I want to get the best out of the Souls games, so I'm deciding if I should play Dark souls or Demons souls first and this is a big factor.

Thanks.

I'd go with Dark Souls as people are still discovering stuff and its fun to be part of the community as more people are talking about it than Demon's Souls. Though, Dark Souls' online is pretty bad compared to Demon's Souls, so it might be worth experiencing Demon's' online before the servers get closed in 2012.

Dark Souls is a better game but Demon's Souls has way better online and I'd almost recommend going with Demon's Souls first since the online is such a crucial aspect of this series.

@FluxWaveZ said:

I'd go with Dark Souls as people are still discovering stuff and its fun to be part of the community as more people are talking about it than Demon's Souls. Though, Dark Souls' online is pretty bad compared to Demon's Souls, so it might be worth experiencing Demon's' online before the servers get closed in 2012.

This is what is bugging me! I'd love to be a part of finding new stuff and talking about it but Demon's souls online looks to be better according to alot of people.

Man, this is hard.

Demon's Souls online is better but it was also pretty sparse when I played through it about 4 months ago. I've had about the same experience online with Dark as I had with Demon's. Except I was invaded in Demon's, never so in Dark Souls.

At this point might as well get Dark Souls. I mean you can play Demons and it's going to be good but no one is talking about that game and it will probably start bugging you that everyone is rambling about this and that in Dark Souls and you're eating old porridge - really good and well crafted porridge - yet cold and soggy none the less.

on the one hand, as a game it doesnt matter. On the other hand it is really cool to have a game that is so widely discussed. I'm having just as much fun discussing it as I am playing it.

I never played Demon's Souls, so take this for what it's worth, but from what I hear of Demon's Souls Dark Souls made it better (minus several problems with the online I really think they will fix honestly) so I don't know. I can say I never had any interest in Demon's Souls but Dark Souls continues to peek my interest and I'm not unhappy with being a part of it.

I could always play this and play Demon's souls after, right?

@NekuSakuraba said:

I could always play this and play Demon's souls after, right?

Yes but I have no idea why you would.

I mean, I know why you would but, you know.

@NekuSakuraba said:

I could always play this and play Demon's souls after, right?

Absolutely. Your best bet is to just get this and play the hell out of it. When you've had your fill - as in beat the game made new characters experimented etc but you still have that itch to play a 'Souls' game, then get Demons Souls on the cheap and viola.

You will just have to get used to how health and upgrades are managed. Also no shortcuts.

Does Dark Souls explain things as well as Demons souls did? I have played some Demons Souls and all I had to do was read the manual but after watching some of the Dark Souls quicklook it seems like it leaves you in the dark on a lot of things.

I would just play Dark Souls now and go back to Demon Souls if you still got the itch. Online play doesn't seem like that big of a deal. I'm more of a single player type of gamer but I did do some player summoning to help with bosses and had a good time with it. I haven't been invaded yet, but most of the time I'm in hollow form due to dying a lot.

Another thing to consider... I picked up a cheap copy of Demon Souls (have already spent a lot of time in Dark Souls). One thing I noticed right away was how smooth Demon Souls actually runs compared to Dark Souls. The frame rate in Dark Souls is tolerable, but it's not good.

@NekuSakuraba said:

Does Dark Souls explain things as well as Demons souls did? I have played some Demons Souls and all I had to do was read the manual but after watching some of the Dark Souls quicklook it seems like it leaves you in the dark on a lot of things.

Still wondering this if anyone knows.

@NekuSakuraba said:

Does Dark Souls explain things as well as Demons souls did? I have played some Demons Souls and all I had to do was read the manual but after watching some of the Dark Souls quicklook it seems like it leaves you in the dark on a lot of things.

Still wondering this if anyone knows.

@SuperfluousMoniker said:

@NekuSakuraba said:

@NekuSakuraba said:

Does Dark Souls explain things as well as Demons souls did? I have played some Demons Souls and all I had to do was read the manual but after watching some of the Dark Souls quicklook it seems like it leaves you in the dark on a lot of things.

Still wondering this if anyone knows.

Not really... The manual is one of those 2 page paper thin ones and the in-game help is practically nonexistent, like Demon's Souls. There is the ability to hit select to view what stats and stuff do in the menus FInal Fantasy Tactics style, and the item descriptions do a better job of telling you what items actually do for the most part, but both games are purposefully thin on details. HOWEVER, since you understand Demon's Souls you also inherently understand Dark Souls for the most part because most of the systems at work are the same or very similar.

The game tells you how to attack, block and dodge. That's all you really need.

Get, dark souls and have fun finding stuff in that. Get demon's when you want later on as most people are no on dark so the chances of finding to many multiplayer experiences are alot smaller now. They were Huge like 6 months ago then they slowly died down and right before the launch there was alot of people but as of yesterday i think i saw maybe 2-3 ghosts and maybe 1 summon sign?!? went through 2 worlds and bearly saw anyone.

C. The game is still brilliant as a single player experience. However, I'm having a lot of fun being a part of the launch of this game and the forum-talk that goes on about it. I didn't get to participate in that for Demon's Souls.

People seem to think that Dark Souls is some sort of giant looming thing that will murder your family if you do it wrong. It isn't. A friend of mine who doesn't even play games that often just got Dark Souls and is loving it, despite not knowing what the fuck he is doing. That's part of the charm.

I'd say play Dark Souls just because that's what everyone is playing at the moment and it's amazing to see the new things that are being discovered every day.

In regards to the multiplayer; the whole idea that you have to be unhollowed to do any online stuff is really silly. In my first playthrough i was invaded maybe 3 times and I myself tried to invade but i couldn't get it to work. On my NG+, there can be TONS of pvp action of you go to a specific area in darkroot forest. I was invaded while farming at least 10 times in half an hour. But again, you can only participate if you are unhollowed and if you lose your match you become a hollow again meaning you have to run back to a bonfire and unhollow just to do another match.

One thing about the playerbase, though...I haven't lost a single fight against another player. I haven't even been in danger of losing. Either I'm just really fucking good at this game or everyone i've fought just happens to suck

@SuperfluousMoniker said:

@NekuSakuraba said:

@NekuSakuraba said:

Does Dark Souls explain things as well as Demons souls did? I have played some Demons Souls and all I had to do was read the manual but after watching some of the Dark Souls quicklook it seems like it leaves you in the dark on a lot of things.

Still wondering this if anyone knows.

Not really... The manual is one of those 2 page paper thin ones and the in-game help is practically nonexistent, like Demon's Souls. There is the ability to hit select to view what stats and stuff do in the menus FInal Fantasy Tactics style, and the item descriptions do a better job of telling you what items actually do for the most part, but both games are purposefully thin on details. HOWEVER, since you understand Demon's Souls you also inherently understand Dark Souls for the most part because most of the systems at work are the same or very similar.

How about stuff like humanity and hollowing? Do they explain stuff like that? Also -

@Fribain said:

I'd say play Dark Souls just because that's what everyone is playing at the moment and it's amazing to see the new things that are being discovered every day.

In regards to the multiplayer; the whole idea that you have to be unhollowed to do any online stuff is really silly. In my first playthrough i was invaded maybe 3 times and I myself tried to invade but i couldn't get it to work. On my NG+, there can be TONS of pvp action of you go to a specific area in darkroot forest. I was invaded while farming at least 10 times in half an hour. But again, you can only participate if you are unhollowed and if you lose your match you become a hollow again meaning you have to run back to a bonfire and unhollow just to do another match.

One thing about the playerbase, though...I haven't lost a single fight against another player. I haven't even been in danger of losing. Either I'm just really fucking good at this game or everyone i've fought just happens to suck

Since I'm starting the game later, won't most things already be discovered? What sort of stuff would I discuss etc?

@NekuSakuraba:

There's just something more exciting about experiencing the stuff as it's happening. Maybe finding out something that hasn't been posted in the wiki yet and you can help fill it in or just watch as the pages are filled up more and more by other people who discover new weapons, armor, enemies, etc.

Things are still being discovered even now. The wikis are barely complete so i have a feeling there's still more to be discovered and there are definitely a lot of rumors that still need to be proven/dis-proven.

I disagree that the online component is a "crucial" aspect of the game. Sure I played Demon's Souls and Dark Souls almost entirely online, but that was mainly for the blood stains and player messages. And in reality, I found online guides to be much more useful than player messages anyway so at the end of the day, I feel that you can have a perfectly enjoyable experience with either game without dabbling into PvP or coop (especially considering that the coop experience is almost always going to be with a random person that isn't on your friend's list).

I've been playing Demon's Souls all day and it's still popular. You'll still find plenty of people willing to help and you can still help others. Far fewer invasions nowadays, as well. Not to mention it's a third of the price most places here in Vegas, so it's just a huge win. Get Dark Souls in a month or three, and you'll be good, my friend.

The single player has been fantastic thus far. The MP stuff is probably the most interesting thing in a game that I've seen in a while.

If you can definitely check it out. From the covenants, to attempting to kill some asshole boss with 3 other dudes (whenever the hell that's supposed to actually work), and evil phantoms invading your world, the multiplayer really just adds a whole other level on top of the world's fiction. It makes you feel even more a part of it.

I have nightmares about what amazing secrets I unknowingly left behind. I can't wait to get to new game plus with this new awareness and see what happens.

@spazmaster666 said:

I disagree that the online component is a "crucial" aspect of the game. Sure I played Demon's Souls and Dark Souls almost entirely online, but that was mainly for the blood stains and player messages. And in reality, I found online guides to be much more useful than player messages anyway so at the end of the day, I feel that you can have a perfectly enjoyable experience with either game without dabbling into PvP or coop (especially considering that the coop experience is almost always going to be with a random person that isn't on your friend's list).

the messages are a waste of time if you ask me, sure there nice and stuff. but 90% either say 'I can't take this' or 'i did it' no help at all. i just check the net if i need some help

So even though I'll be getting the game later then people on launch, what are the chances of me finding new things or talking about it?