Demon's Souls Review - PS3

8.5

Gameplay: 9
Graphics: 8
Audio: 8
Multiplayer: 8
Innovation: 10

Introduction

There hasn’t been that many big name RPG for the PS3 in the last couple of years, but out of nowhere and carrying a very big sword, comes Demon’s Souls. The game was released overseas towards the end of last year, but it has taken a few months for the game to make it here to Australia. While the game seems very underwhelming at first, over time you may just find one one of the most memorable games for many years to come.

Gameplay

The game takes place in the dark world of Boletaria, where demon’s have overrun the land, wreaking havock on the humans. Their last chance is of course yourself as Hero who must defeat the hordes of demons and restore some peace to the land.

You start by choosing one of the the usual selection of RPG character classes, which allow you to tackle the game in slightly different ways. Some are probably harder than others to begin with, and the Warrior class is probably the easiest for first time players as it keeps things fairly simple, with a lot of hit points available.

While Demon’s Soul is an RPG, it probably leans more towards an action-RPG, and everything takes place from a third person perspective following just your player. Combat, exploring and puzzle solving, replace long dialogues and random encounters of your more traditional RPG. While it does incorporates both stats and a multitude of items to be found, the main focus is on the combat aspect.

Most of the game you find yourself fighting your way through each level, with the different character classes using slightly different ways to defeat enemies. While some RPG feature fairly hack n’ repeat battles over and over, Demon’s Souls differs in that enemies are a little more clever. Simply pressing the attack button over and over will usually just get you killed quickly. Avoiding enemy blows plays a very important part of the game, and carefully parrying or dodging each attack, before unleashing your own well timed attack is the key. Different enemies also require slightly different tactics, and even some of the lesser creatures can be challenging at time if your patience is wearing thin.

Location of the enemies is very much scripted, appearing in exactly the same position each time. They also will just sit idle until you approach. While this may often mark a poor title, the detailed nature of the battles really make the game, and knowing where they are makes that second time around that little bit easier.

Being true to its name, souls are the currency of the game. Each demon you defeat releases to you a number of souls. If you die, you lose all your souls, and are plonked back at the start of the level. You are given a second chance to regain your souls by traipsing back to where you died, and touching your bloodstain. If you ...