Demon's Soul: For those of you complaining about how games are too easy.
 

Atlus is set to release an action-RPG that is reportedly one of the hardest games ever made.

More videos located here and here.

This game has been out in Japan for awhile, but has been a popular import item, as the game comes with a full English option. The handful of western sites that have reviewed it give is solid scores: 8s and 9s..

Normally, when a game's main draw is it's controller-breaking difficulty, I usually pass, but this game does enough unique things that it has me interested. I like the way they have the multiplayer layered into a single-player experience. I have no doubt, given my general skill level, that there will be plenty of Toastburner shaped blood stains populating people's games. At least this time I'll be able to comfort myself with the idea that I'm helping other people beat the game by dying all the time. :D And from the look of the gameplay it difficulty looks to be the "good" kind, rather than the "cheap" kind.

Does anyone else have their eyes on this?

Well at least we already know they're wrong.

That said; it looks pretty cool.

It looks like it has some really good ideas for putting the game online without actually making it an MMORPG, which is fantastic. Being pretty much in a fully online environment while retaining feel that what's happening in your game is actually important is double plus good. In fact, it seems like it's enhancing the plot and the epic feel here, rather than detracting from it to the point where it feels basically pointless to even bother caring. This looks like it gives the feel that the game world is populated by other people, but that you're still the hero.

I hope it's still feasible to play the game without other players though.

From my understanding, it is. From what I remember, you need an item to be able to summon the "phantoms" of other players into your game (or to offer to be summoned into another players game), and what I understand, it is a somewhat rare item. Also, it looks like you have to have a body to be able to summon phantoms to help you, so I daresay during a good chunk of the game you won't be able to summon help anyways.

I like the concept but to bad its not PC or Xbox. Because i really don't want to buy a ps3 unless its absolutely necessary or i have alot of money to burn.
but I like it. I normally shy away from hard games but sometimes i play games that are made to be unnecessarily hard just to laugh at my misfortune

I hope its not that silly of a way to get people to join your game, I was totally hoping for co-Op slashing to [play with my friends.

Also you can apparently "force" your way into a game to play competitively. Weird.

Plus it's entirely optional to actually summon the phantasms and watch them die their horrific deaths. You just see the blood stain and have the choice to either activate it or go "oh gee somebody died here, that's neat."

On top of that what I find really interesting is how player phantasms will phase in and out of your world as other players doing their thing in their world. You occasionally see a random ghost run or swing a weapon before vanishing, and you let yourself decide the context of it. You can go with the practical "oh cool someone is at the same spot I'm at" or you can really get into the game and think "shit son this place is haunted."

But yeah, my interest has been growing steadily in this game.

Edit-- Ah yes the co-op aspects, forgot about those. From what I heard it's either up to three people or three other people (something involving three) can be in one world. I know that TB is referring to something I heard before where you can get help from complete strangers. However I'm pretty sure they have support for easy access co-op with friends. I'm not too sure about that though.

By the way, to be able to be summoned for co-op play you have to die. Really. Dying in this game turns you into a spirit with your max HP cut in half. To get your body back, you have to beat a boss.

That...actually sounds like an interesting mechanic.

So wait, after you die do they summon you for co-op play and you're at 1/2 HP, or do they summon you for co-op play, you kill a boss, and then you're in? Forgive me but the whole game is just confusing me and it's been a very long day as is.

It's a pretty awesome concept, but how does it fare in terms of scaling? If this thing has a lifetime of months or even years, will you see hundreds, dozens of bloodstains and notes everywhere? Or was that answered in one of the videos and I missed it?

I hope they port or develop a similar game for PC, because I'd love that style of game - no hand-holding, broad choices (in weapons, paths of development, and areas to explore), present circumstances altering the best choice of weapon, etc - but not if I have to buy a PS3 for it.

As far as I know, when you die you're turned into a Soul, your HP gets cut in half and you lose all the Souls you currently had on you which hurts because Souls serve as both currency and the main way to upgrade your character. Then you can use an item to flag your availibility for Co-op. That's how I think it works. Otherwise play continues as normal.