Culture

Platforms: PS3


Demon's Souls is an intriguing and inspired roleplaying game. It replaces the more traditional D&D roleplaying with something more akin to an MMORPG (non-geeks, this means 'massively multiplayer online role-playing game', durh). It combines this with an excellent combat control system, stunning graphics, and a difficulty that will make you weep. (I am serious, this game will make you cry, or at least contemplate smashing your PS3 to smithereens with a slightly-psychotic sense of serenity.)
The way Demon's Souls approaches roleplaying differs widely from the typical system, where you choose a race that has stats, then a class that has feats, and then increase these with points gained by levelling. In Demon's Souls, you choose a class that has skill points, and you can not level anything until you complete the first mission. After that, you can trade the souls of slain demons for increased levels in any skill. This leads to a grinding take on levelling as each purchased point is more expensive than the last. However, this allows for any combination of agility, strength, and magic, if you're willing to work for it.
Now to the difficulty. When you die, you come back as a disembodied soul with less life than you had when you were wearing your body, though you get this back by defeating a boss. You'll also lose all your money, which can be recovered by reclaiming a blood stain left where you last fell (die again and it's gone!). Also, all normal monsters respawn whenever you enter an area. Your equipment decays too, which only makes matters worse. You will spend hours figuring out how to get through a single area. This said, defeating a single level is one of the most gratifying experiences in gaming!
The graphics are stunning and the controls are sharp. These combined with addictive levelling and the challenge, can suck you in. If you are up for a challenge (appart from passing your papers), you must play this game. Seriously. Must.