A rough draft; The bosses are experimental and inconsistent - but the vision is spectacular. Mines that cross prehistoric biomes to uncover the lost prison of a god? A society of death-worshippers entombed in the cliffs of a sea-stack hounded by storms conjured by flying stingrays? A sprawling kingdom beneath twin peaks, a moonlit eldritch parish, a canyon transformed into a gutter. A whole new brand of sauce.
Fromsoft had made fantasy RPGS (both High and Gothic) for 15 years up to this point but its hard to deny this was the start of a new trajectory - and even in its nascency, its wild how much this title is a reference point for. How many other games have a boss that summons other players to fight for them? How many other games have bosses that track you using sound instead of sight? In many ways Demons Souls is still way ahead of its time.
Fromsoft had made fantasy RPGS (both High and Gothic) for 15 years up to this point but its hard to deny this was the start of a new trajectory - and even in its nascency, its wild how much this title is a reference point for. How many other games have a boss that summons other players to fight for them? How many other games have bosses that track you using sound instead of sight? In many ways Demons Souls is still way ahead of its time.
2 Comments
@Fauxscerf
I think the thought that orbits my mind in regards to Demons Souls sometimes is that it feels like something went wrong to bring this game into being. It doesnt feel like the factors and environment surrounding Demons Souls should have produced Demons Souls. There was a bank error in the universe, for once in our favor.
Dirt and seeds and water and sunshine fell into a ditch and instead of sprouting a plant, out climbed a pale wet foal. Who the hell let them cook ‼️
I think the thought that orbits my mind in regards to Demons Souls sometimes is that it feels like something went wrong to bring this game into being. It doesnt feel like the factors and environment surrounding Demons Souls should have produced Demons Souls. There was a bank error in the universe, for once in our favor.
Dirt and seeds and water and sunshine fell into a ditch and instead of sprouting a plant, out climbed a pale wet foal. Who the hell let them cook ‼️
Fauxscerf
2 days ago
Nah, I can’t recall too many games that feel this raw yet so forward-propelling in both intent and execution. It’s a disparate world that only exists in loose connections through the Nexus, yet the aesthetic vision is immaculate. Combat is first draft, but first draft always punch in that special way that gets lost as you refine your way of saying things and communicating with the player - I guess that’s why I’m always a bit torn between Boletaria and Anor Londo (a clearly weaker package overall with better understanding of physical space as a tool of cartography for the world’s larger mythos).
It’s like you said for the Storm King or whatever it’s called, nowadays we would know a lot more about that creature, its origins and links to the rest of the game but here? Fuck it, here’s a manta ray the size of the Hinderburg and deal with it. Unpolished perfection.