Demon's Souls - From Software & Sony - PS3

[croaker69]

I loved me some King's Field and the sequels back in the day.  Sounds like this could be even better.  Thanks as I would have never heard about this otherwise.

[Velorath]

Nice writeup. I know it's not your thing, and especially not when you like a game, but it would have been nice to you mention a bit about how it could be made better in the bits that are less than perfect (because nothing's perfect, right?), but otherwise a good read.

I am not qualified to make improvements to this game. Much like Deus Ex, it's too damn good. I am continually shocked that From Software managed to make this thing.

Edit: The only thing I could ask for is more - more of everything. Seriously. This thing is The Total Package.

The AI could be improved somewhat.  The red eyed knights and samurai who are supposed to be some of the more difficult enemies in the game have a habit of getting caught on things making it easy to pick them off from a distance.

[schild]

Nice writeup. I know it's not your thing, and especially not when you like a game, but it would have been nice to you mention a bit about how it could be made better in the bits that are less than perfect (because nothing's perfect, right?), but otherwise a good read.

I am not qualified to make improvements to this game. Much like Deus Ex, it's too damn good. I am continually shocked that From Software managed to make this thing.

Edit: The only thing I could ask for is more - more of everything. Seriously. This thing is The Total Package.

The AI could be improved somewhat.  The red eyed knights and samurai who are supposed to be some of the more difficult enemies in the game have a habit of getting caught on things making it easy to pick them off from a distance.

That's pathing, not AI.

And given world 5 and 3, I'd say the pathing is above and beyond most other games I've encountered, if not all (you'll see why I say that in world 5, which is, literally, a mess).

[Velorath]

Nice writeup. I know it's not your thing, and especially not when you like a game, but it would have been nice to you mention a bit about how it could be made better in the bits that are less than perfect (because nothing's perfect, right?), but otherwise a good read.

I am not qualified to make improvements to this game. Much like Deus Ex, it's too damn good. I am continually shocked that From Software managed to make this thing.

Edit: The only thing I could ask for is more - more of everything. Seriously. This thing is The Total Package.

The AI could be improved somewhat.  The red eyed knights and samurai who are supposed to be some of the more difficult enemies in the game have a habit of getting caught on things making it easy to pick them off from a distance.

That's pathing, not AI.

Somewhat.  Other enemies can run around the same obstacles, and in fact the red eye's can also, and usually will too if you don't attack them first.  If you hit them with a ranged attack though when there is a short barrier in between you, these guys try to attack through the obstacle (and if you're standing close enough to the wall or whatever they can actually hit you still).  As long as you keep hitting them, they'll keep trying to attack even though you're out of range.

[Trippy]

That's pathing, not AI.

In game programming pathing is considered part of the game AI.

[schild]

That's pathing, not AI.

In game programming pathing is considered part of the game AI.

Sure. But let's be specific. Because the challenging part of the AI, combat, response, defense, etc is pretty goddamn good.

And yea, Velorath mentions it, the pathing issue is weird. Many enemies can totally avoid obstacles regularly whereas some just get hung up from time to time. I'm sure there's a way to abuse it but I wouldn't really want to.

[apocrypha]

I like the fact that you can sometimes trick them into falling off of ledges etc. I mean if *I'm* struggling not to fall to my death on a regular basis why shouldn't they?   

[Velorath]

This game reminds me of bits and pieces from so many other games (but often done better in this one).  Diablo/PSO/Too Human, Vagrant Story, Ninja Gaiden...

[Riggswolfe]

Since Demon Souls appears to be all the talk I thought I'd post the thing that makes me not want this game.

The soul crushing death penalty. I lost patience with that in oh....1999 or before. If I want soul crushing death penalties I'll go ask Brad McQuaid to make a game for me. How can you guys rave about how awesome this is yet throw a fit about it in MMOs? This bloodstain stuff? It's a corpse run in a single player game!

[Rasix]

Since Demon Souls appears to be all the talk I thought I'd post the thing that makes me not want this game.

The soul crushing death penalty. I lost patience with that in oh....1999 or before. If I want soul crushing death penalties I'll go ask Brad McQuaid to make a game for me. How can you guys rave about how awesome this is yet throw a fit about it in MMOs? This bloodstain stuff? It's a corpse run in a single player game!

I can only say that everyone that has picked up the game here has loved it.

The difference between DS and a MMO for me is the journey.  Every death is preventable through player skill alone.  There's something to be gained from every failure.  You get better and if you're good enough, recovering those lost souls isn't that big of a deal. 

Also, there's no equipment loss through death.  You don't de-level.  It's not even that big of a time investment you're losing.  It's less harsh than having a party wipe in Persona 3/4 (or any JRPG)  in far as time lost, and you have the ability to fully recover should you choose to.  The only real, unrecoverable loss is any consumables you used along the way.

[Morfiend]

The only real, unrecoverable loss is any consumables you used along the way.

Not totally true. If you die again on the way back to your bloodstain, poof, all souls in the original bloodstain are gone. There are a few places where dying can get very very frustrating. Say, 1-2 boss, since there is no real shortcut to him, you have to play the whole level over again.

[Rasix]

Possibility of soul loss was implied.  It's still not a huge deal.  You get over it.

I've broken controllers over Madden, I didn't get ragey playing this at all.

[Vision]

 I didn't get ragey playing this at all.

Then you are a saint sir. I've downed 1 demon so far and I can tell I'm going to need some blood pressure medication before this is over.

[Kageh]

You will master this soon enough, if you stick with it. It is one of those rare gem games where you will notice how much better you get. Not in the way of "character levels", because those don't mean as much as they do in other role-playing games, but rather in the way you approach the game and learn to use the game mechanics to turn the tides in your favor.

Also, try the multiplayer, if you haven't already. It really is that good. The adrenaline rush of PVP is a league of its own. And because the outcome is determined a lot by skill and not so much by stuff like equipment or level, it is so much more fun than most other RPG PVP.

[Vision]

Gotcha. I just feel so under geared/under leveled. I chose a wanderer, which I realy like to play, but for the most part I'm still using the gear I started with, which to me seems terrible because I'm used to getting rid of my starting gear asap.

[JWIV]

Gotcha. I just feel so under geared/under leveled. I chose a wanderer, which I realy like to play, but for the most part I'm still using the gear I started with, which to me seems terrible because I'm used to getting rid of my starting gear asap.

Gear in the game is a bit weird.  There's a few things you pick up here and there, but you do a lot of upgrading of what you have at any given time.

[Vision]

[/quote]

Gear in the game is a bit weird.  There's a few things you pick up here and there, but you do a lot of upgrading of what you have at any given time.
[/quote]

So I'll be more focused on upgrading existing gear than getting new stuff?

[schild]

So I'll be more focused on upgrading existing gear than getting new stuff?

Absolutely.

[Yegolev]

I seem to have reached the stage of life where I want my success or failure to be dependent on equipment and character levels rather than player skill.

[Vision]

I seem to have reached the stage of life where I want my success or failure to be dependent on equipment and character levels rather than player skill.

Yep, its absolutely terrible when you aren't able to blame your gear for losing.

[schild]

I seem to have reached the stage of life where I want my success or failure to be dependent on equipment and character levels rather than player skill.

Yep, its absolutely terrible when you aren't able to blame your gear for losing.

Depressing for you, maybe, but not really terrible.

[JWIV]

I seem to have reached the stage of life where I want my success or failure to be dependent on equipment and character levels rather than player skill.

I do have to admit that running through 2-2  until I figured out the shortcut had me close to weeping for a shortcut or the ability to spend an hour or two walking around the castle and being able to face roll through it.

[Teleku]

On the other hand, I immediately went the shortcut route when I first played 2-2 and didn't even realize there was a whole shit ton of more level to it until after I beat the final boss of the second arch stone and then looked at the strategy guide to see what I missed.   

[Mrbloodworth]

Article needs more images. 

[schild]

Why'd you bump this?

[Rendakor]

Bloodworth didn't, Teleku did.