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You Died: Ranking The Dark Souls Games And Their Imitators

It's incredible, really, that in seven short years the devilish Dark Souls series has spun five games from its web. Each entry is brilliant in its own distinct way but when you're treated to so much effortless quality, it's easy to take them for granted. The temptation is to nitpick, to square them off against one another, to single out subjective preferences.

2) Demon’s Souls

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Release date: 2009

demons-souls

Demon’s Souls was never intended to be sold to Western audiences, but after this devilishly difficult Japanese RPG started turning heads in the Americas and Europe, a ported version was made and a dynasty was born.

Looking back now, Demon’s Souls remains absurdly difficult. There are no Estus Flasks that you can drink to replenish your health, and much of the world is shrouded in dark shadows, making enemies difficult to discern.

But what Demon’s Souls really gets right is the sense of danger. Archstones (bonfires) are spaced so far apart that finding a shortcut back to safety is as joyous as overcoming a difficult boss fight. I can’t help but think this core, butt-clenching tenant of the experience has been lost in translation since.

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One of the major criticisms levelled at Demon’s Souls is that it’s overly linear. But I think that argument is reductive. Yes, it takes place from a central hub, The Nexus, from which you have five worlds to explore. But the beauty of the model is you can tackle any realm in any order, and chop and change your course until you find the best route forward. What Demon’s Souls lacks in expansiveness it compensates for in player choice.

Looking back now, it’s stuffed full of surprises and oddities, some so bizarre it’ll be unpalatable to audiences reared on the later games. But that only makes Demon’s Souls more brilliant. If you don’t own a PS3, it’s worth buying a second-hand console and dredging up an old copy of. Heck, in a time when remasters are dime a dozen, surely it’s high tide for an HD remake, right?

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