Zero Punctuation: Demon's Souls
- Thread starter Yahtzee Croshaw
- Start date
Hey his voice sounds different! Whats up with that? Huh guys??!! I bet they replaced him with someone else! I bet its Jon Ethridge doing the voice now!
Hmm. I totally expected Yahtzee to comment on the lack of story, or rather the small tidbits of story that is provided you in a confusing manner that really doesn't amount to anything until you complete the game.
I like Demon's Souls. I consider it less a game and more a simulation. Simulations tend to try for as much realism as possible at the expense of ease or even fun. What I found rewarding is that I could pick up Demon's Souls and play through the first level and then later on I found that I could clear through the earlier levels easier not simply because my stats were better but because I understood how to play better. The game rewarded me for learning when to use caution and when to run as fast as I could. It reminded me of the old text based rogue-like games, only a little less brutal in its random events.
I never had that kind of problem with the dodging. But then I was always more of a shield guy. If I am trying to dodge, I'd keep myself locked on the enemy and dodge to the side, or back and to the side. The game rewards you for cautious play and making smart maneuvers rather than relying on a one button does all defensive maneuver. Also how far you dodge and how quickly you dodge were directly proportional to your stats, being an RPG and all.
My buddies and myself also found some enjoyment in watching each other's play throughs and how we each died, learning how the level goes so each of us learns a little bit more. Also the game uses a state save like system, so your progress is saved but death is still a very real issue since you can't simply quit and reload. Later on in the game you gain more items and abilities to resurrect yourself without having to kill a boss.
Mostly though I agree with Yahtzee's overall assessment. This game is not for everybody. The challenge is the main appeal and while atmospheric and well done this is definitely a rental. If you can get past the first stage without throwing your controller in frustration, you'll find it all gets easier from there.
I like Demon's Souls. I consider it less a game and more a simulation. Simulations tend to try for as much realism as possible at the expense of ease or even fun. What I found rewarding is that I could pick up Demon's Souls and play through the first level and then later on I found that I could clear through the earlier levels easier not simply because my stats were better but because I understood how to play better. The game rewarded me for learning when to use caution and when to run as fast as I could. It reminded me of the old text based rogue-like games, only a little less brutal in its random events.
I never had that kind of problem with the dodging. But then I was always more of a shield guy. If I am trying to dodge, I'd keep myself locked on the enemy and dodge to the side, or back and to the side. The game rewards you for cautious play and making smart maneuvers rather than relying on a one button does all defensive maneuver. Also how far you dodge and how quickly you dodge were directly proportional to your stats, being an RPG and all.
My buddies and myself also found some enjoyment in watching each other's play throughs and how we each died, learning how the level goes so each of us learns a little bit more. Also the game uses a state save like system, so your progress is saved but death is still a very real issue since you can't simply quit and reload. Later on in the game you gain more items and abilities to resurrect yourself without having to kill a boss.
Actually you'd be wrong. Blocking is a system of shield/weapon value combined with stamina. As long as you have stamina and a weapon/shield with a good defense rating, you'll take zero to little damage. The game is very much about playing defensively against most of the basic demon types.SnootyEnglishman said:
Mostly though I agree with Yahtzee's overall assessment. This game is not for everybody. The challenge is the main appeal and while atmospheric and well done this is definitely a rental. If you can get past the first stage without throwing your controller in frustration, you'll find it all gets easier from there.
I've been wanting to post a rant like this for a while...as I said I don't know why I even click the comments if I know they're going to piss me off. Every time I go to comment I realize I have to register and back down, but for people not to buy a wonderful game like Demon's Souls based on Yahtzee not giving it a fair chance really irritated me into action.Casual Shinji said:
I mean, if you don't like hard games, fine, don't play them. It's not like this game hides that it's hard. But also don't complain when the game turns out to actually be hard. It's not like this game is like IWBTG where the game just hates you. This game always plays fair within the rules it sets up.
Haha! I know exactly how he feels. The same thing happened to me on the first couple levels, including the Red Dragon thing. But, once you learn the levels, and if you roll Royal (or learn Soul Arrow), the game becomes way easier. After Tower Knight (1-2) you can also do a little leveling, and from there can get the Purple Flame Shield. It's just a matter of beating the first hump.
I really enjoyed this game once I got past the first hump.. until world 4. God, that world made me nerd rage. If he thought the first world was bad, he didn't even get to the ballbuster that is World 4 (Ironically, the bosses are easy, but the level itself can go fuck itself).
I think it's very true that this game really is far too punishing on the player. They could have eased up a little and kept the game awesome.
I really enjoyed this game once I got past the first hump.. until world 4. God, that world made me nerd rage. If he thought the first world was bad, he didn't even get to the ballbuster that is World 4 (Ironically, the bosses are easy, but the level itself can go fuck itself).
I think it's very true that this game really is far too punishing on the player. They could have eased up a little and kept the game awesome.
Wow what an untruthful review. First of all, yes, there are no checkpoints, but throughout each level you open up shortcuts so you don't need to do all the backtracking.
Second, dodging works wonderfully. If the enemy takes another swipe, dodge again. Roll to the Side. Block. Parry, then counter. Run around him and stab him in the back for a nice little cinematic. Don't cry like a little baby when the coddling of contemporary mainstream gaming leaves you flat on your face.
Lastly, in the aforementioned level 1-2 the dogs aren't that ravenous, and the soldiers are hardly "elite". You just don't know how to play the game.
Sad that when a game breaks away from the widespread conventions that are diluting and ruining our gaming experiences, it gets criticized. But then again, this is Yahtzee, and if he doesn't arbitrarily reach for straws for insults that make the review "witty" and funny, no one will watch his videos and The Escapist will lose advertising revenue.
I think gaming is dead.
Second, dodging works wonderfully. If the enemy takes another swipe, dodge again. Roll to the Side. Block. Parry, then counter. Run around him and stab him in the back for a nice little cinematic. Don't cry like a little baby when the coddling of contemporary mainstream gaming leaves you flat on your face.
Lastly, in the aforementioned level 1-2 the dogs aren't that ravenous, and the soldiers are hardly "elite". You just don't know how to play the game.
Sad that when a game breaks away from the widespread conventions that are diluting and ruining our gaming experiences, it gets criticized. But then again, this is Yahtzee, and if he doesn't arbitrarily reach for straws for insults that make the review "witty" and funny, no one will watch his videos and The Escapist will lose advertising revenue.
I think gaming is dead.
thanks for tearing this game a new one, i feel its justice for the tearing me apart when i played the damn game
So yahtzee got his ass kicked by the game and soo stoped playing it...would you like me too make you a nice bubble bath so you can clean your massive vagina. The part you were talking about where you fight a knight and some bowmen i will admit was very hard, they killed me about seven times before i finally got past it and even then the boss ended up killing me. But by the time my second character came into exsistence i was left woundering what made that part so hard in the first place. Quite frankly the title for Demon's Souls (i love it and i still hate the name) should have been "Demon's Souls pussies need not apply"
Why does Yahtzee's voice sound different?
I really enjoyed this ZP, I can't put my finger on why though!
Better go watch it again.
I really enjoyed this ZP, I can't put my finger on why though!
Better go watch it again.
My good lord, are you the best troll in the world or something?.Multi-Kill said:
Demon's Souls is NOT HARD, (that's what people say because they play it like diablo), Demon's souls is just unforgiving : if you fuck up, you'll die and have to start over. (and yeah charging blindly, not paying attention to your environment, not taking 10sec to use your brain to determine what tactic you should be using IS fucking up).
The review was very funny cause I experienced exactly the same thing when I first played it, problem is that was only the first 2-3 hours and the game only shine after that, when you finally understand that this is NOT a hack'n slash and should not be played like one, if yatzee has 10 more hours to offer this game I'm sure the complete review would be even funnier.
Other opinions http://www.reddit.com/r/gaming/comments/acz2t/let_me_tell_you_about_demons_souls/
The review was very funny cause I experienced exactly the same thing when I first played it, problem is that was only the first 2-3 hours and the game only shine after that, when you finally understand that this is NOT a hack'n slash and should not be played like one, if yatzee has 10 more hours to offer this game I'm sure the complete review would be even funnier.
Other opinions http://www.reddit.com/r/gaming/comments/acz2t/let_me_tell_you_about_demons_souls/
It -doesn't- completely screw you over. Every death in the game is avoidable. NONE of them are cheap, and all of them can be averted in multiple ways.geldonyetich said:
It's finding those ways that's the challenge. And dying isn't 'GAME OVER' it's 'Well, you made a mistake. Don't do that again.'
Sometimes it takes time to figure things out. You might have to grind a bit. But... it's not cheap. It's challenging.
But then again, it's not a singleplayer FPS, so it's not Yahtzee's cup of tea. Just like his review of NSMBWii-- Says that it's rehashing, without understanding that some people WANT an old-school mario platformer. Just because we have 3d graphics cards doesn't mean these games suck or are no longer 'fun'.