Zero Punctuation: Demon's Souls

[Etheo]

I think I owe Demon's Souls an apology.

After this review and the extra punctuation on it I argued in Yahtzee's defense to an extent saying that I didn't like the idea of the no checkpoint thing and games being obnoxiously hard, etc.

Well all the talk about the game made me really want to try it out if only to see how hard it really was. Lacking a means to rent games I watched a playthrough of a few levels on youtube and thought it didn't look that bad.

So I bought the game and to be honest I freaking love it. More surprising is the fact that I really haven't died much. I made some noobish mistakes in the first real level. The flamelurker is hard so he killed me a couple of times (but that doesn't even matter because you can get back to his room in like 2 minutes). And aside from a stray death here and there I've gotten through large chunks of the game intact.

Surviving is especially easy if you summon allies. I think Yahtzee was really approaching this game with the wrong mindset. Prioritize your life, not the death's of your enemies, and you won't have to redo it (mostly).

Also whoever said the game doesn't have checkpoints is kind of lying. Every door you open or switch you activate, etc, stays activated after you die. That means you can open a gate that serves as a shortcut letting you bypass large sections of the level in the event of a death. So yeah you have to redo a bit but honestly you can cut out like 10-15 minute sections with a shortcut and some levels have multiple shortcuts.

Thank you for truth.

I have really come to terms with people not understanding this game until they try it. As one of those who recommended this game to Yahtzee, I'm really disappointed he didn't get to see the game thru for what it is. Having said that, it speaks volumes when someone whom had this inaccurate view of the game, took upon their own hands to try the game and ended up loving it.

Honestly, don't take anybody's words for this games - experience it for yourself. Rent it or something.

 

[snowman6251]

Thank you for truth.

I have really come to terms with people not understanding this game until they try it. As one of those who recommended this game to Yahtzee, I'm really disappointed he didn't get to see the game thru for what it is. Having said that, it speaks volumes when someone whom had this inaccurate view of the game, took upon their own hands to try the game and ended up loving it.

Honestly, don't take anybody's words for this games - experience it for yourself. Rent it or something.

I'd also like to add that I have been unable to name my favorite games this year because I haven't actually finished Demon's Souls. I want to finish it so I know whether it will rise to the number one spot, as opposed to Assassins Creed II, for my personal game of the year.

I find that it continues to get better with time and the more I play it the more I like it. I just picked up Istarelle and that self revival spell and honestly it gets better with every second. It also gets easier as you go along, save the few exceptionally difficult bosses like the Flamelurker.

Level 1-1 gave me about as much trouble as any level from that point on due to being so poorly geared and such (well 4-2 is a pain too) so I think if Yahtzee kept playing it may have grown on him. Unlikely but maybe.

Who knows maybe he was playing as the magician which would certainly explain a lot of his frustration early in the game.

 

[Exploding8]

First I'd like to say that I am surprised and saddened people take Yahtzee's reviews seriously. I've always viewed them as being meant purely for a few minutes of entertainment and amusement, and not to be taken seriously when deciding whether to play a game or not.

The actual reason for this post was to link to this funny comment (about Demon's Souls, of course) I found earlier today.
http://www.reddit.com/r/gaming/comments/acz2t/let_me_tell%20_you_about_demons_souls/

Good stuff.

 

[RamboThePuppy]

Well like Gametrailers said in their preview:
The Game is REALLY hard, but it also throws a few bones in your way,
as for example a ring that gives you more health in soul form lays somewhere in the first part of the first level.
Besides that there is a way you can get even more health in soul form, than in your real body form...just don't know how to do it.
BUT the very cool thing about Demon's Souls is that it doesn't really matter which class you take in the beginning, because you can adjust every class in the way you want and if you want to, you could make a magician carrying the heavyest weapon and armor you can get in the game.

(I played this game together with a friend of mine and I found the heavyest sword in the whole game, my friend saw it and wanted to train, therefore we could hold this thing in one hand. Now we also have endurance maxed out and we can make only three hits with this weapon...three...very slow hits...that deal MASSIVE DAMAGE =3)

 

[TylerC]

Did I hear Yahtzee say "******"?

Wow.

 

[Death_Wish01]

Seems like Yahtzee got his ass handed to him from this game. That's a world first.

 

[mGoLos]

Aww too bad. It's truly a great game when you get into it. Hell, the real Demon's Souls begin at the second playthrough - You get to keep your gear, but the difficulty gets ramped even higher.

Winning this game actually MATTERS. It's not a given - oh no, but best of luck to you.

 

[sneakysnake128]

I found Demon's Souls to be relatively easy. Going through the game the first time I only died 23 times whereas others have died 60+. After that I beat it two more times, the New Game+ being the hardest playthrough of any of them.

 

[FretfulGnome]

This and Bayonetta are the only games that make me wish I had a console.

 

[Kstreitenfeld]

I recently just bought a PS3, and I have to say that I am in love with Demons Souls.

Now this game may seem impossibly hard, but that couldn't be further from the truth. The only thing you need to enjoy this game is patience, and lots of it.

Every tough enemy you encounter, has a weakness (or two) and can be easily beat if you know how. The minor minions are *just* hard enough to keep you on your toes without being deadly (honestly you should never die to the regular enemies.)

In the end its a very rewarding game and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good RPG.

 

[Seddah]

What are you talking about, Yahtzee? I LOVE egg and cress sandwiches!

 

[generalidea]

Ha Ha Ha, it's as if people forget beating ghosts and goblins! Suck it up, stickbundles! XD

 

[insertclevernamehere]

It's good to see checking through here (don't ask why ) that a few people who were gonna pass because of Yahtzee's review played it anyway and loved it. It's a fantastic game, one of the best this gen, and I have no doubt in 20 years it will be looked back on as a classic.

This really wasn't a game for Yahtzee to enjoy, he has to play a whole game every single solitary week. Demon's Souls has quite a few levels and you're lucky if you can get through more than one in a day. Some may even take 2 full days of intense playing. It involves a lot of patience and dedication to playing and mastering it, but if you do the reward is great and the game is more fun than just about anything on the market. Yahtzee simply doesn't have the time or the patience to enjoy this. Made for a funny review though.

 

[boyitsme95]

I have Demon's Souls and must say I like it a lot. Or I should say liked it a lot. Yea see, when you play this game you die a lot, but the frustrating part is it is always your fault. One never dies and says, "That was bullshit! I dodged and his sword magically increased it's reach by two invisible feet!" You say, "Damn it! I back stepped as he did his heavy attack, which shoots a wind blast out! I should have rolled, backed away a little and healed!" You'll die and it will always be your fault. The game has this nasty habit of killing you once so you know what happens, so one-hit-kills are a normal occurrence, to the extent of every other level is either a one-hit-kill attack or something capable of killing you so very very quickly. Imagine walking and every alternate step your knee quivers, with a chance of giving out. You come to expect it, and your family will come to expect your screams of profanity. The reason I said "used to" is I have been playing the past two weeks straight and have not stopped, but the game has angered me to the point of playing Killzone 2 multiplayer or MGS: Online and contemplating never going back. See, the levels after 1-1 are open ended, meaning levels 2-1, 3-1, 4-1, and 5-1 are as hard as each other, but 1-2 is significantly harder. Now, I have beaten every single level, of four per level, until the only one left is 1-4, the last boss of that world. I approached the boss and after his health lowered to about half I was finally hit by an attack he has of raising one arm as it glows and grabbing forward. It was "Soul Suck", and it stole one level.
Let me say this again. In Demon's Souls you get souls from enemies. These are used to level up your character. When you spend souls to level a single stat, say Strength, it raises you by one "Soul Level". So 66 Soul levels means you upgraded any stat 65 times. When you upgrade a stat it will cost more to upgrade another one. So at level 1 it cost maybe 250 souls, and at level 55 it costs 25,000 souls, regardless of what skill you pick. Only upgrade Strength it still costs more for Endurance.
Now, I got around 26,000 souls and upgraded my Strength stat, allowing me to finally use a sword I had. I go to the boss and after half way he hits me with "Soul Suck", or as I call it, "FUCKING BULLSHIT". I lose a level and can't use my sword. I have no weapon. I pull out my ok bow. I can't block his "Instant travel up to you and swing" move. I die.
The short version?
HE STOLE MY LEVEL, NULLIFYING MY SWORD, AND STABBED ME WITH AN ALMOST UNBLOCKABLE MOVE AND I DIED.
Stealing levels is a step to far. I will probably play again. But I am sore. Oh so sore.

 

[Ickorus]

This game looks a bit like Deathtrap Dungeon.

I'm hoping for a European release since i haven't played it but love the look. My friend did get an american copy of it and he says its great and told me a way to beat the tutorial boss.

 

[psycoking]

I have Demon's Souls and must say I like it a lot. Or I should say liked it a lot. Yea see, when you play this game you die a lot, but the frustrating part is it is always your fault. One never dies and says, "That was bullshit! I dodged and his sword magically increased it's reach by two invisible feet!" You say, "Damn it! I back stepped as he did his heavy attack, which shoots a wind blast out! I should have rolled, backed away a little and healed!" You'll die and it will always be your fault. The game has this nasty habit of killing you once so you know what happens, so one-hit-kills are a normal occurrence, to the extent of every other level is either a one-hit-kill attack or something capable of killing you so very very quickly. Imagine walking and every alternate step your knee quivers, with a chance of giving out. You come to expect it, and your family will come to expect your screams of profanity. The reason I said "used to" is I have been playing the past two weeks straight and have not stopped, but the game has angered me to the point of playing Killzone 2 multiplayer or MGS: Online and contemplating never going back. See, the levels after 1-1 are open ended, meaning levels 2-1, 3-1, 4-1, and 5-1 are as hard as each other, but 1-2 is significantly harder. Now, I have beaten every single level, of four per level, until the only one left is 1-4, the last boss of that world. I approached the boss and after his health lowered to about half I was finally hit by an attack he has of raising one arm as it glows and grabbing forward. It was "Soul Suck", and it stole one level.
Let me say this again. In Demon's Souls you get souls from enemies. These are used to level up your character. When you spend souls to level a single stat, say Strength, it raises you by one "Soul Level". So 66 Soul levels means you upgraded any stat 65 times. When you upgrade a stat it will cost more to upgrade another one. So at level 1 it cost maybe 250 souls, and at level 55 it costs 25,000 souls, regardless of what skill you pick. Only upgrade Strength it still costs more for Endurance.
Now, I got around 26,000 souls and upgraded my Strength stat, allowing me to finally use a sword I had. I go to the boss and after half way he hits me with "Soul Suck", or as I call it, "FUCKING BULLSHIT". I lose a level and can't use my sword. I have no weapon. I pull out my ok bow. I can't block his "Instant travel up to you and swing" move. I die.
The short version?
HE STOLE MY LEVEL, NULLIFYING MY SWORD, AND STABBED ME WITH AN ALMOST UNBLOCKABLE MOVE AND I DIED.
Stealing levels is a step to far. I will probably play again. But I am sore. Oh so sore.

Wow. Quite a bit of bad luck. I'm not sure if you were using your sword two handed,but you can wield weapons up to 1.5x your strength if you two hand them. I got hit by soul suck twice when fighting the final boss, so I know how much it sucks. Luckily he telegraphs the attack, so I learned to stay the hell away from him whenever his fist starts glowing. He's also worth a ton of XP, which kinda makes up for the lost levels. Good luck if you still haven't beat him. Of course the great thing about beating Demon's Souls is New Game+. Demon's Souls is almost different game (and a bit easier) when you start out fully equipped. You feel a bit more like a hero and less like some dude in way over his head.

 

[merkaba48]

My friend talked a lot about this game, including about how ruthless it was, so I ended up buying it. Reading Yahtzee's review was hilarious to me because every account of the actions of the game were completely accurate.

However, the game is really not as hard as it is made out to be. I think this is something that is either a blessing or a curse for the game, that it has this reputation for being 'very hard'. The truth is, it's not that hard - but it is punishing. This is practically a theme of the game, though.

Psycoking nailed it earlier; the game is all about learning from your mistakes; and you WILL make mistakes. Sometimes these mistakes are quite innocent things, but you will learn not to do that again, and if you read other player's messages you will nearly always have a warning of danger. There are also the blood stains to see how other people have died in that area.

Beside all that, I love Demon's Souls not just because of its game-play, but also the style and atmosphere. The game doesn't even pretend to have a story line - it gives you a context, and then gives you 5 stunning worlds each with their own host of horrifying creatures. Cutscenes are nearly always visual and not dialogue-oriented. The environments and atmospheres are simply superb, the kind that will suck you deep inside the game world.

Playing this game is a rewarding experience, if you can accept the old school style of punishment. It is by no means impossible, and dying is just a part of the game (as it should be).

Thinking about it, so many action games nowadays consider death to be a minor inconvenience; Modern Warfare with its multitude of checkpoints and get-your-health-back-by-waiting, Bioshock and its revitalising chambers, to name a couple. It's nice to see a game that actually punishes you for dying, but makes it part of the journey.

It's a shame Yahtzee got turned off by this game so soon, but I sure found his review funny.

 

[merkaba48]

TL;DR:

Demon's Souls is really, really awesome. The review is very funny. Yahtzee sucks at playing games.

Also it hasn't sold nearly as many copies as it should.

 

[Hunter.Wolf]

I'm shocked, not by Yhatzee Review but by the people's reactions .. WOW .. some people actually base their decision "not to buy" the game on a comical review like that ... seriously guys go check some serious gaming sites out there .. this game is game of the year material and is one excellent game ... Yhatzee review are always entertaining and fun specially how he pokes games with his non-stop monolouges and all .. but to make a desicion like that based on his reviews .. lols .. what's with gamers these days XD

And yeah ... part of what he said is true ... the game is hard .. hmmm .. rather challenging .. and it will slap you on the face few times .. but it will always be your fault ... if you learn from your mistakes and other players and get some help (from other players joining your game) and some rare items (exploration is very rewarding here .. *gasps*)the difficulty curve eases up and you really enjoy the game for what it is .. a challenging, captivating, rewarding and very atmospheric RPG .. and one of the best games in 2009 and one of the best games overall on the PS3.

I also have to add that almost every person complaining about the game is playing it WRONG ... and no you don't need online guides to play it right .. just be observant and use your brain, eyes and ears .. in this game .. knowledge is truly power.

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Oh ... and one more thing Yahtzee got wrong .... there is a reason why is it called "Demon's Souls" as opposed to "Demon Souls" .. Yahtzee considered the developers living in a cave for using old english .. well .. HELLO .. that's the theme of the game .. all the in-game dialogue uses old english and that add tons of atmosphere to the game .. not to mention the voice acting is really superb too ... better than having games like Prince of Persia 2008 in which a Persian prince and a princess speak as if they are from new work (i remember yhatzee commented on that too .. so i wonder how did he miss this one)