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Demon's Souls

EMAIL PRINT ps3

8.8 User Score:

Generally favorable reviews

Based on 46 critic reviews
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Based on 270 votes
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Game Info

Publisher: Atlus USA

Developer: From Software

Genre(s): Action, Role-Playing Game

Players: 3

ESRB Rating: M (Mature)

Release Date: October 6, 2009

Summary

Demon's Souls promises to be the hardcore action RPG experience PS3 owners have been waiting for since the platform's launch. Revolutionary online features support your adventure like never before, presenting seamless interconnectivity that serves in every instance to enhance the single-player game. Team up with two other players in simultaneous cooperative play, working together to topple some of the game's colossal bosses, or force your way into the games of skilled players and challenge them to PvP battle. Leave hints and clues for those who will follow in your footsteps; either intentionally or through your own inadvertent demise, your bloodstains will allow your successors to view a replay of your death, hinting at how to avoid your gruesome fate. [Atlus USA]

Also On The Web: Official Website

What The Critics Said

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

100

AceGamez

Its appeal may be niche, but for those who appreciate a challenging and ultimately very rewarding game in a genre that's poorly represented not only on the PS3 but in this entire console generation, Demon's Souls is an absolute must have. [JPN Import]

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100

RPGamer

The game is very hard, but not unfairly so; each time you die, you'll learn a bit more about the level, and you'll be able to progress a bit further. I was very surprised with what I found in Demon's Souls.

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100

1UP

If you like RPGs in general, though, you'll find one of the better, most challenging quests of your life -- one well worth picking up. But you may want to clear off any games in your backlog beforehand.

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GamerNode

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.

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Play Magazine

The word of mouth on this game is going to be great, unless your friends only play WiiFit. Demon’s Souls is what an 8-Bit game would play like if it were popped open and dumped out in your lap. Gorgeous, thoughtful, and complete unto itself, it’s the second-best title I’ve played this year. Maybe even better.

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Gamer Limit

Demon's Souls is one for the history books. It simply improves the recently stale action genre, and is way ahead of its time with its vision of online play.

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GameCritics

Without question, Demon's Souls is one of 2009's finest titles, and an amazing, challenging journey without equal.

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GamingExcellence

That said, Demon's Souls is a terrific game. It sets such a high standard for dungeon crawling titles that can only be matched by the best of them.

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GameZone

This is a truly exceptional RPG experience that hasn’t been offered by any other game in its genre. It all comes down to whether you’re brave enough to explore its savage environments, but if you are I can promise that you won’t be disappointed.

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Cheat Code Central

Between its active battle system and its online functionality, there is a whole lot that separates Demon's Souls from other games in the dungeon-crawling genre, bringing it into the current generation.

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IGN

Every single person that owns a PS3 should at the very least rent this game to see what all the fuss is about, and those that can remember the good ol' days when games taught through the highly effective use of negative reinforcement and a heavy price for not playing it carefully should scoop this up instantly. It's utterly unique among the offerings on any console right now, and absolutely, positively should not be missed.

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GameFocus

If you are not a hardcore gamer or a gamer who can play your average action RPG on a difficulty above easy you probably will hate yourself for putting a single dollar out for this game. But if you are a gamer looking for a true challenge with plenty of extreme action, fun replay value, great multiplayer and a unique twist on everything then this is a game you must own.

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ZTGameDomain

Demon's Souls is a fantastic game, with great environments and amazing boss battles. Unfortunately, most gamers will never see most of them. The bottom line is that this game is for the hardest of the hardcore.

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Gaming Age

I found Demon's Souls to be very addicting, especially when you make full use of the multiplayer features. There's no way to sugar coat the difficulty though, and even I had to put the game down for a couple days just to take a deep breath before going back to it. But, the things that draw you back in are the superior level design, morose artwork, and engaging gameplay.

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Play UK

Tough and unforgiving, Demon's Souls is nevertheless a breath of fresh air in a very stagnant games market. [Issue#182, p.72]

GameShark

It is unyielding and relentlessly unmerciful. A single stage will take hours of repetitious practice and cautious progression to complete. The reward is pride.

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Game Informer

This game is tough, but also rewarding, interesting, evocative, and, in its own special way, brilliant.

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PALGN

Demon's Souls is an obsessive title, a masochists dream, and an utterly amazing RPG.

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Playstation Universe

Demon's Souls is everything we've been looking for on the PS3 - a stellar action RPG boasting a killer online component. The game's uncompromising difficulty may not be everyone's cup of tea, however.

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LEVEL (Czech Republic)

Nightmare difficulty makes you die a thousand times but every death teaches you how to get further. True masterpiece of dark fantasy RPG. [Sept 2009]

Meristation

Quotation forthcoming.

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Eurogamer

It's stoic, uncompromising, difficult to get to know, but also deep, intriguingly disturbed and perversely rewarding. You can learn to love Demon's Souls like few other games in the world. But only if you're prepared to give yourself over to it. [JPN Import]

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PSW Magazine UK

For every moment I spent screaming at my TV and throwing my controller I had four moments of awe. [JPN Import; May 2009, p.86]

Worth Playing

For those willing to put in the effort, Demon's Souls is perhaps the most rewarding RPG available on the PS3 and easily a must-have for any PS3 owner who doesn't mind a bit of difficulty and death.

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Hardcore Gamer Magazine

Demon’s Souls knows that winning is something to be earned, and the satisfaction of living up to the challenge it presents is its greatest reward.

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Edge Magazine

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.

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GameSpot

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.

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Gamer 2.0

The combat system is robust, the amount of exploration is amazing, and the game looks and sounds beautiful. Combine all this with the game’s masterful storytelling without hours and hours of dialog, and you have what’s probably the best and most frightening role-playing game this generation so far—just in time for Halloween.

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Thunderbolt

Demon’s Souls may make you throw controllers. It could possibly make you hate everything you’ve ever loved. It will probably make you yell curse words very, very loudly. It’s also some of the best fun to be had on the PS3.

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GameTrailers

Anyone weaned on Zelda and tempered by Diablo will have a strong attraction to the wonders of Demon's Souls.

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PSX Extreme

For what it wishes to be, Demon’s Souls hits the mark. Perhaps the audience in question is too niche to yield huge sales, but I’m confident in expressing my praise for this production and I expect many gamers to reward Atlus for this effort.

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PSM3 Magazine UK

A startling, yet satisfying experience - if you can handle it. [Christmas 2009, p.86]

My Gamer

While it is hard to give the advice to run out and purchase this game, it deserves a rental and a couple of hours of play. If you can make it through inventing curse words during that time, it is a clear purchase.

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RPG Fan

All-in-all, Demon's Souls is a game every PS3 RPG fan should buy just to say that they own it, just to say that they've played it. It's up to you as the gamer to figure out if an incredibly difficult, incredibly unique game is the game for you.

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Digital Chumps

It's a solid and competent RPG with some innovative and really cool online features, and it goes highly recommended.

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AtomicGamer

As is, it'll likely be adored by those who go out of their way to embrace it, but ignored by anyone intimidated by old school difficulty.

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Everyeye.it

A deep and complex action RPG, hard but rewarding.

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Kombo

Souls is a top notch title that is impossible to put down.

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Game Revolution

Despite its uncompromising attitude, Demon’s Souls is a rare and unexpected treat.

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Playstation: The Official Magazine (US)

A game best left to the most masochistic, hardcore game. [Dec 2009, p.80]

Playstation Official Magazine UK

Demon's Souls is difficult. Really, really difficult. [JPN Import; July 2009, p.100]

GamePro

In short, you'll have a blast but you'll pay a heavy price for it sooner or later.

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Kikizo

Demon’s Souls is undoubtedly a tough nut to crack, but if you’re prepared to dig beneath its hard shell, you’ll find a game that is compelling and deeply rewarding in equal measure.

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SpazioGames

All those who love the dungeon crawling genre, may find in this From Software's game a large number of interesting elements and carefully developed details, while those who prefer a more narrative structure and a more rich gameplay, should perhaps approach the game only after careful considerations. Waiting a more understandable english version, we can only hope that the existing defects can be fixed.

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The Onion (A.V. Club)

The forced repetition and steep odds could’ve been a disaster. But the mêlée combat, mapped primarily to the PlayStation 3’s rear triggers, is so beautifully precise, it demands to be mastered.

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Gamervision

The enemy design is, simply put, wonderful, and so many different elements of Demon’s Souls call out to me, demanding love and affection. Sadly, I cannot return its calls. It just goes so far out of its way to be difficult that it misses some key, important elements that would have made it a vastly better game.

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What Our Users Said

The average user rating for this game is 8.8 (out of 10) based on 270 User Votes

Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Dave gave it a10:
Incredible level and enemy design, deeply immersive, difficult w/o ever feeling cheap -- what a spectacular game from FROM. The demons seem like they are really really trying to get you, which makes every success that much more sweet.

A Merk gave it a9:
Brooding, muted, and down-right intimidating best describes this intriguing title. The game is not intended for the weak of heart. Demon's Souls will truly test your fortitude and ability throughout your playtime through it. This title is one of the few that really seperates the hardcore gamer from the rest of the pack. From Software should be commended for staying so true to a small but extremely vocal and loyal niche. It is truly refreshing to see a title that doesn't try to compromise itself by introducing easy ways out, destroy it's atmosphere with silly quirks and storyline gaps, or running over the same game mechanics over and over again. The game runs uniquely on the triggers of the PS3 controller, a scheme which works flawlessly and the combat system of Demon's Souls has a depth to it that transcends hack and slash (a fairly poor generalization). The game is unrepentantly fair to players, and the reason for failure is your own inability. Not without its flaws however; the camera is finicky at times, there are some frame rate issues when the scenery gets busy, and the story isn't incredibly present or original (it is delightfully filled in if you look for it however). Yet Demon's Souls is easily one of the best titles of the year. Negativity in many user reviews truly attest to the power of this game to segregate the difference in gaming calibre.

ironman gave it a9:
I'm not sure what chilimac is talking about with load screens after dying. I have yet to see a load screen after dying, let alone a lengthy one. Or even a lengthy load screen when moving between worlds. I couldn't give the game a 10 for one simple reason. When you die in a boss battle, the only place to get back your souls is in the trap that is the boss battle. So if you have to go somewhere and shut the game off, that could be thousands of souls lost. All in all a great game, but a bit more attention paid to things like that would have made it amazing.

peatear g gave it a10:
The game is really well balanced; the worlds are beautifully conceived, the combat is based on strategy above all else, and the game demands your awareness. If you have played older RPG's, this game really is not that difficult. I am not saying you won't die, you will die a lot; its not memory or twitch fighting as many will say, it is being smart and patient, many times your best performance on a level is your first play through, when you are most cautious. It may have repetitive elements, but the gameplay and combat is so well done that you enjoy soul-farming. Co-op with friends takes some coordination, but it is worth it. PvP is a great deal of fun, and you will find yourself invading other players' worlds over and over. The sound is extremely well done to the point where you can use another players' armor clanking as a beacon of their whereabouts. The Tendency system is also something worth reading about because it is a part of the larger complexity of the game. Also, the game is at least 120 hours long and there is a wealth of gameplay after that, including many things that unlock based on your tendency(evil/good) and levels will open new areas and enemies based on that tendency as well. Some try to say its not worth $60, but my friends played it and within a week both bought a PS3 and Demon's Souls, and I also bought another copy for my brother. We have all played the old generation of Western RPG's: Baldur's Gate, Fallout, Planescape, Diablo etc. and this game is truly worthy of being compared to them in their atmosphere and their difficulty.

Michael E gave it a10:
One of the things I saw in the blurbs on this site frequently is how difficult this game is. I'm sure that this has turned some people off to the game, so let me use a different word: challenging. When something is challenging, it is inviting you to try it, and that's what this game is, it's an active invitation to give it a try. Another thing aspect of this challenging game is it doesn't remain difficult, yet it remains challenging. You're going to die in this game, it's part of the game. You become a soul when you're dead and you have a few ways to get your body back. The first two I will mention are available for those with online capabilities enabled, and those are to either help a player of similar level defeat a demon or to kill a player of similar level as he attempts to conquer the level. The other ways are to kill a demon yourself or to use an item which brings you back (limited quantity of these items). The reason I distinguish this game as challenging is because it is consistently offering new ways to trip you up, which keeps the gameplay fresh and exciting. The black phantom (player characters who can kill you) adds exhilaration to your grinding sessions (and may make you want to stay in soul form until boss fights) and the maps are uniquely satisfying to conquer. You will find yourself rejoicing every time you beat some mobs while other times you may scream in despair when you die to that poorly-placed hole in the ground which leads directly to your grave. This is a game that brings suspenseful (horror?) cinema to a home console and allows you to take part in it. It's open-ended, you can finish maps as you see fit, grind as much as you want to prepare for the next boss or zone, or you can spend your time fighting alongside or against other player characters. This is one of those gems of a game that actually feels like it's worth the asking price, in terms of hours you will put into it and satisfaction you will feel from every little encounter. Buy it!

Chad C gave it a10:
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?!?!

Philip K gave it a9:
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!

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Demon's Souls

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