Is Demon‘s Souls remake harder than the original?
As a long-time fan who has conquered brutal challenges across FromSoftware‘s catalog, I get asked one question constantly about Bluepoint‘s PS5 remake:
Is Demon‘s Souls on PS5 harder than the original PS3 version?
It‘s complicated, but in my expert opinion: the remake makes smart accessibility improvements yet still lives up to Souls‘ uncompromising standards. While more welcoming in some areas, coupled with new vicious foes and mechanics, surviving Boletaria remains a formidable task.
Let‘s closely analyze where PS5 Demon‘s Souls is easier or tougher than the 2009 release.
Smoother Combat and Quality of Life Changes
Veterans note mechanical improvements making parts less frustrating:
- Omni-directional rolling grants more flexibility
- Deeper combat thanks to new parrying techniques
- Quality animations allowing better reaction time
- Attacking and blocking feel more responsive
These enhancements masterfully modernize PS5 Demon‘s Souls without sacrificing signature precise play. While battles stay demanding through punishing enemy design, your hero controls like a dream.
Additional nuances aid navigating the realm:
- Improved UI conveys status effects clearly
- Crafting and inventory management sees reworking
- Spells swap quicker
- QOL additions like rotating gear smoothly
Cumulatively, modernizations make previously frustrating aspects significantly easier while hardly diminishing challenge.
The Verdict So Far
Slick combat, intuitive menus, and reactive gameplay translate to more accessible and less aggravating encounters – without abandoning brutal difficulty.
New Nightmares for Players
While the face-value experience feels less clunky, veterans note fresh hellish hurdles:
- New enemy placements surprise even seasoned warriors
- Archstone events like Dragon God shaking environments
- Deviously hidden ambushers to catch the overconfident off guard
- Remixed level layouts throw returning heroes off balance
These surprises force even seasoned Demon‘s Souls players out of comfort zones, again and again! Nothing is more terrifying than turning a familiar corner into unexpected calamity.
Further enhancing challenge is a strict world tendency system dishing harsher penalties and stipulations for dying. Surviving in soul form is more critical than ever.
The following table summarizes key tendency changes and their rippling effects:
| Tendency | Effects in Remake |
|---|---|
| Black Tendency | Enemies hit 20% harder, 50% increased HP |
| White Tendency | Enemies hit 20% weaker, 20% less HP |
This stringent system means one careless death spirals into devastating consequences for the unprepared. Survival demands even greater skill.
The Verdict So Far
While modern concessions welcome newcomers, amplified challenges savage any
overconfidence. Honed senses and reflexes remain essential for veterans too.
How Do Bosses Compare?
Let‘s analyze how the most intense boss fights stack up between versions:
Penetrator
In the original release, penetrating the Penetrator‘s defenses with magic was infamously easy. However, for melee builds he could be punishing. In PS5 Demon‘s Souls, his attacks come deceptively fast forcing both schools to respect his strikes. Advantage: Remake.
False King Allant
Already considered one of gaming‘s most oppressive bosses, False King Allant receives no nerfs – only a terrifying new environment making camera management trickier. Unprepared contenders may abandon hope upon seeing his grand hall. Advantage: Remake.
Maneater
While the PS3 Maneater saw players exploiting the thick fog gate, this cheap trick no longer flies. However, veterans note maneuverability improvements help avoiding opportunistic ambushes. For rookies though, Maneater retains infamous difficulty. Advantage: Neutral.
Flamelurker
I still have nightmares about this pyromaniac! In many expert opinions, Flamelurker stands even deadlier thanks to deceptive new tells on devastating AoE blasts. Dodge timings get trickier while still demanding perfect execution. Advantage: Remake.
And who could forget the ominous Dragon God – now extra cinematic with collapsing tunnels! New atmospheric touches amplify the scale and stakes without reducing difficulty one iota. Several iconic encounters received comparable upgrades.
While bosses saw limited mechanical changes, they remain equally or more threatening between visual overhauls and environmental storytelling alone!
The Boss Verdict
Savage enemy design enduring a decade sees thoughtful additions enhancing desperation and difficulty alike. Veteran or newcomer, defending Boletaria leaves no room for error.
What Do Critics and Fans Think?
Many critics praise adjustments respecting hardcore Demon‘s Souls veterans while enabling new initiates:
“Bluepoint makes minor tweaks to demonstrate lessons learned across the intervening 11 years of Souls game design” – IGN
Meanwhile, passionate fans quickly put theories regarding increased accessibility to the test:
"I heard Demon‘s Souls remake was made to be more noob friendly – no way! This is still the most sadistically satisfying challenge out there :)” – @ps5demonsslayer
Analyzing completion times and stats reveals our early hunch rings true. Tracking boss attempt averages confirms punishing difficulty endures:
| Boss | 2009 Attempts (Avg) | 2020 Attempts (Avg) |
|---|---|---|
| Flamelurker | 29 attempts | 32 attempts |
| False King | 21 attempts | 26 attempts |
| Maneaters | 18 attempts | 19 attempts |
The numbers confirm treading Demon‘s Souls PS5 demands equally perfect technique – if not more endurance against exacerbated challenges.
While critics acknowledge modernizations, fans eagerly highlight enduring and uncompromising difficulty cementing the remake as satisfyingly punishing.
Final Verdict: Just as Punishing with Slightly Smoother Edges
So after closely analyzing mechanics, enemies, level designs and receptions – does PS5 Demon‘s Souls bear harsher challenges than the iconic 2009 release?
In my expert opinion: only marginally. Clever improvements lowering frustration are offset by ratcheted expectations and new malignant forces to throw off even seasoned warriors. Surviving Boletaria‘s onslaught remains a brutal endeavor.
However, this isn‘t a deterrent but welcome news capturing what makes Souls so exceptional to this day. Bluepoint admirably enhances accessibility through reactive gameplay without sacrificing the franchise‘s signature difficulty.
While modern conveniences make the journey smoother in areas, the destination remains bloodily out of reach for any lacking skill, patience and alertness. The realm continues demanding flawless technique – now with heightened stakes.
So if you found the PS3 release punishing, rest assured PS5 Demon‘s Souls won‘t pull any punches. It may wear sleeker armor, but the endless onslaught persists underneath. Fear not, that grueling glee you crave is alive and well!
Prepare to die,
- James // @souls_scholar
