Demon's Souls, why so popular?

[Kanlic]

With the recent news of Demon's Souls success, I was curious as to why this brutally hard game remains to be such a phenomena in the gaming community when it seems like every new iteration of a game that comes out seems easier and easier.

URL
http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/99980-Demons-Souls-Sales-Triple-Expectations

My theory is that Demon's Souls is able to bring about a cinematic experience (sorry for the gamespot diction) while keeping the feel of an online game. It is like the developers saw that most MMO gamers treat their adventures as single player experiences and decided to make it a more polished experience. So what are your thoughts escapies?

 

[Demons_Bane]

With the recent news of Demon's Souls success, I was curious as to why this brutally hard game remains to be such a phenomena in the gaming community when it seems like every new iteration of a game that comes out seems easier and easier.

URL
http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/99980-Demons-Souls-Sales-Triple-Expectations

My theory is that Demon's Souls is able to bring about a cinematic experience (sorry for the gamespot diction) while keeping the feel of an online game. It is like the developers saw that most MMO gamers treat their adventures as single player experiences and decided to make it a more polished experience. So what are your thoughts escapies?

Pretty much what you said it forces people to work together in different new ways and also pushes the player to think about combat. What about monster hunter those games are brutally difficult to new people and yet they are loved in Japan.

 

[King of the Sandbox]

I've been eager to try this game, but the difficulty everyone kept mentioning put me off. Maybe I should give it another look.

 

[cj_iwakura]

I wonder how many of those people who bought the game subsequently sold it after dying horribly.

 

[Rewold]

Really eager to get this game, if there is any left. I decided to wait until I get HD-tv but damn it's hard. The hardness of the game and the combat are the things I am waiting for.

 

[Beartrucci]

I was going to import it last week, but then I went and spent my money on tickets to see Behemoth the other night. Money well spent for sure.

 

[Erana]

My theory?
Its a decent product. If the worst games in existence, with absolutely no meritable aspect whatsoever, has a fanbase, well-crafted games are going to have some sort of fanbase.
(This can prolly be safely applied to every, "Why is X so popular" thread, honestly.)

It makes me happy to see that someone's asking "why is this popular," and making a constructive analysis out of it.

 

[Melion]

Because those people are masochists.

 

[Lucane]

Regardless of how many times you go though Demon's Souls if you get too cocky it can and will kill you.

The best part about it is that it can constantly keep you on the razors edge of fearing for your virtual life that most other games lose touch on with having quick saves and or check points everytime you enter a closed door or room/hall,Which adds to the statisfaction of clearing a tricky hall of enemy soldier/monsters or after 10min.(If you unlocked the shortcuts and came back)or 30min clearing your way carefully to the area's Main Demon and defeat them you can't but feel like a Hero/Kick-Ass(In spirit of a certain movie coming out tomorrow.)

Plus the gameplay is solid it gives you a variety of ways to handle any sicuation melee,bows/crossbows,magic or parrying and countering with an area of weapons spells it also has plenty of secrets and sites to discover that are in no way needed but amazing to collect or find.

Edit:

Because those people are masochists.

Actually if you get good enough I'd say it's possible to get to a point where most (A.I.)opponents can never even lay a hand on you sense thier starting points/paths never change though the (Player Character)Black Phantoms are able to be just as versatile as you.

 

[Timbydude]

It was pretty innovative with its online features and actually using difficulty as a gameplay mechanic. It went beyond the philosophy of making a game hard just for challenge, and instead changing it up so that the difficulty of the game became crucial when considering a strategy for a certain area.

 

[Jekken6]

Because it has excellent gameplay and art design.

 

[xavierxenon]

I've been eager to try this game, but the difficulty everyone kept mentioning put me off. Maybe I should give it another look.

Its quite the oposite for me, its the difficulty thats actually drawring me in. It was the same with Ninja Gaiden 2 and that was something I'm glad I bought.

 

[Kanlic]

My theory?
Its a decent product. If the worst games in existence, with absolutely no meritable aspect whatsoever, has a fanbase, well-crafted games are going to have some sort of fanbase.
(This can prolly be safely applied to every, "Why is X so popular" thread, honestly.)

It makes me happy to see that someone's asking "why is this popular," and making a constructive analysis out of it.

Thanks,
I am almost too scared to respond to this in the chance that my original will be muddied up by what I am about to say, but I will not deny the fact that I am infatuated with this game. I think it took a good step for innovations sake, and that it was able to take a risky premise and blossom it into a cult classic. My worry is that the fanbase that this game built up will have too many leaches known as fan-boys. With a game that is so far left of the field, I have this growing sense that its fans will spit on any change that will come to the inevitable sequel. Its going to give me a headache when I have to start sifting through all the forum flame wars, what have you, just to find a decent discussion about the merit of whatever "improvement" there might be.

Imagine how ticked off will the fan-boys would be if they found out that there would be no penalty for dying

 

[Erana]

My theory?
Its a decent product. If the worst games in existence, with absolutely no meritable aspect whatsoever, has a fanbase, well-crafted games are going to have some sort of fanbase.
(This can prolly be safely applied to every, "Why is X so popular" thread, honestly.)

It makes me happy to see that someone's asking "why is this popular," and making a constructive analysis out of it.

Thanks,
I am almost too scared to respond to this in the chance that my original will be muddied up by what I am about to say, but I will not deny the fact that I am infatuated with this game. I think it took a good step for innovations sake, and that it was able to take a risky premise and blossom it into a cult classic. My worry is that the fanbase that this game built up will have too many leaches known as fan-boys. With a game that is so far left of the field, I have this growing sense that its fans will spit on any change that will come to the inevitable sequel. Its going to give me a headache when I have to start sifting through all the forum flame wars, what have you, just to find a decent discussion about the merit of whatever "improvement" there might be.

Imagine how ticked off will the fan-boys would be if they found out that there would be no penalty for dying

That, my fellow Escapist, is something we must all fear for our favorite series. In such an occasion, real discussions are pretty much limited to a select few friends who prioritize keeping things friendly over proving a point.
Look on the bright side: it will never be as bad as trying to discuss Halo.

 

[Cinnonym]

The difficulty only makes me want to play it more, actually...

 

[Pimppeter2]

Because of that sweet moment right after you win and right before the authorities take you away for calling an inanimate object a dirty dirty whore.

 

[thenoblitt]

It wasnt as hard as everybody made it out to be, but don't get me wrong it was still pretty hard, the reason i like it is cause it made me feel like i was really exploring places and finding treasure and what not

 

[Kanlic]

That, my fellow Escapist, is something we must all fear for our favorite series. In such an occasion, real discussions are pretty much limited to a select few friends who prioritize keeping things friendly over proving a point.
Look on the bright side: it will never be as bad as trying to discuss Halo.

That is probably the most intelligent thing I have heard all day