Pat PilcherDemon Souls for the PlayStation 5 REVIEW
Summary
Demon Souls for the PlayStation 5 REVIEW
$129
PAT PILCHER dies over and over again and loves it while getting wowed by a game that demonstrates the full abilities of the PS5.
Usually, when a new generation game console like the PlayStation 5 launches, games that can take full advantage of the graphics eye candy on offer are as rare as hens’ teeth for at least 6 months. Thank goodness for Demon Souls, a dungeon adventure/brawler that offers stimulation for all a gamer’s senses.
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The first thing that struck me in Demon’s Souls wasn’t an undead knight’s sword but its eye-popping visuals. You’d be forgiven for thinking that dank dungeons and crumbling mist-shrouded medieval environs wouldn’t be the stuff of stunning graphics. The gloom provides the perfect stage for in-game details to really stand out. Environments are beautifully detailed and take full advantage of ray tracing so that a burning torch’s light beautifully flickers against a dimly lit dungeon’s damp wall.
The Original Souls game launched in 2009 and was hampered by graphics limitations of that era. In that game, “fog” and darkness often obscured key parts of a level. There is fog with the PS5 version, but it is part of the foreboding atmosphere rather than a gaming handicap. The new visuals are, putting it mildly, stunning.
Gorgeous graphics are further complemented by the DualSense controller’s haptic feedback and audio cues (which are, in part, delivered via the controller’s built-in speaker). The combination really adds to the gameplay, especially in frenetic fights and can provide cues to nearby treasure. Donning a good gaming headset such as JBL’s Quantum One also immersed me in some stunning spatial audio. With it, I could easily tell if someone (or something) was creeping up behind me.
While Demon Souls is incredible to play and look at, it is also fiendishly difficult. The big thing is to get used to dying – a lot. While I spent a lot of time re-spawning, the PS5’s super quick SSD meant that load times didn’t take forever between my many deaths.
Sure, getting killed was a frequent occurrence, but the gameplay was also satisfying. From discovering how to counter traps through to fighting off an enemy’s attack and discovering treasure, I often felt that I’d achieved something when playing. Which is a good thing as it did sort of seem that I’d been thrown in the deep end when starting out – there is little in the way of tutorials. While I got a quick “here’s the basics” at the start, trial and frequent error (and, erm, death) was the norm. If you’re expecting an easy ride with Demon Souls, you’ll be in for a disappointment. That said, giving it a go and learning on the go is a rewarding experience indeed.
While you could opt for Miles Morales Spider-Man for an easier PS5 romp, Demon Souls is both a fantastic game and a stunning showcase of the PS5’s capabilities. It’s what I’d imagined a PS5 game would be like a year or two into the PS5?s development cycle. It isn’t just eye-popping to look at but rewards all your senses thanks to clever haptic and force feedback and gorgeous spatial audio. If you were a D&D fan, chances are that you’ll love this atmospheric and tough but ultimately rewarding game.
