Demon's Souls for PlayStation 3 Reviews by Gamers

I rented this game because I had read some player reviews which characterized it as a real challenge. I played it for two days and immediately decided to purchase the game. For the first week, I was scarcely aware that there was an online environment for the game. Once I learned how to make use of that, Demon Souls made my list of legendary games.

While fighting your way through the various levels, other players in the vicinity are visible as ghosts. You can see them fighting or dying around you. You can interact with the blood-stains that they leave behind when killed by watching a replay of the last ten seconds of their lives. At that level of online interaction, it is fun and sometimes instructive... you might not repeat the mistake that got someone else killed.

Players can leave messages on the ground. Thankfully, you choose the content for the messages from a series of drop-down menues. That means no typing. It also means that if you take the time to read a message someone has left, it's not going to be something offensive of non-sensical. For some reason, however, although most players helpfully leave messages hinting at the location of hidden items or the best way to attack the up-coming boss, some of them like to suggest that you jump from places high enough to kill you.

The next level of online play is the cooperative and versus modes, which are seemlessly integrated. You can help someone play, by leaving a blue sign on the ground. Anyone can touch it and summon you. Alternatively, you can search for players to "invade," walking into their games as a "black phantom" and attempting to kill them.

The first time I was summoned into someone's game, we were invaded by a black phantom, and I found myself clutching the controller and gasping as the three of us battled it out for five long minutes with swords and spells. In fifteen years of gaming, I've never had more fun. Demon Souls is deep, challenging, and replayable. And its ONLINE is AWESOME!