Demon's Souls

[Yeargdribble]

Is anyone playing this or did anyone play it? I'm having a bit of a Stockholm syndrome love affair with the game and I'm surprised to not have seen a thread about it. It's a brilliant game, if a bit punishing.

[ljkkjlcm9]

my GOTY hands down.
Challenging, but fun. Hard, but not cheap.
Extremely satisfying to get past that part that has you stuck. Everytime you die, you know it's from your own mistakes, not the game being cheap.

THE JACKEL

[Nifleheim7]

my GOTY hands down.


Same here.

The innovative online gameplay alone makes Demon's Souls one of my best gaming experiences in recent years.
This game is on a level of its own,that's for sure.

[Bolivar]

Hard, but not cheap.

That's exactly it, it's a hard game, but not "cheap." It's not like the Hard Mode(s) on mainstream video games where it's just the game throwing tougher/impossible challenges at you which it's basically up to luck if you get past a certain part or not.

Game of the Year? Maybe. I've gotten past the first level in worlds 1 through 5, and am now on 2-2 (btw, does the ring of fire protection allow you to walk over those lava rivers?). Everything about it's been amazing and I like that the game does have a lot of level variety, even within the 5 worlds/zones. The boss battles are sometimes astonishing and the combat system is very deep. It's like a mix of so many things, sometimes it's like boxing, sometimes its hack n slash, but more often than not it's so strategy-intensive, which sounds weird since it's, kinda, real-time. The game actually reminds me of the tough dungeon crawlers in the NES days, but now in HD graphics with the Havok physics engine. And the level layout is like Ghouls & Goblins where it's all about memorization and getting better at the combat. You can't just grind and expect everything to be a breeze, it's all about how good you actually are as a player and your ability to adapt.

Anyway, I've been waiting a long time for a game like this, I just love it! I can't believe more people on EoFF aren't talking about it.

[Yeargdribble]

Yeah, I personally felt like it was a game designed with me in mind. I love to sword 'n' board, but honestly, most games these days don't reward a strategic defense. We're weaned on games like GoW where you can block, but it's almost always better to just kill something faster rather than block it's blows.



Challenging, but fun. Hard, but not cheap. Everytime you die, you know it's from your own mistakes, not the game being cheap.

This game does this so well that it makes you realize that almost no other game manages to do this. So few games train you to be better at how you deal with the game world so that under pressure you can improvise and actually feel like you're better at the game.



You can't just grind and expect everything to be a breeze, it's all about how good you actually are as a player and your ability to adapt.

You could hand the controller to someone who has never played it but is Soul Level 300 and they could get slaughtered in seconds in any world. But hand it to someone who has learned to play the game, don't give them high levels and they still might be able to work themselves out of a tough spot because having skill in the game actually matters.



And the level layout is like Ghouls & Goblins where it's all about memorization and getting better at the combat.

As much as I love that game, if someone told me this I just would hate it as a concept. Older games that force you to memorize feel terrible. The concept of losing souls sounds terrible. But somehow, the reality is different. It's amazing how if someone told you about this game and told you the way it worked, you'd probably spit at the thought.

The way the levels are designed, you don't really hurt for not having a checkpoint. Think of 1-1 where you finally delve deep enough to open a gate from the other side and now you've got a shortcut. Delve a little deeper and you can open another gate for another shortcut. Due to this any boss that's kicking you butt is actually not so far away as it seems. Once you've slowly dungeon crawled for an hour or so you find that avenues are open such that the boss is only a minute or so away in the end.

I love the atmosphere in many of the places. Tower of Latria, once you get over the earlier frustrations of getting around, is amazing. I find 3-2 especially amazing. When I'm in the deeper parts of Stonefang tunnel I feel sooo far from safety and a little claustrophobic. It's a fantastic feeling.

[LunarWeaver]

I've heard the game is pretty punishing at every corner, even if it is in a fun way. I am a pussy and don't feel like messing with something where I die a lot. I am so spoiled and weakened by the gaming of today, I totally admit it.

[Bolivar]

As much as I love that game, if someone told me this I just would hate it as a concept. Older games that force you to memorize feel terrible. The concept of losing souls sounds terrible. But somehow, the reality is different. It's amazing how if someone told you about this game and told you the way it worked, you'd probably spit at the thought.

Well what sold me in the game is that Demon's Souls does not give a flying smurf about the game industry or its accessibility-obsessed conventions of today. I thought it was going to be more tedious and demanding than it actually is, and went into it totally ready for it. But it's actually fun!


The way the levels are designed, you don't really hurt for not having a checkpoint. Think of 1-1 where you finally delve deep enough to open a gate from the other side and now you've got a shortcut. Delve a little deeper and you can open another gate for another shortcut. Due to this any boss that's kicking you butt is actually not so far away as it seems. Once you've slowly dungeon crawled for an hour or so you find that avenues are open such that the boss is only a minute or so away in the end.

Yeah, I feel like for every seemingly insurmountable aspect, there's a creative design decision to make things more interesting.


I love the atmosphere in many of the places. Tower of Latria, once you get over the earlier frustrations of getting around, is amazing. I find 3-2 especially amazing. When I'm in the deeper parts of Stonefang tunnel I feel sooo far from safety and a little claustrophobic. It's a fantastic feeling.

Agree 100%. I think if Demon's Souls has anything going for it, possibly more than the rewarding challenge, it's ATMOSPHERE. It's a smurfing Atmospheric game, yo.

[Yeargdribble]

I've heard the game is pretty punishing at every corner, even if it is in a fun way. I am a pussy and don't feel like messing with something where I die a lot. I am so spoiled and weakened by the gaming of today, I totally admit it.

It's something that will surprise you. It sounds terrible but isn't. It's impossible to understand without trying it. Bolivar said it well.


I thought it was going to be more tedious and demanding than it actually is, and went into it totally ready for it. But it's actually fun!



Agree 100%. I think if Demon's Souls has anything going for it, possibly more than the rewarding challenge, it's ATMOSPHERE. It's a smurfing Atmospheric game, yo.

The thing I find odd about this that Doom 3 tried similar things with Darkness and while it worked, it felt more frustrating than it needed to. Somehow Demon's Souls limited light just doesn't have the frustrating effect nearly as much. It has a very satisfying effect that adds to the game a ton and probably does with Doom 3 was trying to do.

I remember down on 1F of 3-1 there was some large creature writhing around and doing something. It would occasionally shoot at me or something. I once tried to run in and slash it but got knocked back without seeing it. I ended up carefully sniping it from a nearby doorway. I never saw the thing other than a very murky silhouette. I have no idea what it was, but it creeped me the freak out.

[Bolivar]

I remember down on 1F of 3-1 there was some large creature writhing around and doing something. It would occasionally shoot at me or something. I once tried to run in and slash it but got knocked back without seeing it. I ended up carefully sniping it from a nearby doorway. I never saw the thing other than a very murky silhouette. I have no idea what it was, but it creeped me the freak out.

I think I know what you're talking about. It's like some huge black ball of organic matter, kinda slimey and rubbery, and there's countless limbs protruding out of it and flailing around with some of them holding weapons. It can also shoot magic at you, so I'm sure that's what you're talking about.

There's some genuinely disturbing stuff in this game (especially in 3-1)

[Slothy]

I hate you all.

I'm not getting it until Christmas.

[Yeargdribble]

That's definitely the one. Wait until the thing in 3-2. God that level is so messed up.

[ljkkjlcm9]

5-2 is definitely the most annoying.
I think I liked every world except 5. It'd be cool if they made the broken spire a DLC world, but not likely.

As for the Ring of Fire Protection allowing you to walk on the fire rivers, it helps. I'm not sure exactly what the number is, but your fire resistance has to be at a certain number to be able to walk on them without dieing.

THE JACKEL

[Yeargdribble]

What types of characters are you guys playing? I started out wanting to go all heavy armor knight style, but ultimately I've had to adopt a bow and though I tried hard to deal with my speed I realized that it would be better for me to wear some lighter armor until my endurance is high enough to be able to wield the heavy armor effectively.

Now I'm sort of a sword/shield archer hybrid thing and scarcely have touched magic.

[Craig]

curse ye ps3 owners, this sounds amazing

[ljkkjlcm9]

well I actually have two different characters.
One is a Str/Dex build (with a few spells) that is mostly melee and a bow.
Weapons like:
Mercury Secret Dagger
Fatal Secret Dagger
Blessed Knight Sword
Crescent Falchion
Quality Kilij
Blind
Dragon Guillotine Axe
Crushing Great Sword
Sharp winged spear
Sticky Compound Long Bow
Talisman of Beasts

The other is a magic build. Focusing on Magic and Dex.
Blessed Knight Sword
Crescent Kilij
Moon Winged Spear
Kris Blade
Blind
Sticky Compound Long Bow
Talisman of Beasts

Clearly, some weapons are in common just because of usefulness.

THE JACKEL

[Nifleheim7]

What types of characters are you guys playing? I started out wanting to go all heavy armor knight style, but ultimately I've had to adopt a bow and though I tried hard to deal with my speed I realized that it would be better for me to wear some lighter armor until my endurance is high enough to be able to wield the heavy armor effectively.


This sounds exactly like my character.:D

I started out as a Knight and i figured i'll built my character to be a melee type with heavy armor and big weapons.
Unfortunately i soon discovered that without magic you can't go very far into the game so i had to raise his black mage attributes as well.

So basically i end up using different kinds of armor/weapon combinations depending on the level.

[Yeargdribble]

I think on my NG+ I'll probably try to get in there and fight some of these bosses one-on-one. Some of them are so easy with a bow that it almost feels like cheating. Tower Knight laid me to rest several times until I puss'd out and sniped him with a bow from a position that left him unable to hit me.

However, now I feel far more comfortable with the controls and I think I could beat him and Armor Spider legitimately.

[Croyles]

I really really want to play this game but its not out in europe. Ive been looking on ebay for an american version but havnt found any good deals....

[Yeargdribble]

That sucks. I started seeing it on used shelves at Gamestop pretty much the day after release. At the same time, there was a while where you could find the collector's edition on eBay for around $100+ (60ish pounds).

[Bolivar]

Maybe check the asian deals since it's localized in English - Chinese version that is. Might be cheaper since nobody's importing it anymore.

But you really don't need a deal, there's no shame in paying full price for a game like this, man, trust me.

[JKTrix]

As a note to my European friends looking at importing: you will not be able to play with people playing the US version online if you get the Asian version.

As for my character, it's been a little while since I fired it up, but I was a totally chicken mage. Got a bunch of spells, plus Evacuation and 'Warding' on the Faith side. Main weapons being a Crescent Uchigatana because I like katanas and with my magic stat it really owns fools. I can't remember what my other weapons were, but I started using a longbow when I last played.

[ljkkjlcm9]

As a note to my European friends looking at importing: you will not be able to play with people playing the US version online if you get the Asian version.

As for my character, it's been a little while since I fired it up, but I was a totally chicken mage. Got a bunch of spells, plus Evacuation and 'Warding' on the Faith side. Main weapons being a Crescent Uchigatana because I like katanas and with my magic stat it really owns fools. I can't remember what my other weapons were, but I started using a longbow when I last played.

the Uchigatana is interesting in that the attack swipe is faster in the offhand. It makes a nice little pair with a wand. Though I usually prefer the Kris Blade on my magic caster offhand for the added damage.

THE JACKEL

[Jiro]

“Demon’s Souls is a game that will make you into a man. A
scrawny fourteen-year-old, after two hours with this game, will be grooming his
muttonchops and ready to ship off on the next boat to fight the Kaiser. If you
are already a man, it will make you into some sort of bizarre double-man.
What’s that you say? You’re a woman? You don’t want to be a
man? Too bad. Too bad. That’s the Demon’s Souls way.


You’ve probably heard that Demon’s Souls is hard. Pshh. Lots of
games are hard. Some are even harder than this one. The difficulty is not the
point. What sets Demon's Souls apart is the way that it doesn't just kill you,
but also stomps on your genitals when you’re down. And it will make you
realize that that’s what you needed all along.


It’s a lot like life. Sometimes in life you win, and sometimes the
giant armored skeleton stabs your face off because the flying mantis monster
you didn’t even see shot you in the back with a spike at just
the wrong time. And when that happens in life, do you respawn at the same spot
and carry on like nothing happened? NO, asshole. You go back to the beginning
of the level, leaving all your hard-earned souls out there on the pavement, and
you fight your way back. And you learn a lesson from the whole thing, because
you should have been wearing your Thief’s Ring, now shouldn’t you?
That’s life.


The trend in hard games these days is to unlock “Easy” mode for
you once you’ve died enough times. Do you think Demon’s Souls does
that? Do you think Demon’s Souls is so much as aware of the concept of
“Easy” mode? NO IT IS NOT. If Demon’s Souls even knew we were
talking about “Easy” mode, it would come over here and kick the
:bou::bou::bou::bou: out of all of us. And we would deserve it.


I’ll tell you what happens in Demon’s Souls when you die. You
come back as a ghost with your health capped at half.
And when you keep on dying, the alignment of the world turns black and the
enemies get harder. That’s right, when you fail in this
game, it gets harder. Why? Because fuck you is why.


Have I told you about the online elements? At any time when you’re in
Body form, another player from anywhere else in the world can invade your
game and murder you to regain his own body, or just to keep you on your
toes. This happens when you’re in the middle of fighting armies of unthinkable
monsters that are probably already three-quarters of the way towards killing
you. And no, you cannot opt out of this feature! This is what
you signed up for when you agreed to be a man.


When this happened to me -- when a guy strolled into my game like it was
Taco Bell and exploded my torso, costing me my body and all my progress in the
level -- was I mad? No, because I was too busy being in awe at how fucking
hardcore the experience was.


Now, don’t let this dissuade you. Demon’s Souls is a pitiless
master, but let it never be said that it is not fair. The game rewards
handsomely those who stand up to it, and the greater the challenge, the greater
the glory.


What the hell are you waiting for?”

Timekeeper sent this to me in an email like an hour ago.

[McLovin']

In Demon's Souls, game beats you.

[ljkkjlcm9]

The amazing part about Demon's Souls is that all of that is true, and it just makes you love it that much more. It's really hard to comprehend how it does this, but it just does.

THE JACKEL

[Yeargdribble]

The amazing part about Demon's Souls is that all of that is true, and it just makes you love it that much more. It's really hard to comprehend how it does this, but it just does.

THE JACKAL

And there's just no real way to explain this to people. If you given them a basic description they'd be amazed anyone would play money for it, but it's something special and nigh unexplainable. You love it so much more for all of the abuse. If the game were a breeze I wouldn't give a crap about i.

[Bolivar]

Thought you guys might be interested to know, I think none of us believed this could happen, but Demon's Souls actually won 2009 Game of the Year from a major gaming media outlet.

Gamespot.

Game of the Year Category - GameSpot's Best Games of 2009 (http://www.gamespot.com/best-of/game-of-the-year/index.html?tag=topslot;img;1)

A lot of the video is them talking about the game's mechanics as opposed to why they think it's game of the year, but after that there's plenty of talk about the incredible situations the game puts you in, especially in multiplayer.

Essentially, they confidently say that Demon's Souls is the best and most innovative game of the year.

Some balls, man. Balls.

[Slothy]

The amazing part about Demon's Souls is that all of that is true, and it just makes you love it that much more. It's really hard to comprehend how it does this, but it just does.

THE JACKAL

And there's just no real way to explain this to people. If you given them a basic description they'd be amazed anyone would play money for it, but it's something special and nigh unexplainable. You love it so much more for all of the abuse. If the game were a breeze I wouldn't give a crap about i.

I don't think it's that hard to explain really. I think what it comes down to is that in spite of how incredibly brutal and unforgiving it can be it is first and foremost a very fair game. It seems odd to say that, but there are very few situations the game puts you in where you have no chance of survival. Often your death was a simple matter of doing something wrong and it's usually pretty obvious how you could do better next time.

I think if the game didn't make every death a learning experience then no one would play it at all. Being hard but fair is fun, but if a game is hard because there was nothing you could do, or you can't figure out what you should do differently then it just ends up being frustrating.