Demon’s Souls Reviews

With the North American version of Atlus’ Demon’s Souls finally on store shelves, the web has been bombarded by a slew of new reviews.

The first is at GameSpot with a score of 9.0/10:

Demon’s Souls harbors many more intricacies as well–nooks and crannies loaded with extra loot, a mechanic known as world tendency that changes the difficulty level depending on certain actions you take, and additional benefits (and risks) should you rescue (or kill) certain non-player characters you encounter on your travels. There’s a lot to discover, and the game wants you to figure it all out on your own. But while Demon’s Souls doesn’t serve the answers to you on a gilded platter, it gives you a number of refined and inspired tools to help you succeed, and its astounding, oppressive world will cast its spell on you. If you crave true innovation, a fair but relentless challenge, and gripping exploration in which every step has consequences, then you crave Demon’s Souls.

The second is at GamerNode with a score of 9.5/10:

Demon’s Souls uses sprawling, atmospheric worlds, haunting game concepts and mechanics, an unconventional control scheme, and formidable difficulty to envelop players in an experience that is easily one of the best of the year.

The third is at PlayStation LifeStyle with a score of 4/5:

Overall Demon’s Souls is a great game with a lot going for it. The presentation is solid with a good enough story and decent voice overs. The combat in the game shines and really forces you to think before you act. Boss battles are amazing in scale and really test each person to learn and adapt. The game difficulty though is a bit too much at times and will turn away many people due to being very unforgiving. The game could be a bit more forgiving as most of the game will be spent backtracking. If you think you have what it takes and you have great patience then this is a game you should def. check out. However if you don’t enjoy grinding or replaying levels a lot then this should be a rental.

The fourth is at HonestGamers with a perfect score of 10/10:

The difference between Demon’s Souls and other games of its ilk is that even when you’re running like hell from a gargoyle that you can’t see just so that you can reach a wider platform and swing the camera into view, or when you’re creeping along a mountain trail and shivering because Boletarian despair is seeping into your bones and you’ve started to wonder if you’ll ever see another blue sky or a bright green blade of grass, even when you’re taking a fatal plunge toward an abyss hundreds of feet below… you’re loving every minute of it. Perfection can wait for heaven. Here on Earth, we have Demon’s Souls.

The fifth is at Game and Player with a score of 4/5:

Demon’s Souls is definitely a game geared toward more hardcore players. Any casual gamer would likely give up within an hour or two. The game doesn’t offer any hints about what you need to do, where you need to go, how to defeat the bosses, or what evil lies around every corner. Those of us who like punishment and a good challenge will keep driving on. Demon’s Souls is unforgiving but it’s very rewarding when you take down one of the monstrous bosses.

The sixth is at Tech-Gaming with a score of “B”:

Many of my contemporaries have written the game off as too difficult, but much like old games like Bionic Commando or Phantasy Star Online, Demon’s Souls is really only difficult until you come to terms with the game’s mechanics. It has a great deal of depth for anyone who is disciplined and diligent enough to suffer the first few hours of the game. I can’t recommend this game enough to those looking for a robust game to really sink their jagged teeth into, but I can’t recommend this game at all to anyone who lacks the patience to learn and explore on their own or are prone to fits of gamer rage.

The seventh is at MEGATONik with no score:

All in all Demon’s Souls rings to the bone with foreboding, as you are alone in a dark world fighting all manner of demon and undead..and even other humans around every turn (which sometimes may even work for your advantage as you can have other players join you in a co-op beatdown of that boss you were having trouble with). Based on what I have read and seen of the game thus far anyone whom enjoys a difficult and rewarding experience.or a world filled with shadows will be happy to play Demon’s Souls.

The eighth is at Edge Online with a score of 9/10:

These punishment systems ensure that life has far greater value than in most games, especially as the incessant autosaving ensures restoring from a back-up is impossible. As such, you inch forward, shield up, knees-a-knocking. Demon’s Souls is the antithesis of the fashionable approach to gaming. It encourages mastery over mere perseverance and every reward is so hard won as to make it almost unattainable. But if gaming’s ultimate appeal lies in the learning and mastering of new skills, then surely the medium’s keenest thrills are to be found in its hardest lessons. For those who flourish under Demon’s Souls’ strict examination, there’s no greater sense of virtual achievement.

The ninth is at Digital Entertainment News with a score of 8.5/10:

The most fun you’ll have punishing yourself over and over again.

The tenth is at PlayStation Insider with a score of 9.0/10:

Demon’s Souls is one of the most interesting titles I’ve played thus far in 2009 in part because it reminds me of the days when RPG’s forced the gamer to figure out the game on their own. While it isn’t quite as punishing as that, the difficulty and the combat system are faithful throwbacks to a time when skill, knowledge, and a little help from Lady Luck were the rule. The online component of the game is also a tremendous asset that the hardcore fans will enjoy using to explore the game as much as they possibly can. This was designed for the RPG fanboy and it delivers.

The eleventh is at Games Are Evil with no score:

I think this is the kind of game that shows off the PS3’s abilities to great effect, and will raise your own skills to a higher level, should you stick with it. I am a better player now, because of my trials and tribulations in Demon’s Souls. Games that I had given up on before at the (I’m stuck) point have opened up to me as being much easier now that I have a few more skillz under my belt. Thanks, Atlus!

The twelfth is at Bitmob with no score:

Combat in Demon’s Souls is infinitely deep, with so many features interwoven into one, tight experience. Though difficult at first, combat is that much more rewarding than a standard hack-and-slash action game. Demon’s Souls gives combat weight, and thus, the system makes every action feel important and of value. Every kill is a triumph that adds to the player’s growing knowledge of the system, increasing her effectiveness as a player.

And the thirteenth is at GameTrailers with a score of 8.9/10.