THE OFFICIAL BLOG — Entry #5 — Difficulty
This fifth entry in the official Demon's Souls blog addresses the game's challenge level, something that has been discussed extensively.
Challenging, yes… but unfair?
A lot of folks have made a big deal about how challenging Demon’s Souls is. We should know; at times, we’ve been the first to suggest as much. Few games kill the player off quite as many times as Demon’s Souls, or offer quite as many situations where even one mistake can prove fatal. In the end, however, it serves to greatly amplify the player’s sense of accomplishment when an obstacle is overcome.
Why is it so hard? (that’s what she said)
First off, we feel it is important to stress that Demon’s Souls is tough, but it is not unfair. There are almost no surprises, at least after the first time through an area, and few scenarios that break the established rule set and player expectations. A lot of games generate their difficulty by throwing sudden and unexpected things at the player, or by introducing completely unfamiliar challenges. After 30 minutes in the Kingdom of Boletaria, it is safe to say that most players will rarely be surprised again (being on the edge of their seat is another matter entirely).
In many ways, it isn’t what Demon’s Souls does that makes it harder than other games as much as what it doesn’t do. The game does not hold the player’s hand. Beyond the first tutorial area, almost all of the tips the player will receive will come from other human adventurers through the game’s messaging system. (And if you don’t have an internet connection, you’re going to have to depend on yourself.)
You mean there are enemies in this game that can kill me?
Many games prevent you from encountering a vastly overpowered enemy early on; not Demon’s Souls. Even in the very first area (1-1), you can make a wrong turn that puts you face-to-face with a nearly impossible foe (especially for melee fighters). You might guess it on your own, or stumble across a helpful message from another player, or view another’s death via their bloodstains and think better of advancing quite yet, but it’s also altogether likely you’ll just run in and die.
And the worst thing that could happen is that you’ll fail to return to the scene of your death to reclaim your lost souls (the currency by which you’ll eventually upgrade your character) before dying a second time. At this point, all of those soul points are gone for good. Yet, you’ll never lose items, or stat points, so it is only a temporary setback. The game depends on you to be more cautious and strategic when facing such an obviously menacing foe in the future.
Some games let the player get away with an obscene amount of careless hacking and slashing. Demon’s Souls will quickly dispose of you if you fail to properly defend yourself, or heal at the appropriate times, or use your inventory wisely, or use your roll dodge effectively. The game doesn’t ask a lot of the player, just that they abandon many of the bad habits other games have let them get away with for far too long.
The 5 D’s of Demon’s Souls: Dodge, dodge, dodge, dodge, and dodge
There are a number of helpful tools the game puts at one’s disposal that, when used effectively, really make things easier. The roll dodge is one of the best examples of this, basically making you invincible as long as you don’t move too late or jump to your feet before the enemy’s attack has concluded. Properly timed roll dodges, coupled with sound stamina management, can mean the difference between death and survival.
Please just stand there and let me hit you.
Looking for and understanding enemy patterns is far more important in Demon’s Souls than in other games. While there is variation in enemy AI based on the enemy type, enemies are for the most part limited in what they can do, and the player that pays close attention to patterns of attack or behaviors will slowly find the game becoming more and more manageable.
Online Functionality: Make the world a better place together
I’ll start out by saying that Demon’s Souls is, at its core, a single-player action RPG, and as such is exceedingly entertaining alone. That said, the best experience really does come from utilizing some of the game’s online functionality. Moreover, taking advantage of things like cooperative play, pulling other players into your game for assistance or offering your own services to others, makes the game a lot easier and far more fun.
The developers conceived Demon’s Souls as a game where a community would experience shared learning, where utilizing the bloodstain and messaging systems would essentially create a strategy guide woven into the fabric of the game. Cooperative play turns what would otherwise be solitary levels and intimidating boss fights into group adventures. In short, online serves as yet another tool the developers implemented into the game to assist in the challenge of saving the Kingdom of Boletaria from evil. We really hope everyone who picks the game up can at least give the online a short go, just to get a taste of that shared adventure.
So why do so many people complain about difficulty in Demon’s Souls if it’s not THAT hard?
A lot of players may be turned off by Demon’s Souls at first, even just a bit, because it tends to ask a bit more of them than the average game does. The more you invest, the greater the rewards.
Now, this might take some of the magic away for the masochists out there who suddenly think the game is a cakewalk. It’s not, believe us. It's as deep and nuanced as an action RPG needs to be, with secrets to find, rare items to loot, weapon and shield upgrades, and more. But it is not the unfairly brutal, inhumanly difficult game some would make it out to be.
It IS more hardcore than many other games out there. It DOESN’T hold your hand nearly as much as other similar games. And yet, when you get comfortable with the game and start to put a little bit into it, you’ll get a heck of a lot more in return. Just wait till you take down that first big boss…
ZWAME Jogos: Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth já se encontra disponível para a PlayStation 5. Podem ler a nossa análise no Portal Jogos.
