Demon's Souls

Demon's Souls was my first introduction to the Souls genre on the PS3, and although it was fantastic, the graphics felt outdated even for its time. I was among the many players hoping for a remake, so when Bluepoint announced they were reworking this classic, I was thrilled-and they certainly delivered. The remake on PS5 is visually stunning, easily one of the best-looking games on the console, with beautiful textures and smooth 60 FPS that elevate the experience while making gameplay feel just a bit easier than the original.

Bluepoint stayed faithful to the original design, with only a few tweaks, such as improved rolling mechanics that make dodging smoother and battles slightly easier. Some boss fights, like the spider, may be a bit more challenging, but overall, the difficulty feels balanced, making it an accessible entry point for newcomers to the Souls series.

The level design, enemy variety, and unforgettable boss battles remain top-tier, showcasing Demon's Souls as one of the best in the RPG genre. My only wish was for Bluepoint to address some elements, like the dragon boss fight, which could have benefited from updates seen in later Souls games. But ultimately, this remake remains a faithful restoration of a masterpiece. If you haven't experienced Demon's Souls yet, now is the perfect time.

This was actually my first Souls game and I loved every second of playing it. The graphics are absolutely stunning, the voice acting great, the gameplay satisfying and the bosses are just...so cool.

It was much less hard than I expected, to be honest. Especially as the royalty class which made this game much more accessible for me as a "souls noob"; and you could indeed outlevel certain areas in the sense that normal mobs were much easier to beat - with a bit of soul grinding.

The only small complaints I'd give are:

• relatively short (I was at 31hrs with 3 optional mini bosses missing)
• lack of armor & loot variety for my desire to customise
• no option to sell items, just store
• lack of integrated lore and cutscenes (even finding letters or similar would've been great)
• no warning that past the last boss the NG+ automatically starts, so I missed out on 3 optional encounters.

I know this is very true to the original, but addressing these points would've elevated my rating to a 10.

Die-hard fans might be outraged, but going back from this to now Dark Souls 3 really feels like a frustrating step backwards. The graphics and art of the game are just not great, especially considering it was released three years after the Witcher 3.

The combat feels clunky, and I have many many more deaths. Replaying and traversing of areas feels stale especially compared to Demon Souls by FromSoftware. I'm excited for their next game, an original IP & not a remake!

After completing every dark souls game, Bloodborne, Sekiro, and Elden Ring. Demon's Souls was the last on my list to try, and boy did it live up to my expectations. Visually this is probably the most beautiful game I've seen in my life, mechanically it runs so smoothly and has some of the most fluid movements I've seen in a souls game aside from Sekiro. The animations, sound design, lighting, and boss designs are just a couple things I can go on about. But my main thing was the atmosphere. Every area had its own unique feeling. The Valley of Defilement felt hopeless and terrifying, like you were in a hole you knew you would die in. While Boletaria castle felt like you just missed the era of a kingdom in its prime, fallen to demons who feasted on the souls of the living. You play as a slayer who traveled to these lands for the same reason a lot of others did. To kill these demons and take their souls, as the power of a demon's soul is beyond that of human imagination. The game does an excellent job at truly making you feel like you're the last sane person left in this dreary hellscape. However depending on how you play, even you may not be sane.

Amazing game for a long time I have not played in the type of games and it is so fun to play in the game Amazing animation Crazy battles I love this game so much.

The remade graphics, music, and enhanced combat fluidity are all top notch, and Bluepoint did very well at honouring the original game.. a little too well. Some additions to the game would've been welcome. And maybe even some new voice actors, since some of the original voice actors flat out sounded like they did not want to be there. (looking at you Boldwin)

Re-playing the game in the enhanced world of PS5 capabilities & graphics really made me realise how crappy the gameplay actually is in comparison to the other Soulsborne games. It's a lot more basic, with far fewer movesets for all weapons, and far fewer spells (offensive miracles practically non-existent).

My favourite class across all RPGs is a mage, and in Demon souls you need 3 essential items to play to your full potential as a mage: a ridiculous headgear, a ring, and a dagger. Basically, to do your maximum damage as a mage, you have to completely limit your gameplay (only 1 spare ring slot, same helmet for the entire game, and little to no use of a shield). Really clunky design.

That and the awful, overly-complicated and overly-punishing mechanic of 'World Tendency' made me realise that this game should've been reimagined, not just remade at a higher quality. Enhanced gameplay would've made this game one of the best of all time... instead it's just 'good'... perhaps great if you've never played Demon's Souls before. I suppose I've been spoilt by the other Souls games, but nonetheless, I stand by my comment.

It's still very much worth the playthrough, especially if you've never played it before. The worldbuilding and atmosphere are some of the best in the whole Soulsborne series. Despite the dated combat design, Bluepoint managed to make the game feel both fresh and new, as well as nostalgic and reminiscent. Overall, 8.5/10.