This much-needed RPG for the PS3, no matter how difficult, is a brutal trip down memory lane.
PG Exclusive Review
Play... the Pakistani way!
Pros:
The dying Kingdom of Boletaria, ruled by an aging King Allant XII, is in desperate need of rejuvenation. What is a good King to do, in order to help his land back on it's feet? Finding no other solution, the King turned toward the dark ritual of channelling the power of the souls. It had, no doubt, brought great prosperity onto Boletaria, but the same could not be said for it's King. Overcome by greed of the power of the souls, King Allant continued his dark ways. Soon, a Deep Fog had blanketed the entire Kingdom and terrorised it with all sorts of horrifying demons that feasted upon the souls of innocents.
Vallarfax of the Royal Twin Fangs had managed to escape the fog's unending grasp and told the rest of the world of Boletaria's plight. The King, overwhelmed by power, had inadvertently awakened the Old One, an undesirable entity from below the Nexus, who cast the fog on Boletaria. Of the many adventurers who dare venture into the mists of mystery, you are one of them. You have decided to enter the realm of the soul-craving demons and try to help this once prosperous land.
Let's get this party started!
- The Kingdom of Boletaria is a place filled with mystery and intrigue
- Great combat mechanics are backed up by wonderful animations
- Boss battles are challenging yet very engrossing
- You are greatly rewarded for your feats
- A unique online mode
- The ridiculous difficulty of the game may turn off a few
- Voice acting isn't really top-notch
The dying Kingdom of Boletaria, ruled by an aging King Allant XII, is in desperate need of rejuvenation. What is a good King to do, in order to help his land back on it's feet? Finding no other solution, the King turned toward the dark ritual of channelling the power of the souls. It had, no doubt, brought great prosperity onto Boletaria, but the same could not be said for it's King. Overcome by greed of the power of the souls, King Allant continued his dark ways. Soon, a Deep Fog had blanketed the entire Kingdom and terrorised it with all sorts of horrifying demons that feasted upon the souls of innocents.
Vallarfax of the Royal Twin Fangs had managed to escape the fog's unending grasp and told the rest of the world of Boletaria's plight. The King, overwhelmed by power, had inadvertently awakened the Old One, an undesirable entity from below the Nexus, who cast the fog on Boletaria. Of the many adventurers who dare venture into the mists of mystery, you are one of them. You have decided to enter the realm of the soul-craving demons and try to help this once prosperous land.
Let's get this party started!
Demon's Souls is probably the game with one of the hardest tutorials ever. In fact, it's so hard that you ultimately die during the end of the tutorial. Don't worry, I haven't spoiled anything so far. After getting your ass handled by a tutorial boss, you enter the Nexus, possibly the only safe haven where you can kickback and take a deep breath. Every other part of Boletaria that you're brave enough to enter is a hostile place that has enemies who hate your very guts. The Nexus is the only place where you can feel genuinely safe and bank excess items in your inventory and/or purchase spells, miracles, weapons, armour and healing items through spending demons' souls.
Oh, cool! A phantom!
Oh, cool! A phantom!
The game is quite unique and innovate in it's own way. First off, as you begin playing your first level (in your soul form) you'll notice that your health bar is only half-full. You see, you're able to play the game through different perspectives and they all come with their benefits and drawbacks. As a soul, your health is only half that of your body form's health. However, as a soul you can deal more damage than when in your body form and enemy's will find it hard to notice you.
However, when you're in your body form you can enjoy the benefit of having a full health bar, while not having stronger attacks. Plus, it only takes seconds for the enemy to feel your presence. At any time during the game you can switch back to soul form by consuming a soul (it can be any soul), or if you'd rather turn back into your physical self than you can happily do so by using the Stone of Ephemeral Eyes.
Level design is fairly simple. You start a level by touching one of many 'level-altars' that transport you to different regions within Boletaria. Each level has you fight your way through many enemies, who more or less are the same, and solve 'puzzles' that only require you to push and pull levers. After that, you're treated with a not-so-impossible-to-defeat boss battle. There are many bosses and sub-bosses in the game and each has it's own unique way of battling. All you need to do is make sure you've memorised their patterns. After that, the boss battles are rather swiftly dealt with.
The 'goons' of the game aren't varied at all. You'll be fighting the same type of enemy over and over again. And though some may look different, they still feel the same in terms of how you finish them off. Basically, fighting through the soul-deprived citizens of Boletaria can be a real pain in the ass, especially if you lose to them. Not to mention, if you happen to die, or fall off a cheaply placed chasm, you'll have to start that level all over again. That's right. The game has not a hint of sympathy for the likes of you and, like I said before, hates your guts! To add insult over injury the game takes away all your souls earned if you happen to die (be it accidental or intentional). But to make things a bit fair, the game will place a bloodstain in the place where you previously died. All you need to do is make your way back their and touch your bloodstain to regain all lost souls. Brilliant!
But no matter how difficult the game is or how much controller-throwing frustration you've felt, you'll never want to turn off your console and call it a day. If you're dying at the hands of an end-boss, you will defeat the boss and then call it a day. If there is a level you've been failing continuously, you will finish it before quitting. Demon's Souls is a game which rewards you handsomely for your efforts and is also quite hard to put down (at least for me!). I simply can't turn off my console without completing at least one more level no matter how many times you've died!
Can't we just talk about it?
However, when you're in your body form you can enjoy the benefit of having a full health bar, while not having stronger attacks. Plus, it only takes seconds for the enemy to feel your presence. At any time during the game you can switch back to soul form by consuming a soul (it can be any soul), or if you'd rather turn back into your physical self than you can happily do so by using the Stone of Ephemeral Eyes.
Level design is fairly simple. You start a level by touching one of many 'level-altars' that transport you to different regions within Boletaria. Each level has you fight your way through many enemies, who more or less are the same, and solve 'puzzles' that only require you to push and pull levers. After that, you're treated with a not-so-impossible-to-defeat boss battle. There are many bosses and sub-bosses in the game and each has it's own unique way of battling. All you need to do is make sure you've memorised their patterns. After that, the boss battles are rather swiftly dealt with.
The 'goons' of the game aren't varied at all. You'll be fighting the same type of enemy over and over again. And though some may look different, they still feel the same in terms of how you finish them off. Basically, fighting through the soul-deprived citizens of Boletaria can be a real pain in the ass, especially if you lose to them. Not to mention, if you happen to die, or fall off a cheaply placed chasm, you'll have to start that level all over again. That's right. The game has not a hint of sympathy for the likes of you and, like I said before, hates your guts! To add insult over injury the game takes away all your souls earned if you happen to die (be it accidental or intentional). But to make things a bit fair, the game will place a bloodstain in the place where you previously died. All you need to do is make your way back their and touch your bloodstain to regain all lost souls. Brilliant!
But no matter how difficult the game is or how much controller-throwing frustration you've felt, you'll never want to turn off your console and call it a day. If you're dying at the hands of an end-boss, you will defeat the boss and then call it a day. If there is a level you've been failing continuously, you will finish it before quitting. Demon's Souls is a game which rewards you handsomely for your efforts and is also quite hard to put down (at least for me!). I simply can't turn off my console without completing at least one more level no matter how many times you've died!
Can't we just talk about it?
I haven't even begun describing it's online mode. To be honest, I've barely given the online mode a try to make a proper judgement. However, from the little that I've played and from what I've read, Demon's Souls online mode allows you invite other players into your game so that you may partner up and defeat a boss. Though I've never actually had an online partner, I've occasionally had players creep into my world and make it tougher for me by providing me with false information about the dangers that lied for me ahead. They do this by writing in-game messages that anyone can come and read by walking toward it and pressing the X button.
You can choose to be a noble warrior and warn others of a dangerous boss battle ahead or a fall that can kill. Or, you can be a heinous fiend who only wants to see others perish because you've suffered the same! Ultimately, whether it's online mode or offline mode, the game always manages to give you that lonesome feel. That feeling that you're the only one out there who can save Boletaria, but don't stand a chance against the hardy foes that obscure your path to glory. The difficulty will cause some to permanently leave the game, but those who persevere will know that their fruitful endeavours were not in vain. And that there is a satisfying, and highly rewarding, game to be finished!
Value/Worth: 9.5/10
This is an adventure that will last a 100+ hours and includes New Game+. Unfortunately, New Game+ only means the game will be getting tougher.
Graphics: 8.5/10
The graphics are great, if not too gritty and dull.
Sound: 8.0/10
The voice acting isn't over-the-top and the sound effects are above average at best.
Gameplay: 9.0/10
With an interesting combat mechanic and the several weapons at your disposal, the gameplay never lets down.
Mutliplayer: 9.0/10
Online questing with another player is one thing, but the interactions you can do with other people's playthrough is what really sets it apart.
Overall: 9.0/10
Very very difficult and yet so engrossing at the same time!
NOTE: Try starting the game by choosing the 'Royalty' class. It greatly decreases the difficulty for the first few levels of the game.
You can choose to be a noble warrior and warn others of a dangerous boss battle ahead or a fall that can kill. Or, you can be a heinous fiend who only wants to see others perish because you've suffered the same! Ultimately, whether it's online mode or offline mode, the game always manages to give you that lonesome feel. That feeling that you're the only one out there who can save Boletaria, but don't stand a chance against the hardy foes that obscure your path to glory. The difficulty will cause some to permanently leave the game, but those who persevere will know that their fruitful endeavours were not in vain. And that there is a satisfying, and highly rewarding, game to be finished!
Value/Worth: 9.5/10
This is an adventure that will last a 100+ hours and includes New Game+. Unfortunately, New Game+ only means the game will be getting tougher.
Graphics: 8.5/10
The graphics are great, if not too gritty and dull.
Sound: 8.0/10
The voice acting isn't over-the-top and the sound effects are above average at best.
Gameplay: 9.0/10
With an interesting combat mechanic and the several weapons at your disposal, the gameplay never lets down.
Mutliplayer: 9.0/10
Online questing with another player is one thing, but the interactions you can do with other people's playthrough is what really sets it apart.
Overall: 9.0/10
Very very difficult and yet so engrossing at the same time!
NOTE: Try starting the game by choosing the 'Royalty' class.
It greatly decreases the difficulty for the first few levels of the game.
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