Demon’s Souls is an excellent game. I will say that right now. It makes you feel lonely, scared, anxious, desperate, and – sometimes – triumphant. Although it is impossible to really die, as you will always return as a soul, it makes you feel fragile and tentative, even when you’ve gained many levels and you’re carrying an arsenal of magical weaponry. The combat is kinetic, fast and brutal, without frills or excess. The character development allows for countless strategies and decisions, most of which are actually viable – depending on how good you are at outfighting enemies by dodging, timing your attacks, blocking, managing your stamina, and perhaps parrying and riposting, if that’s your style. And style is a huge part of it – you can stand back and blast your foes with magic or pepper them with arrows, retreating as they draw near, or you can stand fast with a spear and jab them from the safety of your shield, wearing heavy armour to absorb their blows, or you can be a real man and wield a giant two-handed weapon to knock enemies sprawling and roll around, unhindered by armour or shield, dodging enemy attacks and dancing nimbly on the edge of horrible, horrible death.
And yet, despite all this, despite even the game’s remarkable online component where you can be brought into other players’ worlds to aid them or to invade and attempt to kill them, Demon’s Souls stumbles at times. I’d even say it falls right down, flat on its face.
