Demon’s Souls has been recreated for the Playstation 5, and whether you’re playing the original or the latest version, this game is a beast. Originally released in 2009, this game is still one of the hardest games many years later.
There are many ways to make your character stronger and many different builds to try. This game has many hidden secrets and a very minimal tutorial after which you will be thrown into the deep end. Here are some tricks and tips for your journey beyond the fog.
10/10 Use different types of damage
Demon’s Souls weapons and magic all have different elemental or damage affinities. Weapons can deal standard, blunt, angled, or penetrating damage, and enemies have defenses for each.
Picking one weapon and sticking to it the entire playthrough isn’t always the best option. Some enemies have very high defenses against one or more types of damage, rendering your usual weapon nearly ineffective. If you have a second weapon that deals a different kind of damage, you can quickly switch and kill the enemy.
9/10 Explore everywhere
Demon’s Souls items can often be missed, especially when tucked away in a corner. Finding more moongrass or upgrade bricks can be a big help, but they can often be missed by those running through an area to get to the next boss fight.
Exploration can also lead to you finding some of the hidden NPCs in Boletaria. These NPCs can be special traders or someone who gives you a new side mission to follow. Exploration also helps you find new shortcuts on the map.
8/10 Find and open shortcuts
Demon’s Souls can be a tough test of endurance to see if you can defeat hordes of enemies for an incredibly strong boss. Without checkpoints, you are often exhausted by the time you reach the boss’s arena.
There are many shortcuts that can be unlocked after progressing far enough in an area. These are often not made very clearly and can be easily overlooked. Finding these shortcuts can make it much easier to get back to a boss room and without exhausting yourself fighting your way there.
7/10 Watch your equipment load
Many bosses and enemies in this game can be towering monsters, ready to wipe you out in one fell swoop. While some builds focus on taking the damage, not getting hit at all is the much better option.
Dodging is the superior strategy, but heavy enough material can make you roll very slowly. With a lighter loadout load, you can run and dodge faster, making you much harder to hit and more likely to survive a tough encounter.
6/10 Stock on moongrass
Many Souls fans will come to this game looking for Boletaria’s equivalent of Dark Souls’ Estus Flask. In Demons Souls, healing is done by consumables known as Moon Grass. Moongrass is the most prominent way to heal, and being well rested is a necessity.
There is a limit to the number of each type of grass that can be carried. If you have as many of each type as possible, you can go above the usual carrying capacity of the basic Moon Grass. Since there are long stretches from the start of an area to a boss, having as many healing items as possible will only make your life easier.
5/10 use your soul
Souls are used to improve your character, buy items and upgrade your equipment. Souls are a necessity to progress in this game, and when you die, you lose everything you currently have.
Anytime you visit the nexus or have an abundance of souls, it’s always better to use them before you lose them. If you buy more items than the carrying capacity, they will be saved, which has no negative effects if you buy more Moon Grass to use up the extra souls you have.
4/10 Branching out to other archstones
Demon’s Souls is divided into 5 different areas, each accessible through a different Archstone in the Nexus. After you complete the first area, you will be able to access all the other Archstones to complete in any order you like.
Because some areas or bosses can be very frustrating, sometimes it’s good to leave that area and go through another Archstone to level up and get stronger before returning to try again. This also helps players not get stuck with a single boss, allowing you to still play other parts of the game without beating that boss right away.
3/10 Choose your levels wisely
While all levels are beneficial to increase, they may not affect your particular build as much as expected. Concentrating on one set build will only require you to upgrade a few of the stats provided, making them much higher than a general build.
Knowing which stats to focus on will help you keep up with the even more powerful enemies that appear later in the game. Equalizing your stats allows you to cast all kinds of spells and use a lot of weapons, but you’ll never do any substantial damage with anything.
2/10 Don’t be afraid to start again
Many players see starting a game over as a waste of time; if you’ve already beaten a boss, why do it again? Demon’s Souls is a game all about learning and figuring out the mechanics to “get good” as fans say.
If you advance far enough and realize that your build isn’t working, you can create an even more powerful character with a clean slate. Later in the game, you can also get weapons or spells that you want to use more, but that require a lot of stats in a skill that you don’t have high. By starting over, you can be even more creative with each build and end up making the strongest one. You’ll be amazed at how quickly you can go through previous areas after discovering them the first time.
1/10 Find the clinging ring
The Soul Form was one of the biggest shocks to those unwitting players who didn’t enjoy the original game. When you die, you have only 50% of your max health bar and you are now in Soul Form.
Most of the game is played in the Soul Form unless you are a professional Souls player. The Cling Ring can be found in the first area and gives you an extra 25% of your max health bar in Soul Form. Getting your human form back isn’t always an option, so having this ring equipped at all times will help you defeat Demon Souls.
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