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Thread: Demon's Souls

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    Default Demon's Souls

    Ok, I haven't seen one of these yet so I'm eager to do a review for Demon Souls myself. Note I haven't finished the game yet, but I have read multiple walkthroughs and guides to know how it ends. Possible spoilers will be included so be warned, if you haven't finished yet and don't want to know what happens, don't read certain parts.

    Demon's Souls

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

    Demon Souls is a PS3 exclusive game RPG/Hack and Slash developed by From Software with the SCE Japan Studio. The game was released in Japan back February 2009 and was instantly a hit among Japanese gamers gaining 29/40 from Famitsu and 350/400 from Dengeki.
    The game was later released in North America in October 2009, also rating highly with IGN, Gamespot and Official Playstation Magazine, all giving scores of 8-10/10.
    And finally, it was released in Europe and Australasia on the 25th of June, 2010, only a few days ago, gaining a myriad of followers.
    The game has been rated one of the hardest games since the Atari and hardcore gamers will enjoy it. For any gamer, this game is a challenge and patience is a virtue.
    I personally rate it 8/10.


    Plot

    The storyline is set in a darker version of Medieval Europe and is most likely more technologically advanced, only problem being, the Kingdom of Boletaria is overrun by Demons and only a few sane men live to combat them.
    Boletaria is said to be the greatest Kingdom in the world at its time. However, King Allant hungered for more powerful and found the lost Soul Arts. Despite being the greatest Kingdom in the world and giving unlimited prosperity to it's citizens, King Allant hungered for more souls and unleashed the Old One thinking it would do him good.
    The Old One captured King Allant, and let forth a horde of Demons which devoured the souls or killed the millions of citizens that called Boletaria home. A deep fog is what brought the Demons and is often seen in the gameplay and storyline. The Fog was thought impenetrable until Vallarfax, a hero of Boletaria, broke free and told the world of Boletaria's plight. Heroes from all over the world tried to penetrate the Deep Fog, but only a few ever got through, who of course, were later trapped or killed by the Demons. Your character is one of the few that broke into the fog...


    Storyline (Spoiler Alert)

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

    Your character quickly advances through the Tutorial mainly facing Dreglings, zombie like creatures that are easy to kill and Boletarian Soldiers, insane men who lost their souls and mind, and now follow the Demons blindly. Your character will also encounter Blue Eyed Knights which are extremely tough to take down and are a rude awakening if the character ever starts to believe the game is easy.
    At the end of the tutorial, you fight Vanguard, a boss you can optionally fight later on in the game. He is scripted to kill you and you cannot defeat him as far as I know.
    Your character will then awake in a vast chamber called the Nexus where he will talk the Maiden in Black, a main character in the game and other characters who can provide certain services for you such as storing equipment, buying items and spells.
    The player will then advance into an Archstone, which relocates him to the Boletarian Palace where chaos and madness reigns, this is widely known as 1-1. He will fight through the typical enemies and will learn the basics of the game. Although, you can expect to die as Dreglings and Boletarians can often provide a handful when attacking in multiple numbers. Blued Eyed Knights are tough as well and you can even choose to fight a Red Eyed Knight in this level, which is extremely hard to kill and can often kill in one hit. I do not recommend fighting him as a beginner.
    Later in the level, the player will encounter the Red Dragon, which flys around roasting anything that steps on a bridge swarmed with Boletarian Soldiers. This is the first and not the last time the player will have to use cunning strategy to get past a certain point. Taking on the Red Dragon in a Boss Fight is highly not recommended and is optional, but you will encounter him again in 1-2.
    Eventually the player will fight the main boss, which you cannot avoid. Phalanx is a relatively easy boss fight but once again, the player should use tactics and strategy to beat him and rushing him is not advised. When Phalanx is defeated, the player will taste victory for the first time and after collecting Phalanx's soul, will be able to return to the Nexus.
    After having a lengthy conversation with the Monumental, a god-like being, the player will have the option to be able to rank up by upgrading his skills by trading souls with the Maiden in Black. As the players skills and rank goes up, so does his attributes and prestige, but it becomes harder to level up as the game further progresses.
    The player can now unlock the 4 other worlds which require *cleansing*.
    The Boletarian Palace has 4 levels, unlike the other 4 worlds that have 3 levels and is actually the only real place in the game. The other 4 worlds are fabric of the Old One's imagination. The Boletarian Palace itself is actually the most normal of the 4 worlds and the player will simply fight through a large and daunting palace, through hordes of enemies to fight boss after boss, consisting of the fifty foot tall Tower Knight, the powerful Penetrator and lastly, the manifestation of King Allant's demonic mind, the False King, considered the most challenging boss in the game.
    The second world is the Stonefang Tunnel, a large mine that delves deep under the surface which are swarming with mindless Lizardmen, Earth Worms and other beings of Fire. The mine itself is dark and the player will face enemies with unnatural abilities. Once again, the player has to fight bosses, consisting of the daunting Armoured Spider, the fiery nightmare called the Flamelurker and the absolute massive collosus known as the Dragon God, Thankfully, 2-3 is no dungeon and is straight to the boss fight, which is more of a puzzle than a battle.
    The third world is the Tower of Latria, sprawling with dungeons, cells and endless mazes. The player will often get lost and may walk into one of the abundant traps that dot the map. Although the player fights few enemies, they are powerful and the real struggle in this world is one of getting lost. The bosses are more of a joke than an actual fight, the Fool's Idol is less than eager to kill you and the 3-3 Old Monk is an absolute joke of a boss. However, the Man Eater of 3-2 is considered one of the most stressful bosses in the game as two parts of the boss can attack you at the same time.
    The fourth world, the Shrine of Storms, is a nightmare plagued by storms, the feeling of despair is everywhere here. The enemies are fast and some even fly and shoot at you from above as you hurry across the scarred ground. One of the truly terrifying but relatively easy enemies is the Reaper and the multitude of annoying Spirits is summons to hinder you. In 4-1, the boss Abjudicator is relatively easy having a weak point that is easy to exploit. The character can also choose to deal with an old nemisis, the Vanguard in this level. The Old Hero boss is blind but nevertheless, makes up with its blindness by utilising its other four senses to the max. Finally, the Storm King is menacing but if the player has the right technique, can be taken down just like any other boss.
    Finally, the Valley of Defilement is a disgusting and filthy valley filled with traps, plague carrying rodents and a number of unclean creatures. The Valley is hard to navigate without falling to the bottomless pit and the enemies are large in number, but not quality. The boss, Leechmonger, is quite easy for Range favouring players, the Dirty Collosus is not only hard enough but has a number of other significant annoyances that can kill the player while he isn't personally killing you, and finally, Maiden Astraea, once a pure soul now fallen to the Demons, can be persuaded to commit suicide if her faithful bodyguard is slain.
    Once every Demon Boss, apart from the optionals like Vanguard, Red Dragon, Blue Dragon and King Doran (isn't actually a demon and can be defeated without being killed) have been destroyed, the player will descend to the Old One, where he will fight the mutilated, deformed version of King Allant himself and finally, has a choice to save the world or doom it by killing the ever helpful Maiden in Black.



    Combat

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

    The combat system is dynamic and diverse, with different moves and actions with the simple swap of a weapon. Not only that, but the combat animations can be quite amazing and sometimes a finishing sort of move can be used upon the enemy.
    Each melee weapon is graphically detailed and has the fantasy feel to it, with some weapons glowing and others looking absolutely fantastic with imagination. Each weapon has different attributes, such as weight, duration, damage and parrying ability, and the player also has the option to fight with two hands or simply one.
    Shields can also be used in the player's defence, some of them being bigger than the player himself. Shields affect your burden, your movement speed and not all characters will have the ability of being able to wield weapons or shields with full effect.
    Magic is also another concept to the combat system, with a diverse set of spells such as Soul Arrow, Firestorm and shielding spells like Total Protection. These drain the player's magic which can only be regenerated by being a Mage or having a certain item. Magic works well against some enemies while some are immune to it. Using Magic can also be considered as playing it safe and strategically, as many enemies can be removed without coming into direct combat.
    The movement of the game, such as the quick rolls, can be used to defeat enemies with agility rather than a head on clash. It will often be used in many boss fights where hit and run tactics are a virtue.
    The last branch of combat is Archery. Good bows are hard to find early on, but the aim and damage system in the game is quite balanced and fun to use. Unlike other RPG games where arrows deal minor damage, a well placed arrow can kill an enemy and arrows can often be used on slow moving bosses.



    Equipment

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

    Not only does the player get awesome weapons and armour, but the means to upgrade them. Materials such as Hardstone, Sharpstone or Clearstone can be collected and later used to upgrade weapons or armour if you visit one of the two blacksmiths.
    The Healing Items, such as the Crescent Moon Grass, the Half Moon, the Late Moon, the Full Moon and the New Moon are found in many places on all 5 worlds and are considered as the most valuable item in the game. The character will often find his health depleted and will sometimes have to rely on healing himself to continue in the mission. The player can have 5 different varieties of these items in his Hotkey to use quickly and efficiently.
    The final and game changing equipment in the game are Rings. Two rings can be equipped at a time and can do wonders such as improving health, magic or stamina, can enhance stealth and can increase resistance to damage or render the player immune to plague or poison.


    NPCs


    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

    You'll meet quite a few NPCs as you travel through the Worlds and the Nexus. You'll first be introduced to the Maiden in Black who allows you to rank up once given enough souls. You meet her in the Nexus, as well as Stockpile Thomas, a man that fled Boletaria who left his wife and daughter to die. He acts as a Storage, and you can give him any unwanted items to safekeep, and you can safely step over and take them back whenever, he will not steal them.
    A third valuable NPC is a man called Blacksmith Boldwin, he can forge certain weapons, you can buy items, upgrade an repair equipment. If you do not buy something from him, he usually replies with an insult. He is personally, my most useful but least favourite NPC.
    The fourth useful NPC is a priest-mage who will allow you purchase from a selection of healing spells, some of which are quite useful. However, you cannot buy destruction magic from him and he disapproves of its use.
    The last valuable NPC you'll first meet in the Nexus is an Apprentice to an important Sage you'll later find jailed in Latria. He is also negative towards you but will allow you to purchase from a range of low level spells. Even after you rescue Sage Freke, he'll still have a negative attitude towards you.
    A few other NPCs scatter the Nexus, two are acolytes to a Saint named Urbain which you will encounter in the Shrine of Storms. They sit there and do not offer anything to you, although the male acolyte has an interesting story on how Saint Urbain became trapped. The last NPC is a Blue Phantom, although he was probably a Demon-Slayer himself. He is despairing and as the game continues, he'll eventually go completely insane and finally disappear from the Nexus altogether. He also doesn't offer any services other than some interesting opinions.
    The first NPC your likely to encounter in the game is Ostrava of Boletaria, who is actually Prince Ariona Allant, the Prince of Boletaria. If he isn't killed, you'll encounter him in all 4 Boletarian Palace levels, of which three of the times, you'll have to rescue him from superior enemies. When you finish a level, he will be in the Nexus and once you enter the next level, you'll find him again. His game quest is to speak to his father, who is has actually been transformed into a super-human like Demon and will probably be the last and hardest boss you kill. Sadly, Ostrava will commit suicide before his father's throne, leaving you some pretty interesting items to loot.
    You are also extremely likely to encounter two NPCs in 4-2, Shrine of Storms. If you search the area, you'll wander into this small chamber where you'll encounter a sort-of-merchant named Patches the Hyena. His name isn't just a decoration and he will tell you to look down into a hole to see treasure, he will then push you in, waiting for you to starve to death. Here you'll encounter Saint Urbain, who doesn't do much except sit there and pray to God. Once you find a way out of the pit, Patches will be quite surprised to see you. You can choose to kill him or leave him, although I recommend leaving him alive as he gives you a useful Ring as a token of friendship and you can buy some pretty cool items off him later in the game. You'll also encounter Satsuki, a man obsessed with looking for a magic sword named "Makoto". Makoto itself is an awesome sword by all accounts, but I personally haven't found it or Satsuki for that matter.
    Probably the most useful NPC you'll encounter is Sage Freke, in the Tower of Latria. You'll find him early in the level but you cannot rescue him until you have found a set of keys you encounter near the boss fight. He sells you extremely powerful spells and is probably one of the most friendliest NPCs. Most of his spells are expensive, but some can be purchased by trading him a Boss Demon Soul. You'll also find a man killed Lord Rydone in this level, but he is a Blue Phantom and it is a bother to find the keys to rescue him. As far as I know, he isn't very useful other than giving you a weapon that actually has low attack. Also, in 3-2, you'll come across the most interesting NPC in the game. His name is Yurt the Silent Chief and unlike other NPCs, it isn't the best idea to keep him alive. He has the strange goal of killing every living human in Boletaria although he is nice and friendly when you rescue him, he'll begin to assassinate NPCs in the Nexus until finally, he turns on you.
    Now, there is only one NPC in the game that actually intentionally helps you in combat, although I have led enemies to Ostrava before. Biorr of the Twin Fangs can be rescued in 1-2 after some tedious killing and the obtainance of a certain key in 1-3. When you rescue him, you'll have to fight some decent enemies, and he'll be inclined to sleep. Leave him, but when you get to the 1-3 boss fight, he is extremely helpful in killing the Boss. You can pretty much let Biorr do all the work in this boss fight as he is hard to kill and has a sword that literally rents the ground in two. He'll also help you fight a Dragon in 1-4 where he is most likely to be killed, but if saved, he simply returns to the Nexus and hangs around doing nothing.
    Other NPCs such as Yuria the Witch, a hottie who sells you powerful magic, Mephistoles, a strange old woman who had certain relations to Yurt (both want to kill everyone), Selen Vinland, the sister of a corrupted Knight named Garl Vinland, Blacksmith Ed, you'll find him in 2-1 and he sells pretty cool demon weapons and Executioner Miralda, she is a Black Phantom and will want to kill you on sight. Have fun killing her.
    You'll also encounter multiple Merchants in your travels through each level. They can be found in certain places and you will most likely only encounter them once or twice per playthrough, so make use of their wares should you find them.


    Graphics


    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

    The Graphics in Demon's Souls are quite amazing. Each enemy has a unique appearance and every minor detail in your terrain aids up to the exotic appearance of the game.
    Nearly everything looks different and all effects you can do actually makes you feel like a part of the game.
    In combat, there is blood when blood-spilling enemies are killed and the same on your behalf. If you walk up behind an enemy, there is a chance you can pull of a special move, whether it be impaling him through the back, a quick slit of the throat or a ninja move which causes your enemy to fall flat on his face.
    The bosses are possibly the climax of the graphics and I always enjoy vsing them because of their special and awesome looks. You can also enjoy the bloodstain animations. I always laugh when I fall from a cliff and faceplant into a block of cement.



    Will do more...probably on Multiplayer and Bosses...
    Last edited by Valandur; July 09, 2010 at 06:40 AM.
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