Zero Punctuation: Demon's Souls

[Anchupom]

*snip* I still don't know someone that owns a PS3.

You do now. Me. Hi.

 

[sethperson]

I'm not replying, but I may have a theory of what Yatzee might review in 2010.
Yatzee once said in a review for valkyria chronicles that he might get into turn-based-strategy, and he has often ragged on nintendo for reusing nostalgia, recycling games, and reducing innovation, so a perfect target for Yatzee to go comical simon cowel on is Poke'mon HeartGold, & SoulSilver.
Feel free to bat this idea around,
that includes you too Yatzee!

 

[BlackDodongo]

oh yeah and totally disagree with unfair... when a Giant troll goblin thing runs across a bridge and hits you once, breaking your guard and killing you at full health... life beginings to feel a little unfair. That and bosses who kill you as you walk into the room

Maybe you should have seen the GIANT GOBLIN THAT IS CLEARLY QUITE POWERFUL and tried to get around him some other way. It can be done, and even if you can't find a way, maybe you just need to level or get a better weapon. You know, because this is an RPG and that's what you do in these games.

Yeah unfortunately Demon Souls is a game where you only figure things out via trial and error. You cross a seemingly empty narrow bridge and goblin- troll club thing storms the bridge at high speed.. You magic doesnt knockback or do enough damage to kill the thing and theres nowhere to dodge or step around the thing. Now the game is laughing at me going "you are totally screwed" and in Demons Souls there is no pulling a miracle and surviving... you just die. Now had something warned me that there was danger (like being able to see the troll goblin thing with the big ass club) then life would have been a little more fair. I could have planned my attack. (And dont mention the message system because the only messages that are around after the first level are "Help! Please reccommend Im in trouble" yeah arent we all? )

Level grinding to me is an absolute waste of time... I bought a game to play it, not to boringly replay the same levels to become powerful enough to tackle the next. To me thats lazy game design. If the developers havent set the difficulty curve such that at the end of one level you can move on to the next... they've screwed up. I dont mind hard, but I want hard to be tactic oriented and a measure of skill. Not "Oh congrats, you've killed enough same underpowered grunts that now you are strong enough to move on". So basically everything I achieved is based on a level thats related to how long I play the game not whether Im actually good at it or not.

Like dont get me wrong Demons Souls is a decent game. The graphics are awesome. The game world absorbing. The controls are... ok. But it seems to confuse challenge, with lets not give them a fighting chance... and I suppose that means people who actually beat the game deserve some respect, although that is somewhat tainted by a game play thats base on a system that dictates that you need to be a certain level to continue.

And you cant criticize me for knocking the game... I've actually played it got about halfway.. then went "Fuck this" this has become work it isnt fun to grind the same areas over and over and then I traded it in

Ok, yes you do die. Alot. Dieing to Demon's Souls is like jumping to Mario. Now I realize alot of people don't like this and I can understand. After all, in almost every other game dieing means you have failed. But dieing in Demon's Souls is not so much about failure and more about learning about it and improving upon what you did. You must understand this to enjoy the game. If that is not your cup of tea then I completely understand but you must also understand that this does not make the game terrible (and im talking to everyone here not just you).

I never had to grind once up untill the level 20's, and at that point I had found a place I could farm souls easily and get the ones I required fairly quickly. It's definitely got less grinding than 90% of other RPGs out there. And don't complain about grinding if your playing an RPG. That's like complaining you have to shoot bullets to kill the enemies in an FPS.

I do agree with you to some extent, this game does have it's flaws. The controls are annoying at times and the camera doesn't help. It's difficulty is not one of them.

You say this game confuse's challenge with unforgiving? Well I disagree, you just don't know what the challenge is. This games challenge isn't to test your skills or your intelligence. This game challenges your endurance and your patience, and you clearly lost the challenge. You must constanlty be on guard and be prepared for EVERYTHING (no exageration). And if you let your guard down for one second? The game will punish you for it. This serves as an incentive to not screw up again or face the consiquences. If it didn't then it wouldn't be as much of a challenge. Now this challenge isnt easy and yes, most people will fail. You could argue that it is pointless to have it this hard and why couldn't they just make it easier for everyone? Now this is gonna sound like im blowing the elitist horn but you kinda have to if you enjoy this game. This game is built for the people who strive for 100% completion in other games, and who play IWBTG jsut to make it to the next screen. That does not make this game bad however. Every game has an audience. Just like you wouldnt complain at a Barbie game for bieng to girly, because you know it was meant to be, don't complain at this game for bieng relentless.

 

[yzzlthtz]

I really hate trial & error games, that not what I would call challenge, you didn't survive because you were careful or otherwise smart, you survive because you have an inability to stay dead, and remember everything before your death. A simple computer program can solve such problems, simply retry until something works, and then build on that.

There's a difference between looking at a problem and getting a general idea of what you need to do, and then not knowing two shits about what you're supposed to do, and dying being the only way to find out.

I'm sure demon's Soul's is a nice game, but it's the wrong kind of challenge, and not what I'm looking for.

You've got it totally wrong.
How is that?
Where do you get these incorrect impressions of the game? Clearly not from people who have actually put time into the game. Clearly not from playing the game yourself.

The challenge of demon's souls is paying attention and taking your time, rather than rushing in sword swinging. There is an element of trial and error, but it's more a means of whittling your senses and skills to a fine point so that you can succeed rather than throwing random stuff at you. Every attack has a warning sign - audio or visual. The kind of challenge you are describing is more like click adventure gaming - like goblins, or longest journey, space quest, that sort of thing.
Demon's Souls is something else entirely.

 

[deaconsbeacons]

I used to be able to download the FLV video using Safari's Activity window, but now that's gone. C'mon, Escapist, give us a means to download the video again. I love being able to convert ZP FLV's and play them back on my PSP during road trips.

 

[CellShaded]

It actually sounds fun. I want to be challenged, i like the way they do that ''online'' thing, but why the fuck did they have to release it ONLY on PS3?

Uh...because it's Sony's game.

But why? They could get money by selling games to PC/Xbox owners. Instead people will download those games and run them with emulators. (if it's possible)

Emulate the PS3?

Really?

OT: I did order this game for christmas, it sounds bittersweet, but I could use the sense of achievement that would come with working my way through it slowly.

 

[Someperson307]

Well, I love the game, but this was an excellent review.

 

[Judithia]

no offense Yahtzee but did you even play they game for more then 20minutes?

Its honestly not all that hard and you seem to have missed a fair few points.

For instance saying the online component is only there to leave messages and see ghosts is false, other people can join your game if your alive and if your in spirit mode you can leave marks that let people summon you to theirs.

 

[holycow88]

I live there, yes there is it's an easy target with places such as hasting anyways be proud enough not to complain if you like sussex thats ur choice!

 

[oldgamer]

UGH:
I actually registered to make this comment.
I've been keeping up with your reviews since your first videos on YouTube.
So far you've actually given all the games you review a chance, until now.

ISSUES WITH THIS VIDEO:
- You didn't play past the first level
- You don't give the game a chance
- You act like rushing around carelessly is suppose to be an effective strategy for all games
- You don't try to learn from the game
- You act like the game is bad because you die for repeating the same failed strategy
- You didn't review the game, as you neglect to mention almost all main features:
--- Multiplayer (supportive, blue stone summon) - Having other people help you in your game or helping others to regain your body
--- Multiplayer (offensive, black stone invasions) - Even playing as a Boss enemy to others in one level
--- The class system, jobs, special builds
--- The level system, how you level up in the game
--- The inventory and weight system, and why you suck and fast dodging due to it
--- Spells, what abilities are you given to fight with in the game
--- World and character tendency
--- The checkpoints, the shortcuts unlocked in levels, and why you lie about saying there are none

The list goes on, I doubt you read the back of the box, much less the instruction manual. I don't know how you can call giving a summary of how you didn't play past level 1 a "review".

I was looking forward to a Ninja Gaiden II style review, and your complaints after beating the 1-2 level boss (Tower Knight), but this video is nothing like I've seen you do before, and I mean that in a bad way.

I DEMAND A REAL REVIEW:
This game will kick you in the teeth only when you do stupid crap, and you'll hate it when you die because you know you're doing something wrong, but that's why you like it. The game isn't being unfair, you know exactly why you died, and it's easily avoidable, and it's always your own fault for doing something stupid in the first place. Yes, you'll die! A lot! But if you don't want a challenge, go play Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, a piss-poor 10 hour or less "game" you can play in one play-through when you rent it one Saturday. No one wants to pay $60 for a game they can beat in a day, that's why video game rental places stay in business. Did you spend 10 hours on Demon's Souls? Hell no, you didn't even bother to level up or try one of the easier first levels at the other worlds. If you tried not leveling up in a standard RPG and died often because of it, I would blame you for being stupid and not trying to learn how to play the game instead of whining about how you lost.

IS THIS GAME HARD?:
Only if you try to rush through the game so you can post a video review to complain about the name of the game and rattle off a summary of how you played through level one. Level one is trial and error, yes. After you beat level one, start a new game and play it again and you'll breeze through it, I swear, I did it myself. I spent 3-4 hours playing through level one and died a lot, then I played a new game again to see if it was just me being stupid or not learning all those times. Hell yes it was, played through the whole thing again without dying in 30 minutes unlocking all the checkpoints in the level and getting all the loot. The game only punishes you for doing stupid stuff like trying to rush through instead of learn one of the many strategies to passing levels. IF you learned from level one, the rest of the game isn't horribly difficult. If you didn't learn from level one, and also didn't bother to equip the cling ring and thief ring which you get from playing level one regular like everyone else, you'll have a hard time.

 

[WorldCritic]

I'll pass, I got enough of murderously hard games when I beat Castlevania/Izuna/Ninja Gaiden/Ninja Gaiden 2/Panzer Dragoon Orta/ I wanna be The Guy.

 

[The Deadpool]

I DEMAND A REAL REVIEW.

Zero Punctuation isn't a review...

It's comedy. Yes, he talks about a game he's played, but it's not a real review.

Yahtzee's also made mention that if he doesn't mention something about a game, then he probably LIKED that about it and thus didn't bother to mention.

It think this was a fine Zero Punctuation. I just disagree with people who think they wouldn't play the game because of it...

 

[Dendred]

Demons Souls is that all the games industry has to offer the bored cincal gamers now. An overly hard game that can be compared to god of war. WHEN WILL THE MOTHER FUCK PISSY SHIT END. FOR FAKE SAKES. Screw this. This is probaly when so many gamers are such peice of shit to talk to. What happened to all the rational gamers? And what the hell happend to originality in this industry?

 

[The Ruiner]

This is definitely a "RENT FIRST, DON'T BUY!" type game.

 

[The Ruiner]

You obviously have already made up your mind on the game. So I ask you what the fuck difference does it make to you what Yahtzee says? If by now you don't realize this is how Yahtzee reviews games then stop watching his videos. If you want reviews that basically translate into text blow jobs for the developers go to IGN.

 

[Gondito]

OK Yahtzee, Like always, you trash the game your reviewing, which is always hilarious, but you also give the games you review a chance to prove themselves. You of all people should know that role playing games take a little time to get into, from what I saw in your review, you didn't even get past the 2nd level in the first world, hardly enough time to level up your character a few levels. you reviewed this one poorly making it sound like a frustrating, insignificant experience.

For some reason people look to your reviews for guidance on whether they should buy a game. there are a lot of comments here where I see people deciding they don't want the game because you made it seem like an impossible feat of a game.

yes, its a tough game, but once you get into it, you will love every second of it. Ive spent about 15 hours with it and its already my favorite game of the year, possibly the last 5 years.

Your videos are always fantastic, and I watch them every week, I also often read your extra punctuation, but with your Demon's Souls review, you have turned off a load of gamers that were interested in the title, you have a status in the gaming world, and people usually trust your judgment, but you have just turned off a lot of gamers out of the best RPG experience released in years, including yourself.