Breaking Brad: Breaking Brad: Demon's Souls: Part 03

Brad, there's no such thing as cheesing when it comes to the Souls games. When it comes to PVP there are some tactics that could be considered unsavory, but any advantage you can manage over this game YOU TAKE. Also, please stop worrying so much about what you should be doing, where you should be going, or what items you should be using. I know you're a super indecisive person but please, you're not going to have fun with this game if you let yourself constantly worry about that stuff.

Just give yourself to the experience and have fun. You will die, you will lose progress, but ultimately you will learn, and you will try again.

This is like a post that ripped through a dimensional tear from Bizarro World.

wow Brad, that first enemy...

Hey GB crew - I don't know if you read these comments much, but if you do, don't be too disheartened by all the comments about "Play this Way!" - this sort of game creates a fanbase that is very, very passionate about the game, for better or for worse. You'd always get these sorts comments, regardless of whatever way you played it.

I feel that Vinny and the chat are going to break before Brad. My hope is that all his outside Dark Souls playing is going to improve his Demon's Souls game and make him more confident.

This.

It is the reason why I sometimes write comments that aren't very subtle. I value your guys' opinion, but sometimes I know something that you don't and would probably change your opinion if you knew it. But, there is no way to truly be part of the discussions you guys are having.

For instance, on the podcast you talked about Dark Souls not surfacing weapon stats. I'm listening to it going like: no... no... no, dude, all the info is right there! Push the 'back' button on the weapon stat screen!

I love me some Demon's Souls content, especially now that I don't have a PS3 anymore, but I think there's playing the game to play the game and there's playing the game as a piece of visual content for others to enjoy. What I enjoyed about Vinnie's Dark Souls run is the same as what a lot of people have already said... he didn't take it too serious and he always moved forward. With Patrick, when he had to farm or figure boring stuff out, he stopped the stream and picked it up when it got interesting again (except right at the end when he marathoned it, but by then he was level 85 or whatever).

With Brad, he's sometimes creating the stream equivalent of dead air. Talking about farming souls in 4-1... not sure anyone would want to watch that. It might make Brad's play through more personally enjoyable, but that's not good TV so to speak. Neither is hemming and hawing everything. I feel like once you decide to stream, you have to adjust your mentality and play to that fact. I think Vinnie's main role here is to prod Brad along and it takes a real degree of patience.

I love these games, so I want Brad to have his most enjoyable Demon's Souls experience, but I feel like analysis paralysis and recorded content don't go well together. I'm hoping that as Brad gets deeper into the game, he'll get more comfortable with it all, but I'm thinking he might not if he's already an experienced Dark Souls player and still worries about losing souls and things like that.

Best idea to do this game!

My frustration watching this was through the roof. I can understand if the issue is execution but this was almost all just the most awful decision making. It was insanity.

Vinny's triumphant roar when Brad finally got killed by the skeletons was the only highlight. They might as well call this Breaking Vinny: Brad Plays Demon Souls. Vinny is a real trooper to hang in there through all the nonsense.

Things to stop doing:

• button mashing attacks
• going for backstabs all the time
• trying to block guard breaks
• running into encounters with anything but full health
• checking what you just picked up in the middle of battle
• pushing onward instead of banking the souls you've farmed
• making a jack-of-all-trades rather than specializing

Vinny is the most patient man alive. I've always defended Brad but this video was so grating - I was pulling my hair out at his indecisiveness.

I love these vids so much. Inspired me to buy Demon's Souls and start playing myself. Royalty class also. Pumped souls into intelligence and magic then purchased the fire spell from the dude in the nexus. That spell makes light work of the skeletons in 4-1. I found the best spot for the boss in that level is the mid platform at his head height using the fire spell.

"the nonsense" being Demons/Dark Souls.

It hath been fix'd!

I enjoy this series, but maaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaannnnnnnnnnn....Demon's Souls really ain't THAT hard.

Hey, man, people are allowed to think Dark Souls is better than Demon's Souls.

Those people are just fucking CRAZY.

@infamousbig: I was actually really hoping Darker Souls (which should have been its name, goddammit) would go back to the discrete levels of Demon's. The open world in Dark is just so badly designed.

I'm probably just going to get Darker from gamefly. Sure, it'll have a garbage framerate most likely, but since you can now be invaded even while hollow/spirit, it's a lot easier to unplug a PS3. Invasions are an interesting concept that just end up ruining the experience. Also in case Darker is bad it means I won't be spending 60 bux on it.

@whatisdelicious: A lot of the first world stuff isn't too bad and Latria is tough to start, but once you get going it gets better. I think the levels were a lot more memorable unlike a lot of Dark Souls. Dark Souls had quite a few places that were pretty bland and also had that "Fuck that level I don't want to do that right now." Tomb of the Giants, Blighttown, Lost Izalith, and parts of Anor Londo were really annoying at points and only Anor Londo feels really memorable out of this. Blighttown feels like a Swamp level. Izalith feels like lava level with a terrible boss. Tomb of the Giants was just The Catacombs, but dark with one of the easiest bosses in the game at the end of it even though he was my favorite just because he had the best design. All off those do cover the "Fuck that place" area though.

@patchcoat: @brad

So many of these comments are just frustrating to read. Is it really that neccesary to voice all that negativity about how he plays the game? Instead of voicing ideas to improve on areas that he lacks knowledge of?

laughing so hard at those skeleton punches

If anything it was too helpful. Hitting the sword is actually how you kill him with melee, it just doesn't damage him at first. It makes him fall over so you can hit the head. Haven't watched the latest episodes, so maybe they've figured it out already.

I agree a bit though, Vinny shouldn't tell him what to do.. Brad should break down by his own silly mistakes! :)

Also, Brad's play-style is really aggravating to watch. It's quite entertaining, but he really shouldn't get so distracted by items he picks up while fighting a boss. For the love of all that is holy, just focus on the boss!

Latecomer to these videos and enjoying them...but I think there's a case to be made for what Brad said in ep 1 or 2..that's he maybe intimidated by the game's reputation, hence the conservatism, over-analysis, etc.. Hoping that changes in future episodes!

My world is falling apart after this skeleton-fisting thing.

Brad, stop being a pussy. If you die you die, that's the point of this game, stop running and doubting every time you see a new enemy or a guy with two swords.

Watching Brad constantly banging his head against the wall, trying to beat the boss to get his souls back, is like watching a gambling addict trying to win his lost money back. Sometimes you gotta let go.

Brad is just asking for extra frustration by not keeping himself healed up... so sloppy.

Vinny's "hit it again" strategy is fool proof.

Just watching this now, his whole reluctance to take advice is frustrating. The wiki is really helpful and taking tips is important. I also know this is a stream but rushing never helps.

Lol the thing that get's me the most is that If I remember right (not looking it up) is that the thing past the red eyed knight is an awesome weapon, and he's just afraid to roll past him to get it lol, instead he's focusing on killing the boss, i hate taking shortcuts through the levels cause im afraid to miss out on sweet loot + drops.

So maybe I missed it... how is he doing the damage he's doing with just his fist?

Oh good so Brad is rolling Royal and getting the the fucking crescent falchion.

This is 2 days of non stop grinding in 1-1 to be a retread of DarkSydePhil's shitty run.

why is watching Brad the most infuriating thing, I haven't played these games, but I feel like throwing a controller for him

Please don't ever put Brad and DSP in the same comment again.

It never ceases to amaze me how easy it is for so many people to completely forget what it's like playing through a game for the first time with no FAQ/walkthrough/minimum help.

In these comments: People comment upon Brad's gameplay as if they've never watched Brad play a game before, many of these people having paid for a subscription to this very website and very likely having seen him play before.

I know this is months after the fact but I just had to comment. I feel Vinnie and the livestream did Brad a disservice because they were getting him to play a way he was uncomfortable, with which he was a little reluctant about doing, and made him more anxious.

I know that this is Brad's first time through, but the comments and Vinny should really stop helping him. Discovering stuff on your own is the main draw of the Souls games.

I'm catching this months after the fact, but it never ceases to amaze me how horrible some people are at video games. And this area is best attempted after you get the Thief's Ring. The enemies aggro at a greater distance, giving you a bit of breathing room.

I miss Vinny.

I've beaten this game about 8 times. I cannot believe you can just PUNCH the skeletons. With the speed, damage and low stamina cost ... are fists a viable option in this game?

Also, I can't believe you can just skip all of 4-1 with that jump :/

In this episode: Brad uses up all his healing items for no reason.

lmao. Soul farming is supposed to involve INCREASING your souls/items/inventory to make your character more powerful. It doesn't work if you simply die every 2 minutes, especially if you use all your non-replenishable healing items along the way.

yeah

I CAN NOT believe you can punch the Skeletons. I suffered so much here when it came out. Too funny.

I'm really glad I wasn't in the chat for this because I probably would've broken my keyboard during the "dust on platforms" part.