Cool, part of me always wanted to pick up the artbooks, but they're so pricey, and this will likely occupy that space in my head for a while until I get over it or splurge. It's a bit disappointing that, despite reasonable categorical and IP hurdles, it doesn't somehow include DeS or Bloodborne, the real bookends to this series, though.
despite having pretty much fallen face-first off the Souls bandwagon in recent years, I'm actually a little excited about it. Already preordered and made room on my shelf
Good to hear! When it comes to Souls you and I are like some dramatic buddy duo that switched roles from non-believer to zealot and vice versa. You weren't just the first face one would see on the Dark Souls bandwagon, you were driving, proselytizing, and literally buying people tickets to ride! But after the Darkest Souls, DS2... now you won't even play DS3 (you claim you got 20 hours in, but it was more like 9 that must have felt like 20 =), or now Bloodborne I suspect (Sekiro gives me some hope).
Meanwhile, back in the day I'd listen to your passionate ravings about how great this obnoxiously difficult Souls game, that didn't even work right on PC, was and shake my head. Now, a thousand hours later, they're really the only games I reliably play or care for, so the joke is on me. You basically left the cult I wouldn't join only to come back to find me totally indoctrinated.
I should try some dramatic Souls related world domination scheme, "When I release the 'git gud virus' onto every gaming platform, all difficulty modes but the hardest will be disabled! Easy games will be deleted! We'll Dark Souls the world! Muahahaha!!" so you have to reluctantly come out of retirement and stop me, "It's my fault; I made him, I need to do this." For some reason it would all come down to a PvP match in DS Remastered. =)