Demon's Souls or Dark Souls?

[Smertnik]

So I finally acquired a PS3 in preparations for Skullgirls and the Souls series has caught my eye for a long time. I've been wondering, though, is it worth getting both games? Like, do they each have some unique features or is Dark Souls just Demon's Souls 2.0?

 

[Skin]

Both. Dark Souls is extremely polished compared to Demons Souls and has some far better design choices, but Demons Souls is the one who started it all, and it has superior MP due to dedicated servers.

I personally had more fun with Dark Souls, but they are both excellent, and you do not need to play Demons before Dark because the stories have nothing to do with each other.

 

[ColeusRattus]

Demons Souls is the one who started it all, and it has superior MP due to dedicated servers.

With the only downside that the servers went down in april last year, never to be up again, so no MP and tendency shifts anymore...

 

[Skin]

Demons Souls is the one who started it all, and it has superior MP due to dedicated servers.

With the only downside that the servers went down in april last year, never to be up again, so no MP and tendency shifts anymore...

What a shame. DkS MP is almost unbearable at times.

 

[kyogen]

Both are worth getting. Start with Demon's Souls to get used to the gameplay and because it's gorgeous and great fun and relatively cheap now. The two games don't have directly related lore, but there are crossover characters, and both are "spiritual successors" to the King's Field series on PS1 and 2.

EDIT: There are still tendency shifts in Demon's Souls. They're just exclusively tied to what the player does instead of what others do.

 

[Fat Hippo]

Demon's Souls is probably cheaper than Dark Souls, if that's a factor, but since I don't have a PS3 I unfortunately can't compare their gameplay. *sadface*

Also, Demon's Souls isn't supposed to be quite as hard, so maybe it's a good idea to start there, and if you want more go over to Dark.

 

[Iwata]

Demons Souls is the one who started it all, and it has superior MP due to dedicated servers.

With the only downside that the servers went down in april last year, never to be up again, so no MP and tendency shifts anymore...

No, they didn't. the servers were supposed to go down in April, then it got pushed back to October, and then the suspension of the servers was postponed indefinitely. You can still play with all online features.

And I'd recommend Demon's Souls over Dark Souls.

 

[Smertnik]

And I'd recommend Demon's Souls over Dark Souls.

Why, if you don't mind me asking?

 

[Iwata]

And I'd recommend Demon's Souls over Dark Souls.

Why, if you don't mind me asking?

Of course.

I just thought it was the superior game, with a better, darker atmosphere. The whole game felt like playing in limbo, which was a welcome change of pace. The overall look and feel of Demon's Souls is a bit more aggressive than in Dark Souls. As a game, they're similar, but for the feel of it, I prefer the first game.

 

[zombieshark6666]

I've only been able to play Dark Souls (x360), but I wouldn't play another game like it right away. I really hope the next Souls game is in a different setting (French mousquetaires, please).

That said, Dark Souls is a masterpiece and From Software ranks highly with me.

 

[Argtee]

And I'd recommend Demon's Souls over Dark Souls.

Why, if you don't mind me asking?

Of course.

I just thought it was the superior game, with a better, darker atmosphere. The whole game felt like playing in limbo, which was a welcome change of pace. The overall look and feel of Demon's Souls is a bit more aggressive than in Dark Souls. As a game, they're similar, but for the feel of it, I prefer the first game.

Oh, this.

I have to say, I liked Dark Souls more than Demons' Souls, but the whole Nexus thing in Demon's Souls made you feel very...alone, which is actually a good thing.

Still, they're both really good games.

 

[Smertnik]

Thanks for the input, guys and/or gals.

So basically the consensus so far is that Demon's Souls is still well worth playing?
That's good. Now I know what one of my next purchases is going to be.

 

[RedEyesBlackGamer]

Demon's Souls is probably cheaper than Dark Souls, if that's a factor, but since I don't have a PS3 I unfortunately can't compare their gameplay. *sadface*

Also, Demon's Souls isn't supposed to be quite as hard, so maybe it's a good idea to start there, and if you want more go over to Dark.

I think that Demon's Souls is harder. Oh man, so brutal.
OP: Dark Souls is the better game, but if you plan on getting both, get Demon's Souls first. Going back to it after Dark Souls really shows how it has aged.

 

[Iwata]

Thanks for the input, guys and/or gals.

So basically the consensus so far is that Demon's Souls is still well worth playing?
That's good. Now I know what one of my next purchases is going to be.

Yeah, and again, to clear any misconception, the servers are still up and running.

 

[kyogen]

Yes, get Demon's Souls. It's fantastic. Imo, it's still easily equal to Dark Souls, but its environments are not linked in the same way and that changes the atmosphere of the game. Dark Souls gets a bit more devious with its level design, but Demon's Souls is moodier and has a few tricks of its own up its sleeve.

Thanks, Iwata, for the heads up about the Demon's Souls servers. That's good news. Is Atlus still running them? They're awesome.

 

[That Annoying Guy]

Demon's Souls isn't supposed to be quite as hard, so maybe it's a good idea to start there, and if you want more go over to Dark.

Actually they had a patch to make Dark Souls easier, though Demon's souls is generally harder because the combat is not a evolved. But that last bit (Demon's is harder) is more of as personal option then fact sadly.

 

[Darth Rahu]

Dark Souls hands down. It's just a more polished and fair game, even though it's still really really hard.

 

[Daystar Clarion]

Honestly? They're both worth your time.

I'd play Demon's first though, I don't think it's combat is as refined as Dark, so it may feel strange taking a step backwards.

 

[00slash00]

So I finally acquired a PS3 in preparations for Skullgirls and the Souls series has caught my eye for a long time. I've been wondering, though, is it worth getting both games? Like, do they each have some unique features or is Dark Souls just Demon's Souls 2.0?

dark souls is basically just demons souls 2.0 but both are worth getting. dark souls is definitely an improved version as far as gameplay is concerned. personally i demons souls because i found it to be much harder. the first 5 hours of dark souls can be brutal, but the ability to more easily upgrade weapons and armor, the fact that there is no item burden, the fact that defense increases no matter what stat you level up, and the fact that you get access to all your health and not just 50-75%, makes dark souls a considerably easier game. dont get me wrong, neither game is easy by any means, but i found dark souls to be much less challenging, except for a few parts