With the PlayStation 5 launching yesterday, players are finally getting their hands on the system's lineup of launch games. From Spider-Man: Miles Morales and Astro's Playroom to Bugsnax and Sackboy: A Big Adventure, there's a vast number of titles on offer sure to appease any gaming fan wanting to upgrade to Sony's newest hardware.
Among these is Demon's Souls, Bluepoint Games' newest remake and a fresh take on the coveted PlayStation 3 cult-classic that paved the way for the likes of Dark Souls, Bloodborne, and Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. The title promises to be an authentic resurrection of the notoriously punishing fantasy game, seeing players return to the city of Boletaria with 4K visuals and reworked combat built-in.
With the game debuting yesterday, many are likely wondering whether to brave the reimagining of FromSoftware's punishing title. Luckily, its release means critics are ready to share their thoughts on Demon's Souls return to PlayStation consoles, with some of gaming's biggest names discussing what they thought of Bluepoint's remake. As early reviews for the game flood in, let's have a look at how the title is faring.
Be advised that a handful of the reviews below are early impressions, with critics requiring a little more time to finish Demon's Souls and fully consolidate their thoughts.
TheGamer (Kirk Mckeand)
"Bluepoint Games has proved itself once more, nailing Demon’s Souls with a remake on the same level as Shadow of the Colossus. At this point, I’d hand the developer the keys to everything. Let the studio make a 60fps Bloodborne. Give them Metal Gear Solid. Let’s have a Bluepoint Games Ico. Demon’s Souls is the best PS5 game you can play at launch, and I’m sure it will go down in history as one of the best launch titles of all time. The Old One has awoken and I hope this review feeds it more souls. It deserves a full belly."
Score: 5 / 5
Game Informer (Daniel Tack)
"For newcomers, Demon’s Souls will be the first exploration into the duality of despair and triumph, and hopefully go on to become a starting point for new Souls fans. For veterans, it’s a homage to an experiment that kicked off a fantastic genre. Either way, it’s wonderful that the nascent ethers from the original classic have coalesced and given us this delightful treat."
Score: 9.25 / 10
Eurogamer Italy (Lorenzo Mancosu)
"Four instruments that play in unison in the Bluepoint Games symphony, a title that manages to be an amazing remake and the only next-gen killer application, but which first of all remains the progenitor of the Souls. A dark and merciless world that jealously guards all its immense beauty, proving that great video games do not know the passage of time. Demon's Souls is back, and it has done so in its best version: are you brave enough to face it?"
Score: 9 / 10
Screen Rant (Dylan Warman)
"Demon’s Souls PS5 returns to the difficult strategic combat of the original and maintains its resolve in forcing players to figure things out on their own. Graphically, the remake offers a stellar reimagining of the 2009 classic while delivering a bittersweet audio experience. As a launch title for the PlayStation 5, Demon’s Souls has something to offer both Soulsborne veterans who want to see an old favorite shine and newcomers looking for a gritty, sometimes disheartening experience that demands perseverance."
Score: 4.5 / 5
ArsTechnica (Sam Machkovech)
"Also, gosh, it's nice to only wait about eight seconds after a brutal death for the game to load your next life, instead of two whole minutes. That's just one of many ways Bluepoint makes the die-and-retry reality of a Souls-like so much easier to savor on a new console like PlayStation 5. If you own one, and you've got the patience and stomach for challenge, don't hesitate to purchase this remastered classic."
Score: N/A
GameSpot (Tamoor Hussain)
(Early impressions) "There's much more to say about Demon's Souls for PS5, but that can wait for the full review. I am eager to get back to playing it, and that should say a lot. Early signs are good for the game. At this point, we've come to expect Bluepoint to put out top-notch remakes, but this is a game that feels like the studio is flexing its own creative muscles too, and as I venture deeper into Boletaria I'm excited to see what else it has in store."
Score: N/A
Kotaku (Ian Walker)
(Early impressions) "Demon’s Souls is a massive game, and as such any authoritative proclamations will have to wait until I have more time with it. But during my first few hours, I’ve found myself more than impressed with what Bluepoint has been able to achieve. While early on you may feel some dissonance between the classic gameplay and the updated graphics, that quickly goes away once you’re back in the thick of things."
Score: N/A
TheSixthAxis (Jim Hargreaves)
(Early impressions) "After seeing what Bluepoint did with Shadow of the Colossus on PS4 back in 2018, we had hoped Demon’s Souls would be equally as faithful in terms of art direction. It’s certainly lost some of that unique style but it’s still a remake well worth playing. We just hope those picking up a copy with their PS5 on launch day know what they’re getting into."
Score: N/A
Although full reviews are fairly scarce right now, it seems as though Demon's Souls is another hit for Bluepoint Games, with the team once again building on its portfolio of exceptional remakes. The visuals are supposedly solid, its combat is better than ever, and its load times apparently make for a much less agonizing experience than before. More importantly, however, it seems the game is still incredibly punishing, with critics noting that, much like its source material, Demon's Souls refuses to hold the player's hand. With many are looking for an authentic recreation of the notorious game, it seems that's definitely for the better rather than the worse.
Although the majority of review outlets need a little longer to fully review Demon's Souls, as it stands, the game currently boasts a 92 on Metacritic. It could change in the coming days, but the game is currently the highest-rated launch title for the PlayStation 5. It's beating out Spider-Man: Miles Morales, which scored an 85, Astrobot Playroom, which achieved an 83, and Sackboy: A Big Adventure, which currently boasts a 78.
Demon's Souls is out now on the PlayStation 5.