There's no more addictive and immensely enjoyable way to get your a$$ kicked.
Graphics: Very Good -- The environments are dark, dreary, and filled with a stench of hatred for mortality so thick you can almost smell it in your living room. That said, the graphics aren't really the focus for this title. Everything looks great, but that's not why you'll play for hours at a time.
Sound: Very Good -- Swords slash, Axes hack, and Rapiers poke... and likewise, the sounds of flesh being sliced, chopped, and pierced will have your stomach turning. If you should run into a dragon, his approach is suitably frightening. The immersion factor is definitely there.
Difficulty: Holy mother-of-jeebus, it's effin' difficult -- This is easily one of the most difficult games I've ever played. This is not your little baby sister's creed of assassins. Nay! This is a man's action game. For those of you from my generation... think, Dirk the Daring. Oops. Fail. Try again. FROM THE BEGINNING (only without the additional quarter; whew). Now, while this might make you think twice about picking the game up to save yourself some torture... I say to you, read on... Consider the Gameplay features that have been masterfully put together here in an original way, and then think a third time.
Gameplay: Farckin' Awesome -- Dare I say this is the most original take on the good ole sword/shield RPG I've seen in years? Yes. I'll say it. Let's see if I can explain it.
The game is level, or stage-based. Read... Super Mario Bros. But that doesn't mean it's strictly linear. Each area has a sort of end of level objective, in the form of a Boss.
Okay, so you have two modes of play...
1) You're alive (not for long >< ), you've got all your health, and your mortal form can summon other players who are in Soul form to join you and help you out. Only the living player can loot, but the "Phantom" players can earn souls, and the chance to return to their world as alive again. Once you've beat the boss man for an area, those PC pals of yours will return to their world's, having earned their ability to walk with the living once again. NEAT Idea on co-op multi-player, right?
2) You're in soul form (you're dead, I told you), you have reduced health, but an insatiable lust for damage. Now you can drop a request for a town portal (for lack of a better term). If a living player stumbles upon your request, he can open said TP (TPTPTPOK?), effectively summoning you into his world as a Phantom, so you can help him with his goal. Once completed, as said before, you return to your own world as a living soul once again, with all the souls you gathered while you were there. Now you can summon a tortured soul to help you, and the cycle continues.
If you die in either form, you lose ALL YOUR SOULS, and are returned to the beginning of the level/zone. Souls are the game's form of currency, and, in effect, XP. You can use Souls that you gather to purchase gear, repairs, arrows/bolts, and even stat points. Your choice.
The punishing difficulty is evened out by the fact that combat is SO MUCH fun. You can do just about anything you would expect in a standard RPG, and everything seems appropriately executed. If you want to dodge, you don't hit the "evade" button, or wait for a "chance to proc a dodge roll", you instead have to time your movements by watching the enemy and dodge on your own. Want to tumble around on your enemy and deliver a crushing blow from behind? You'd better be quick. Feeling a bit brave? Try parrying incoming attacks with a scimitar instead of a shield. It's a lot harder, but hey, it should be right? Or, how about using a crossbow in your main hand and sword in the off? When the enemy lunges your way with a bolt stuck in his teeth, you can deliver a quick slice to finish him off. That is, IF YOU'RE good enough. :)
Additionally, you can leave messages as you adventure on your way... perhaps offering a bit of preventative guidance for others who might venture along behind you. If someone appreciates your message, they can recommend it, causing it to stay around longer. Each time a player recommends your message, you're healed to full.
Yes, it's hard, and even a bit repetative due to it's harsh punishment for failure and ignorance, but I think the important thing to ask yourself when you consider Demon's Souls is... Do you prefer a game where you can revel in the satisfaction of your own accomplishment? or... Do you just want to finish the game quickly and move on to the next? If you answered Yes to the former and No the latter, then BUY Demon's Souls. You'll love it. You'll hate it. You'll love to hate it.
I honestly can not remember the last time I played an action game that was challenging enough to keep me in the seat, or an RPG that gave some real freedom to venture down the path I chose to take, without feeling ripped off because the developer wanted to keep every path "balanced". Some paths should be more difficult than others! Can it at times be too challenging? Perhaps. But that's where the multi-player element comes in. Grab a soldier to help you... help a fellow soldier. The trade-off is a lot of fun.
Teh monumental awaits teeh, above. Now, GO.