Demon's Souls - Catch All

I finally got to see the Gametrailers review and it looks pretty solid - hopefully I can find an EB that stocks it in the area. I have high doubts the Future Shop/Best Buys around here will be carrying it.

Thanks for the newbie tips, started over as a Royal and had a much better time of it.

Swat wrote:

I finally got to see the Gametrailers review and it looks pretty solid - hopefully I can find an EB that stocks it in the area. I have high doubts the Future Shop/Best Buys around here will be carrying it.

Bestbuy's have it here in canada

Yay! I got the game. Boo! My PS3 doesn't read bluray anymore.

Lothar wrote:
Swat wrote:

I finally got to see the Gametrailers review and it looks pretty solid - hopefully I can find an EB that stocks it in the area. I have high doubts the Future Shop/Best Buys around here will be carrying it.

Bestbuy's have it here in canada

Nice.. I've been losing faith in the box stores lately as they never seem to carry what I'm looking for, I hope I can snag a copy.

KillerTomato wrote:

It seems kind of difficult to compare items against each other, but maybe I'm missing something. Having to back out of the sales screen and go into the inventory to compare stats by memory is a pain.

It is somewhat difficult to compare items, but you rarely will want to buy any weapons or armor from merchants. Generally it's better to upgrade what you have or you will find better equipment throughout levels. Merchants are good for buying different weapons, like bows or a spear, as opposed to getting better weapons. They're also a good place to get herbs when you're in dire need.

Nice writeup about the rest, btw.

Woohah, I managed to "kill" that red eyes dude in 1-1.

He might be mighty with a spear, but he can't survive a 6 story fall!

Tyrian wrote:

Woohah, I managed to "kill" that red eyes dude in 1-1.

He might be mighty with a spear, but he can't survive a 6 story fall!

He actually can sometimes, so be aware of that. He gives you 2000 souls, right? That's some nice loot in the beginning of the game.

garion333 wrote:

It is somewhat difficult to compare items, but you rarely will want to buy any weapons or armor from merchants. Generally it's better to upgrade what you have or you will find better equipment throughout levels. Merchants are good for buying different weapons, like bows or a spear, as opposed to getting better weapons. They're also a good place to get herbs when you're in dire need.

Thanks - I thought I was just missing something about the merchant's wares. I've started stocking up on one-shots like herbs whenever I leave the Nexus, because history shows that the chance I'll be returning with the souls I set out with is low indeed.

They threw so many RPG mechanics out the window with Demon's Souls. When I found out that I couldn't sell anything... well, as someone who obsessively picks up every piece of crap in a game and spends hours rearranging bags to make sure I can bring it all back to town, that just blew my mind. "I should just drop this shield? But... but it's metal. And shiny. Sure it's worse than what I have now, but... you know, shiny."

Started out as a Wanderer, liked it, but after rolling a Knight and upgrading the sh*t of my Short spear (one upgrade away from the Short Spear + Lead Demon's Soul... thing) I am having a great time. Dove into 2-1 and killed the boss ( a really fun fight, by the way). Afterwords, I ran through 3-1... yeah...

Spoiler:

Nobody mentioned the Mind Flayers (octopus men). And that this place was so goddamn terrifying

All the way up to the boss. Didn't engage it, going to try tonight.

So far though, I'm hooked. This game is going to ruin me and all that I hold dear. Also, let it be known that I have never, ever sworn at my TV as much as I have playing this game.

garion333 wrote:
Tyrian wrote:

Woohah, I managed to "kill" that red eyes dude in 1-1.

He might be mighty with a spear, but he can't survive a 6 story fall!

He actually can sometimes, so be aware of that. He gives you 2000 souls, right? That's some nice loot in the beginning of the game.

Er, yikes!

He hasn't yet, thankfully. I got some spear drop off him, too... Winged Spear? It seems remarkably killer for being lvl 12.

I'm busy at work today but I had to pop into this topic to say that the past 48 hours with Demon's Souls has been one of the most entertainng gaming experiences I've had since... well... I'm not sure when.

Hands down this is my GOTY so far for this year and even with last years strong outing I like DS better than anything I've played last year. It scratches itches I didn't even realize I had.

This is an amazing game. On one hand the "gameyness" shines through with an incredible combat system but at the same time the atmosphere sucks you in to make the most immersive experience I've had since Bioshock.

The difficulty is awesome because it is based on skill and memorization instead of luck. You won't get very far at all relying on luck to get you by. Beating these levels takes a methodical, perceptive attitude. This isn't a game where you charge into a room with a fresh can of whoop-ass to unleash upon your foes. No, this game has you turning corners and entering rooms as you cower behind your shield, furtively scanning the dark edges of the screen for the ambush you know is waiting for you the moment you relax your guard.

The levels are so well crafted and paced that they are works of art. The scripted events are gritty and realistic which only further sucks you into the world. There is an unrelenting sense of dread that sticks with you and gets increasingly unsettling the deeper you go into a dungeon as the stakes rise. The boss fights I've had so far are pretty epic. My pulse really starts to pound when you go through that fog door and realize that there is no retreat. The only path is to go through the hideous boss that is before you. The panic of an unexpected boss encounter often leads to frantic running around and then a greeting from the boss by way of one-shot death. (PROTIP: The Tower Knight's 3 story-high tall sword hurts about as badly as you imagine it would. The first time I did that battle I was so awestruck that I never moved. I got one-shotted standing there staring up at it with a puddle of urine collecting at my soon to be soul-form feet.)

This game IS a reason to get a PS3 if you like methodical, detail oriented gameplay. There is something indescribable about looking out at one of the dungeons and getting owned in a seemingly impossible encounter only to master it and get through without a scratch. I think that feeling comes from the fact that you know you didn't defeat it because you got FIZZBANGS BALLS OF FIERY BALLISTICS SPELL or you put on a glowy magic fez or something. Sure, you can brute force *some* encounters with gear/stats but the majority of the game relies on player skill and observation as opposed to how many of my numbers are bigger than the enemy's.

This game feels so old school yet plays so modern.

This game owns me. I actuall got off the couch and pulled a beanbag in front of the television like I used to when I was a kid. I sat there way too close to the television for hours as I scratched and clawed my way inch by inch through the game. I still have alot to explore and I'm giddy that it looks like it will take some time to get through the whole game. I plan on savoring this as much as possible.

This definately isn't the game for everyone but it sure as hell is the game for me. I am so glad they decided to release this in the states. Hopefully it will do well enough to warrant a sequel. They could put one of these out every year and I don't see myself getting sick of the gameplay.

TLDR: I <3 DS.

Add my voice to the chorus of folks praising this game. I've only fumbled through the post-tutorial level, but I am in love with this game -- specifically the immersiveness of it. In it's dark and dangerous world, every sword swing and body roll feels accurate and weighty. Things that should kill you, do (multiple enemies, foes with better reach). Going into areas carelessly will get you murdered. You're fighting demons damn it, and the country is covered in an evil, magical fog. This isn't a situation to run in blind with all blades-a-swishing.

This stands in stark contrast to my experience in Fable 2 (which I liked). For all it's marriages, commerce and story, Fable 2 never fully grounded me in the world. Things were too easy, the combat too floaty. Demon's Souls pulls me in because it creates a feeling of danger, tension and reality.

I can't wait to get home so I can play some more.

Oh, it's good.

For those that are scared of the difficulty, like I was, don't worry. The game isn't as much difficult as it is exacting. If you take your time and pay attention, it's not as hard as a Ninja Gaiden, my personal barometer for frustration. I am generally not great at action games, and I am not having too much trouble. A lot of your early deaths will be you learning the game systems. After you get a handle on them, it becomes much easier. Plus, unlike Ninja Gaiden, you can "grind" your way past tougher spots by farming items and levels from areas you have already mastered. There are no "Almas" in the game (at least a few hours in), where if you don't have the reflexes you are screwed. The penalty for death is never too steep. It only costs you money, once you pick up an item, it's yours forever. The levels are set up in such a way that there are gates that you open that "save" your progress. So even though when you die the level "resets" with enemies, any gates you have opened stay open, allowing you shortcuts through the level. If you die fighting the boss, you don't have to go through the WHOLE level again to get back to him. That would have been a deal breaker.

I was able to get a good handle on the game mechanics by taking each of the classes through the tutorial and stopping. That way you can get a handle on one hand vs two hand, spears vs maces vs swords vs daggers, arcane vs holy magic and how to use bows.

One early tip, you can't level up your character until you beat the first boss character in the first world. Don't waste 30 minutes of your life looking for the level trainer like some people that I know.

JimmDogg wrote:

The levels are set up in such a way that there are gates that you open that "save" your progress. So even though when you die the level "resets" with enemies, any gates you have opened stay open, allowing you shortcuts through the level. If you die fighting the boss, you don't have to go through the WHOLE level again to get back to him. That would have been a deal breaker

This may have just cost me $70. Bastard.

JimmDogg wrote:

One early tip, you can't level up your character until you beat the first boss character in the first world. Don't waste 30 minutes of your life looking for the level trainer like some people that I know.

Ha! What sort of idiot would spend a half an hour looking for a trainer? HA! haha. ha.

Okay, so maybe I wasted a little time scouring every inch of the nexus looking for a trainer but that is only because I refuse to spoiler this game!

The shortcuts are definately nice. Not every level has them (at least that I've seen) but they are life savers in the levels that are tiered that way.

This game is definately not as difficult at Ninja Gaiden. Well, I take that big. This game is not as much of a physical challenge as Ninja Gaiden. NG requires fast reflexes and luck. The off-screen exploding shuriken have to be the cheapest enemy weapon in modern videogames. To be honest NG and DS are such different games they are almost uncomparable. They encourage completely different styles of gameplay and their difficulty is derived from totally different philosophies.

One game requires lightening fast hands and the other punishes you for the same thing. The first time I fought the skeletons in 4-1 they chewed me apart because I was simply spamming attack too quickly. The pace of the combat in DS makes every attack count. Once I slowed down and approached the skeletons methodically I figured out how to fight them without getting hit. In Ninja Gaiden if your character stood still for longer than 3 seconds you were guaranteed death.

Ninja Gaiden is definately a harder game in he traditional old school sense of difficulty. Demon's Souls is difficult in a way that is largely untapped by games. People who say that this is an "old school" game I dunno. I recall the "hard" games from my colecovision/nes/snes years as being hard in that Ninja Gaiden sense. There are very few games that are hard in the way that Demon's Souls is hard. (please list some if you know of any!) I'm hoping that the game is successful and this starts a trend towards more intelligent game design.

The short cuts through the levels are a big selling point. Back to the start isn't as bad as it sounds.

The other one for me is being able to save and quit at any point and pick up exactly where you left off. Even if you're chasing down your blood puddle you can do this. Given my busy work and family life these days, the only way I can play games is in short bursts.

tAoS wrote:

To be honest NG and DS are such different games they are almost incomparable. They encourage completely different styles of gameplay and their difficulty is derived from totally different philosophies.

I agree. I only used NG as an example because it's commonly used as the 'standard' for difficult gaming in the modern era. I know it's a good threshold for me. I didn't finish NG cause it was too hard. Call me a baby if you want.

DS is difficult but not in a twitch-sense. I can't think of another game like it and I think that is why it is getting so much (well-deserved) attention.

Damn me for being cheap and going with free shipping from Amazon. My copy still hasn't arrived. I hope to get it tomorrow and enjoy it a bit on the weekend along with copious amounts of turkey and pumpkin pie.

Keep the impressions coming, they're keeping me going until I get my copy.

Certis wrote:

Fallout 3 is going to have more hours of raw gameplay if that's a big concern, but they're two very different games. Demon's Souls has probably clocked close to 30 hours for me so far and I have a ways to go before I finish it. There's also a few new characters and plenty of runs at the same dungeon in that total.

My first play through took just over 50 hours. This is over double the amount of time that I personally spent with Fallout 3.

I found demon's souls to be a far more engaging experience, and I am seriously considering picking up the NA version and playing through again.

Stupid Best Buy and stupid Future Shop both didn't have this game in stock.. and they are the only two places I have a gift card for

Anyone who wants to buy the game, PM me. I'm done with this ****.

I think there is a Controller-sized hole in Glantons living room wall.

Talking about it may help. What class were you playing?

Quiet! I'm going to take advantage of his rage to get a steal on the game!

It's not the class, it's the cheap design. I can't figure out if it's intentional or not, but it is cheap. I spent so much time trying to get past the stupid castle walls and dive-bombing dragons in 1-2. Watch for the burnt stuff to see where the fire starts, oh, but look out because you can be burned to death while standing next to wood that wasn't burned the last time the dragon went over. And sometime you can sprint at the right time, to the right place, and just ... die anyway. And if you try to go around, good luck with the dogs that leap out of the darkness and make the camera and targeting system go ape****. Just now, I finally made it to the boss fight, at which I tried to sprint to the side (for the stairs behind Giant Dude) and got two-hit killed by boss attacks I couldn't see coming. And don't forget, the game is punishing me for these deaths. There's a reason some parts of game design have become old-fashioned.

Just to bring some "mental modding" into the conversation, I was disappointed that this game offers no Paladin. That's fine. I'll just make my own. Turns out, there's a sword that actually deals damage based on the wielder's faith value. Pair that up with a set of shining armor (I'm going with the Fluted), and dabble in enough spells and miracles to learn all the self buff, lo and behold, Paladin. The mental modding comes in when I forcibly give up all means of range attack. That rule may end up being broken at some point later, but I'll stick to it for as long as I have to.

CptGlanton wrote:

:lol:

It's not the class, it's the cheap design. I can't figure out if it's intentional or not, but it is cheap. I spent so much time trying to get past the stupid castle walls and dive-bombing dragons in 1-2. Watch for the burnt stuff to see where the fire starts, oh, but look out because you can be burned to death while standing next to wood that wasn't burned the last time the dragon went over. And sometime you can sprint at the right time, to the right place, and just ... die anyway. And if you try to go around, good luck with the dogs that leap out of the darkness and make the camera and targeting system go ape****. Just now, I finally made it to the boss fight, at which I tried to sprint to the side (for the stairs behind Giant Dude) and got two-hit killed by boss attacks I couldn't see coming. And don't forget, the game is punishing me for these deaths. There's a reason some parts of game design have become old-fashioned.

It begins.

Spoiler:

If you're a heavily armored class, ditch the plates and chains. Leather up if you can, or be naked if you can't. Your armor doesn't do jack against fire, and it slows you down and drains your stamina. Don't look at the rampart; look at the dragon, and see where it hits. You don't need to start right on the edge of the safe zone to make it through.

Take the low road when you can. I haven't tried, but I'm going to guess that when you can go below, you're not supposed to take the road above. The hounds have a distinct attack pattern - they pounce you once and evade side to side. Bring a polearm, or something that offers a shielded attack. The winged spear is both of these, and I find it to be perfect for hounds in a narrow corridor. You did keep your weapons, didn't you? Don't let the hounds get past you; you don't want to be surrounded. Wait for them to strike, and pierce them once they start dashing back. Approach the horde slowly, and attract one hound at a time. If I remember correctly, the most you'll get is two hounds at once with this approach.

Have you tried dashing through the boss? Just dash through him the moment you enter. All of his attacks are slow, and have very specific range.

Then you can come back to the thread and tell everyone how much easier it's all been.

I'm a Knight, if it matters. But I'm doing fine with the combat (dogs excepted). I just wasted an entire afternoon getting the hang of each part of a level to get to the boss, and not only do I die immediately from attacks I couldn't see, I get to start all the way back at the beginning with a penalty. I don't need that.

CptGlanton wrote:

I'm a Knight, if it matters. But I'm doing fine with the combat (dogs excepted). I just wasted an entire afternoon getting the hang of each part of a level to get to the boss, and not only do I die immediately from attacks I couldn't see, I get to start all the way back at the beginning with a penalty. I don't need that.

I am having the same issue but it's not really a penalty the only thing is you lose the souls, I would say just keep playing and you will be fine, it just takes sometime to get use to the game.

Wow - I was getting excited and close to hitting up Amazon for some Demon goodness. Then I see CptGlanton's frustration oozing off the screen and think "whoa, is this REALLY the kind of game I want?"

Sounds like it will be a "love it or hate it" situation, and I'm so new to my PS3 that I hardly know what I like. Except I am one that got frustrated with Little Big Planet too. . . not a good sign methinks.

Cymbrogi