Demon's Souls - Review

[Barrichello]

Has anyone else played this amazing game yet? or been reading up about it? Its only available in Asia at present, all though some people have been importing it (been out since feb 2009) gets its us/euro release this october.

Friend of mine came back from HK with it and i played it last night, i had heard about it and read the great reviews but to get to play it was a treat. If you love Action RPG games will be right up your street. Is kind of like a mix of a dark version of the Oblivion rpg/God of War like action game. Action wise think God of War but with full rpg elements. Choose 1 of 10 class's/level up etc increases skills/stats/emchant items. Its not just a simple hack and slash, when fighting certain mobs/bosses you really have to be tactical in your approach ensuring to parry shield block and dodge and get critical hits on enemy weak spots - and the bosses are massive. Its great single player experience but apparently reading reviews the co-op multiplayer is awesome.


Heres some screenshots....








Full review is here, 9/10 seems about right to me.....
http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/de...-review?page=1

A brand new video review, shows all the rpg elements (watch in HD)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pAh5u3usc30

Overall have to say im really impressed with what i have seen. Think this game would also go down well on the PC (not sure if this will be a PS3 exclusive or not)

Just cant decide if to import this now or wait for october. Chances of borrowing my mates copy is pretty slim as this game is meant to be incredibly tough (hes not even 25% in yet he reckons)

[rover214]

Really looking forward to this title since seeing it about 18 months ago,

sounds like it's a tough game tho, from the review -

"When you die in Demon's Souls - and you will die, a lot - you lose your physical body, becoming a soul with half a health bar (although in practice it's more like a three quarters, as there's a ring in the very first world that lets you cling a little closer to life). The only way to get it back is to kill a boss monster."

[gtech]

Thanks for the heads-up B, never seen or heard of this and those screens do it for me. Will definately check this one out play asia here i come ooo £39.94 on there...

[Barrichello]

Originally Posted by gtech

Thanks for the heads-up B, never seen or heard of this and those screens do it for me. Will definately check this one out play asia here i come ooo £39.94 on there...

Yeah the £39.94 on playasia is the correct version. Its the region free English + Chinese version. The other one is full Japanese. Im really thinking about getting it myself now, dont think i can wait until October. Really is that good.

Just been reading some other reviews, and this just about sums it up for me....

Demon’s Souls is right up there with the deepest computer Role-players from days long gone, and easily eclipses any other console offering in the depth department (save maybe Oblivion). This depth comes at a price, as it makes the game nigh impenetrable for people not used to this degree of detail and effort. If you’re an old school table-top dice roller, or have a history with stuff like the Elder Scrolls and Might & Magic series’, you’ll have no trouble adjusting. If you’re not used to a game that doesn’t do any kind of hand-holding, and delivers swift, harsh punishment to the careless, maybe Demon’s Souls isn’t for you.

[Barrichello]

Gtech, I am weak...........

I have just gone and placed a order online at Renchi http://www.renchi.com/renchi/PS3_Gam...s_Souls_AS.htm

(playusa have long leadtime 2 weeks - and i just noticed they no longer deliver to Europe?)

[sp3n]

i have had this for a few months now - i coughed up £50 on an import version, nice to see that its cheaper now
incredibly hard game, it really is the hardest game i have ever played - its not a case of if you die, its a case of when you die and how many times! but this is how you learn to play the game, i think the clue is on the cover of the box to be honest, as in the player is dead!



the multiplayer features really bring this game to life, seeing other players spirits while you play, helping other players defeat bosses to regain your soul or invading other players games and facing them as a end of level boss!

if only i could cure my street fighter 4 addiction - i could spend some more time on this game

[gtech]

Originally Posted by Barrichello

Gtech, I am weak...........

But your weakness is going to get you a bloody good game by the sounds of it.. I will have to wait until next week though as i've just come back from Turkey and i'm skint. Although i can see a weak looking credit card very close to me...

Cheers for the Renchi link.

The dead guy on the cover is class. Yup that'll be me next week.

[Ferral]

Yeah, looks pretty good, also looking forward to Darksiders

[Barrichello]

Originally Posted by sp3n

incredibly hard game, it really is the hardest game i have ever played - its not a case of if you die, its a case of when you die and how many times! but this is how you learn to play the game

Originally Posted by gtech

The dead guy on the cover is class. Yup that'll be me next week.

lol, yeah i have read about how tough it is, my mate is really stuck at the moment. There is a 192 page guide for this game, but think i would hold of unless it gets suicidal. They reckon its about 100+ hours of gameplay (don't think that amount includes all the dieing though)

Love what someone said in reviews....

Demons Souls is the only RPG game you will need. Just get demons souls. Lock yourself in your room and cackle manically as it takes over your life.

No other games to really get into at the moment so it looks like it will be this

Let us know how you get on sp3n/gtech(when you get yours)

[Barrichello]

Very fast turnaround from ordering last Thursday, my copy arrived from Hong Kong yesterday, and i have jumped right in this already "cult" classic game it would appear (crazy to think its been around since January)

Can see why this game is so popular, and it will be near on criminal if this does not get a European release.

I logged in fine to the main game servers and autopatched to 1.4

I loved games like the previous morrowinds and Oblivion and witcher but this just flows so much better. Has the same depth with all the stats/class/items etc, but just so much more engrossing and deep to play imo. Getting used to the different forms (ie fighting in soul form when against bosses to begin with etc, the way the demons souls work gets some getting used to) Still can not get my head around that if you are online at the time, how you can invade another persons game in soul form to regain your body

Rolled a Temple Knight to start of with, nice shield/halberd combo, and start with some Miracles as well which is nice to get me through the starting stages. Just need to make sure i get a sword asap to swap around with for indoor fighting, as the halberd is so restrictive (understandably in tight tunnels)

For those of you not sure about ordering this from abroad, i can confirm that the Asian version is indeed in both English/Chinese. Its totally English text/voice over etc ingame, its just the main manual which is chinese, but nice to see they have accommodated importers of this game though as they have though included a game card this is fully in English with all the moves/key assignments and explanations to get you started.

Best resource out there though for this game has to be this... http://demonssouls.wikidot.com/intro

Has a wealth of detail on all the weapon stats/items equipment and creatures you will encounter, seems to give enough info without "spoilers" if you only read certain parts.

Combat wise already getting used to using L1 and L2 to block and riposte attacks, and timing the R1 and R2 attacks when the enemy is opend up.

Fighting the bosses seems to remind me of my WOW days, the bosses seem to have "phases" where you have to approach the boss differently. Im currently at the first boss Phalanx and i can see what they mean about the difficulty, but then i really had no strategy for this encounter, just went in meleeing.

Round two tonight then

[Barrichello]

wow this game is challenging

Just killed the first boss Phalanx and i have to agree this game is very tough. Died loads of times but finally beating the boss is so rewarding when that Achievement pops up at the end

So 1 boss down, 14 to go

My gear is really starting to get better now, got the bastard sword for 2 handed action on the lesser mobs when its in crowded courtyards etc and Scimitar +1 along with the large purple flame shield from the 2 dragons on the tough guards and in the passageways. Got loads of souls to start upgrading my stats, going + Strength first.




Going to also roll another character now for comparison to do same level see how it works out, the thief/rogue looks pretty cool. Much faster, lightly armoured so more dodging/rolling around opponents to swiftly open them up rather than tanking damage.

Thief looks good......

[Barrichello]

Not had much time to play over last few weeks (work been busy ) but had a good weekend session.

Boss 2 "Tower Knight" is now down, very tough fight at first. This guy is huge can you can see by the pic........



Doesn't help that he has 10 crossbow men around him on the walls as well (worked out best to kill them first)

Tactically a tough fight due to his AOE shield slam and the fact that you have to knock him to the ground many times so you can get to melee his head/shoulder areas and each time he fell i seemed to be under him, or only just roll out of the way at last minute if lucky.

Im now soul level 26, boosted up my endurance and strength mostly. Have upgraded the bastard sword +2, and got light crossbow and a few nice side drops.

To the rest of you awaiting your copy if you get stuck later in the game give me a shout, can soul summon to assist if needed in your game - wish i had some co-op help for this boss like these guys had.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rbb5gBxO8dU

I want to try get some more Turpentine for the fire sword buff like you see in the vid above at 2:12 - a fair few mobs/boss's have low Fire resistance in this game.

Loving this game.

[roorooroo]

Videos look impressive..still pondering whether to buy it or not..lol..are there any puzzles or is it just mainly hack and slash?

[Barrichello]

Originally Posted by roorooroo

Videos look impressive..still pondering whether to buy it or not..lol..are there any puzzles or is it just mainly hack and slash?

Hi roo, well its got some puzzle elements during the game, but nothing to taxing tbh. Open levers for doors here and there on other side of map to exit and spot hidden areas etc. Although im sure i will find more, but i have barely scratched the surface off this game.

In regard to hack and slash some vids on you tube may show this but from my experience people that hack and slash randomly at mobs will not get to far. For example the Red/blue eye knights you will die fast fighting like that. Reading up on forums this seems to bear out. More experienced gamers who have actually completed this game, which in itself is rather godlike (we talking super ghouls and ghosts/contra toughness here ) - they have said you really need to fight smart to progress.

A good example here, this is only the first level, if you jump to 7:35min of this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0MIfCEPDU94 this guy is fighting the "blue eye" knight which is the easier of the two, yet you can see how he has to approach it, lots of block/parry/riposte (having to keep eye on your stamina bottom bar and hp top bar in this fight) when the player attacks you can see he uses both light attack and heavy and you can see the stamina bar drops fast, if you have no stamina and you are shield or weapon blocking the opponent will break through your defence. As i said this is only the first level, later in the game it gets tougher, that one lesser knight took 1 minute to kill and hes not even a boss


Also btw if you are thinking about purchasing then movietyme now have it up on their site ready for the october release, just under 1 month to release £37.99 inc postage -
http://www.movietyme.com/catalog/pro...ducts_id=46260



Kind of crazy i know but im actually thinking of buying the US deluxe edition as well for the 150 page book and music cd..... http://www.demons-souls.com/artbook_cd.html

[roorooroo]

Cheers for the info Barrichello..looks like a lot of fun as you say..gotta make my mind up before the US release eh..lol..
That art book looks rather well done too..thanks also for the movietyme link..cheapest i've seen so far.
Good luck on buying the deluxe version..i remember when bundled books, posters, maps and such were the norm in those massive game boxes back in the day.

Ta, Roo

[Barrichello]

Its now out in the US and getting rave reviews as I expected. Here is a brand new US review from gamespot. Allot more detailed than the Asian reviews we had (and in HD as well).....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8kUDZYfBugA


When he says its the hardest game you will play all year, but is one of the best hes talking the truth

My god its tough, only killed one more boss since tower knight. Managed to kill the Armoured Spider boss after quite a few attempts!!

Oh yeah also a new official wilki is available as well.... http://www.demons-souls.com/wiki/