Demon's Souls - Catch All

No, it's not a rare.

Well dang. It's a doozy. Fun pretending I'm the only one who ever found it.

Nice sale on PSN this week: $6 for Demon's Souls. Doesn't require online connection except for downloading. Easy buy if you've never tried Souls games. Jump in y'all!

Nice!

Man I would love to see a remastered version of this for PS4. Even the original would be nice at this point since I don't have a PS3 any more.

Thanks gg... I guess that's one way to take a dump on something fantastic

I know.. some of you like mixing your rap with your medieval themes, but I can't dig it for a second.

I guess I can say the it doesn't sound badly done?

Started this over the weekend for the 1st time. Also my very 1st souls game. Quite the contrast coming off the easy game was that mgs4 Took me about 8 hours to beat 1-1 pretty much blind. That's probably on the longer side right? I learned a ton so I assume it will be relatively smoother here on out. "Relatively" being the key word.

LaterGamer wrote:

Took me about 8 hours to beat 1-1 pretty much blind. That's probably on the longer side right?

If you did it completely blind, not necessarily. I think the simple fact that you stuck with it and weren't frustrated enough to consult a forum or guide means that you are going to do just fine with the Souls games. Learning your first is the toughest, and Demon's Souls is a pretty brutal introduction to the series. Good work!

It will be "relatively" easier from here on out Feel free to ask any questions. I know this game backwards and forwards by now, and there are still many of us more than willing to offer our knowledge.

I'm nowhere near as knowledge able in Demon's as I am in Dark, but I'll help ya out if need be. I have characters a few of different levels too, if you want some coop help.

Dyni wrote:
LaterGamer wrote:

Took me about 8 hours to beat 1-1 pretty much blind. That's probably on the longer side right?

If you did it completely blind, not necessarily. I think the simple fact that you stuck with it and weren't frustrated enough to consult a forum or guide means that you are going to do just fine with the Souls games. Learning your first is the toughest, and Demon's Souls is a pretty brutal introduction to the series. Good work!

It will be "relatively" easier from here on out Feel free to ask any questions. I know this game backwards and forwards by now, and there are still many of us more than willing to offer our knowledge.

Yeah that's not necessarily a bad time. You can't level up and you're not getting better items, so that first level is all about learning how play on a level playing field. If you're totally fresh to the game style it's a big hurdle. Interestingly Bloodborne has a similar approach. The first area is big, confusing and filled with dangers, and you can't level up until you at least see your first boss (or use a certain item)... and getting to either of those endpoints requires a ton of initial effort.

To me that's a really big difference between Demon's Souls/Bloodborne and the two Dark Souls games which suggests a slightly different trajectory - the initial barrier to entry is much softer in the Dark Souls games, though they are no less obtuse once you get deeper in.

Thanks folks. Quick update. Took me awhile to figure out that I could level up by going to the lady in black. It was getting frustrating taking on the tower knight at that level (5 maybe?). On the plus side I accumulated a ton of grass I have played 1-1 so much now that I can breeze through to level up. I did succumb to looking up a few tips, like not using the heaviest armor as a magician. Apparently that was really slowing me down on 1-2 and I did not realize it as it was so gradual. That and the accumalation of so many items. I think I just dumped 20 slave shields, among other items. Making good use of storage now. Just got through 1-2 tower knight which at first seemed impossible but when I finally defeated him it was a breeze. All probably Souls 101, but thought you all might find my experience so far amusing. I'm really enjoying that I must always be on my toes and thinking about the next strategy and the feeling of conquering an area that seemed so difficult at first. Played a bit of 2-1. Soul level 21, 14 hours.

LaterGamer wrote:

I did succumb to looking up a few tips, like not using the heaviest armor as a magician.

Oh yes! I actually hit a wall at the end of 2-2 and put the game down for a couple of months during my first run back in 2009. I could not figure out how to beat the boss at the end of that zone because I couldn't seem to block or avoid enough damage.

I had been over 50% equip burden the whole time I had been playing and had no idea that you could do something other than a fat roll if you wore lighter armor. Once I read that point online, I fired the game back up and beat that boss within 2 tries. The mobility made all of the difference for me.

And in case you hadn't noticed, there are 3 movement thresholds: Over 50% burden, 25-50% burden, and under 25% burden. Try all three and see what you feels most comfortable for you.

Well done, and I'm always eager to hear more tales from new Souls players if you feel like sharing.

So I'd intended to write up some posts as I played Demon Souls but when I had the time, I just wanted to play the game. After I beat the game, I at least wanted to post my final thoughts, but I made the mistake of writing on the ipad, glancing at another page, and then my detailed write up was gone.

Anyway, more briefly, I loved the game. Incredible world - especially 1-1-1-4 - and a great variety throughout. One of the more satisfying games I've played in recently memory. Ended up soul level 78, 45 hours. Overall, it was not as difficult as I expected (perhaps this plays a part in my satisfaction - - "If this is hard, then I am good!"). Maybe this was because I played as a magician and maybe did not play the areas in a typical fashion (i.e. found the falchion, I believe in 4-1 pretty quickly in which magic stats factor in). There also came a point where I could quickly grind a bit to level up (4-1 as well). By the time I got to the last 5 or 6 bosses, I died only 2 or 3 times. So the end was a breeze. I was expecting the difficulty to ramp up, instead of the opposite, so I'd hoarded tons of grass + souls that never were used. So, I think if I were to do it differently or give advice to a new player, I'd definitely been more liberal with item use. Its one of the few games I think I would enjoy immediately playing again if I did not need to catch up on Dark Souls 1, 2, Bloodborne (among dozens of other games - working on Peace Walker Chapter 5 right now).

Congrats on finishing this great game! I went all Magical on my first Souls game (DS1), but didn't want to do so on this one. I went Faith instead.

Anyone have a copy of this they want to part ways with? Sorry for bringing a thread back from the dead.

Balthezor wrote:

Anyone have a copy of this they want to part ways with? Sorry for bringing a thread back from the dead. :)

I'm always happy to see posts in a Souls thread.

I know digital has been cheap on PSN at times, fwiw.

I will never ever sell this game... I may never play it again, but it will stand in my memory as a giant of a game for all time.

Dakuna wrote:

I will never ever sell this game... I may never play it again, but it will stand in my memory as a giant of a game for all time.

Same here.

Damnit guys. Haha.

Sorry Balthezor... Pretty sure you can pick it up cheaply though!

I think its selling used for $10.80 on Amazon... maybe check some game shops near you as well?

Dakuna wrote:

I think its selling used for $10.80 on Amazon... maybe check some game shops near you as well?

I can still remember how exciting it was to start DeS after having loved Dark Souls. I was so excited.

Will definitely look around. Thanks guys.

@Balthezor

Sorry to pile it on, but... I too will never sell this game.

I imported mine from Japan in Summer 2009 on the strength of some glowing, but terrifying reviews, and played the hell out of it for months. I had what is still my best co-op gaming experience in NG+ (Ryorisa, are you still out there?).

Like Dakuna, I am unlikely to return to it (a friend, who played it after Dark Souls, said that it felt very clunky and nowhere near as difficult). But I still like to pick up the case from time to time to relive those Demons Souls memories.

To this day though, the Valley of Defilement can f*** off!

I'm also never selling this game.

...because I have it digitally

IMAGE(http://stream1.gifsoup.com/view5/2111632/regular-show-ohhhh-o.gif)

Yeah I ended up getting it digitally on PSN sale at some point. Sold my disc, but kept my artbook that came with all copies way back when.

I'd give you my copy, but I couldn't get rid of it fast enough.

detroit20 wrote:

@Balthezor

Sorry to pile it on, but... I too will never sell this game.

I imported mine from Japan in Summer 2009 on the strength of some glowing, but terrifying reviews, and played the hell out of it for months. I had what is still my best co-op gaming experience in NG+ (Ryorisa, are you still out there?).

Like Dakuna, I am unlikely to return to it (a friend, who played it after Dark Souls, said that it felt very clunky and nowhere near as difficult). But I still like to pick up the case from time to time to relive those Demons Souls memories.

To this day though, the Valley of Defilement can f*** off!

woah woah woah there... I may not play it again, but I did go back and complete most of 2 playthroughs after completing both Dark Souls and Dark Souls 2... so you never know

Conversely the urge to replay this for me is growing. I no longer have a usable save file due to my old PS3 dying and remaking my Blueblood Sword character seems like a pretty good time.

I don't know how many times you've all played the game but for me I regularly deleted characters because I ran out of save files.

Gimpy_Butzke wrote:

Conversely the urge to replay this for me is growing. I no longer have a usable save file due to my old PS3 dying and remaking my Blueblood Sword character seems like a pretty good time.

I don't know how many times you've all played the game but for me I regularly deleted characters because I ran out of save files.

I think your level of dedication to exploring a game and breaking every feature and finding every nuance far exceeds any normal person's, Gimpy I always pay close attention when you post about a game mechanic or bit of lore because invariably you have really put in the time to know what you're talking about.

I ran out of saves in Dark Souls, the first time I binge played it in 2012. Otherwise, sadly, never.

Gimpy_Butzke wrote:

I don't know how many times you've all played the game but for me I regularly deleted characters because I ran out of save files.

I probably have completed at least 6 or 7 full runs. I'll get back to my SL1 run at some point. I took down Flamelurker, so it's all uphill from there