The PlayStation 5 launched on November 12th, 2020 and alongside it came a remake of FromSoftware's classic RPG Demon's Souls. Bluepoint Games kept most elements from the original game, including the brutal difficulty, only updating the graphics for the new hardware and taking advantage of the console's SSD for lightning fast load times.
Because it is the first of its kind, before Dark Souls and Bloodborne, plenty of things about it grow annoying after a first play through. While Demon's Souls is one of the finest games of this year, a few parts will certainly grind players' gears after many hours.
10 Anticlimactic Ending
Fighting every boss and going through every Archstone feels like moving mountains. What is the final reward for doing so? A small cutscene and some credits right before being sent right back to the beginning. Fans of FromSoftware have grown used to the anticlimactic conclusions in their games, but those new to Demon's Souls might feel somewhat cheated. Just remember; it is not about the destination, but the journey towards it.
9 Item Burden
Equipment burden is an added element to consider when putting gear on a character. Item burden, however, is simply a small inconvenience forcing players to use the storage in the Nexus. Items can be automatically sent there when exploring an Archstone, so it seems useless to have a limited amount of space. It does not take too much time to organize storage, but the feature adds nothing to the gameplay.
8 Crashes
New consoles are bound to have some problems in certain units, but it does not make the issues any less annoying. Demon's Souls tends to suffer from some random crashes, mainly occurring when returning to the Nexus. With the PS5's fast loading and startups it is easy to jump right back into the fray, but one expects a five hundred dollar machine and a seventy dollar game to work right. The frequent auto saving also helps prevent significant progress loss.
7 Having To Beat Phalanx Again In New Game Plus
It makes sense for the first play through to require players to beat Phalanx before being able to increase the character's soul level. The game wants players to beat the first area and grow accustomed to the gameplay before adjusting stats. However, having to do it on during new game plus feels redundant. Additionally, players run the risk of loosing many thousands of souls they earned from the ending.
6 Not Knowing You Can Lock Out Abilities
Certain spells and weapon upgrades can only be acquired by using a soul acquired from a boss.
Players who do not realize this are likely to unlock a certain spell or upgrade they do not need, potentially locking themselves out of an ability that actually compliments their play style. To earn the locked out ability with the same character, one has to progress through new game plus and reach the boss again.
5 Unfair Falling Deaths
Unlike most games, Demon's Souls puts no invisible barrier on ledges, meaning players can roll to their deaths at any moment while journeying through an Archstone. This becomes particularly infuriating during the Maneater boss fight. This beast is hard enough to start with, but most are bound to die several times over from the monster knocking the character off the edge. It is worse when such a death destroys the souls one was trying to find again.
4 The A.I.
While Demon's Souls is an exquisitely gorgeous game, some parts of the experience do a great job of reminding players it is an update of a PlayStation 3 game from 2009. The enemy A.I. does some funky things and does not always act the way one would think. Flying enemies especially tend to wander off right in the middle of a battle. Funnily enough, this can sometimes help in a boss battle. Either exploit the A.I. or wait until it does something weird all on its own.
3 Puzzle Elements Of Some Bosses
FromSoftware games are legendary for their boss fights. Every bout generally has a move set players have to memorize and they all feel like honest bouts between two foes.
However, Demon's Souls' boss encounters vary greatly in terms of quality. Some of them are interesting battles, while a notable handful are based on gimmicks or puzzles. The Dragon God is a standout example of this, requiring players to sneak around the beast to fire harpoons into it.
2 Accidentally Doing A Different Attack
The combat is nuanced, despite attacks being relegated to only two buttons. It is far too easy to accidentally jump back or do a different move when trying to accomplish a light attack. This happens especially often when holding a shield up and moving towards an enemy before attacking. During particularly challenging bouts such a mistake can mean immediate defeat. Best to try and break this habit early on before the difficulty ramps up.
1 Getting Invaded Right After Becoming Human
Demon's Souls is notable for its unique multiplayer component. Leaving messages and summoning other players can make the journey more manageable. Adversely, invasions can make the title seem downright unfair. Players can only jump into a world where the character is in human form, so those in soul form are safe. However, everyone has at least had one experience of having their game invaded immediately after becoming human.