The fascinating and mysterious knowledge of the first Dark Souls game is collected in two huge books that should intrigue almost any fan of dark fantasy. FromSoftware has developed some of the best role-playing games of the last decade, and its latest game, Elden Ring, has broken the company’s previous sales records. Many claim that Demon’s Souls, released in 2009, was the first game in which relentless battles appeared, beloved by fans of role-playing games. However, it was Dark Souls that managed to attract the attention of the whole world.
Unlike most video games, the Dark Souls series has a unique way to tell players their story. Three Dark Souls games have been released, and each of them takes place in a country ravaged by time and wars between godlike figures, dragons and monstrous creatures. Players are immersed in a dark fantasy world and are forced to figure out how to complete the game with almost no instructions. Many people who defeated the final bosses of the Dark Souls series still have no idea about the history of the game, unless contextual hints were noticed and hidden knowledge was not read in the descriptions of items. However, one fan spent years trying to piece together the secrets of the first game, and now he is ready to share his work with the whole world.
The complex history and comprehensive themes of the first Dark Souls game have been disassembled and compiled into two beautiful books called Abyssal Archive, and fans can pre-order volumes right now. According to Kotaku, these two books are the result of many years of work and research by an experienced soul researcher known as Loki. Using his knowledge of the Japanese language and deep understanding of the work of FromSoftware director Hidetaka Miyazaki, Lokey is releasing two books in honor of the tenth anniversary of Dark Souls. Luxury collector’s editions can be pre-ordered on the Tune & Fairweather website until August 14. It will include a detailed map of the game world, stunning original illustrations and a lot of information about the Gothic world of Dark Souls, Lordran.
Many content creators have spent thousands of hours of work and research to discover the hidden storylines of Dark Souls games. Despite the fact that three Dark Souls games have been released, each of them can be played and enjoyed without knowing about the others. The discovered secrets and knowledge helped fans put together some interesting connections and references to Elden Ring and other FromSoftware games. However, Miyazaki’s approach to storytelling encourages fans to build their own narrative, picking up contextual clues at their own pace.
Abyssal Archive is not an officially licensed FromSoftware product. Nevertheless, Loki’s project is the most thorough collection of Dark Souls knowledge and fully researched fan theories collected to date. Other projects, such as the fan sequel Dark Souls: Nightfall and the new original novel Dark Souls: Masque of Vindication, seek to further expand the beloved Gothic adventure. Lokey’s Abyssal Archive will be available in three separate editions, each of which will include elegant hardcover books and a better understanding of Miyazaki’s masterpiece role-playing game Dark Souls.
