This game is hard. I will not lie at all about it. I play video games on hard difficulties just for fun, but this game.... This game gives hard a new name. But enough about how hard it is, this game is legit and fun as anything I've played in a while. I played it once, returned it after i got stuck at some point, and once again i just needed to have the unforgiving win or lose gameplay that you cannot find anywhere else. The graphics are fantastic, the game itself has an ungodly amount of facets to it, you can play it over and over and it will still be new to you. Some things aren't explained at all, however, and this leads to confusion. I've found myself looking things up online myriad times. So, bottom line, if you are looking for a game that's cheap, fun, hardcore, difficult, and you have an internet connection, i strong recommend this game. 9 of 10.… Expand

Once upon a time, before most of you were born, games were tough. VERY TOUGH. No quicksaves, heck sometimes even no saves at all. Ah yes...those were the days. And it seems that the developers of Demon's Souls want to drag us all back to those days. But is this a good idea? Frankly...no.
As an alleged RPG, Demon's Souls has litte story. Heck, even DOOM has more story. So if you want a narrative, please look elsewhere. So what does this game have? DEATH...YOURS...AND LOTS OF IT.
Mostly, your death is caused by not knowing your enemy. So you must therefore retrace your steps and fight again. But when you die you lose souls (the games currency) and so you ideally want to get back to where you died and touch your own bloodstain. Naturally, whatever killed you is still there - so be prepared.
That pretty much is all there is to this game. It's a rinse and repeat hack 'n' slash with no party members and no real idea of what you're doing.
Oh but there is online isn't there? And here is another major problem. You are basically online all the time, along with everyone else. People can and will, invade YOUR game and they may help you, but more often than not, they will kill you. Charming. Back you go to the beginning of the level AGAIN.
If you like the idea of all this repetition, then you will love this game.
Controls feel a bit 'off' unless you use target lock-on, which works, but is a great way to end up dead as you can't move the camera around to see what's behind you.
Having said all that, the graphics are nice, the sound is OK, and the music is appropriately melancholic.
It's a tough game, but you are always battling it's design flaws, rather than anything else.… Expand

Should you buy this game? Is that why you're reading this? If so, yes, it's worth the money - but only because it's cheap now. There's a lot about Demon's Souls that is beautiful, even memorable. Some of the set pieces are awesome, and the grim dark styling is refreshing in a sea of cutesy characters and colourful UI design. So what's the problem? You will never, ever see this game on the PC - because with decent controls, this game would be a complete pushover. Yes, the game presents a challenge, but if you're honest, you'll realise that 50% or more of the challenge comes from the controls. Some parts are broken - you'll see what they are especially if you're a magic user. But really, a console controller just doesn't suit a game where the slightest error results in death. It's like giving a baseball bat to a tennis player and asking them how hard it is to play a match. Overall though, it's a great production, and enjoyable, but the more you play it the less satisfying and fun it gets, as you realise more with every moment that you're not fighting the monsters, you're fighting the dual shock.… Expand

This game is frustrating on purpose. I love a good challenge and I will sit and play something over and over for hours just to beat it, but Demon's Souls is a whole other matter. I tried it for several hours, playing through section after section of the first level only to die multiple times because I love to explore. I read notes left by players, avoided sections meant for higher ups, and killed enemy after enemy on my journey to the boss. It never got fun. I waited and tried really hard to like this games as it was recommended to me by multiple friends, but its appeal just never shone through. I don't understand how this game got such a good review. Many elements of the game feel broken (targeting system is crap, difficulty increases with death, etc) and it tries to be difficult just to be difficult. How is that supposed to be fun? I don't play games to sit through such frustration, I want to have an enjoyable experience. I'm just so disappointed with this game overall, it had incredible potential, and I don't understand how so many others thought it was nearly flawless(10/10) . It's acceptable at best.… Expand

pure awesome IF you can stand dying alot!

the game controls very well
the weapons all have there own style
the graphics are much better then i thought
music fits the game perfectly

and once you clear an area for the first time.... sit back and relax you earned it

must own for anyone that wants to die... a billion times

I honestly cannot figure out the appeal. I took a chance and bought it and I hate it. If you take away the excrutiating and frankly cheap difficulty it has nothing going for it save maybe the bosses. I just got it yesterday and I'm already sick of it.

I feel this game is getting low scores from people who played it because they're not used to a game that is actually difficult to complete. Demon's Souls is one of my favorite PS3 games because it's so difficult. It's hard, it's frustrating, and sometimes it's just mean. But to be honest, it's what makes the game fun and unique.

One of the better games to come out in a very long time, every little thing in this game is perfect to me. The story itself is simple: you come to a cursed land (for whatever reason, one of the things the NPC says "Whether you're here to fight the demons or here for the power...") and you're tasked to fight off the major demon's in the land to fight off the fog. This would be cheesey IF it were portrayed cheesey. It is not full of itself (like a Final Fantasy game would be) and barely touches the main storyline. It has a dark setting to it, already making you feel weak from the start, therefore giving you the right idea from the start. The combat is very smooth and can be mastered with a little play (I say past 3 levels you should get the hang of it). The combat itself is not extremely hard, all you have to do is just dodge/block and you'll be fine. If you get hit, you will regret being hit (that is all I will say). The leveling system is very good in my opinion, but the only downside to it is that you have to plan on what you're focusing on or you'll screw up your character and not be able to equip certain items (or at least use them the way you want to). If you do screw up your character, the worst part of starting a new character is the creation. It has a very high replay value and I would be ok with just making a new character everyday. The every NPC is unique in their own way. Doing certain things will trigger new dialogue with the NPCs and helps you learn more of the land of Boletaria. When you enter 5-1, come back, and talk with the NPCs, they will share you their thoughts on Maiden Astraea and Garl Vinland (the final bosses of the 5 world), explaining how the fog clouded their souls and why they fight. Even some of the item descriptions have captured me, letting me now of it's previous owner/maker. The multiplayer design is absolutely brilliant. After 1-1, you can use three different stones: Blue stone (used when in soul form, allows yourself to be teleported to another persons world (if they accept your soul sign) and assist them, to which beating a boss gives you back your body, given after 1-1), Black stone (used when in another person's world, lets you go back to your own world, given after 1-1), and the Red stone (used when in soul form, you teleport yourself to another person's world (at free will) and you attempt to kill the person to gain your body back). So whether you feel like helping somebody or want to be a complete ass and kill somebody, they have allowed you to accomplish both in this game in a very easy and quick (I can't say quick for the blue stone though) way. All in all, a game that everyone should buy and play before Dark Souls release.… Expand

Demon

This is the Must Have Title for the Playstation 3. There are so few games with this much attention to detail as is in Demon Souls. Its hard, but never have I experienced a game with so much reward to the player for putting the time and Effort into a game.

The Gamervision review is dead on in its criticism, and their score may be too generous. And in truth, I'm stunned so many people are willing to forgive poor game design by touting it as "difficulty." In 2009, forcing a player to grind through the same level for hours at end, with an autosave and experience loss system that actually punishes exploration is poor game design, not a smart return to hardcore difficulty. A bad camera and a shoddy lock-on system that doesn't work with large bosses and multiple targets in a room is poor game design, not a smart return to hardcore difficulty. Forcing players to grind for several hours, with little to no progress, simply because their armor breaks, is poor game design, not a smart return to hardcore difficulty. A nearly incomprehensible inventory system that forces players to slog through multiple stat screens just to figure out if their armor or sword is going to break is poor game design, not a smart return to hardcore difficulty. After spending 13 hours with this game, I can safely say I wasted $60 dollars. More people should be willing to admit the same.… Expand

Suffering is the word that comes to mind when I think of Demon's Souls. You will play for a few minutes, die, watch a lengthy load screen, start from the beginning of the level, die again, lose all your souls and be left beaten and broke... and of course staring at yet another lengthy load screen. Your reward, if you do succeed on one level, is more suffering as you move on to the next, more difficult level. The further you get in the game, the more times you will die, more load screens watch, more repetitive combat to slog through, more frustration as you lose all your souls over and over again. And no matter how many levels you gain, no matter how many stats you increase, you always feel underpowered. So you never really feel that you're improving as a player, never any suitable reward for all the crap you must endure to make progress. These brutally difficult games were popular 20 years ago when games were 2D and had shorter, more action-packed levels and no load screens. But today, with 3D graphics, the levels are longer, the action slower, so now unforgiving games like DS are tedious and tortuous. Don't buy into the hype. Avoid at all costs.… Expand

Don't listen to people who say this game is too difficult. The difficulty can be challenging but thats what makes this game unique. Instead of mindless slashing you put in strategy and thought into each fight.

I absolutely HATE games that are too difficult. Demon's Souls is EXTREMELY difficult, yet the game is so incredibly good I can't tear myself away from it. If you're a hardcore RPG fan, there is nothing better than Demon's Souls.

Let's make this blatantly clear, Demon's Soul has the finest controls and gameplay mechanics in action RPG history. Using the should buttons for the respective arms (ex. L1 for shield, R1 for sword) is insanely intuitive and commanding your character to dodge and execute heavy attacks are brilliantly smooth. Every action has a heavy, realistic feel to it, so your sword swings and shield blocks will have lifelike responses. These ground breaking controls are complemented with beautiful visuals, stunning level design and extremely creative boss battles. For instance, one of the early levels will have you running through a castle timing your runs with the intervals of a dragon swooping down and breathing fire over your path. Scenes like this are so grandiose and epic in scale and really immerse you in this fantasy genre. The most crippling flaw of Demon's Soul is a lack of a compelling story. This game is truly gameplay oriented, meaning you will be going from level to level without really feeling like you've accomplished much for any characters or made a significant progression throughout a long winding engaging story, unlike games like Dragon Age or Elder Scrolls. But Demon's Soul is a game you definitely need to experience to fall in love with. It is a game of absolutely monumental scale and you really deserve to see it for yourself.… Expand

Demon's Souls in an excellent game and a well deserved Game of the Year for several publications. Two users have given the game a '3' citing the game's difficulty being too high. Demon's Souls IS difficult but it's never cheap and never unfair. From Software have got the risk / reward balance near perfection where you genuinely feel a simultaneous sigh of relief and surge of adrenalin when you get past that demon that just kept holding you back. The online is exceptionally good, leave messages to help others, join other worlds to help, have other players join you to help, or invade and disrupt someone else's progression. A brilliant twist on conventional cooperative and multiplayer gaming. Replay value is also unexpectedly high (for me, at least). After finishing the game, I immediately started New Game +. Upgrading weapons, spells, combat; it all comes together to be a very addictive experience. If you give up on Demon's Souls, you are genuinely missing one of the more unique experiences this generation. With the multiple ways to obtain help, there's really no excuse for finding it just too difficult. If you haven't yet tried it, you really should if RPG is your thing. It's not a game for everyone, granted; but for a niche game to enjoy such critical success really does speak volumes for the quality of Demon's Souls.… Expand

The best game I've played in years! Even reading the very worst review on Metacritic from GamerVision had me excited to get this game. Yes this game is difficult and can be frustrating at times, but the payoff is huge when you progress (slowly) through the world. I love the level of difficulty because it basically forces you to become very comfortable with the controls, otherwise you will die constantly, no question. The game mood/environment reminds me of Shadow of the Collossus - mysterious, haunting and epic. It's nice to see a modern game buck the trend of constant CGI cut-scenes, frequent checkpoints and general hand-holding. So many games I've played in recent years aren't memorable because you burn through them in no time, almost like watching a movie. Don't get me wrong, I love blockbuster games like RE5/Gears/Drakes Fortune/Arkham Asylum etc, but the world needs games like Demons Souls too. Refreshing, difficult and different. If you want to try something original and challenging, I can't recommend Demon's Souls highly enough!!… Expand

This game was a blast, for about the first 20 hours. Then it felt like the entire game was based around grinding levels so you could become powerful enough to have a chance at defeating the next boss. The combat seems deep and complicated at first with a brutal learning curve, but once you've learned what does and doesn't work combat falls flat with only a few basic moves to use. Online is the one shining feature of the game with innovative features, I especially enjoyed the option of summoning a fellow adventurer to help with difficult battles. If you like grinding levels repeatedly for hours on end then this game can be rewarding. For when you do finally level up enough to defeat the boss you've had your eye on you feel like you've accomplished something. This game is only for people that enjoy a long repetitive adventure. Otherwise look elsewhere for a more enjoyable experience.… Expand

Demon's Soul lacks any kind of story telling. It's simply dungeon after dungeon collecting souls... and that could be ok if the game in itself was good, but it isn't.

The graphics are ok, nothing spectacular though. But that's the only good part.

The interface is clumsy and illogical, as if nobody had spent a second thinking how the user would navigate the menus (which are ugly). It is really plagued with bad ideas... for example when you're playing and recover your blood an annoying text appears on top of the screen but the game still goes on and you can't see what's happening (and yeah you can get killed or fall into some hole and die).

The gameplay is basically repeating the dungeons again and again without being able to save at any point, and loosing almost all your progress every time you die, which makes it boring and frustrating. And you die a lot of times...

The combat system is also clumsy. Your character will start a combo, you will loose control of it, it will make make a few steps, and fall into a hole and die again.

Also the game doesn't inform you of anything. You have to go to the internet to learn

Oblivion, which is from 2006 is still a better RPG.

This game is terribly bad, it's by far the worst game I've played on the PS3. I bought it because it had a high score on MC and I still can't understand why it has such a high score.… Expand

Demon's souls was one of the best gaming experiences of my life. Yes, it was hard at first, but it got easier and easier. I played it so much, that in the end it was a little too easy. I even made it through the first playthrough without dying. The point of my review is that I don't want the reader to buy into the other reviews that say it is too hard or too unforgiving. You've got to beat the first level and then the game is no harder than you want it to be; you can farm souls and upgrade your character as much as you want before proceeding through the levels… Expand

Fracking AMAZING! It's like King's Field with great combat and amazing graphics.

Also, if you see a women wearing a golden mask show up in the top floor of your Nexus, kill her! She's evil!!

While the game is unforgiving, this is probably one of the better games on the PS3 out there. It reminds me of the Monster Hunter franchise in a way, only with better targetting.

Put plain and simple, Demon's Souls has the best and most balanced combat in any action RPG. You have freedom to develop your character and explore the bleak, beautiful world however you like, and no matter how you do it, but it's the challenging-but-fair gameplay that makes this game worth fighting through.

Demon

Not a game for everyone, but for those of us this game caters to it's unequaled in this generation. The "spiritual" sequel to Kings Field by the same company will kill you, but never unfairly. You have to adapt, change up your tactics and weaponry, and learn from your experience or you are missing the point and will get frustrated that brute force won't suffice. Almost every enemy in the game can and will kill you very quickly if you neglect to pay attention, and impatience is rewarded with quicker, more saddening deaths. Again, not a game for everyone, but as a fan of games like Kings Field, and Wizardry Tales of the Forsaken Land, this game delivers. I haven't played and enjoyed an RPG like this since the NES and early PSone days. If you're unsure rent it, you'll know after 2 hours or less if it's for you!… Expand

The best RPG of the generation. The person that was complaining about load screens, there's hardly any. With every death, you learn. You'll learn how to fight a certain enemy, what tactics to use, a trap to avoid, a different path to take, etc. It's an exhilirating experience, one that hasn't been felt in an RPG in this generation.

It's not for everyone. It's very hard and challenge game. If you consider yourself a hardcore and enjoy games like Ninja Gaiden in Master Ninja you will love Demon's Souls.

Targeting is broken. Game punishes death by robbing only way to gain level. However, with broken targeting system, game difficulty is through the roof. Don't believe the hype. Its like playing pac man with a broken controller. Sure, its harder, that doesn't make it fun.

Visual, the game is grainy, with dark, dull colors. techincal but not artistic graphics. The voice over is average. Combat system is simple, but it works. Diffulty? EXTRA EXTRA HARD. Which makes me think, why did this game recieve such a HIGH average from the critics? The production value, is of that a LOW bugdet. The game may attract HARDCORE RPG gamers, but thats about it. Overall a disappointment in my book.… Expand

Being a loooong time swords & sorcery RPG fan...enjoying D&D for near 20 years...and having had a very good time with Diablo...I naturally went into Demon's Souls with some high hopes. I was really hoping to be blown away and get back abit of the gaming magic I felt when I first got hooked on Command and Conquer or Planescape:Torment. Unfortunatly, Demon's Souls is only impressive when compared to other simplistic and watery Console game...and just barely holds a candle to the frenetic imersiveness of Diablo. Demon's Souls is a very well presented bare-bones RPG...while it is 80% repetative reflex-action game, with an annoying-without-being-purposeful sudden death element. The only thing being engaged here is one's hand-eye coordination and patience...then more patience...and still more patience. If you're like me, and were dreaming of a game that might be an improvement on Baldur's Gate 1&2 and Neverwinter Nights 1&2...keep right on dreaming...while you go back online to enjoy some more fan-generated Hardcore Rules NWN...where it's been possible to enjoy richly deep RPG play with a high-risk sudden death element for the last 6 years...for free... Demon's Souls is a fine achievement...if you thought Mario Bros., Halo and Naruto were all there is in the gaming world... Anyone who owns a PC is going to wonder what the fuss is about. Better sword swinging RPGs have been around for decades...and I've never been a fan of reflex-action games - I do that at work every day. Play Demon's Souls if you like eye candy, button mashing and frequent restarts.… Expand

(Why is there a slider for Male and Female when creating a character? LOL?) Now, before I start my review, I'd like to say that I'm an action/RPG and action/adventure lover. I've been playing these kinds of games for years. I listened to the hype around me and was intrigued in what was all that fuss about. After sitting next to a friend of mine for a full weekend and analysing this game, I came to a simple conclusion: Overhyped product and brainwashed forum posters. First of all, this game is the most tedious experience you will find in the recent game releases. The gameplay is based around having one or two skills and repeating them tens of thousands of times (without exageration). The enemies are monotonous, the skills are unoriginal and limited in quantity, the enemy AI is simply taken out of an MMORPG (completely dumb, in other words) and the targetting system is the worst I have seen in my past gaming years. You have countless submenus that are just chaotically organized, crippling navigation and effectiveness. The multiplayer elements feel taken out of 1996 and poorly integrated to add very little value to the game. I could go on and on with the negative points about this game, but I'm sure if you read a non-fanboy review, you might get a real opinion of what this game is really about. On the good side, I do have to admit there are a few memorable moments in the game. For instance, having to run past a dragon's breath to avoid becoming roasted humanoid felt unique, not to mention the first time a player invades your game hoping to get a free rez from your death. Gameplay-wise, the upside would have to be the simplistic camera, that always faces forward (mix of shoulder and arcade camera from other adventure games). The melee block / attacks feel right (except the spells) because of their reactivity. The sound seemed OK, although there was a lot of noise in the room while I played the game, so I cannot really comment on this aspect. One important subject I frequently read about is the game's difficulty. I have to agree with some posters that the difficulty is not high in general. It becomes extremely frustrating to die in some situations because of the game's fault, not the player's. There is a big difference between dying because you know you did bad, and because the game just cheap shots you. It happens too often in this game, hence the high number of posts about this issue, I guess. All in all, there are some good ideas that I think the developpers aimed at and missed the bullseye. If you think this game is for you, take my advice (I'm not being paid for this review, I'm doing you a favor :) ), you should rent the game, and if you like it, probably not pay over 30$.… Expand

Yes i did find it difficult but it was not that the difficulty that warranted this modest score, it was the total lack of story telling depth or character development. With Mass Effect or Dragon Age you come to care for the main charcters and develope an emotional response to the game. The experience is totally imersive. With Oblivion, though the main character was merely a foil to tweak around with the RPG stats, the sub plots and often immersive storyline supplied a similar emotional response. With this game you are merely presented with a series of vignettes that are, as they say, full of sound and fury......… Expand

The amount of challenge in the game makes it rewarding to finish, but I was left feeling bored at the end due to the story being so watered down and nearly non-existent that I just didn't give a crap what happened. I see lots of people giving this game a 10 because OMG SWEET A HARD GAME FOR ONCE. While it did some things well, I feel like the game was half-baked in a lot of ways. With the difficulty that was present in the gameplay I expected boss fights to be a lot more difficult and engaging than they actually were. To be brutally honest most of the bosses were a total joke. I think I died maybe 3 times total between all the bosses in the game, which was a heck of a lot less than the amount of times I died up to that point. I was happy to have a game that didn't hold my hand but I feel like there were a lot of little things that should have been improved before sending this game out that would have given me reason to actually give this game a 10.… Expand

Sam H.'s comments are exactly correct. It is pretty, but it is not an RPG, it is a platformer/fighting game. Quests/puzzles are nonexistent. Not being able to sell loot makes most of it pointless. Not being able to bank any of your souls (gold) is more than irritating. Combat is pure hack and slash without combo attacks. My feeling about restarting each level after each death went from ok this is hard to this is ridiculous. If you think that changing a game's level of difficulty enhances a mediocre game, then by all means this is for you. For me a $5 steak at a fancy restaurant is still a $5 steak.… Expand

This game is fun for the first level.
Then it very quickly approaches EPIC FAIL status.
The depth is lacking, enemies spawn in the same locations EVERY SINGLE TIME you play the same level... which is required to do to even get any sort of decent soul level.
This game could have been the best game ever made.

Big waste of time. Graphics are mediocore at best. The lag is HORRIBLE at times. The gameplay is boring and repetitive. Takes ages to level up and when you do and die. You lose plaything and start all over again. Good thing my store has a 7 day return policy.

ok theres a fine line between being a hard game and being a game that dicks you ... and well demon souls dicks you more then it does at being hard. do i mind dieng alot ... no , do i mind having to start back from the begining of a level if i die ... no , do i mind challenging enimies and bosses ... no . but what i do mind is that when i die my life bar gets cut in HALF! and if i die before i get back to where i died before to reclaim my souls they are gone too . i mean i was already penalised bad enough by having to start over again and loosing all my health items to get that far and now i cant buy more since i lost all my souls, i mean the game is kinda fun and looks pretty good . the combat is pretty simplistic the story is ok . its not story heavy by any means . its also neat that people can leave messages to warn you aboiut dangers ahead as well but why is it set up for being online at all times? i prefer to play my RPG"s solo and if i want some one to join i should have the option of turning it online or off. this game also wouldnt have hurt its self by adding a difficulty option . i mean i like challanging games ive played plenty and beat them like kings field and others iif you want a game that kicks you in the balls over and over again then demon souls is for you .thankfully i bought this only for $20 new and almost but dark souls first . i would have wasted $60 if i did. id advise if you are still thinking about getting this game rent it first or buy it cheap to be sure you will get into what i just mentioned.… Expand

Demon's souls is a must have game. The reason it is must have is because it is one of the few games on the market in which you actually have to think as if you are in real life. Look at some of the negative reviews here. It is obvious many players expect every game to be a clone of each other and when a game like Demon's souls comes out with something original so many players have no clue at all how to play and think for themselves. It seems everyone expects to carry over last games skills into the next and that new games are only new raw meat cinematics. Demon's souls has broken free of the dime a dozen philosophy and offers a very fun and rewarding game with a high level of customization. The game is not difficult it's only perceived this way because players now a days are so immersed in clones of games they have lost the ability to think for themselves in anything unique without the same controls and guns ect as everything else on the market. You will really enjoy this game if you give it some pause and player discretion. Once you have settled in and used your mind a bit this game far exceeds any other title on the market online or offline. There are only two small complaints i have about the title. The first is you can only carry so much equipment but wear only two rings and magic targeting could be improved a little. Any complaints that the game is broken or too tough speaks more about the player than the game.… Expand

Not for the feint of heart. This game will challenge you, punish you, and overall just make you it's **** That said, playing and beating this game was probably my greatest videogame moment of late. The best way for me to describe this game is basically Zelda for adults. So if you like hack-n-slash, exploration, and a good challenge you will have a great time playing demon's souls.

one of the most rewarding gaming experiences i've had in close to 20 years of gaming. extremely difficult but not impossible game play forces the player to adapt and form a strategy to progress. i found myself grinning like a complete idiot after beating a few bosses. i can't wait for dark souls.

Don't listen to people saying this game is challenging; it is quite the opposite. All the enemies are completely predictable in their attack patterns. The game is incredibly easy because the AI is so terrible that you can predict and counter every enemy 100% of the time. The game is also lacking in story, level variety (5 worlds that contain a derivative copy of one level type, very very boring), and any kind of good looting system (loot is always in the same place every time, there is no challenge at all).

The game is, at best, mediocre, easy , and boring. It is a waste of your time if you're looking for anything other than remembering attack patterns for the few enemy types they have (and most can simply be rolled past and back stabbed).… Expand

Wow, I must say this game totally blew me away! This game isn't nearly as tough as the reviewers have touted. (except for Maneater Ng++) I'm not an RPG'r but I was pretty much hooked when I completed the training level. Each level offers different and diverse enemies The levels can be qasi linear but each has a series of short cuts that will take you to various bosses. Combat is very satisfying! I loved the fact that you have to watch your stamina meter when attacking and defending. You won't last long if you're a button masher. The game looks and sounds great. The online function is brillant! There's no other feeling of excitement I get when I see that "black phantom has invaded your game". PvPing is also incredible aswell. I've logged in about 700 hours on this bad boy..do yourself a favor and give this game a shot.… Expand

This is a great Action/RPG experience that PS3 users have been wanting for a long time now. The game is difficult and doesn't reward impatient and players who don't think or adapt. The voices in the game aren't the best, and sometimes the enemies are just plain annoying. The only drawback I have thus far is everything is always in the same place and thus takes away from some of the replayability. If you want a great hardcore actionRPG this is it. However, if you are not sure, rent the game to check it out before hand.… Expand

great game. but, only after you get so mad at it that braking your 52 inch lcd starts sounding like a good thing, do you really start to enjoy it to the fullest. not sure where it happens but somewhere past the point of giving up it really pulls u in.

No one makes games like this anymore. I keep dying and playing, this game is difficult AND challeging, seldom you get frustrated though. Everytime time you die is because YOU made something wrong, and you learn with that mistake and don't make it again. It's a wonderful experience that everybody who has a PS3 must enjoy it. I recommend this to every person who consider himself a "hardcore gamer". Casual gamers will have a hard time but will enjoy it nonetheless.… Expand

This game is graphically one of the best on thr ps3 console and is also addicting. It took me 6 hours in my first sitting and didn't want to turn it off...could've easily been a 10, hoever without online chat capability this should be a must on any next gen console. Great job Atlus!!!

Everything said about this game having difficulty as ridiculous as Monster Hunter's is right... and I mean that in a good way. I rocked Monster Hunter and loved the challenge, and this game gives the same sense of accomplishment, if not, better.

Great game that is difficult but rewards skill over button mashing. Bosses are truly amazing to fight against and it is worth every penny considering the gaming experiences you get whilst exploring the world. Being chased by a dragon and a horde of soldiers along a long bridge was fantastic. Not a game for the casual gamer but for all those who love dungeon and dragons. The second best game I'vel played this year because the first will definitely be Uncharted 2.… Expand

Although not without is flaws, Demon's Souls is a brilliant new interpretation of what the RPG genre is all about. Stick out the steep learning curve and you will find one of the most rewarding games available today. I give this game a ten not because it is perfect (not possible) but because it well crafted, immensely enjoyable and most importantly, shaking up a stagnant genre. This is what an action RPG should be. Love it.… Expand

Absolutely spectacular. Don't be scared off by all the difficulty hype. I'm a big gamer, but certainly not the best. Yes, it's extremely challenging and you'll die a lot but - and it's a big but - death rewards you. You learn from your experience and you also get more currency - the amount you had dropped as well as all the new stuff you'll pick up along the way. There has never been a game like this that forces you to think, strategize and be so fully satisfied for your success. You don't need to be the hardest hardcore gamer to enjoy, just a regular person who is willing to work hard and use your noodle harder. Just don't expect to see your friends and family any time soon.… Expand

Game is the real deal. Would give it 11 if I could.

Demon's Souls is an absolutely amazing game. I rarely play through a game multiple times but with Demon's Souls the addition of New Game+ and the ability to shape your character skills without restriction keeps me playing

Absolutely essential for anyone looking for a challenging, yet highly rewarding and fun game. Excellent atmosphere, adrenaline-pumping boss fights, and a great online community. Demon's Souls is hands down the best action RPG of the past 5 years.

It's the difficulty I like the most with the infinite replay value and the best part is that it's not for the casual gamers only for the real hardcore gamers only babies who like graphics can stick with call of duty 2

This is one of the best action-RPG games ever made. Everybody is saying that it is very difficult but that's not true at all. It is challenging and will seem very difficult at first but when you learn how to play it and understand its ways, it is a breeze. Don't be put off by the reported difficulty. It is very well balanced with excellent swordplay, beautiful visuals and lots of immersion. If the game had a better presentation and a complex story we would be talking about the game of the decade. Still one of the best.… Expand

This game is amazing. Visually, I am somewhat suprised that they used the Havok engine because of just how beautiful it really is, and the bump-mapping (though shiny) really made the rest of the game darker. Honestly, the first play through the game is a learning experience, and is not so much difficult as it is surprising. After game completion, you know where things are. You can expect them. You know how to kill the Phalanx, very easily. But when starting a New Game Plus, the game becomes extremely difficult to play. With the Black-Eyed Stones, invasions become common on NG+, so just expect it. Some bosses seem impossible to kill without other players with you, so that the boss could alter it's attention for even just a moment. This game is hard. This game is pretty. This game is Dark, and this game needs to be played by everyone.… Expand

I won't give this a 10 even though I'm tempted to simply to bring the score up with the hope that more people will purchase and support FROM software and Atlus. "Demon's Souls" is a hard game, a fact which you knew before even reading this sentence. People who say it's too hard will slander it and claim that the difficulty is either cheap (Chess Red Eagle) or pretentious. If the game left the player no respite by having the enemies level up with you, therefore negating any leveling system (ala Final Fantasy VIII) then I would be inclined to agree. "Demon's Souls" rewards a slow, methodical and calculated approach. If you try and take on all of the enemies in the game as though this were "Gears of War", f course you will die and frequently. "Demon's Souls" difficulty allows the game to be immersive. How many games have you played where the storyline has something to do with a legion of enemies that are unstoppable, and yet, the main character can mow them down as though he has a flamethrower and the enemies are toddlers? "Demon's Souls" gets it right. It may be one of the few games of this generation to do so. It's difficult, but allows you to work at your own pace. It doesn't forgive recklessness, but allows you to learn enemy behaviour. If you put in the time and effort into making your character strong enough to complete the game, then it is an accomplishment. You feel satisfied - why? Because the main character wasn't always a hero - you turned him into one - you are the strength that overcame. The graphics are not the best of this generation, but they aren't as bad as "Dragon Age" (a good game, but the graphics are 'meh'). The story isn't in your face - it is quite subtle and the more you look around and take in the atmosphere, the more the story becomes apparent. I could go on and on about how this gem should not be missed for fear of a future where true innovation is ignored. Play this game and don't give up. The more you put into this game, the more it returns. Best game of the year? I believe so.… Expand

Anyone who gave this game less than an 8, didn't REALLY give this game a chance... My first character I gave up on and put the game aside. After reading other people talking about it, I decided to give it another go. I then created a character that fit more for my gaming style... That's when I fell in love... To overlook the simplicity is blasphemy. I LOVE not having to talk with NPC's just to get to the next part of the game or next quest. When you do, though, you are rewarded. It's an RPG at its simplest and an action platformer at its heart. I have NEVER spent over 200 hrs playing any one game... I've NEVER spent sooo many times beating and beating a game over again. I've started my third character and am glad to have it in my collection. I wont trade or sell this game as long as I can play it. Every game I've played since, seems simple and boring.… Expand

This game is one of the most in depth games that I am yet to play. The fact of the game is that you can construct your own path and play the game exactly how you want, all npc's besides one, are killable in this game, including key characters in the plot. Also the challenge is very hard and should put a true gamer to the test. Even when CoD 4-2 came out, I put that game down to get back into this one, and I'm already on my 4th playthrough, and it just gets more fun.… Expand

Best next gen game I have played so far. Great level design. Backtracking alleviated and removed as game progresses and you *earn* shortcuts. This game makes you feel like you earn stuff and you do master the rules, in time. If you are tired of games that water the experience automatically if you are crying, are completely linear never leaving a choice for where to go, to you- or have to save that princess Yet Again(tm), or you are missing the kind of atmosphere/scary mood that a game like Silent Hill 2 creates (and yet in a different way) along with true more arcade style action and implicit AD&D rules, this is the game for you. If you have little patience, don't like RPG's, think Zelda Wii is the best game Evar, or you can't stand ever losing, getting fueled interest by the challenge, then this isn't the game for you.… Expand

Amazing, very challenging, yet I am just 60% and spent around 80 hours playing woooooow

This game is very very difficult. Usually I would have given up playing a game this hard after 15 minutes, however, I'm on my 2nd week owning this game. I am still playing it and love getting my ass kicked on my first level for some reasons.

One of the best Action/RPG I have played. This is not a game for cry babies. You got to have a lot of guts and patience to beat this game. It's very challenging. i reccomend this game for every hadcore gamer.

An action RPG thats enthrawling and rewarding to those who play long enough to get good at the game. Not a pushover like so many action RPGs Demons souls requires a bit of gaming tallent. Beutiful graphics, giant bosses & battles to the death await all who dare. With the ability to trade "souls" for added stats for your character, repair & upgrade weapons & buy healing herbs the game is't as tuff as some say, More brutal than the onimusha series and more gothic than oblivion. One of the best games on this generation consoles period. Separate ratings. 1 to 10 higher is better. Game play 9.5 good timing is needed but the contact detection is very good. Graphics 9.6 althoe dark, the game looks absolutely stunning at times & just great the rest of the time. Sound 10. Very solid sound effects & music.… Expand

From a generation of gaming that is lacking games of its genre, Demon's Souls is really a shining star. Its is indeed unforgiving, but extremely rewarding and can keep your attention for weeks and months. Their is much to to via upgrades, getting more powerful weapons, learning spells. The combat is very well done and keeps the game fun even when you hit a tight spot. Their is a large amount of enemy variety and design, as well as a unique multi-player. For those who are looking for a good RPG, this is probably it.… Expand

Best game in this generation imo. It brought the meaning back to gaming! The game makes you learn it before you proceed any further. Unlikely to other games where you can rely on your last auto-save and rush through the enemy all guns blazing. It requires patience and thinking, it's not about how fast you can push the buttons or how quickly you can kill your opponents. If you think like that you have lost and like the guys who put a low score in this game. All i can say is, we done Atlus ..no game will be the same after Demon's Souls.… Expand

This is not a game for players who only know games of the past few years, where the difficulty has been reduced to allow for a more casual game experience. This game is tough, but it's a balance of risk vs. rewards. It's not like once you enter a realm you can't leave (as some of the low reviews here might suggest), and you are "forced" to continue on. At any time you can take the souls you earned and return to the Nexus and spend them. The enemies DO respawn when you re-enter the realm, but you've spent your souls so it doesn't matter all that much. You always have the choice of pushing onward, risking the souls earned, vs. returning to cash them in. That's the beauty of the system. I suspect some of the low reviews here aren't used to any REAL risk in their current day gaming adventuring, and this comes as quite a shock. This game isn't for everyone, no doubt. But those looking for a real challenge that demands hard choices with actual consequences, this game is second to none. My only gripe is that the interface icons on the stats are cryptic squiggles that are hard to remember (what do the 2 yellow swirvy lines mean again...agility? )… Expand

This game is not for the weak. If you like a game that gives you a VAT system, this game is not for you. If you want a game that is challenging and makes you work for progression, this game IS for you. Every time you get a new item, or beat a boss you have an overwhelming feeling of accomplishment. I am level 148 and have beat the game a few times over... I recommend this game to the hardcore who love dungeon crawlers.… Expand

Best game of the year so far. I've never played a game with more relentless tension and atmosphere. Uncharted gets points for production value, but Demon's Souls gets the edge for shear design genius. Awesome dark fantasy.

Do you want some meaningless "hardcore cred"? Pretend to like this game and give it a 10. This is more and less than a game, this is a soul destroying experience. I am not embarrassed to say that I find this game far far FAR too hard. But the problem is that most people seem to think that there is some sort of shame in that. Old school megaman was hard. But even in those games every single enemy you came across was not a boss unto themselves. To the wanna-be masochists who think that if you don't like this game you need to learn what a challenge is. Something like fencing is a challenge when fighting a skilled fencer. Fencing against someone with a sniper rifle isn't a challenge, it is madness.… Expand

I've come here to WARN anyone considering this horribly made game. The difficulty of this game lies in the not-so polished game designs and has nothing to do with being genius or brilliant or bringing any sort of "old-school" nostalgia." First off the controls are terrible, not the button layout just the way that if you accidently push one extra attack swipe, you not only waste stamina but leave your guard open for an arrow/attack to get through. If you accidently swapped your secondary weapons, you leave yourself open for attack. You can't ever pause properly and the menus are not simple enough where easy swaps of items or equipment can be made on the fly. Enemies have no problem attacking and running through each other to mob you to death, as one breaks your shield another is landing a hit, but in instances where you have an allied NPC like the knight in the first level, you can't dare attack near him or it will cause friendly fire, huge double standard. Especially when volleys of arrows are going THROUGH the melee enemies you're trying to fight in some instances like the dragon bridge areas in the first level. (The only way enemies kill themselves is if they fall off a cliff or blow themselves up with fire). Targetting the correct opponent becomes near impossible when theres a mob of enemies. The only easy method early on is to just engage 1 or 2 enemies at a time by drawing their attention in the cheapest manner and running back as faster as you can in the most cowardly fashion, rinse and repeat and thats 99% of the gameplay. Using a bow is strictly prohibited unless you can make the kills from a VERY safe distance, since even swapping back to your shielf and sword will take a deadly amount of time. Even with a one handed cross bow (shield in other) your hero will think it is wise to ALWAYS immediately reload after the shot rather than shield and move into a safe corner first. The platforming is random or not implemented properly. Accidently falling off of cliffs will occur especially in the many tight stairwells when targetting and fighting enemies. Trying to climb knee-high platforms is needlessly glitched, where you find yourself tumbling forward into the small wall. The story is mediocre at best and when you are randomly dying every couple minutes you simply forget what is the point. The npc characters are boring to talk to and have very few lines and whenever finished shopping or speaking with them you are forced to listen through the same old goodbye message. Using souls as your only means of gaining levels and purchasing is ridiculous and makes no sense. Gaining levels one stat at a time is a very slow and painfully grinding process, especially if you're forced to kill the same basic enemies thousand times over just to feel confident enough to proceed to the next imbalanced and going-to-instant-kill-you foe. Once you've died the world tendency becomes darker, thus harder than before to the point where you can't even get to where you last died before since you've already run out of healing greens that rarely drop, but you have plenty of mana and poison replenishment potions that you don't need if you didn't become a mage early on or are encountering poison enemies. The game just becomes repetitive and the same boring level over and over, and they are mostly linear with the exception of some rooms but most of the side paths will just loop back to the main one. Do not waste your money and time and frustration.… Expand

Archaic, dull, and frustrating. Those are the three adjectives that best sum up Demon's Souls, a game that seems to scoff at nearly every advancement made in gaming over the last decade. Instead of conforming to modern standards, Demon's Souls decides to drag players back to the days where many games were an excercise in frustration and patience rather than fun or satisfaction. I rarely do this, but I will preface this review with the statement that I never finished the game. In fact, I never made it past the first main level. If that turns you off to what I have to say, feel free to bail out now. If you would like to find out why a player who compulsively finishes nearly every game he plays couldn't be bothered to waste his time with this hunk of garbage, please read on. Technically, the game is average. The graphics are acceptable, although that's all I can say about them. The character models look decent for the most part, the lighting is passable but certainly not striking, and the texture work is on par with most RPGs. The animations are also relatively good; in fact I'd go as far as to say that some are genuinely interesting. Everything else, though, is par for the course and maybe even slightly below today's standards. The sound is also passable. The game sports a relatively enjoyable old-school style soundtrack that at times reminded me of the Diablo games at other times sounded pretty unique. Sound effects are also passable, though again you won't be finding anything to write home about here even with 5.1 headphones. Unfortunately for Demon's Souls, it needed a whole lot more than middle-of-the-road technical features to pull it out of the bog of awfulness. A long, long time ago in the far away lands of our childhoods, games were hard. Really hard. There were no saves, no checkpoints, and there was certainly no mercy. You had your reflexes, your knowledge of the level you were playing, and maybe a 1 up here and there. Those days died long ago, and they died for good reason. It's no secret that part of the problem games always had with becoming a mainstream, accepted form of entertainment was that they were just too damn inaccessible and frustrating for anyone other than the dedicated to succeed at. While this did help foster a sense of accomplishment among those who did invest the time and energy to succeed, it also had the effect of seriously hampering the fun factor, which, if we're honest, is really the whole reason most of us play games. Demon's Souls commits the same sins, but they are amplified by the fact that it has been released in an age of user-friendly games that can be challenging but not frustrating. Essentially Demon's Souls is a stage-based old-school RPG. You select your character and you are then dropped into the world. You get some weak semblance of a story opener that is basically just your standard RPG fare (evil threatens world, your character has to stop it, you know the drill). Your very first experience with the game involves you bein killed by a monster that is ludicrously above your level. Yes, that's right. Your experience with the game is prefaced with your death. Get used to it; you will be dying a lot. You then proceed to a hub area where you are able to chat with other spirits/NPCs and fill in the less-than-interesting parts of your story. Very boring, poorly written NPC conversations didn't do much to light my fire for the game, but I went ahead and hopped into the first area anyway. It sees your character running up a long flight of steps towards a castle, which you then proceed to scale with bad guys opposing you. Standard fare, but here's the trick: the castle is massive (45 min massive if you were to run the whole thing with a low level character), and it is packed with enemies you have no hope of defeating. If you die, and you WILL die, you will lose all of your experience, gold, and items and be reset to the very beginning of the level. It doesn't matter if you were five minutes in or thirty-five minutes in, you will be completely reset. Since you are now in spirit form again due to dying, your health bar will be made smaller and since all your experience and money are laying in a blood puddle where you died earlier (you can pick all of it up again IF you can make it back to the puddle), you will have no real way to upgrade your character or prepare for the challenges ahead. This was my resulting experience: fight through castle, die 20 min in. Respawn, fight through castle, die 20 min in, etc., etc, etc. After 3 hours of this I ripped the disc out and sent it back. Any game that frustrates me with a stupidly difficult set-up and then proceeds to punish me for falling victim to it does not deserve my time and certainly not my money. Those talking about the "accomplishment" and "hardcore" aspects of the game are elitists trying to justify poor game design as old-school. If you like fun, AVOID.… Expand

I cant really explain this. I love Dark Souls, it has become my favourite game of all time, but still i hate, hate and hate Demon's Souls. Its easier then Dark Souls, but its maddeningly frustrating and cheap. Demon's Souls is one of the most over-rated games of all time. Skip this one and buy the sequel.

Superb level design. Great customization.

No matter what words spawn from my mouth, they won't make this game any justice. By now everything has already been said about it, I can only express how much of a masterpiece it is, and how it has redefined the medieval RPG action/adventure genre. It's the game I always yearned for, and it will remain one of the best games not only of this generation but of all time. Probably the thing I love about it the most is how it kind of mixes adventure-hack slash with survival horror, haven't felt so anxious during a game since the early silent hill/resident evil. And the whole thing just kind of spells Lovecraft al over the place, i love it.… Expand

You die in this game, a lot. The difficulty was definitely a challenge, I wouldn't really say fun though. Maybe I'm a person who likes to be easily satisfied, I dunno. The story is kind of lacking in this game. You don't play as a main character but one of many who have come to slay the demons, which personally I don't like. I did like they had extremely hard enemies that you knew that you wouldn't be able to beat at the time (or ever) so you would have to avoid them. There's not a lot of interesting people to talk to just a lot of fairly uninteresting demons to slay. I beat the first boss and returned it, wasn't for me.… Expand

Demon Souls is the BEST RPG game ever!, its really underrated too, i mean how can an AMAZING game like this get a 7 or 8 while other **** games like Skyirm get 8 and 9, believe me.. you MUST buy this game.. Its really fun, the story is also AMAZING! You will really like this game, I highly recommend this game to everyone with a PS3

This game took me a while to get into. The combat seemed strange at first. Even took me a while to appreciate the graphics. I gave this game special treatment and decided to commit myself and play through this game to see what all the hype was about. Boy am I thankful I did. While playing this game I finally understood why every one loves the combat in this game. The combat has weight! You truly feel in control of your character, and must very intently involve yourself in the combat. If you are killed, it is because you were not paying attention, or simply got too excited, or maybe your gear is not up to par. No need for a story here. You are given a glimpse of what the story is about but even that quickly fades away as you create your own story while you battle monsters and demons in a far away place. It is easy for me to simply play for hours and feel that I am in that 'far away' place. The graphics did have to grow on me but i soon came to appreciate those as well. 9-10… Expand

Let me start off by saying someone put the difficulty setting to hope crushing. This game is so agonizingly hard it almost makes you want to stop playing altogether. But the once you get the hang of the game, its kinda fun. My only issue is it is a very linear game, with no plot whatsoever, and you basically play it over and over and over. Nothing changes except the difficulty. It gets to the point where if you make even the smallest mistake, you die. Nevertheless the game is really great and if you want a challenge, look no further.… Expand

Demon's Souls alone would be a good reason to buy a PS3. Even if there weren't others. It's not difficult, it just rewards patience and learning. Start your journey, you'll never forget it.

This game didn't look appealing to me at all when it first came out despite hearing rave reviews about it. Recently my friend made me start playing it and at first it was really hard and really frustrating but after you get past the first few bosses and level your character this game is a blast. You still die a crap ton but the game's beauty and fighting mechanics just amazed me time after time again. Think of all the dying as a teaching mechanism for getting really good at it. It's pretty hard to say that about very many other games. One of the most satisfying videogame play throughs I've ever experienced.… Expand

I just want to leave a rating but Metacritic is retarded about letting its users do so and does not allow them the ability to see their past ratings unless they leave a review.

Demon's souls is the best game I have played on the PS3 yet, in February 2012. The 3rd person gameplay with accurate controls, the simple yet effective user interface, lots of items and gear with upgrading possibilities, stat bonus/resistance system and the true RPG way of allowing you to build your character in any way you want make this game truly a joy to play. Truly a MUST BUY.

Most negative critics of this game have no patience. They're accustomed to modern games, which allow you to rush through them, mindlessly smashing buttons and spamming healing items. This game requires you to trade blows with your enemy, manually dodge, block, and parry attacks, while waiting for a clear opening before attacking. These people can't handle this game which requires you to observe your enemy's movements and attacks, rather than rushing in to every enemy hammering buttons and repeatedly chugging healing items. If you're dying a lot, and repeating the same part of the game over and over and over again.. it's because you have no patience, and you are not putting forth any effort to learn from your mistakes.

Regarding the story: This game has a clear story so long as you talk to NPCs, read item descriptions, and realize the link between bosses and the storyline provided by NPCs and cutscenes.

Regarding the multiplayer aspect: Players cannot invade your game at any time and kill you. Very specific requirements must be met. First of all, any area in which you have defeated the boss, players can never invade you in that area. Second, you must be in Human form. You spend the majority of the game in Soul form, which means for the majority of the game, other players cannot invade your game.

In regards to the lack of checkpoints/save points: As you explore each level, you unlock shortcuts (such as opening a gate, or activating an elevator), allowing you to skip most of the level, should you need to return to the level again. You don't need a checkpoint when you can skip most of the level.

Now for some complaints of my own:

Lack of stat explanation in relation to equipment. It is not intuitive, not to mention the seemingly arbitrary icons used for stats.

After defeating a boss or recovering your souls, large text and graphics are overlayed on the screen, while the game is still live. This is terrible design for any game.

FPS drops in specific parts of the game.… Expand

I loved demon souls but I would not recommend it to everyone. It has become such a controversial game recieving every single review score from 0 -10 by different people. Whether or not you like it depends on your taste. It annoys me when I read reviews of people claiming the game is too difficult and so it's crap. If difficulty isnt your thing then this game isnt for you and thats fine. I have no interest in sports games but I dont go around posting on websites that fifa is crap, Its just not my kind of game. Now i'm not saying the game is perfect, it has some flaws like occasional framerate drops and the occasional unfair death which is annoying but overall I found it very enjoyable. The sense of accomplishment when you defeat a tough boss or complete a tough area is incomparable really, Also I think the game for the most part is fair, I played it offline the whole way through with no online help or guide and I didn't ''die hundreds of times'' like so many people claim they did nor did I ''spend hours grinding'' It was VERY hard and I think I died about 40 or 50 times throughout the course of the game. People also complain about getting set so far back when you die and losing all of your souls but that is vital to the game experience in my opinion because it gives you something to lose! it had a DONT DIE OR ELSE!! kind of feel to it. Thus I would baby-step my way through certain areas scanning everything and shield up at all times with my heart in my mouth afraid to die. It made the game so intense. I wouldn't be nearly as careful or take as long if The punishment was to restart back 10 seconds to the nearest checkpoint. That pretty much summed up the game for me, intense and enjoyable. It does suck when you die but you do learn. You realise right i may pay closer attention to traps triggered by such and such or OK that guy was very well hidden I should lure him out with arrow shots so he does
not have a vantage point advantage over me etc etc. There,s way more examples but its strategic and that.s the point. In short the game is not for everyone like I said earlier but if you would like an intense addictive game that is rewarding and enjoyable demon souls is well worth your time. Possibly my favourite game on ps3.… Expand

Before I continue, I will type a disclaimer...THIS GAME WILL NOT PLEASE EVERYONE! My brother and I both played this game. He enjoys fun, relatively less-challenging games and first person shooters while I enjoy highly-technical fighting and action games. He acknowledged that it was a great game, but put it down permanently after a few hours. I am still playing it with multiple profiles and it has never gotten old. If you are unsure about your game preference, borrow or rent this before buying it, and make sure you beat at least two bosses before passing judgement on it. Now, on to the actual review:

The story is great, not because it is terribly confusing, but because of the subtlety. A mad king awakens the Old One in order to gain the power of the soul arts (magic). As a result, demons spew forth and feast upon men's souls, leaving soulless zombies to attack those who are still sentient, tumbling the world of Boletaria into chaos and providing nourishment for the more powerful demons. The last bastion of humanity (the Nexus) has trapped your soul, preventing you from dying until you help put the Old One back to sleep. While I just summarized the plot in three sentences, the various NPCs you meet continue the story, with convincing voice acting that explains how each of them were affected. Some stories are sad, some terrifying, and none are happy; such is the land of Boletaria. This is a land of horror-fantasy where success looks bleak, enemies always seem to have the advantage in either power or surprise (or both), and boss battles actually force you to stop outside the boss chambers and think to yourself, "Am I really ready for this?"

Any protagonist braving the dangers of Boletaria needs to have a ridiculous amount of determination, and the gameplay reflects that. You will die. A lot. And you will repeat things after you die. You also lose all your souls, which are both currency and XP points in this game (you can either use them to buy items or use them to level up). Lost souls are deposited in a bloodstain at the location of your most recent death, and touching it gives them all back to you. Death before touching it, however, causes it disappear forever, along with all your souls! While this may sounds tedious, it was my experience that it was a great provider of accomplishment. Every time you die, you learn something new about the world you are in, such as, "There's a zombie in the shadows over there!" or "That enemy is waaaay too powerful!" On the next playthrough, you adjust. In short, while there is a lot of repeat, areas you have traversed multiple times prove virtually no challenge after a few attempts, provided you are actually playing the game the way it is meant to be played, and not expecting to blast through the enemies like in most games currently on the market.

This in and of itself would make for a great game, but the multiplayer makes it almost perfect. Taking a completely innovative approach, you join a multiverse of other human players in the world of Boletaria. Each game is treated as a parallel universe, meaning that each player is the one and only PC in their version of Boletaria, but there are ways to connect to the other worlds out there. Even in normal play, ghostly apparitions of real players on the PSN can be seen in your game, going through their own actions, completely oblivious of your observation. Deaths of other players leave spectral bloodstains in your world, where you can touch them to see a replay of the last ten seconds before their death (which can warn savvy players of what lies ahead). Players can write messages on the ground that can be read by all people online, giving hints or misleading other players. And, of course, you can temporarily join another player as either friend or foe, helping them defeat a boss demon or trying to murder them for their souls and a chance at getting your living body back.

This has become a rather lengthy review, and it is time to cut it off. The reason I ramble on is because this game is really a shining jewel amongst PS3 games. It is just a pity that it is not accessible to everyone, but to make it easier would detract greatly from the game. What I have described is only a fraction of what Demon's Souls has to offer, so if you think it will appeal to you, go rent or buy a copy, take out a few demons, and see if it is your speed.… Expand

Do you remember the old gaming times with NES? games such as Castlevania and Super Mario Bros. They were hard as f##k and took dozens of attempts to even get to the end boss. But still they were enjoyable and really fun to play. Demon's souls is like a 3D HD child of those games. It's hard, it's unforgiving and holy s##t is it fun to play! I won't spoil the little there is to an story, but let's just say that you are a brave hero who travels the lands to fight evil. And 95% of the time that evil kicks your ass and cleans his ass with whats left of your body and then throws it to the demon dogs to play with... more or less. Demon's souls is a western style Japanese role playing game with a difficult, but rewarding combat and great sense of exploration. You level up your hero and get new equipment and kill lots of monsters and so on. This games dark themes make sure that you never feel safe and every single enemy might just be your doom. Words can't explain the awesomeness of this game, so let me just say this: Go buy this game just now! trust me, it's worth it. After about 100 deaths you will be a fearsome killing machine!… Expand

I was pretty shocked when I looked at the reviews for this game, so many of them so high. First and foremost this game is utter garbage. The controls are terrible, the graphics for a 2009 PS3 game look horrendous, there are many PS2 games that look stunning in comparison, even attempting to compare it visually to any modern game and you will find yourself looking like a fool. I was fortunate enough to get this game for free from PS+ membership, if i had actually spent money on this I would be nearly as pissed as I was when I purchased BRINK, which is hands down the worst video game ever created.… Expand

When your playing this game, it starts to feel fairly slow paced, as you slowly churn your way through the meat grinder, and more often then not, you'll die when you encounter a new enemy. But everytime you meet them, you learn there tricks, so when you meet them again, your able to counter them more effectively. You die, and die, and die, and die. Then one day when your playing the game you look up and realize... I haven't died in a while? And thats when it hits you. You've gotten much, much better at the game, you've conquered those who have impaled, decapitated, incinerated you to death many many times. IT makes the Achievements on the 360 and the Trophies on the Ps3 look like childs play. And then you get tea bagged by a giant spider, and the process starts all over again. Or if your a very angry person, a Ps3 controller in your HDTV.… Expand

These people giving it low scores are hilarious. They seriously just upset this game is getting so much praise that they have to downscore it. Nothing about this game is "bare-bones," "tedious," or bad in any way. I've played every sort of rpg from old school NES, PC, SNES, to all worthy next-gen rpg's, and this game is completely refreshing. It's comparable to shadows of the colossus and Zelda in terms of extraordinary. If you like the previous 2 games, you'll love this game.… Expand

One of the very best games to come out this year...The best game out this generation...and my top 5 for best games of all time. This is a demanding game. But also very rewarding. The truth is, if you suck at games..This is not a game you'll want to play..if you're good at games then this is a dream come true. Graphics are good..acting is decent...and gameplay is the best around. The difficulty is all in strategy..how to fight the bad guy you're up against. If you figure out how to kill them..then you'll always know how. Also, this game does not kill you. You kill you. This game is a stern mistress but any death to come to you is a result of your own ineptitude.

IN closing, amazing game..i've been around the block. i've owned every console since Atari and played most of every great game to come out across all the different platforms..and this is in my top 5..not an easy mark to hit..but one this game does easily.… Expand

This game is perfect in every way it reminds me of retro games to be honest this game deserves a perfect score as it seperates the serious gamer from all the rest as this is no game for someone who just cant take dying in a game or is too used to the mainstream rubbish the gaming industry spews out this game should entice every hardcore retro gamer who is used to a challenge this game makes you truly feeel like a human in a demons land where you have little chance of survival but you struggle on despite than it requires the players wit and cunning and logical thinking for them to survive. this game worlds or levels whatever you wish to call them seem massive for just one level and the details of teh demons are amazing the game consists of all the RPG elements so thi is a must for RPG fans and may appeal to anyone who likes a challenge or who is just a hardcore gamer there may be loading screen but they arent as long as other games out there and they are there because the game doesnt lot up the level as you are playing as it causes many bugs in the level it is more polished to load it up before hand. overall this game is fantastic and should please hardcore gamers retro gamers and gamers who love challenges however gamers who cant take dying alot or getting sent to the start of a level even though you can open gates for shortcuts and anyone who cant play a game without logically thinking how to ebat an enemy this isnt for you.… Expand

This game is phenomenal. It's difficult, especially compared to other dungeon crawlers (Diablo is the most mainstream comparison). However, when you die in a game like Diablo, it's really frustrating, it's a downer and it discourages you to keep playing and makes you want to end that session. However, dying in Demon's Souls makes you want to keep going, to go find your body and reclaim your souls, and to continue, especially when you know what you did wrong - even if you don't know what to do (the first dragon in the game comes to mind) thinking up a solution, even if it isn't the one the game wanted you to come up with, is really satisfying.… Expand

Fantastic game! It is hard as hell, push your patience to the limits. But if you play it with your head you will very satisfied. After you kill your first bosses you will feel invincible. :P
For those who comment the game with low scores, learn to play it first. If you don't know how to pass some level search for help in the web. There are very useful hints that the game don't show.

---
Portuguese players:

Para os tugas que querem comprar este jogo, recomendo.
Vão-se cansar de morrer mas vão aprender, e vão-se tornar mais fortes. Tem aí coisas escritas por aqueles que deram má nota que não são totalmente verdadeiras. São uns frustados que só querem é colinho. Isto não é um God of War onde se desbrava caminho. Não é um Neverwinter Nights onde a história é o ponto mais importante e os seus elementos rpgs. Aqui o medo assombra-te. Vais ter medo ao percorrer certos túneis. Mas no final vai saber bem derrotar um boss maior do que tu 20 vezes. ;) Usem muito o modo online. Ficam a conhecer os bosses e os mapas com a ajuda de outros jogadores. É de outro nivel este jogo.
Não lhe dou 10 porque existem algumas falhas. Mas não acho que a dificuldade seja uma delas. São pequenas falhas que nem merecem apontamento de tão pequenas que são. :)
Vejam vídeos e outras reviews se tiverem dúvidas.… Expand

Awesome game, sorry it's to hard for some of you. There's a ton of reviews that state the games difficulty, most gamers probably just ignore it though thinking that it "won't be to hard for me". If you missed out on NES and SNES days, then you probably aren't ready for what you are about to get yourself into. If you are an older gamer, this game isn't very hard, you just need to be prepared, pay attention, and use your brain..not just your fingers. All the "I can't sell loot, it's pointless" or the "it's 2009 you shouldnt have to start all over each level" naysayers come accross as transparent. Take the spoon out of your mouth and try something differant. ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED?!?!… Expand

This is a very polished and unique game. It's been so long since I've played something wonderful like this! This game requires deep thinking for combat. Giving low reviews only shows how some gamers like games to be easy. This game is all about progression. And progression feels good.

Excellent gameplay and a chilling atmosphere work together wonderfully in this game, but the intense difficulty make this best suited for hardcore gamers. The game's greatest failing is its nearly non-existent story, which may come as a surprise to the average JRPG fan. However, fans of serious gameplay and insane difficulty will not be disappointed in this game.

Bought it at release day, traded in at next day. The problem for me is cannot pause the game no matter which button you press, even the Playstation Buttion not pause the game.