' hearts. Spiritual successor of System Shock 2, the first Bioshock was an Irrational Games' game, lead by Ken Levine. Set in the 50's ambiance, with Art Deco levels, progression in Bioshock is possible through open and smart game mechanics, inciting the player to be creative and to use its environment. The saga is also filled with many profound and philosophical themes, while involving the player in every one of its aspects, many things granting the triptych of an iconic saga.

Is video game an art form? This topic has stirred debate since many years. Amongst the games regularly mentioned when the debate is up, those made by the creator Fumito Ueda-ICO, Shadow of the Colossus and The Last Guardian are probably the most iconic. These three games share the same aesthetic, the same design philosophy, and the same universe. These games are evocative, they tell us a lot about the man behind them and his fixed idea to create something new and detached from any trend, and to propose another perspective on video game. The Work of Fumito Ueda: Another perspective on video game is an unprecedented essay which deals with all these subjects and dive into the singular development process of each game. The book also offers an in-depth analysis of the games, their music, their game design, and proposes an unique reflexion about art.