last time i had that reaction to a game was the last level of stuntman on ps2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOXnRpuPpRg

took me 4 nights to complete but the neighbours knew about it when i finally hit that fkn jet at the end. am looking forward to demons soul arriving
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as subtle as an overweight ninja

Just make sure you play it online - it's only half the game it is without the other players element. The blood stain death visions, the message hints etc, they're really helpful. Also fun to see other spirits fade in for a few seconds - it's a really cool thought to know other people are doing the same thing. I hope more games look at this type of implementation. It's really taking the single player RPG into the multiplayer realm, without neccessarily conforming to standard multiplayer rules - ie there's no voice chat, no lobbies, nothing. It just works so well.

The difficulty is also a feature of the game. I think without it it wouldnt be half as good. While it's sheer cunty in sections, it's got that power thing when you then have an area sorted.

Ive read you can supposedly complete the game as a level 1 nub. It's not the items or **** like that, it's your skill in combat, or evading etc.

In the intro you die to this wtfpowerful demon - which is the lead in to the whole you are dead in a nexus thing - but ive read people have actually killed the fucker...hard core gamers, lol i love that thought how anything IS achievable IF you have the nuts for it.

as long as i don't have to 'grind for XP' i'm happy. that **** is cancer
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as subtle as an overweight ninja

There is some grinding...sort of anyway - like Diablo, you did have to go through the same areas quite often in order to get stronger to advance to harder areas etc.

Ran through area 2-1 last night co-op, with me as a blue phantom. Actually takes away a lot of the scary factor when with another person, and was good fun,. We got to the end, to the armoured spider, but i got smashed, having nfi what to do against it.

Some really good level design in this game, i'm so glad i picked it up.

Yea it's awesome. The armour spider wasn't too hard..wait until you do flamelurker in 2-2 :D

We'll have to co-op sometime... my main character is level 125 or so but I'm starting a new one. What level are you?

I dont know...

Ive started over with a soldier, still havent looked hard in to stats or the like.

Oi DS..Meat, can you guys offer some advice for starting out with this? I swear, I am getting absolutely nowhere with this game. I can complete 1-1 and 2-1, but 4-1 those skeles are just bitches - i havent been able to beat the black skele with the dual katanas yet.

Im just ******* dying all over the shop, not really getting enough souls to level myself. My knight was sl 20, but this new soldier is only sl 13 and having a cunt of a time.

Any advice? It's getting really frustrating. I just cant seem to get beyond where im at atm.

I know I said shields were useless but I was more referring to later in the game and in PvP. In the early stages (especially against those rolling skeletons) a shield is VERY handy. What I would do is just block their rolling attacks until they stop rolling and start taking a swing. More often than not they will do a power attack which is very slow. What you want to do is step back so you dodge the attack then once they follow through with the attack you want to step in and smack the **** out of them. They shouldn't last long and they give a good amount of souls

What you need to do is keep trying in 4-1 until you manage to get the Adjudicator's Shield and the Crescent Falchion + 1 which is behind that dual katana skeleton. The easiest way to get past him at low levels is to just lure him away from the corpse behind him and then just run past him and grab the falchion, drop down off the cliff and leg it. He should reset and you won't have to fight him. The Shield is a bit further into the level but you only have to fight those normal rolling skeletons to get to it. There's also a compound long bow on one of the ledges behind an archer skeleton which is also very handy. Once you beat 4-1 there's a VERY easy spot to farm souls at the start of 4-2. You need a bow and it's very quick (nets you about 4500 souls in like 30 seconds)

I would avoid world 3 and 5 for the time being, they are the worst. Tower of Latria is pitch black and lots of back tracking and holes to fall down and die. Valley of Defilement also has lots of spots to fall and 5-2 has got to be the worst level. Swampy water that makes you walk slow and your sprint speed is your normal run speed. It also doesn't allow you to roll and if you try to you will get stunned for a second or two not to mention you get poisoned if you stand in it for too long. Plus you have giant depraved ones that can run full sprint through it and 1 shot you with a big club. FUN! Avoid at all costs until you're like 50+

Started a new char...a Royal, and it is ten times easier. Easily killed the armoured spider first go, just shooting soul arrows at it. In fact soul arrows made 1-1 so easy it was ridiculous - including the black knight with the red eyes.

This char feels way way way more powerful, and is already up to SL22 ish in a quarter of the time.

Started exploring 3-1 for the first time just then and omg what a creepy ******* level, those octopus head mages...!)%&

Have to say, despite the ridiculous frustration at times, it's up there with the most enjoyable games ive played on console.

Yea the Royal is very beginner friendly because of soul arrow. Everyone recommends it for first timers. Even the strategy guide that came with the game expects you to choose that class as the walkthrough is based around it. I wanted to be melee though so decided the temple knight was more for me. It's a good beginner class as well because it starts with heavy armour and a halberd which has good reach. Also starts with the Heal spell

Tower of Latria has a very creepy atmosphere and is really well designed. Some of the bosses there are among my favourites (Fool's Idol) but it's also one of the most frustrating worlds with all the back tracking and I got lost a lot and died a lot from falling!

Also I'm sure you've seen at least one Crystal Lizard in 2-1 at the start there left of the filthy man's camp. I thought I should explain them a bit so you know what they are about. They are the primary source of the more rare ores (chunks and pure stones) required to upgrade your weapons and shields but they also have a limited spawn rate. Every Lizard has a spawn count of 1. So once it dies it's spawn count is 0. But each time you kill a boss in that world their spawn count receives + 1. So for example if you killed every boss in world 2, the Crystal Lizards there will have a spawn count of 4 (1+3). Once that reaches 0 they won't respawn until the next playthrough (NG+) Now the tricky part is they are sometimes in hard to reach places on narrow cliff edges or in secret passages that you might not see. They also are suicidal maniacs and will turn and run if you get too close to them, more often than not they will jump off a cliff or burrow under the ground and you won't get the ores from them (and the spawn counter receives -1) just to make it trickier for you. I lost quite a few to them jumping off cliffs and not knowing where they were. It's also easier to kill them from a distance with a bow or soul arrow as when hit they flip over on their backs and take a second to get back on their feet. But sometimes when they are on a slope they will start to roll off when dead so you have to be quick to run in and loot. Just a heads up as I lost a lot because I didn't know what they were all about

http://demonssouls.wikidot.com/crystal-lizards explains in a lot more depth

What build did you start with with your temple knight? That was the other one i had my eye on as i prefer melee too. How did you build it up from the start? Royal can be melee too though right? Just have to build it

I just spent my points evenly across VIT, END and STR at the start, then eventually pumped a little more into STR. I think my current stats are 40 VIT, 40 END (40 END gives you the stamina cap of 160 - pretty vital for PvP) and I have 50 STR. Apparently getting a stat over 50 isn't worthwhile as you will see diminishing returns on the gains. I guess that's not an issue though if you plan on just leveling up indefinitely. I also got INT to 18 (to unlock 3 spell slots and get the required 100 MP to cast some high end spells) and my DEX to 16 to use the Lava Bow. My LUCK and FAITH were both default but I've since started to raise my FAITH. I will stop leveling once I reach 135 so I can still PvP with people at SL120 which is the level people build their PvP characters around.

Also, you have to try and keep your EQUIP BURDEN under half of your maximum EQUIP BURDEN so you can roll and dodge without penalty. With a low END stat or with heavy armour on you will notice you recover slower from rolls and you land heavy. Also some heavy armours reduce your stamina regeneration rate because of the weight. I think the only heavy armour that doesn't is the old king doran armour set which is what I'm using but you won't get that until nearly the end of the game if not the start of your second playthrough

And yea every class can do anything. The only thing the starting classes do is give you a base to build a character on for example starting as a Royal is probably best if you want to be a spell caster as their starting stats are built around it but that's not to say they can't be a good soldier. Classes really only define what equipment and spells (if any) that you start with. It's more like Dragon Age's origins than World of Warcraft's classes if anything

Last edited by dreamstation on Sat Jul 31, 2010 2:11 pm; edited 1 time in total

no ******* ****?

Also not every weapon gets bonuses from STR. There are some really awesome spell/melee builds based around DEX/FAITH and/or MAGIC/INT. Some weapon upgrades like Crescent/Moon/Blessed weapons receive bonus magic damage based on your FAITH or MAGIC stats. They also provide passive HP or MP regen as a bonus. Then you also have unique weapons like the Meat Cleaver that receives bonuses from STR, DEX AND FAITH for massive damage. Some weapons require a very specific build to be used effectively which severely limits what weapons you can use but can be very devastating and fun at the same time. The Blueblood Sword is one that comes to mind. Its the only weapon in the game that receives bonus damage based on your LUCK stat

Finally beat the tower knight, was ezmode with the royal - just stood on the balconey and pewpew'd between his strikes.

Been plodding through world 3, but those tentacle mages are creepy cunts!

Also still having major trouble with the skeles in world 4. Some times i just smash my way through them, others i get totally owned.

What's that big mofo behind the walls btw? Big demon looking thing, difficult?

I sometimes still have trouble with the dual katana skeleton guys even at level 125 on NG+ (second playthrough). They do a **** load of damage and sometimes I just don't time my attacks well enough or they change their attack pattern and I miss a hit or something. Sometimes I just blaze through and don't even get hit yet other times I die in a few seconds. It's very random at times

That big guy, I think his name is Vanguard (he's the guy from the opening tutorial level where you're meant to die I think). He's just an optional boss that blocks the shortcut. It saves you having to go through that tunnel under the ground. Once he's dead you can just run through there saving yourself some time. You should be able to kill him pretty easily with soul arrow - seriously this spell is way OP and makes the game pretty easy at the start. Just stand back and watch out for his big sweeping attacks and his butt stomp and you will be fine. His demon soul can be either consumed for a few thousand souls or turn it in at the blacksmith in 2-1 to make the Dozer Axe

Killed him np - he didnt even come at me. Me and a soul co-op dude i summoned. Made it to the end boss of 4-1 and died with him down to about 1/4 health. Wasnt standing in the right spot near his gut - i think i needed to be right in front of his belly.

Really like that 4-1 level, it's awesome to explore.

What's the deal with 1-2 - you defeat the tower knight then cant advance? Are there further areas or is that it?

There is another 2 areas after the Tower Knight but you have to kill one of the arch demons (last boss of a world) from one of the other worlds before you can go further in world 1. The last boss of world 1 is probably the hardest and is part of the storyline (what little story there is) so I think that's why they restrict you at the start

Just started my second character if anyone is keen for co-op. Started a female royal with the plan of keeping my SL as low as possible...