PSX Extreme: Demon's Souls Review

The game isn't scheduled to release in the US until October 6, but PSX Extreme already has a lengthy and in-depth review for one of the PS3's best. Demon's Souls is truly an excellent title for the hardcore RPGer!

[Lfmesquite]

This game looks like junk to me, just looking at gameplay videos it looks like a slow and clunky beatem up game with B level presentation. (It has a little bit of a LAIR look to it.)

But it's received pretty strong reviews. I gotta atleast try it, but from the videos, it just doesn't look good to me.

EDIT: I'm also gonna predict low sales, we're talking Valkyria Chronicles and Folklore kind of sales.

I hope I'm wrong but I usually ain't.

[zenosaga04]

What are you talking about Valkyria Chronicles sold over 500,000 copies, contrary to popular beliefe that's extremely well for such a niche title.

[raztad]

Give it a try before to jump to conclusions. I have a very strong feeling about this game. Game promise to be challenging but awesome. Many have imported and played it.

Demons Souls sold very well in Japan, probably it wont sell that well in NA but I dont think Atlus is really concerned, they will allocate few copies, so I preordered mine long time ago.

[Major_Tom]

I can tell from your comment that you're gonna try it and then ragequit so hard cuz' the game kicks your ass.

[BiggCMan]

i really feel bad for people like you that care for sales so much, AND also think 500k in sales is bad, cuz it certainly isnt. just because something doesnt sell as much as simple minded games like halos 8 mil plus, doesnt mean its bad, on the contrary, there normally better.

[GameGambits]

I predict RPG of 2009, except in Japan it'll be FF13.

I've played it, beat it, and loved it. If you aren't a panzy and can stand about a solid 8-10 hours of dying a lot, then you'll be treated to a top notch quality game.

Has anyone ever even read a bad review for this game yet or had someone who imported it tell you it sucks? That many people can't be wrong can they? It'll be a game that pleases the majority who try it.

[Pennywise]

Surprise, surprise.

[Baka-akaB]

@zenosaga04

That's the kind of BS i never really understands from poster and the press ...

Valkyria chronicles isnt supposed to sell better . It's a tactical rpg for christ's sake ... since when do they sell 500k without the name final fantasy or super robot taisen attached to it ??

Hell disgaea is supposed to be a success in the US , but how many do you think own the game ? Not that many , it's a niche genre period .

Sega itself never really commented upon what you guys kept calling a failure , and yet rleased a whole anime for it , re released the game with a newfound success again , and planned sequels ...
I still seek what part is a failure , and when was the last time sega made million sellers rpgs ..

Now back to the topic at hand , and first poster . I say go with your gut and dont bother ...
I disagree with pretty much everything you said , but your entitled to your opinion . I dunno wich videos you saw , but with hundreds available between trailers and entire runs , if it doesnt appeal to you by now , dont bother with it .

Last thing the game imo need is people going to it just "because it got good reviews" only to be disgusted by it's difficulty . though i suppose atlus wouldnt mind the money .

[FlatulentGhost]

8.8 is laughably low. This is the masterpiece rpg fans have been waiting for.

This game is so satisfying. It's challenging, not hard. It gives you that sense of accomplishment making your way through the game.

The people who have been raving about in Japan and who have imported it have universally praised this game as being one of their all time favorites.

[Sarcasm]

The first trailers of the game made it look like Junk. Heck, some current trailers make it look like junk.

But this might be one of those games where you just need to play it to understand.

I'm on the fence about it though. Not because I'm not interested or anything, but everyone keeps saying how hard it is.

Don't get me wrong, I love a challenge. But if it's anything like NGS it might not be for me.

[poeo]

see, thats the thing... the game looked "like junk" to me too. i might have even used those exact words. people recommended for me to import the game a few months ago, and i was like "seriously? that game looks like a boringly brown mindless hack 'n slash fest"

then i read the Eurogamer review. and admitted to myself i was wrong, and imported the game immediately. then anxiously waited for the game counting days (i never do that), and when i got it, i played it for about 3 months straight. 300 hours in the game clock so far. and it's one of the best games i have ever played, it's absolutely filled with "WOW" and "holy sh*t!" moments. absolutely STELLAR game, full of awesome and those special little things that make it a true classic for me.

edit: and btw, the game looks MUCH better on your hdtv than in any youtube videos. it's a good looking game imo, the environments are really atmospheric and creepy, and the characters' armor etc look pretty realistic thanks to the detailed lighting and shadowing. and with ZERO pop-in (only game this gen pretty much where i have never ever seen any instance of pop-in) it looks very solid and polished.

[el_bandito]

LOL. The game rocks. I'm playing the asian/english version. To the impatient,careless and cranky, be prepared to strap your controllers to your hands. You would want to throw them occasionally while playing this game because this game has got to be one of the more challenging and unforgiving games of recent.

[divideby0]

read some of the reviews...you are totally and completely in the minority...

[Daver]

I cant wait for this game!! I'm not even a rpg fan and anyway its not totally an rpg from what i saw. Ive been convincing myself to not import it lol and now i only have few more weeks to wait

This is my most anticipated game this year with uncharted 2

[Ravage27]

Yes it doesn't have the polished graphics of FF13, but that has to be expected since DS doesn't have a FF13-budget or FF13-development time.

Trust me, the graphics are GOOD enough. It has the dark atmosphere is extremely well-done and it has the BEST gameplay of all Action-RPGs i've played thus far(Sorry KH). The replayability of this game is also well above market standards. Even if you are not planning to spend time on the deep Tendency mechanism(which unlocks new paths and events), prepare to easily sink in at least 60+ hours into the main game. Not to mention it has a NewGame+(+++) mode which WILL stun you by rocketing up the difficulty even further!

If you consider yourself a hardcore gamer and have the slightest bit of interest in skill-based swordfighting or dungeon crawling please do yourself a favour and at least rent it(and bear with the steep inital difficulty curve). You will definitely love it if it's your type of game.

[The Great Melon]

I along with many others never paid much attention to this game, but after reading several reviews and user reviews I will definitely get it.

@poeo

If there is no pop-in, that is already an amazing feature. I don't mind games if they lack a little in the graphics department but make up in the presentation. Having gorgeously rendered trees is nice, but when they pop in two feet away, there is something wrong with the game.

[Marceles]

"I hope I'm wrong but I usually ain't."

(facepalm) dude...please. your attempt to tightrope fanboyism is horrible

"Well sounds like the game will suck...but they say it doesn't so....maybe it will...but maybe it won't...I think it won't...but sales...buh buh buh buh buh"

Shut up.

[Nikuma]

This game is my GotY by far. Best game I've played this gen. It's simple amazing.

The amount of oh sh!t moments in this game is off the wall.

*walks into boss room and sees flamelurker break through the wall holding him and jump down to greet me*

Me: "oh sh!t, I'm dead"

(1 min later)

Me: *Dead*

[beavis4play]

seriously, i've never seen ONE post from you on any thread that makes much sense. and your comments on demon souls are waaaaaaaaaaay off base as well.

[ThanatosDMC]

Chances are though American reviewers will hate this game to death since they'll complain how hard it was. Remember DMC3 when it first came out on the US? The initial difficulty was set on Hard Mode compared to the DMC3 Special Edition.

[DonCorneo]

casual POS like Dirt 2 and guitar hero 5 get 9's and a masterpiece like demon's souls can't. looks like reviewers these days love easy game, prince of persia last year comes to mind.

the review talks about satisfaction. man, that evoked the rooftop scene in shawshank redemption where in the guys are drinking beer and andy dufresne smiling.

[raztad]

Agree.

Game puts some people off because it's "hard". WTF? If game is hard but not cheap it is all good.

[UnSelf]

lol that scene is one of my favorite movie scenes of all time

[Kamikaze135]

As much as Demon's Souls deserves a 10 to us hardcore gamers...games like Guitar Hero, Dirt, etc, are games that appeal more to the casual crowd along with the hardcore. Demon's Souls is strictly a game for the hardcore. If it only appeals to one crowd, then it'll most likely receive lower ratings than the mainstream games.

It's completely unfair to the developers because their games aren't given an equal chance like the more popular games are, but that's life. I just wish journalist weren't biased in anyway when it came to video games.

Oh well, I just hope people give it a chance and I can't wait till I get my hands on it =D

[koehler83]

The game certainly hasn't ramped up my hypemeter but it definitely looks new and different and I'm looking forward to getting my hands on it. I'm just concerned about the timing it will get in my hands here in Canada and how Uncharted 2 might obstruct it. Either way I've pre-ordered it. It will arrive at some point.

[Blasphemy]

Well I think it's dumb that you can't play with friends. In this day and age you should be able to play with your friends at ease. Japanese developers are so behind times when it comes to online gaming.

[poeo]

trust me, this game is not behind the times... if anything it's well ahead of its time! the way multiplayer is seamlessly (well there are load times though) integrated into single player is just amazing and i've never played anything like it. in what other game do you see other players' ghosts fading in and out of existance? that alone is so awesome... you'll see ghosts fighting enemies you have already defetead... you see them fall to their death.. you see them doing funny stuff like continuous dodges or waving their hands etc :P and those are all other players who are unaware of you seeing them.. and others can see you do stuff without you knowing. it's innovative and totally AWESOME!

and the fact that there's no invites etc was a conscious design choice, and you'd understand it if you played it. this IS mainly a single player game, it's meant to immerse you into its world... like Ico. like Oblivion. (how would these games been with invites and voice chat? lol).

[ThanatosDMC]

You can play with your friends easy. The only thing is you need to be at least 10 lvls or less away from each other and drop a Blue Soul Stone somewhere where other people could not easily summon you or your friends.

The problem with this however is that you have to call your friends since Demons' Souls does not have voice chat support.

Also, there's an unwritten rule to bow down when you get summoned. A-holes normally get ranked down. I have a lot of S and A but one D since i just stood there and watch the person that summoned me die against a Black Phantom.

[FLOWCity]

Imported this but didn't enjoy it due to the way online is set up. To play with a friend is a hassle due to the requirement of finding orbs and having to meet at a certain spot at the same exact time..

WTF Happened to sending a invite to each other..WAY TO FAIL

[raztad]

From what I've read game doesnt want you to play with friends.

EDIT: I'm wondering why I got a disagree when I said something true.
You are not supposed to play with friends online, thats the way the game is set.

[Baka-akaB]

well they went an original way , you just arent suppose to easily choose who to group with . And as expected some wont like this ... but like pretty much everything harsh within the game , it's all part of a mood , setting , and the whole game .

Even the way you meet or see other players is part of the ambiance and story . Deal with it , or dont .

[FLOWCity]

Have you played the game to make such a comment? Having a awkward set up to play with others is not contributing to the story AT ALL..Especially when they are promoting coop as a big feature

[Baka-akaB]

Cry me more rivers .. i actual have since it's HK release , and it rocked .

Like i said it's part of it , like the lack of chat , and if you dont get it or can't deal with it , dont even bother .

It was no surprise or misleadingly advertised feature , they always gave the infos straight up and has been now for months before atlus decided to release the game , and re-explained again by atlus .

[FLOWCity]

By your way of thinking broken things should stay broken because thats the way it was meant to be..Okay..I've had it since release also and I can't overlook bad things just because I like it..

[Baka-akaB]

They intended it like this , and it's actually working the way they intended .

YOU find it broken because you dont like it and that's pretty much it .
And so far the online feature hasnt really divided the D souls community .

There are various reasons the game is supposed to be for a niche . i'm not saying that it's for a select few elites , that would be crap and BS , but it means it's not for everyone's taste period .

Again those that can't deal with it have so any other games available , while there is hardly another demon souls out there

[poeo]

eww, invites and/or voice chat would f*cking ruin the game. it's designed as mainly a single player game that focuses heavily on ATMOSPHERE, and i mean heavily, there's not even any music (except boss battles). if you had kids and idiots screaming "f*g" every two minutes, the game would not work as intended. it would be horrible.

i'm such a huge fan of the online portion that all these demands to make it like _everything else_ (go play RE5 co-op or COD Zombies or whatever if you just wanna have fun with friends) is really maddening to me. Demon's Souls is my favorite online game on PS3 BECAUSE of the fact that it's so tightly integrated into the single player that it doesnt ruin the immersion at all.

and besides, it IS easy to play with friends as long as they are around the same level (im lvl 175 and can play with anyone from 155-195). i play with people on my friends list every day, only takes a few seconds to agree where to meet up... it's not that hard.

[Baka-akaB]

I can only wholeheartly agree with Poeo here .
It's all part of the settings and mood of the game . And to this day , the online is quite active between pvp and grouping . I dunno how the us will fare , but the asian servers are still thriving and lively .

And like said above , if you really wanna break the game's mold and go against said online designs , you even still can .

[Scarecrows]

im a ps3 fanboy. get it?

[wxer]

WTF ?
dude
grow the f*ck up

[Kamikaze135]

He's only kidding around...perhaps you're the one who needs to grow up since you're offended by this comment >_>

[UnSelf]

i get it

[wxer]

@Kamikaze135
im not offended man
but comon hes acting like a kid

[LTC]

Didn't like it and sold it. Good game let down by insane difficulty.

[UnSelf]

(preorders) :)

[UnSelf]

(preorders)

[Etseix]

1 word
weak ;D

(preorders)

[Baka-akaB]

One thing bother me still ... what' with the talk about music tracks ? The game mostly leaves you with ambiance sounds , wich is great and one of the numerous details , like the online who makes the experience .
I can only guess atlus decided the game needed some soundtrack , wich i find rather meh ..

[poeo]

what?

the music is AWESOME. subtle and creepy most of the time, and works very well. i've listened to the soundtrack a lot, my fave this gen along the MGS4 soundtrack.

[Baka-akaB]

I'm not disputing that , it's just that it's supposed to be subtle and often absent , and to me the review sounded as if the game had the usual ambient music . As if atlus added more
Unless i badly interpreted .

[Ravage27]

you know, the random change of music in area 1 of tower of latria really makes my hair stands on end everytime i hear it :p

Atlus better not change that!

[FiftyFourPointTwo]

This game deserves more love.

[Redempteur]

"I’m also not the biggest fan of the character taking time to eat a health item; these few seconds will often translate to death because it’s not an instant rejuvenation like we had in old RPGs. This is more accurate, of course, but in a land of magic and dragons, are we really going for a simulated feel?"

Well you got simulated enough i think .. Those little details are what is making Demon soul awesome really .

[itchy18]

i'm gonna get this together with uncharted 2!! wooho

[raztad]

Me too. In fact I'm gonna get both of them AND R&C:ACiT. I cant help myself with so much awesomeness coming to a shop near of me.

[aldesko]

I guess this will be my '09 Valkyria Chronicles. When I saw a preview of VC last year I was like "eh...", but broke down and picked it up after it got great reviews... and loved it. Very good game.

[ElementX]

I almost imported the foreign version because it has English language also, but I think I'm going to wait for the North American release next month. I've read so many good things about this game! I hear it's hard and somewhat frustrating, but not "throw your controller against the wall frustrating" (as I call it)

[Veneno]

Think before you comment. you sound ignorant. Do I sound familiar?

[poeo]

8.8 is too low for this game, really.

i put it above MGS4, above LBP and above KZ2 as far as PS3 exclusives go. it's just so full of awesome moments, and the gameplay is OH SO satisfying and innovative: i just killed about 20 (!) skilled japanese players in a row who invaded my game (i was waiting for them prepared lol), same guys who kept killing me constantly when i was a noob... you can imagine the feeling of satisfaction when i 1-hit kill them with a precise backstab with my favorite weapon the Sharp Sais +5 :)

edit: here's another cool thing about the game... can you believe that i have about 10 people on my friends list just because they wanted to literally HOLD a rare weapon of mine in the game? lol. im not kidding. and about another 10 people have msg'd me about the weapon and asked to have it if just for a moment LOL. if you play it you'll eventually understand why stuff like this might happen ;) it's actually quite funny, the word of my weapon has gone far, i feel like an in-game celebrity! HAHA. and the cool thing is, i didnt earn the weapon myself, some random japanese player summoned me into his game just to give it to me, and then banished me. and i was noob i didnt understand what the hell was going on... only later i discovered how rare that weapon is...

i cant help but love this game to death. and i had serious doubts... i can only thank the random person who first told me to import it (sadly i ignored him at first..).

[Baka-akaB]

I can only hope the us (and eu ?) version will be as lively and active .

The game is pretty much what oblivion imo could have and should have been . But let's get credit to King's field instead anyway , it's a magnificient return of sort of king's field .

[JonnyBigBoss]

This game is underrated. I think people should definitely be on the lookout for its release.

[Sukebe_Gamer]

great score, i'm gonna have to pick this game up for sure. i really enjoy challenging games. what other games would you guys recommend? it doesn't matter what genre. i play them all except RTS and Hentai games, but if it gives players that sense of accomplishment i'll give it a try.

[Baka-akaB]

sadly there arent that many challenging games in this gen . hell even action ones now abuses QTE instead of letting you actually "fight the fight!" .

Killzone 2 was challenging enough lately as a solo fps , especially if you crank up the difficulty .

There is the mandatory mention of Ninja Gaiden 1 and 2 , be it on 360 or ps3 .
And a few oldschool stuff like Ikaruga .

And stuff on hardest settings such as DDR , rb/gh .

[Sukebe_Gamer]

thank you for taking the time to list those games for me. i've played KZ2 and NG series and absolutely love them. i agree with what you say in terms of alot action games implementing QTE. i wonder why devs only decide to go with a single button QTE? why not make it a little more challenging? simultaneous multiple button input? especially if you're playing on a harder setting. i have not played GH/RB yet. the reason why is rather silly. i simply just dont have enough room in my apt because i'm a pack rat. but i'm moving to a place with a little more room at the end of the month so i will definitely pick it up then.

[Sez]

Wow. I would have thought being this is a official PS site. They would have giving it a 10/10. Guess they are bias too.

[wxer]

so 8.8 / 10 is bad ?

[Sez]

whoa.no need to get your panties in a bunch. i never said it was a bad score. sonyfanboys feel if a sony exclusive doesn't score a 9 or 10. then the site is bias. maybe you need to talk to your fellow fanboys. ;)

[wxer]

its not like that but the way that you said it
seemed like you dissed the game

actually im cool with 8.8 and im getting it dayone
this game looks soo cool
ppl saying its hard but hell im not a n00b
lol

[Scarecrows]

its JOKES. anyone who takes this serious is rediculous.

[wxer]

ok
my bad
:)

[Scarecrows]

worries brah

[Noctis Aftermath]

Man, i've been eyeing up this game for a while and as the US release approaches i just hear more and more good things about it and may end up pre-ordering it soon, damn all this positive feedback!

[bageara]

but from the great reviews its been getting and the fact everyone whose played it says its extremely difficult i really cant wait to try it out myself, also....im a bit scared.lol. definate import for me

[RadientFlux]

I might have to give this game a try/rent in October.

[Darkfiber]

Why do people care about numbers? Read the review, it's actually pretty fair. I completely ignored the number review, 8.8 means nothing. It's a great game, and I love the atmosphere and feel of the game. It's very immersive and really makes you feel like you are there, barely scraping by, and knowing that you could die at any second. It feels very realistic for a fantasy game.

[foxtheory]

but this looks phenomenal! It's my favorite kind of gameplay and I could always use a guide if it gets to the point where I want to throw the disc out of my window. From what I've heard, it's a great experience that I really don't want to miss because of the difficulty. And every review/importer says it's amazing, so I'm gonna take their word for and get this one.