Demon's Souls Reviews

The newly released Demon's Souls continues to chalk up enthusiastic reviews, with eight more surfacing since our last round-up.

The first is at 1UP with a score of "A":
It's not for everybody, especially not those who equate "RPGs" with flowery fantasy, a labyrinthine story, or lush, wide open landscapes. If you like RPGs in general, though, you'll find one of the better, most challenging quests of your life -- one well worth picking up. But you may want to clear off any games in your backlog beforehand.
The second is at Joystiq with no score:
Recognizing your own skill and limits within Demon's Souls, then picking those proper moments to upgrade your skills, is probably the only piece of advice I should relay for playing the game. Giving any more details or description will diminish the experience of being dropped into a game where you'll have very little idea of what to do next, not to mention, deprive you of those first hours of the game where you'll question if Demon's Souls is just a cruel joke on the modern gaming experience.
The third is at AtomicGamer with a score of 86%:
Despite my ultimate appreciation for a learning curve that initially had me pulling my hair out, and love of the online features, I still would've liked to see Demon's Souls be a bit more forgiving. The simple addition of some difficulty scaling options would have ensured more gamers check out a great game in a genre that's been grossly under-represented this generation. As is, it'll likely be adored by those who go out of their way to embrace it, but ignored by anyone intimidated by old school difficulty. Still, those in the former group can count on collecting souls, slaying gigantic dungeon-dwelling bosses, and forging a battle-savvy hero unlike any other. Oh, and if you do find yourself in this punishing world, keep a look out for my puddle of blood it may save your life.
The fourth is at The Gamer Studio with no score:
Demon's Souls is brutal, unforgiving and extremely fun. Players have full control over their character's growth they can start off as a magician to have quicker access to spells, and then turn the physically weak character into a physical powerhouse that's adept in magic. The game is spot on with various atmospheres, fantastic music, and some of the coolest boss fights ever, it's a godsend for RPG fans, and is definitely a contender for game of the year. Those that take up the challenge of Demon's Souls will be in for a very rewarding adventure.
The fifth is at Game Revolution with a score of "B+":
Trying to explain all that Demon's Souls does is more difficult than the game itself. You'll spend the first 20 hours just figuring out the basics of how your stats are calculated and the next 20 trying to get acclimated to the upgrade system and online components. It's a deep, rich title that rewards you for your patience in spades. Defeating a boss feels like a genuine triumph, and the persistent and haunting presence of other players feels like others are sharing your sense of pain and achievement. Despite its uncompromising attitude, Demon's Souls is a rare and unexpected treat.
The sixth is at Resumeplay with a perfect score of 5/5:
Demon's Souls is perhaps one of the most difficult games released in the past decade, and certainly the most difficult game on today's market. Players who criticise it for being too hard should perhaps stick to their health regeneration and constant first aid pick-ups. Demon's Souls is a true game for the Hardcore gamer. A game where beating the game requires you to actually dedicate the time needed to master it. Where the endless setbacks & frustration are needed to earn the great satisfaction that comes with the rare privilege of triumph. Demon's Souls is the darkest, most sadistically fun game I've ever played. It's satire atmosphere, challenging gameplay and deep combat mean that for the first time as a writer with Resumeplay, I have no problem awarding Demon's Souls the following score since it's had me addicted to it for the past six torturing months.
The seventh is at G4 with a score of 4/5:
In general, this isn't an adventure for the faint of heart. You'll do your share of grinding to build a character before it's over, and suffer plenty of heart-breaking deaths. Demon's Souls has its rewards as well, though beautiful sights, exciting battles, tons of replayability. They're more than worth the challenge.
And the eighth is at Massive Damage with a score of 8.5/10:
But if you are craving a slow and steady dungeon crawl in a dark, immersive world with rewarding gameplay and a brutal learning curve, Demon's Souls might be just what you've been looking for since the Wizardry series. Or to put it more brashly, if you like it when an almost-impenetrable .ame' kicks you in gut for hours on end and won't stop no matter how much you cry, this is your game.