R.I.P. Demon's Souls

With the news that servers will be coming down on From Sofwares Demon's Souls, I wanted to pay my respects. As a gamer it is truly something to celebrate when a company releases a title that can be called unique. Demon's souls represents a milestone in video gaming history. In an age where we as gamers are spoiled by new generation games that guide us through rich stories, and beautiful graphics, without much difficulty. Demon's Souls shows us that dying can be a lot of fun.




There is a difference between a game that is difficult because of poor design, or cheap mechanics, and a game that is honestly just punishing. There were many moments in this game that i could do nothing but sigh, bury my head in my hands and feel like I should just quit; However I did not break a single controller, TV, or object in a fit of rage. This is because dying in Demon's Souls was almost always my fault, whether it was because I turned the wrong corner without my guard up, or simply got greedy and tried to fit in that extra attack. Patience is key to staying alive, and you are reminded very quickly each time you forget. I'm fairly confident when I say that everyone's first time through, dying is commonplace. Trial and error is key in Demon's souls, each death teaches a lesson, which brings you closer to that ultimate goal of acquiring the next demon soul.

There have been few games more rewarding when you finally take down the boss that has killed you countless times, for however many hours. This is part of what makes Demon's Souls so groundbreaking. Game developers seem to have lost sight, in many respects, that difficulty is not a bad thing, its what creates that sense of accomplishment that makes games worth playing. The fact that this game won the awards that it  did should open some eyes to this concept.

Black Phantom

While Demon's Souls is not technically gone, a huge part of what makes it so great lies in the online component. As if regular enemies and bosses that you face are not tough enough, there is always that looming threat of a black phantom invading your world. A black phantom is another player that can enter your game, join forces with the enemies in your game, and kill you (Stealing your souls in the process). Other players can leave messages on the ground that either serve as hints, or possibly lies to trick you into doing something that will get you killed. You will find blood stains on the ground that let you watch the last moments of another players life, maybe helping you to not meet the same fate?

What will be most missed about the online component however is what is not possible in its spiritual successor, Dark Souls. In Demon's Souls you can put a sign on the ground that allows other players to summon you into their world to help them. Friends could arrange a place to meet and play together, enjoying what can be a very entertaining co-op experience. Because it is nearly impossible to do this in Dark Souls, this will be missed by anyone who enjoyed taking on the challenges of this game with their friends. 

We still have Dark Souls, but while its a good game in its own right, Demon's Souls will always hold a special place for me. In May a large part of what makes this game so great will be gone, and it will be missed. It also raises an interesting question about current generation games that are tied closely to online play. Servers wont stay up forever on any of the games that we enjoy, how long before your favorite game is gone for good?