Demon Souls and Dark Souls... Where do I start playing?

[bluerocker]

I recently got a Playstation 3 as a gift, and I've heard some friends talking about Dark Souls, so, as friend talk is wont to do from time to time, I am interested about playing the games. However, I also know about Demon Souls, and it's somehow related? Thing is, I don't know if I need to play Demon Souls to understand Dark Souls, or if I can just run into Dark Souls no questions asked. All I really know is that both sets of games feature brutal gameplay difficulty. (as well as a few tidbits of trivia regarding the fluff in Dark Souls, but not enough to be any sort of expert.)

So, could you help out a complete newb to the games Escapist? Do I need to play Demon Souls first, or can I go into Dark Souls without being lost?

 

[Corven]

I recently got a Playstation 3 as a gift, and I've heard some friends talking about Dark Souls, so, as friend talk is wont to do from time to time, I am interested about playing the games. However, I also know about Demon Souls, and it's somehow related? Thing is, I don't know if I need to play Demon Souls to understand Dark Souls, or if I can just run into Dark Souls no questions asked. All I really know is that both sets of games feature brutal gameplay difficulty. (as well as a few tidbits of trivia regarding the fluff in Dark Souls, but not enough to be any sort of expert.)

So, could you help out a complete newb to the games Escapist? Do I need to play Demon Souls first, or can I go into Dark Souls without being lost?

Dark Souls is a spiritual successor to Demon's Souls, they're made by the same dev team it's just the publisher that had changed. Mechanically they are both very similar so playing one will train you up to play the other. And since they aren't directly related there is no story or background in one that you need to play the other.

 

[BobblyDrink]

You don't need to play Demon's Souls first if you don't want to. Unless you go on the internet and look up most things you're gonna be lost regardless of where you start. Great games, you just have to go out on your own time to find out more about things. Be it characters, back story or (for me at least) world soul tendency. The game gives you the basics of most things, up to you to find out the rest other ways.

These are the two games where I read the manual out of hope there'd be some detailed explanations. But online is the best place for detailed answers. So for Dark Souls go here and for Demon's Souls go here.

Just look up what you want to find out, try not to spoil bosses and stuff for yourself though by reading through them. Kinda takes out the initial joy of trying to figure them out, so don't spoil yourself by trying to understand it all on your first go through.

 

[Festus Moonbear]

I played them simultaneously (no, not with two controllers at the same time) and found it very interesting to learn the mechanics of both games at the same time so that I wasn't overprepared for either one, and could note the subtle differences. But if you have to choose one or the other I'd say go right into Dark Souls, as you don't need to know anything at all in terms of story. But if you do end up liking Dark Souls then I'd definitely recommend trying Demon's as well, it's a very special game.

 

[hazabaza1]

I'd say go Demon's first. They're both great games but having played Dark first and getting used to how things feel and stuff like poise and medium-weight dodges, going backwards to a less polished game was really challenging.

 

[Sack of Cheese]

You can play either one first. They feel like just more of the same.
Some weapons behave differently in each title though and Demon's souls armours don't look nearly as cool as in Dark souls.

 

[stroopwafel]

Both are fantastic games and mechanically similair for like 95%. The only thing I never really liked about Demon's was the Tendency system but if you play offline in Soul form you'll be alright for the most part. I also found the Covenant system of Dark to be rather obtuse so I hope these are one of the few things they fix in Dark Souls 2.

But as far as actual gameplay is concerned these games draw you in like other. I also really enjoyed the stories of both games as well, eventhough you have to really look for it through sparse NPC dialogues and item descriptions. But that's part of its mysterious appeal. I'm actually replaying Demon's Souls right now. It's also awesome how you can look for challenges in this game like just right now I beat Flamelurker as a low level character with solely melee attacks. Shit gets pretty intense. Though that's probably the best way to describe the Souls games. My favorite games of all time without a doubt.

 

[bigwon]

Play Dark Souls first, it's the more accessible game and your more likely to have a magical time (as opposed to fugg it i give up) with it when first playing. Demon Soul's will be there for you to scratch that itch you get after finally beating Dark Soul's. Although you might just end up going straight to Dark Souls 2 by that time....