[gooktime]

[Sketch]

Gave 1-2 a miss and went on to 3-1, which brought back the love. Really cool level, really scary, and really good design. I think I now might be strong enough to take on the other levels. I'd read the Wiki which said I should I stick with 1-2 and 2-2 until I'd gotten better at the game, but with a Royal, 3-1 is surprisingly easy. And not frustrating if you die, since the level is very compartmentalised (unlike 1-2, which is just one long sausage).

Anyway, this game reminds me strongly of La Mulana:
* Very difficult
* progress made through slow levelling
* complex stages
* obscure text clues

I might give it a few day's break though. I've got Valkyria DLC and Zenoclash to play through.


QUESTION:
The wiki talks a lot about Crystal Geckos. Now, I've missed a whole bunch, and accidentally stumbled into their nest and lost all of them. Apparently doing this means they don't re-appear. Have I ruined my chances of completing the game now?

[schild]

They reappear. I don't know of any crystal geckos that don't reappear. They just don't appear every time you go. The nest ALWAYS has geckos in it.

[another god]

Multiplayer. Life. and Death. Shit this is awesome. I got my body back for a good couple hours today, kicked some ass, but now I'm dead again. :( We need to play some more multi so I can get my body back.
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interdimensional

[Sketch]

Yeah, had some good multiplayer games last night. It's great when someone shows you the way through a tough level, and the game is much easier with a few buddies taking out big enemies. You played well AG, and the 5-1 guidance was a huge help.

The invading Black Phantoms are a pain though. I tried the white stone but couldn't boot them out. And they also stop the evacuate spell from working it seems, trapping you inside.

Became flesh then someone invaded and killed me quite quickly. Another time someone invaded after I'd been summoned but me and the other guy took him out quickly. Then I was at the gate to boss 2-2 when some guy invaded, so I'm waiting down, kinda freaked out because I can't warp away.

Anyway, he appears before me and bows. Now, I realise there's a netiquette regarding bowing online and fighting someone, and for a moment I almost go along with it, but then I blast him with magic mid-bow and then take him out.

I thought fuck this shit. This isn't some kind of PvP server where I ask for a duel. I feel violated when these cheeky cads invade, since I'm trying to stay alive without outside hindrance. If you're going to pull that then you're going to get magicked in the face. No bowing.

[rabite gets whacked!]

Just bought from NCSX, whenever they decide to restock.

I have a big old mushy spot in my heart for games that do creative things with character death.
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[jjsimpso]

Finally made some progress on Demon's Souls tonight. First I thrashed the tower knight in 1-2. Then, with my body back, I summoned help and defeated the spider in 2-1. The spider went down quick with my two random helpers, one of whom had magic. This was very helpful because I have no good ranged attacks at the moment. I think 3-1 will be next. It doesn't seem too difficult.

[schild]

[Sketch]

I've heard people use the thief ring and hide in the dark before stabbing the 3-1 guys in the back. A bow should also work though, even better than magic since you don''t need lock-on.


Went in 2-2 last night hoping to find someone to summon, but no one was about. The only criticism of this game is there aren't always enough people online - I fear the day they close the servers. If you're not playing this RIGHT NOW, you're going to miss the boat.

Anyway, I tried the 2-2 boss alone, and it was awesome. I was better prepared this time, and even though I was a magic user, it wasn't simply projectile spamming since there's no safe place to stand. It felt like a proper fight as I doused myself in water magic to keep off the flames and went toe-to-toe with him. Amazing fight.

Then I went and killed the Dragon God of 2-3, which is a puzzle based boss fight(!). The graphics in this are amazing, the guy is MASSIVE. Anyway, a little water magic to douse the flames and it was possible to run past him and activate the holy cannons.

Got about 50,000 souls for those two fights, so levelled up nicely and upgraded my weapons to a rapier with damage bonus for my high magic abilities. I can now tussle with most melee guys no problem.

Then attempted 1-3, and the enemies are tougher, but it is SOOOO satisfying parrying, reposting, and dealing the fatal blow knowing that 2-3 hits could kill you. Great level design, and clever enemy/trap placement. I lured quite a few to their deaths on their own traps.

Anyone who is up for a challenge and can get online, I recommend this game 100%. Schild was absolutely right about this, it is an astounding game, and once you've got a handle on the controls, it's challenging but not unfairly difficult. I've only died when I've gotten cocky and tried to show-off.



Btw, check out the multiplayer topic, since I've now got spare Gash Resistance and Fragrance rings (Fragrance costs 60,000 souls and recharges magic) up for trade, and I know Stonefang tunnel like the back of my hand if anyone needs any help. I'm mainly looking for a Ring of Avarice, but I'll trade the rings for some Darkmoonstone, especially the bigger ores, to level my Rapier.

[Mr. Apol]

guys i really want to play this game since i'm a huge nethack fan

has anyone come across a note that reads "Elbereth"?

has anyone written a note that says that in panic, through pure impulse?
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[negativedge]

Man, I really want this damn game. Is it bad that I'm contemplating buying it even though my only access to a PS3 is through my brother, who is moving out of state in September?

[zombieman000]

I think I'm playing this wrong. You probably don't need to resort to farming to make progress, but that's what I'm doing, and I feel bad about it :(
The 4-1 boss would have ripped me open if I didn't get help, because I kept going for the weakpoint as he wedged me into a corner and crushed me against the wall with his girth.

[Bennett]

So to those of you who have this - is it worth buying a PS3 for? Or should I wait for the inevitable price drop at e3?

[another god]

I'm having more fun with my PS3 than I have with any system I've ever had before.

Of course, I've never really bought my own systems until recently, and even then none of them were current. Except for the PS1. But I was in high school, and now I'm working and have my own money and can buy whatever the fuck I want.

I play Demon's Souls a lot. And so does my roommate - it's fun to watch him play Demon's Souls, too. There are times when I want to play other games, but that's multiplayer (SFIV) or trying to get my girlfriend to play videogames with me(Afrika). DS gets booted out of the PS3 for that, but for the amount of time playing, the wonder and astonishment, and the enjoyment of a kind of game I've never played before, it's very well worth it.

It's like a horror fantasy game. But it's not Resident Evil shock horror. And only a little like Silent Hill's plodding horror. You know what's ahead of you, and you know what's around the next corner, but you still are terrified.
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interdimensional

[gooktime]

[Toptube]

Eurogamer has a drool slathered import review of this on their site now.

[schild]

[another god]

Anyone that knows anything about gaming knows that this game is the fucking shit. Seriously, the quality in Demon's Souls is the first thing you notice about the game. I haven't had a game blow my expectations like this in a long time. That I expected it to be awesome just makes it that much better.
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interdimensional

[Sketch]

That's a good review by Keza. She used to write for GamesTM and her work is normally quite good. I'm curious to know who'll now be writing GamesTM's review. It's in the next issue I believe.

Halverson's PLAY also had a review, by Dai Kohama (sp?). Very positive, no score of course.

Metacritic deson't have an entry yet. GameFaqs has 4 reviews, scored 4, 8, 9 and 10.

The thing is though, a lot of these reviews don't give enough emphasis to the online messaging and multiplayer system, I feel.


Oh, and apparently XSEED had a forum topic asking what people would like them to work on next, and a lot of people said Demon's Souls. If they're smart they'd see it as an easy publish, since the localisation only needs slight tweaking.


QUESTION:
I loaded the game and found the blue NPC guy in the Nexus was dead. Why was this? Was there any way to save him? Why did he die? I collected his soul, but I kinda liked talking to him... I'm 100% certain I haven't freed Yurt yet.

[schild]

[gooktime]

[username]

I'm lagging a bit behind the rest of you as I've been a bit distracted by other things, but I finally got around to playing an online game as a spirit through 1-2 and it went pretty well (I chose 1-2 initially cause I needed a "magic wand"). The person I played with seemed to know the level well as he just more or less massacred people with scary ease which made me wonder how he hadn't cleared it already but I was content to serve as a lackey and we managed to make it to the boss and pick it apart from opposite high vantage points. Got a good number of souls (for me), scouted out the second half of the level and gained the ability to use magic from my pre-multiplayer runs, now I think I'm ready to give the area a real run for myself.

BTW, is it safe to assume that a melee-centric character has no chance of taking out a dragon in this area?
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http://www.audioatrocities.com/games/castlevania-sotn/clip1.mp3

[analogos]

[zombieman000]

[gooktime]

even if you're melee focused earlier on, i'd advise you get some magic and ranged stuff going on. By the time I finished, I had a pretty balanced character stats wise - I was magic focused but still had a nice uchigatana and yurt's armour

[another god]

[skelethulu]

Yeah, gots mine through ebay. Shipping took a couple weeks but it's here and it's awesome.

[Toptube]

[Bennett]

Have you Demon's Souls owners played 'Severance: Blade of Darkness'? This looks quite similar in style. God I loved that game.

[Isfet]

hmmm...that's kind of an issue. play-asia doesn't even seem to have a date of when they expect more.

and eBay seems to be out of it entirely right now. guess i'll keep checking? but if it takes a month or so, will anyone actually be playing this?

[Sketch]

Yes, I intend to play through Game+ and also start a new character more focused on melee, maybe purely for PvP...

Apparently you can drop red stones to start a PvP match. But to do this you need to make a drastic, game-destroying evil decision.

It feels like I'm missing out on so much content in this game. I haven't even swung an axe. I've only been using swords and levelling my rapier. And the world tendencies! It's too late now to get white tendency for most of them, I just hope I can still get it for world 5 for the extra quests. Maybe for Game+ or is the game a bit too tough in that?

I'm starting to realise that there's more content to this game than I'm likely to ever see.

Without the internet, I wouldn't even know half this exists.

[Tokyo Rude]

The amount this thing is selling you'd think Sony would be stupid not to at least do a limited run of it in America.

Guys I wish I could buy this game but I simple do not have the money (I have a guitar.)

[Pijaibros]

[another god]

The game is 100% doable and enjoyable offline. Afterall, it is Japanese. The online part is neat and part of the OMG gaming<3 it gets is for being online, but, to be honest, it took me a week to get online and I think I've only played a handful of games online.

Getting this game now and playing it online now is preferably, though.
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interdimensional

[Red_venom]

Played this at my friends house over the weekend. Sooo impressed. I had sorta hyped him up for it and he got it and then hasn't played it for more than a few minutes so first thing I did when i went over to his place was start playing it.

I didn't bother checking online to see what to do and it probably took me 4 hours and MANY deaths to get to the first boss. But now I just NEED a PS3 for this. Why doesnt Dell still run the deal they had going arghh dont wanna spend 300+ on a used one:[

[another god]

Jesus Christ. Anyone at this forum with a PS3 that doesn't have this game is missing the point of being at this forum.
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interdimensional

[boojiboy7]

Or doesn't have money.

[Pijaibros]

hey booji, if you don't have money i can finally payback what i owe you.
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[boojiboy7]

whoa shit really? man, that would be all kinds of helpful now.

[Pijaibros]

yeah. just come by whenever and I'll hand you a check for whatever it is I owe you. I forget the exact amount, but i actually have some money now.

send me a text message and we can arrange a meet. I work everyday except Sun.
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[boojiboy7]

check your PMs. also, i might be down for some sf4 when we meet, just for a little live getting-my-ass-kicked.