Demon's Souls

[MrPopo]

Well, I just finished a session of this marvelous game. If you have a PS3 I'd highly recommend it, as it combines punishing difficulty with a very interesting use of the PSN and a good amount of character customization.

So first, the difficulty. The game killed me over 10 times in the first level. I did better in the second level (which was shorter) but probably would have gotten the count that high if I hadn't had some help (more on that later). Man of the situations require thought. Look around you, is there something you can use against the enemies/can be used against you? That bastard of a mob, is there a better way of dealing with him? The enemies WILL block your attacks and WILL punish you for attacking into their guard. There's also a stamina system. Whenever you attack or block it removes some stamina, which fills to full in about two seconds at rest. When the bar drains there is a pause after attacks (no chaining) and blocking will stagger you (leaving you wide open). So manuever around and fight intelligently. Oh, and speaking of fighting intelligently, the weapons can get caught up on terrain. That nice long halberd? It doesn't work so well in a narrow hallway. Switch to a two-hand stance or spear when there isn't much room around you.

But the really cool thing is how the game uses the PSN. If your PS3 is hooked up to the internet and you're signed in you automatically are in multiplayer mode. When in multiplayer you get the following features:

1. Bloodstains: When you die you leave a bloodstain. The last several seconds of life are recorded and sent to the PSN. You can then see how other players met their demise. However, you only get to see their phantom, not any enemies that got them.

2. Messages: Using a fill in the blanks template system (to avoid abuse) you can leave a message for other players across the PSN, such as "Beware of the horde of monsters". Players can recommend your message which will give you a full heal. These combined with bloodstains can help you avoid some of the dangers of the game.

3. Co-op: When you die, you are thrust into soul form, where you only have half health. There are four ways to return to body form. The first is to use an item (rare). The second is to kill a boss (limited supply). The third is to assist a player. To do so you use an item to mark yourself as available. Then a player still in body form can summon you into the level to help him kill the boss. If you succeed you get your body back. A player can summon up to two helpers through this method.

4. Player vs. Player: This is the fourth way to get your body back. Using an item you can invade another living player's game. The goal is to kill him. If you succeed you get your body back. If you fail your opponent gets a good amount of souls (currency that is used for purchases and leveling up). While you never have to summon people to your games to help you, if you are online you are always susceptible to this.

This game has several features that make it pretty unique and overall it has been a blast to play so far. You have a lot of control over how your character levels, as well, since the leveling system is currency based. You spend a certain amount of souls to go up a level, which gives you a single stat point. So while your initial class determines your starting stats and equipment you can quickly turn the "Magician" into a physical powerhouse.

[Bootaaay]

Glad to see this game reviewing so well by fans and critics alike - it really is the best game on the PS3, I had a ton of fun with the Asian import and I can't wait to jump back in once my US deluxe edition arrives.

[RokstaEnSweden]

I picked this one up today and have been totally glued to the tv pretty much all evening. The difficulty is ridiculously over the top, but it really does remind me of 8-bit games; that whole mentality of memorizing where you met your demise last and changing your tactics accordingly over and over until you get it right. The difficulty coupled with the engrossing atmosphere of the game really does make you feel like you're up against a horde of demons, much in the same vein as ninja gaiden made me feel like I was a ninja.

One of the things that really stands out to me is the atmosphere of the game and the feeling it gives off. You're usually always alone, but there are traces of other players everywhere. Everywhere you go there's bloodstains depicting the last moments of someone, messages scrawled in the ground, and phantoms that fade in and out of existence. It really sets the mood for the whole game and makes you feel on edge and isolated.

So far it's been a great game and I'd recommend it to any action RPG fan with a PS3 that wants to try something different. I've been pretty disappointed with the RPG offerings on it lately so this was a great purchase for me.

[the7k]

Been playing this ever since I got back from GameStop. Lost track of time - didn't realize it is nearly 4 in the morning. Guess that should be an indication of how much I'm lovin' it.

[dsheinem]

Didn't they increase the difficulty of this for the US release so that even the easiest settings are harder than the JPN version? I love harder games (I'm a big fan of the DMC series) - how does this compare to titles from this decade?

I'll certainly give this a look when it drops in price, but there are too many other new games coming out that I want to play first (Uncharted 2, Modern Warfare 2, etc.).

[MrPopo]

I haven't played too many other games that mention difficulty as a factor. Prinny is definately harder because that game is more about memorization and a few cheap deaths until you memorize. You know, 8-bit platforming style. Demon's Souls difficulty is more about playing intelligently. Barreling foward will get you killed; caution, observation, and tactics are what is needed. The only other games I can recall playing that had the difficulty played up were the Persona games. The difficulty (aside from Hama/Mudo) is the same type; play smart. I'd say Demon's Souls is harder, though, since it's real time. I haven't played Ninja Gaiden or DMC (last good Ninja Gaiden was 2 on the NES).

[otaku]

Want this so bad! When I buy a ps3 slim somewhere down the line this will be a game I pickup. Right now though I have school, debts and the need of a car so gaming must go by the wayside awhile...

[dlmvii]

You guys put me over the fence on this, you bastards! I think I may have to spring for the deluxe edition.

[Dakinggamer87]

This game is on my wish list gonna be picking up Deluxe edition soon. Unfortunately, I likely won't play it much right away once Uncharted 2 releases.

[the7k]

Everybody has been making a big stink about the difficulty. This game ISN'T HARD. Seriously. All you have to do is use your head.

Sure, I have died. A lot. However, everytime I return to the Nexus, I return just a little bit wiser. I have never died twice in the same boss fight, just to give you an idea.

Ninja Gaiden Sigma II is a game that I actually returned because the difficulty pissed me off so much. Everytime I died in that game, I didn't learn anything - I already knew how I was supposed to tackle the situation. That game was just cheap as hell. This is not the case with Demon's Souls.