So I've been reading and watching a lot of coverage about this game, and I'm really interested to give it a go. At the same time, it is hard for me to drop 60 bones on something that may frustrate me into insanity. A rental seems pretty appropriate then, but I've been hearing that Dark Souls isn't necessarily a game that would be a good rental because it is a really slow burn.

Nothing good can come from Dark Souls.

If you have a Playstation 3 you can just buy Demon's Souls, which should be pretty cheap now. If you like that you'll like Dark Souls, and if you don't you won't.

@Icemael said:

If you have a Playstation 3 you can just buy Demon's Souls, which should be pretty cheap now. If you like that you'll like Dark Souls, and if you don't you won't.

Yes. Do what this guy said.

I can't say it'll be a good rental. I'm like 14 hours in and still barely cracking the surface.

@Icemael said:

If you have a Playstation 3 you can just buy Demon's Souls, which should be pretty cheap now. If you like that you'll like Dark Souls, and if you don't you won't.

Yes. Do what this guy said.

I'd say give this game a buy, its not as bad as people say it is. Once you learn how the game works it becomes pretty easy and if you need help with anything there are over 600 threads on this site alone that should answer pretty much any question you may have. The game is a bit of a slow burn if you want to put in the time to grind souls.

Dark Souls is definitely purchase worthy.

@codynewill: eh dark souls could be a good rental .. if you like it you will probably need to buy it to finish it or get the most out it however , but even if you only play it for a day or 2 , you should easily be able to tell if you like it enough to buy it now or when its come down in price , or if you hate it and want to kill it with fire

as for playing demons souls , thats a whole different game dont let ppl fool you , you will enjoy it however if you can enjoy dark souls

I think it's too long and take too much time to get into for a rental to work. Though I loved it the minute I played it... So I dunno.

@Icemael said:

If you have a Playstation 3 you can just buy Demon's Souls, which should be pretty cheap now. If you like that you'll like Dark Souls, and if you don't you won't.

Yeah, do this. There's a ton more info to help you through Demon's Souls if you do happen to be having a hard time as well.

Sure, try Dark Souls before you buy. Just be sure to give it some time to grow on you. If it doesn't, well at least you gave it a fair shot.

I had rented Demon's Souls, after hearing so much talk about it, just to see what the fuss was about. I liked it so much that I ended up returning the rental early and buying my own copy.

To everyone saying buy Demon's Souls, I don't own a PS3. I only have a 360. So my only means of trying before buying is a rental of Dark Souls, which you've all convinced me to do. I'll probably give it a go this weekend and see how I feel. If I'm not into it, then Batman will be the replacement buy (and I don't need a rental to know what that game is about).

I was really thinking about buying it but after I rented it, while I still enjoyed my time with it, I can safely say it wasn't a game I wanted a purchase. I think it'd be a good idea to give it a rent first.

@codynewill: Nope. I'm almost 70 hours in and there's probably 10-20 more to go and when I'm done I'm going to start a new game. I love this game. I can't remember when I got so much out of a game for my money. Buy it.

Just for trying it out, if you like it just buy it, if you try and finish the game with rentals you will end up spending more money than a new copy would cost you.

I felt the same way. I watched lots of coverage was really interested but just couldn't think of spending 60 bucks on a game I've never really knew about until now. I kinda of said fuck it i'll drop the money if I hate it i guess i can trade it in. Wow am I loving the hell out of this title. It's challenging but I have yet to get frustrated yet. I'm not too far in maybe 13 hours? However I'd say that along is worth my 60 bucks from the fun I've gotten out and the fact that I still have at least another 20 hours to go. I'm enjoying this game so much I've actually considered playing NG+'s instead of trading it in after I beat it.

I really like Dark Souls, but I don't think a rent is a good idea. Usually renting a game creates a feeling of obligation to playing that game, and that may frustrate you even more. Remember Souls games hate you, they will hate you for your lack of commitment too.

I think it's a good idea. You very well may hate the damn thing. Always try before you buy when you can.

I never played Demon Souls but read the reviews of Dark Souls and was very interested. However I wasn't sure what to think of the difficulty so wanted to rent it first to make sure I could handle it. I rented it from RedBox for $2 and immediately bought the game after I slipped my RedBox copy back in the machine.

All I want to do is play this game. I spent 25 hours with one toon and realized I wasted several skill points so rerolled and got to the same progress of the game in 10 hours. It definitely gets easier over time and older areas become pretty simple, but you have to be patient and not take any enemy for granted. There is so much to do in the game. I'm right around 45 hours or so played combined at the moment.

It's one of my all time favs!

@Jmangino said:

I felt the same way. I watched lots of coverage was really interested but just couldn't think of spending 60 bucks on a game I've never really knew about until now. I kinda of said fuck it i'll drop the money if I hate it i guess i can trade it in. Wow am I loving the hell out of this title. It's challenging but I have yet to get frustrated yet. I'm not too far in maybe 13 hours? However I'd say that along is worth my 60 bucks from the fun I've gotten out and the fact that I still have at least another 20 hours to go. I'm enjoying this game so much I've actually considered playing NG+'s instead of trading it in after I beat it.

People finishing this game in 30 hours are god in my book. I am already 50 hours in and not even close to the end.

Yes. It's at Redbox and it's only 2$. Dip your toe in.

I was wondering about this as well.

The open world and exploration of Dark Souls is what has me wanting to buy the game. However, I'm afraid I'll hit a point that I can't beat, will get frustrated, and then feel like I wasted my $60.

A rental is great for Dark Souls because the game has an extremely steep learning curve for the first six hours or so (up to ringing the first bell). Many players may not be able to adapt enough and learn enough to make it to the first bell. If you can't do that, the rest of the game is useless to you.

Well I rented it, and so far I'm glad I did. I'm not enjoying getting demolished by mobs of skeletons at every turn, but I'm going to give it some more time.

@codynewill: Skeletons, or fleshy undead? I ask because the game has an intended path of progression that is not communicated to the player. If you're fighting actual skeletons in a graveyard looking area, that area is intended for a much higher level character. If you're fighting fleshy undead....yeah, they're going to kill you quite a few times.

No renting Dark Souls isn't a good idea. If you can't afford it right now, perhaps you might wait to buy it second hand, or from eBay that usually there are nice opportunities.

yeah, try it for a few hours.  The first few bosses will determine whether this game is for you or not.

I love how everyone watched videos for the past 2 weeks before buying this awesomeness. This game is just pure fun. It was the same when i decided to just buy demon's souls when it launched in the US because i watched videos of the japanese version and it looked like i would hate it, but since so many people had bought it and were still playing it, it must have fun buried somewhere in it which it did.. There very first time i turned the ps3 on with it in the fun began.

Renting is fine, but in the past 2 weeks i have sunk easily 125+ hours into this game on 2 different characters and am only 8 trophies away from platinum which shall be done very soon and by renting it, you wont be able to put many hours into it without paying alot of money to keep it longer since i doubt you are an unemployed, single kid who has no worries and can sink those kind of hours into the game to learn everything it possibly has to offer without buying it. But GL

You're going to hate it.

Its going to make you cry. And it's the worst rental ever. You cant scratch the surface with renting this beast...

80 Hours in and not tired of it, not even closely. This is very well maybe the best game i ever played maybe. And heck i started soon playing games. THis is modern innovation paired with classic gamedesign, simplified but at the right places, and brutally when you're growing careless. Nothing can/could bring UFO:Enemy Unknown away from my all time favourite game so far, although hard to compare i just judge on the addiction and the resulting fun. But this game... let's see what happens when my fanboy googles are off but i cant see them to go away anytime soon.

Its going to make you cry. And it's the worst rental ever. You cant scratch the surface with renting this beast...

its a long game if you're gonna rent it you'd better do it from something like gamefly where there isn't a return date, unless you have a whole lot of free time because renting for a week and only being able to play for a few hours a day won't get you far or you could rent it play it for a bit and decide if you like it then buy it. i would like to add that i just started playing it and love it and even though the game just cost me a ps3 controller and a tv at the same time i still intend to continue playing it once i replace both and don't regret dropping $60 for it.

@Metal_Mills said:

I can't say it'll be a good rental. I'm like 14 hours in and still barely cracking the surface.

it took me 62 hours to complete the first playthrough, i killed every boss and mini boss in the game. and i moved fast though the game most people will proberly need more.