It is therefore in the From Software archives that the American studio has plunged to revive a video game monument, and the term is not overused. Still, we’re not ashamed to admit it: no, we’ve never played Demon’s Souls, and we certainly don’t expect you to believe the other way around. Moreover, while our colleagues knelt in front of Hidetaka Miyazaki during an event devoted to Dark Souls II a few years ago, we looked at him with caution, eyebrows raised. It was only by playing Bloodborne that we understood the genius that inhabits the man. Then we went on: Dark Souls, Dark Souls II, Dark Souls III, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, and even Nioh and Nioh 2 as the most interesting alternatives. In short, we were stung. Demon’s Souls is first of all this cryptic narration dear to From Software, even if it is with Dark Souls that the studio will make its trademark. A thick fog that envelops the kingdom of Bolétaria, his people devoured by demons, a hero ready to suffer a thousand deaths to save humanity; We can imagine that at the time, the story contrasted with that of blockbusters which multiplied ad infinitum. Better, Demon’s Souls lets you loose in the wild, your only landmark being the Nexus. Like the Firewire Sanctuary (Dark Souls), the Hunter’s Dream (Bloodborne) and the Ruined Temple (Sekiro), this area connects the five worlds that can be searched in any order.
We were desperately waiting for a game to make us want to go to the next-gen: the remake of Demon’s Souls is the chosen one.
Needless to say that at the start, we are groping: the slightest obstacle, a priori insurmountable, makes us believe that we have taken the wrong path. It is above all a question of skill, it is true, but if one wishes to see the end of the game one day, it is preferable to complete the first phase of each level before moving on to the following ones. A more linear progression that reminds us that Demon’s Souls was, in reality, only the beta of Dark Souls and its interconnected areas. Despite everything, the level design remains tricky with dark corners where all kinds of creatures nestle, platforms from which it is easy to fall, narrow passages where each confrontation can be fatal. But what we fear the most are the cramped rooms that require you to position yourself well in relation to the opponent so as not to hit an element of the decor, and expose yourself to a sudden against. The opportunity to highlight one of the main weaknesses of this remake, namely the camera which has trouble finding the right angle in tense moments, especially when you are near the wall. Thankfully, the game isn’t quite as ruthless as its successors and those it later inspired. There is no doubt that Bluepoint Games would have undoubtedly liked to increase the difficulty, but he swore he would stay true to the original material. If, in 2009, a zest of requirement and two-three patterns were enough to panic players, the genre goes much further into the delirium today.
HAVE THE DEMON
Understand by this that once we have studied the enemies, they are almost dead. Almost, because when they attack en masse, it is much more stressful. The same goes for the bosses who are clearly the prototypes of the golgoths crossed years later. In fact – and we don’t know if it’s our Soulsborne addiction that makes us say this – Demon’s Souls doesn’t really put our reflexes to death, and that’s what sets it apart from its heirs. As soon as you know how to hurt, you are in an armchair, cigar in your mouth and your feet on the desk. We do not fully feel this absolute need to be on guard from start to finish, this surpassing oneself that acts like a hard drug. It must be said that some uncompromising mechanics were new ten years ago, which did not require From Software to load the mule. For example, we think of the weight of the inventory which has an impact on the control of the character, in particular his rolls. Depending on its equipment, the speed of these will be high, medium or slow. More hellish: with a ratio of 100% or more, you should not even consider running. There is also the endurance gauge which requires us to measure each of our efforts, and we are not just talking about the movements of our avatar. Each shot requires juice, especially if you handle a heavy weapon. This is why you have to accept to put your nose in the various statistics to obtain a perfect balance between the characteristics of the hero and his arsenal.
The other parameter not to be overlooked is the Trend of the Worlds that we have just discovered at the same time as Demon’s Souls. More concretely, depending on the actions taken by the player or the community (online), the world in which we find ourselves will switch towards good (white) or evil (black). Basically, in the first case, the game will be easier but we will collect items of less value; while in a dark world, our courage in the face of tougher enemies will be generously rewarded. Good to know. What we also had to familiarize ourselves with is only ending up with half the HP bar – and in a spectral form – when you get messed up. An additional constraint that encourages you to open your eyes when you explore a level for the first time, the traitors being more than numerous in Demon’s Souls. Fortunately, there are ways to regain all of your health (and its carnal envelope, as a result) such as defeating a boss, or consuming a fleeting eye stone. Putting on the sticky ring, which reduces the loss of HP when you are a ghost, also relieves. To be honest, having half of your life bar eaten on a failure is arguably the most discouraging aspect of the game for laymen. If you get over this pain, you will be psychologically armed for the rest.
While Soulsborne devotees may not feel as though they are moping around as much as in 2009, neophytes are being offered a golden opportunity to forge a mind of steel. It will be hard, painful, frustrating, infuriating, whatever you want; but in the end, terribly enjoyable.
We haven’t talked about it yet, it seems obvious, but after the sublime intro, it’s up to us to choose the class with which we want to travel the adventure. We are not going to list them all here, but know that this step determines the way in which we will apprehend events. With solid stamina, you won’t hesitate to add an extra hit, while a true force of nature will need fewer hits to bring down an opponent. The ability to transport heavy equipment without being hampered in its movements is also a factor to take into account. Either way, nothing is set in stone since by collecting souls and spending them on the Maiden in Black, there is a way to improve her stats. That said, it is advisable to opt from the start for a profile supposed to stick with our style of play, so as not to regret your choice along the way and to farm to rectify the situation. Afterwards, Bluepoint Games respected the precepts of From Software, that is to say, to offer a solution to each situation. Clearly, if you’re struggling with a boss, you must not let go; there is quite simply a flaw that we have not yet found, regardless of our class. At worst, nothing prevents you from contacting blacksmiths to boost weapons, knowing that there again, it will be necessary to take care of certain associations so as not to inadvertently award yourself a penalty. Finally, going to say hello to blacksmiths allows you to repair weapons with a high degree of wear.
DELICIOUS INJURIES
Spoiler warning: Demon’s Souls is incredibly beautiful whether you have a 4K screen or not. If Resident Evil 2 had already pushed the limits of the exercise in 2019, Bluepoint Games treats us with what can be described as a work of art. Everything, absolutely everything benefits from an incredible level of detail. Every brick, every board, every spark, every piece of metal, every reflection has been the subject of meticulous work rarely seen in the video game industry. Even the most trivial mobs were treated with respect and display facial animations. Of course, we would have liked the suffering they feel when we pierce them to be transcribed, but in a game where we do not necessarily take the time to contemplate the corpses, the visual quality remains exceptional. We imagine that the shock must be even greater among those who filed the original game on PS3, the remake having two modes: “Cinematic” to favor native 4K to the detriment of the framerate (30fps), and “Performance” to play at 60fps with dynamic 4K. Purists will naturally favor the second option, if only to better read the opposing animations. Moreover, the developers have reworked them all, which makes the fights much more brutal. With such a maze of textures – and without the aid of ray-tracing – Demon’s Souls gives a taste of what next-gen games will look like in the near future.
Since we are talking about the capabilities of the PS5, we expected better use of the DualSense. For example, we cannot say that adaptive triggers are used; even when you use the bow, it’s not crazy. The loudspeaker which activates to mingle with the sounds produced by the screen? We dare not speak of revolution. On the other hand, it’s a little more convincing with the vibrations that are triggered when our weapon hits a wall, when we roll, when we set our sword ablaze, or when we take damage. It adds a certain subtlety in terms of sensations, but for an exclusivity as ambitious as Demon’s Souls, it’s light. On the other hand, thanks to the SSD, we do not have to wait for hours between each death. Moreover, the developers took advantage of the reduced loading times to ship excess items to the Nexus reserve, and therefore no longer experience a return there as a punishment. Finally, on the multiplayer side, it’s classic, with first of all asynchronous features materialized by bloodstains. These allow you to see where other players have died, and therefore to better anticipate ambushes. Leaving messages behind to warn the rest of the community is still valid, however the most practical is to surround yourself with other fellow adventurers – a squad that can accommodate up to 6 players.
