Demon’s Souls is one of the best PlayStation 3 exclusives you can buy, but most readers won’t know that because they never even gave it a second look – their loss. Sure, it’s unforgiving, but it’s also unique in it’s mechanics, delivering a sizeable chunk of hardcore action RPGing that the console simply doesn’t offer anywhere else. It’s also frequently beautiful, deeply atmospheric and utterly compelling.
The second game from From Software’s Miyazaki, dubbed Dark Souls, is seen as a spiritual follow-up but the creator is keen to establish clear differences between the two. Speaking to Edge this month (issue 226) he says “Dark Souls is not the sequel to Demon’s Souls,” making it clear that the two aren’t quite as related as some might think.
“It’s not that we couldn’t use the Demon’s Souls name,” says Miyazaki,” it’s that we chose not to use it. Thematically, and in terms of ideology, the two games are very similar, but in terms of world and story they are completely different.”
Going off the screenshots available, it’s evident that there’s still a lot of Demon’s Souls in Dark Souls – the gothic architecture remains, the third person viewpoint and the main character look similar enough, and the game looks to play much the same way. “The main aim was to increase the variety of locations,” says lead artist Sato Makoto. “Many ideas came from influences that have nothing to do with fantasy.”
This time, at least, the game is one big interconnected world, with regions “seemlessly” interlinked, but with – hopefully – no loading times. But what of the difficulty level, a criticism raised of the first game? “I have no intention to make the game any easier,” says the creator, “in fact, I want it to be more difficult. We’re trying to make the most difficult game that it is possible to make.”
There’s much more of this in the magazine (with subscribers now, out next week) and it’s well worth a read for fans of Demon’s Souls as Dark Souls looks to be just as brilliant.
Huddy
Enough talk, I need this game now.
manosaggi
I loved Demon’s Souls. Can’t wait for this one.
MadBoJangles
Indeed.
Really looking forward to it too :)
Really must get back to my New Game+ at some point.
hazelam
they can’t be surprised people would think it was the sequel, not after calling it that.
R4U Eldave0
Everytime I read one of your “Demon Souls is great” articles Nofi I find myself more and more inclined to pick up a copy. I’ve seen my brother play the first couple of levels and it looked great but so, so brutal. Not sure I would have the patience lol
nobrainer06
omg it is brutal. Sadly to say i’m still stuck on the first level :( i wish my roommate back in the states would get online and help me out.
BIGAL-1992
I loved demon’s souls, but I could never get the time to play it and eventually sold it off. This time, however, dark souls is getting my full attention.
The Lone Steven
I refuse to nuy Demon souls untill i complete a FF game. Also Demon souls would cause me to rage.So Dark souls is a spirtual successor to Demon souls?
BIGAL-1992
Yes.
Jim H [Teabags]
Despite having to Youtube most of the boss battles, for fear of getting absolutely owned, I found Demons’ Souls to be one of the best games of 2010, though I honestly can’t see how it can get any harder.
BIGAL-1992
They’ll probably make you fight at the start with a wooden spoon.
moshi
More like a wooden tea spoon.
jbni
A toothpick
Charmed_Fanatic
Cotton bud
moshi
Cotton.
MadBoJangles
Cot?
KeRaSh
Air guitar!
The Lone Steven
A feather
blackredyellow
A hair.
Aquastyle
Half a hair
Foxhound_Solid
Demon Souls needs buying doesnt it, right ill get it this weekend….
R4U Eldave0
If you live in the UK, there are plenty of copies of the special edition (complete with guide, etc) in GAME for about 14quid :)
Huddy
If you go to the SHOP TO buy this game you might find it at a good price.
hazelam
i’m a rage joypad thrower, so these games might not be the best for me. :)
R4U Eldave0
LOL, I can never bring myself to throw a controller in rage as they are so pricey (I’m sure Microsoft and Sony charge as much as they do in order to deter me) ;)
moshi
It is a very rage inducing game, thankfully I rented it so I posted it back very quickly before I gave up gaming forever.
R4U Eldave0
Offtopic for a second: Howl’s Moving Castle! I’ve seen your avatar a couple of times recently and haven’t been able to pin down where it was from. It just came to me lol! *ahem* sorry
blackredyellow
Same as, I simply didn’t have the ‘stickability’ to persevere through it. I also think it’s easier to wimp out when you’ve rented the game.
jbni
Miyazaki: “That’s not difficult…now THIS is difficult” *points to Dark Souls*