"Demon's Souls"

Also, the White Knight Chronicles released date hasn't been announced yet and that is a far more mainstream RPG. But then this is already prepared for western consumption with a few bug fixes in the localization.

Slabbathepave wrote:
Before i go ahead and make this ineviatbly huge mistake, are their any drawbacks? How will i get round any announced dlc? will i be able to play online with others in pal territories? will it be compatible with other versions of the game if it ever gets a pal release?

I dont buy alot of import stuff, usually only old school snes titles so i am unclear as to the rules and regulations of online usage.

Thanks in advance folks.

Easy. Chinese/Japanese PSN account plus pre-pay PSN card off eBay. That'll solve your DLC issues.

I've played people from all over the place so far. Whether the same set of servers will be used for any future US/EU versions I don't know. IF other territories get their own version I'd imagine they'd use those same servers. There are very few games with regional multiplayer in my experience.

Hehe playing through this again to see about the unique NPCs that I missed. Quite nuts really.

I absolutely love getting invaded by Black Phantoms to then kick their arse. Gets the adrenaline going so well.

Edited by disc at 12:55:29 02-04-2009

There just aint anything quite like that. PVP in MMOs sure but this is on a completely different level.

Can someone assist? PLEASE?

I've been dying quite spectacularly for a week and a half now and very much enjoying the game. Probably the best game I've played on any platform.

Lvl 26 Temple Knight with a +5 long sword. Completed 1-1 and 1-2 bosses, killed red eyed phantom and red dragon but I can't get through the large door after the Tower Knight.

So... how do I get to 1-3. I know I'll be missing something obvious but would appreciate your guidance. Thanks.

Mandrake01 wrote:
Can someone assist? PLEASE?

I've been dying quite spectacularly for a week and a half now and very much enjoying the game. Probably the best game I've played on any platform.

Lvl 26 Temple Knight with a +5 long sword. Completed 1-1 and 1-2 bosses, killed red eyed phantom and red dragon but I can't get through the large door after the Tower Knight.

So... how do I get to 1-3. I know I'll be missing something obvious but would appreciate your guidance. Thanks.

Kill any other x-3 boss

Cheers. Looks like many more deaths and loads of lost hours ahead. I had just assumed you needed to play each area through to the end. Ta.

The other starting areas are much easier than 1-2.

disc wrote:
There just aint anything quite like that. PVP in MMOs sure but this is on a completely different level.

Yup. This is what PvP should be all about.

Even in MMOs it devolves into who has the best gear. In this you can have all the gear under the sun, but if you can't fight with any degree of proficiency you'll get royally dicked.

The fear when you're invaded can be palpable. There aren't many times when I genuinely brick it in a game, but Demon's Souls has managed to get the pulse racing on a few occasions.

The rush and trepidation you get while hunting someone is a winner too. Especially if they're hiding in the depths of Stonefang; so many places to hide and so many places to die. Shield bashing people into lava, down cliffs, mine shafts or into gangs of mobs will never get old.

The whole tendency/soul form mechanic compels you to engage in PvP, and the fact that its almost non-consensual is a massive bonus. I hate games that pussify PvP. There should always be a sense of risk or loss, else you may as well not bother. From have got this absolutely spot on as far as risk vs reward is concerned.


Edited by phatb0y at 15:35:04 02-04-2009

Bloody hell phatb0y, you've single-handedly sold me this game based on that post.

If I had a PS3, that is.

I tend to hate non-consensual PvP - much prefer pussy PvP. However it just fits well in this game. There is so much risk in the game without the hand holding and save file safety of other titles it makes it a very tense but pleasurable experience.

Peter Molyneux recently stated that the basis for the death mechanic in Fable 2 was because they found dying so tedious in Fable 1. For me they fixed the wrong thing. If playing back to where you died is so tedious then maybe you should be looking at your core gameplay? I'm being a bit harsh because they were trying to make a game much more inclusive. I think they ended up removing the challenge, the tension and the sense of achievement though. Demon's Soul is such a refreshing change from the current trends in gaming in this regard.

I've been playing Demon's Soul and I've loved it so far! :)

Been playing for a couple of days, blood hell it is good, also tough.

do you not find the "go all the way back" when you die a bit harsh?

also I killed the first boss, then I could carry on or go back to Nexus, if I carried on past more slug things then a bridge with a dragon, where does it lead?

when I went back to Nexus how do you get to 1-2, as it does not say level numbers as best I can see, just the name of the place?

Edited by aeschylus at 10:11:00 05-04-2009

In the Nexus you get a portal for each boss you slay. 1-2 basically refers to portal at the first boss.

I would recommend you looking in all the other worlds, you will get some nice items in each area. Don't worry about completing them.

aeschylus wrote:
do you not find the "go all the way back" when you die a bit harsh?

It's pretty harsh but adds a hell of a lot to the game in terms of tension and atmosphere.

Been chacking e-bay alot recently but i just cant justify £60 for a game. I cant think of anything else i would rather play right now though.

Think i'll give it a few more months and hope for a pal release or drop in price.

Can someone please post a link to that 10 min YT vid of the guy stalking another as a black phantom? I can't get to YT at work :(. ta.

Uhm so you want the Youtube video but not?

Stalking in 1-3 - The aspect ratio is wrong in that video :)

I had a stalker after me in the beginning of that level but I attacked him from the back at the point where the assassins usually are :)

Thanks. Yes I wanted the video link, even thought I cannot watch it here.

I have yet to try playing as a Black Demon, just wouldn't feel right. I have no problem kicking their arses when they go after me and I enjoy it a lot but actually going in to kill another player... in this game... that really is evil.

Edited by disc at 13:32:51 06-04-2009

It's a nice cheap way of getting your body back, but I've felt pretty bad after doing it, especially if they're a good way into the level :(

At what point do you pick up the invade-a-stone magic object?

ccfb wrote:
At what point do you pick up the invade-a-stone magic object?

I got mine in 2-2

Sold mine, feel a bit of a failure, but going back to the beginning of the level each death finally got to me so much so that I wanted to insert my controller into the telly.

the game is brilliant, if only they made it so you restarted just a bit back, like when you load your saved game, I appreciate the cheat is there to do that. and I also know a lot of you like going back, but today I had 1200 souls, died and then died a stupid death going back to body. and that was me done.



Edited by aeschylus at 21:44:40 06-04-2009

Shame. It's happened to me a number of times with 20k souls and more, and it is rather upsetting, but it's never felt unfair. If I screw up I want to go back and do better, or tackle another area first and improve my stats and gear before going back.

I guess if you don't enjoy the combat and the atmosphere enough to keep going through the same areas then I guess you won't get along with the game. Personally I just can't get enough of it. 60+ hours now and still a good way off finishing it.

The one problem I do have is that I'm too nervous/wary of entering boss fights, to the point where I'll play through areas several times but constantly chicken out and decide to go back and spend my souls or explore another area before getting to the boss. It takes me ages to make any real progress! I still do this despite the fact that, bar one or two, most boss fights so far have actually been pretty easy.

I lost 60k after I had finished a Black Demon and felt great about it. Thought I could rush back to the point I died and get it back but I fumbled against a pack of the easier enemies and got myself killed.

For me the kind of risk they use is what makes the game great. And what makes me play New Game + which is more challenging, even though I'm level 90.



Edited by disc at 01:00:03 08-04-2009

I got my 2nd character through to New Game Plus last night. Very different experience as my hunter is extremely weak in defence. The blueblood sword helped for attacking the final boss but one of his attacks floored me in one hit every time.Eventually got a mate to co-op me through it ( I helped him get to the boss then he helped me get past the boss ... nice exchange I thought :) ). Took about 35 hrs this time instead of 60+ and I still havent seen anywhere close to all of it.

Going to take a break for a couple of weeks ( if I can stay away from it ) then get my first character (mage) through NG+. Absolutely ( for me ) the best game this gen. So much so that it's made me much less enthusiastic about the other games that are out there right now than I would have been. It's become my benchmark.

@disc and JinTypeNoir - you both seem to have your finger on the pulse re: imports. Anything you'd recommend that I may have missed on import which might scratch the Demon's souls itch?

@Dr H and anyone else wanting to bank souls. I can heartily recommend the "Evacuate" miracle. Gets you straight back to the Nexus without running back to an archstone. ;)

w00t! Finally got a copy of this. Started playing last night, I love it, but fook me I die a lot!
Couple of quick questions, am I supposed to be defeated by the very first Vanguard boss I meet? The big Cthulu'esque troll after the tutorial level? Where do I upgrade my stats etc... I heard mention of the Black Maiden but shes not in the nexus (unless shes the statue I cant interact with yet?) Many thanks in advance!

You're not supposed to beat the tutorial boss, no (although it is possible). The Maiden in Black doesn't appear until you beat the first boss in the castle area, so you can't level up until then.