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[GraveRobberX]

What's this? getpscard.com

I've seen it advertised on the SEN webstore, but I don't really understand what it is

It's a Credit Card from Sony

Make your first purchase using it (if you get approved) you will get 5000 Points added into your SonyRewards account, then you can purchase a $50 card due to those bonus points

Any other purchases after that you accumulate points
Some purchases at certain areas give you multiple points

See the chart as an example:

http://www.sonycard.com/en/gateway/?offerlink=112012SRcomSC5k&campaigncode=NI10A2P9

 

[mclem]

It's a Credit Card from Sony

Make your first purchase using it (if you get approved) you will get 5000 Points added into your SonyRewards account, then you can purchase a $50 card due to those bonus points

Any other purchases after that you accumulate points
Some purchases at certain areas give you multiple points

At this rate I'm expected it to be given away free as an EU PS+ perk by September.

 

[Infinite_Daremo]

lol Demons Souls bored and annoyed me to death. This die and do everything again style just isnt for me. I rented it some time ago, and now I wont even bother downloading it because I know I wont play it.

Simple solution. Dont die?

 

[Ocaso]

Simple solution. Dont die?

Not really possible without knowing the game through and through first.

 

[Infinite_Daremo]

Not really possible without knowing the game through and through first.

I know. Dying is half the fun though.

 

[Necrovex]

Still no news on the promotional $10? I want to buy that Fatal Frame already.

Fatal Frame is $10 on PSN? I didn't even know that game was on the PSN.

 

[blitzcloud]

Not really possible without knowing the game through and through first.

Not true. At least not to the extent of dying over and over at every corner.

I remember that the only thing that surprised me were the wolves in 1-2. Before that everything was proper in 1-1. Those wolves taught me that position could trigger enemy spawns, so from that point I didn't go mindlessly running despite not seeing enemies.

 

[breakfuss]

I know. Dying is half the fun though.

Ha. "Fun".

 

[khaaan]

Fatal Frame is $10 on PSN? I didn't even know that game was on the PSN.

Yep, a recent addition actually. The second one is supposed to be on its way sometime as well.

 

[Tenrius]

Fatal Frame is $10 on PSN? I didn't even know that game was on the PSN.

Just released this week.

 

[brandonh83]

Demon's Souls is like those tough as nails NES games where you die a lot but you progressively learn the game and through trial and error make progress. It brings back that sense of desire in knowing what's further and further ahead, which is something that has been seemingly going over the heads of developers these days. There's hardly a sense of wonder in videogames now, IMO, and that's why Demon's Souls made such an impression. It's hard, yes. You die a lot, yes. But it brings back that reward to the player for actually sticking with it and trying. Isn't that kinda how, oh I dunno, videogames kinda started?

I understand that dying over and over maybe isn't fun to some people, I get that, but for me and growing up on NES platformers and finally experiencing that childlike wonder again on a current generation game (and here I was thinking it was just me getting old, thanks Atlus!) in a generation where it's barely any longer about reward through challenge and trial and error, in a generation where you can just set it on easy mode and enjoy the cinematics and do QTE sequences to beat the game. Demon's Souls revealed to me that some developers actually still understand that philosophy and they've found a way to bring this back to us while utilizing modern visuals, controls, and online functionality.

This is how 90% of the videogames in my youth were designed (sans online obviously) and it's awesome to see that return. While playing it, you don't think at all about the graphics but about how to approach each situation, how to plan ahead, what got you killed the last time and maybe what you can do to avoid it. This is why graphics aren't the most important thing to me, and why I want to see great game design like this above all else next gen. Demon's Souls came out and proved that you don't need QTE's to have exciting, memorable confrontations (but rather skill), it proved that you don't need to have voice chat to have an exciting, memorable online experience, and in a game that is "always online, always connected," you can still cut the internet off and play the game without penalty. Because, after all, why should you be penalized for playing a videogame offline?

Basically Demon's Souls (and Dark Souls!) is sort of this unassuming middle finger toward almost every single terrible practice in the industry today, and that is one of many reasons why it's just plain awesome.

 

[breakfuss]

Note to everyone: your age does not make your opinion on these matters any more valid (though I did sincerely enjoy @brandnh83's post). I grew up on the same servings of NES cartridges and Teddy Ruxpin commercials, yet I still find Demon's Souls to be a complete bore. It wasn't about how challenging it was. It's an incredibly tedious game. The combat system felt disjointed and floaty. The art direction was drab. Unless, that is, I was approaching and thinking of the game in the wrong way, just isn't for me.

 

[Infinite_Daremo]

Note to everyone: your age does not make your opinion on these matters any more valid (though I did sincerely enjoy @brandnh83's post). I grew up on the same servings of NES cartridges and Teddy Ruxpin, yet I still find Demon's Souls to be a complete bore. It wasn't about how challenging it was. It's an incredibly tedious game. The combat system felt disjointed and floaty. The art direction was drab. Unless, that is, I was approaching and thinking of the game in the wrong way, just isn't for me.

Its ok to be wrong from time to time. Dont sweat it.

 

[Lima]

Seriously? That's awesome. I didn't realize the PS3 had wake on lan.

Well it doesn't. It will work like on the 360. When you turn your console on it will automatically start to download the stuff you added to your queue via the webstore.

Now combine that with the PS+ feature that the console turns on every night and updates, things will be good. I will never need to visit the slow ass store again or go into my download history.

Took them long enough.

 

[2+2=5]

Note to everyone: your age does not make your opinion on these matters any more valid (though I did sincerely enjoy @brandnh83's post). I grew up on the same servings of NES cartridges and Teddy Ruxpin commercials, yet I still find Demon's Souls to be a complete bore. It wasn't about how challenging it was. It's an incredibly tedious game. The combat system felt disjointed and floaty. The art direction was drab. Unless, that is, I was approaching and thinking of the game in the wrong way, just isn't for me.

Demon's souls is surprising, i never liked it, I always tought it was one of those game being hard for the sake of being hard or to hide the lack of everything else, but playing it i understood it was not the ds' case.
Ds is really original, it has a great atmosphere, it's really engaging and other pros absent in most of the other games, and except some peaks(like the king and the two monsters) it's not even as difficult as people say(i made two or three levels in the first attempt without dying).
You just need to have good reflexes.
It's not for everyone obviously, if you want to give it another chance this is my suggestion, think and play it like a stealth game, walk not run, look at your surroundings, try to avoid unnecessary fights and so on. Be cautious, you won't die frequently and you'll like it

 

[jstripes]

Demon's Souls is like those tough as nails NES games where you die a lot but you progressively learn the game and through trial and error make progress. It brings back that sense of desire in knowing what's further and further ahead, which is something that has been seemingly going over the heads of developers these days. There's hardly a sense of wonder in videogames now, IMO, and that's why Demon's Souls made such an impression. It's hard, yes. You die a lot, yes. But it brings back that reward to the player for actually sticking with it and trying. Isn't that kinda how, oh I dunno, videogames kinda started?

etc.

Games being tough as nails was a requirement back then, because they were a lot shorter and more expensive. What value did you get for your dollar if you could blast through the game in an afternoon?

Now I just find it frustrating. I like games with replay value, but that doesn't have to come from "I can't fuckin' beat it!" (I can always go back to the Katamari games, for example, because it's fun and I can try to do a bit better each time.)

Anyway, the "sense of wonder" isn't gone from games. It's just gone from you. It's called "getting older." Sorry about that.

 

[I'm an expert]

Its ok to be wrong from time to time. Dont sweat it.

Real talk.

 

[The_Hitcher89]

Drab art direction? What the absolute fuck?

 

[atomic moth]

Hey guys, here's a tip if you're having a problem with dying and restarting far away in Demons Souls:

Spoiler

Immediately when you die, hit the PS button to drop to the XMB. Quickly quit the game. Restart. You'll spawn at the last quick save spot, which is more than likely much closer to where you want to be.

I don't recommend doing this, but if you won't play it because of the restart position, then give it a shot. It is also useful when you're trying to grind for the platinum.

Again. I don't recommend doing this. It could ruin your experience.

 

[jcm]

Well it doesn't. It will work like on the 360. When you turn your console on it will automatically start to download the stuff you added to your queue via the webstore.

Now combine that with the PS+ feature that the console turns on every night and updates, things will be good. I will never need to visit the slow ass store again or go into my download history.

Took them long enough.

Downgrading my "awesome" to "good". That's better than what we have now, but I really want the ability to buy a game from the webstore while at the office, and have it ready to play when i get home. I hope the PS4 will give me that. In the meantime, queuing + auto download sounds pretty good.

 

[I'm an expert]

Not to mention the Souls games aren't hard. I would put any random fps or shooter's hardest difficulty at a higher level than Souls. Souls is absolutely trivial once you know the game in and out. What people think is "hard" is actually the learning curve of understanding the environments, items, enemies, and of course bosses. It's a lot of information to parse. It's essentially like a DOTA game or a fighter. Yes, you have to know how everything in the game acts and reacts to everything. With that knowledge, your skill goes up and the game becomes manageable.

A lot of people just don't want that time investment. They want l1 iron sights, r1 fire.

 

[Roto13]

So I take it it's impossible to make a Demon's Souls character that doesn't look terrible.

 

[I'm an expert]

So I take it it's impossible to make a Demon's Souls character that doesn't look terrible.

Female characters are much better than the males. Still, you most likely won't see your human form much anyway.

 

[Infinite_Daremo]

So I take it it's impossible to make a Demon's Souls character that doesn't look terrible.

Just wear a helmet lol. They all look like crap.

 

[Kusagari]

So I take it it's impossible to make a Demon's Souls character that doesn't look terrible.

You're basically never going to be seeing your characters face so it's not like it matters.

 

[khaaan]

I guess while everyone is still on the subject of Demons Souls, is there any way to manually save the game?

I started the Boletarian palace level and got I don't know how far in and when I felt like I was done with the game for the time being I couldn't figure out how to save. This has happened a few times to me and I noticed sometimes I'll start up basically right where I left off and other times I wont.

Demons Souls seems alright, nothing super crazy but I haven't put in enough time to make a good argument for or against it. The one thing that does annoy me is the load times between dying and starting again. I've brought this up before only to be met with "lol you suck, just don't die." but the problem is that this isn't even the game design that's punishing me, it's the hardware/software.

 

[H3xum]

I guess while everyone is still on the subject of Demons Souls, is there any way to manually save the game?

Nope. Autosaves frequently

Keep an eye on the silverish ball in the upper right hand corner

 

[2+2=5]

I guess while everyone is still on the subject of Demons Souls, is there any way to manually save the game?

I started the Boletarian palace level and got I don't know how far in and when I felt like I was done with the game for the time being I couldn't figure out how to save. This has happened a few times to me and I noticed sometimes I'll start up basically right where I left off and other times I wont.

Demons Souls seems alright, nothing super crazy but I haven't put in enough time to make a good argument for or against it. The one thing that does annoy me is the load times between dying and starting again. I've brought this up before only to be met with "lol you suck, just don't die." but the problem is that this isn't even the game design that's punishing me, it's the hardware/software.

It automatically saves every 2 seconds if i remember correctly.

 

[JeTmAn81]

I guess while everyone is still on the subject of Demons Souls, is there any way to manually save the game?

I started the Boletarian palace level and got I don't know how far in and when I felt like I was done with the game for the time being I couldn't figure out how to save. This has happened a few times to me and I noticed sometimes I'll start up basically right where I left off and other times I wont.

Demons Souls seems alright, nothing super crazy but I haven't put in enough time to make a good argument for or against it. The one thing that does annoy me is the load times between dying and starting again. I've brought this up before only to be met with "lol you suck, just don't die." but the problem is that this isn't even the game design that's punishing me, it's the hardware/software.

There's no real save system, if you want to stop you have to get to an area where you're not being attacked and then just exit the game. It will resume where you left off. Also, I'd recommend playing Dark Souls before Demon's, it was a lot more accessible to me.

 

[Tizoc]

A lot of people just don't want that time investment. They want l1 iron sights, r1 fire.

Do you mean GAF or the general casual gaming audience?

 

[I'm an expert]

Do you mean GAF or the general casual gaming audience?

Gaf is not a single entity, I mean what I said - "a lot of people".

 

[androvsky]

Well it doesn't. It will work like on the 360. When you turn your console on it will automatically start to download the stuff you added to your queue via the webstore.

Now combine that with the PS+ feature that the console turns on every night and updates, things will be good. I will never need to visit the slow ass store again or go into my download history.

Took them long enough.

Where did you read that? The PS3 does have wake on LAN; it's a mode that uses a bit more power than being completely off, but it's a lot less than leaving it on. It's been used for starting the system up with remote play for years. It was a bit buggy early on (the system would turn on randomly) so many long-term owners disabled it.

 

[brandonh83]

Games being tough as nails was a requirement back then, because they were a lot shorter and more expensive. What value did you get for your dollar if you could blast through the game in an afternoon?

I could say the same about the games that people pay $60 for that can be "blasted through in an afternoon." But oh wait they have multiplayer so it justifies that, right on.

Now I just find it frustrating. I like games with replay value, but that doesn't have to come from "I can't fuckin' beat it!" (I can always go back to the Katamari games, for example, because it's fun and I can try to do a bit better each time.)

You can "fucking beat it." When Demon's Souls first came out and I was hyped for it, it frustrated the hell out of me. I was finding that I couldn't make hardly any progress, but part of that was just because it was such a learning experience, and the more I played it, the better I got at it, and ultimately the easier it got for me. Demon's Souls and Dark Souls are very beatable. They do require patience and learning, so sure, if you're not willing to give it that, I can understand.

Anyway, the "sense of wonder" isn't gone from games. It's just gone from you. It's called "getting older." Sorry about that.

Demon's Souls, Dark Souls, Bioshock, Bioshock Infinite, Skyward Sword, Twilight Princess, Castlevania: Lords of Shadow, Mario Galaxy, Ni No Kuni, Journey, Uncharted, most horror games, and so on and hell even the new Tomb Raider is giving it to me a bit this gen, have very much captivated me and gave me a fantastic sense of wonder. It could be age, or taste, yeah. Obviously. It boils down to opinion. But the sense of wonder isn't gone from me. It may be harder to get me to feel that than when I was say, 14, but creativity, artistry, and great game design can certainly do it.

 

[Anteater]

I think I'm close to beating the second game in the okami trilogy, I'll be back to where I left off on the ps2 in no time!

Can't believe I need to do that blockhead shit again soon, fml.

 

[Duffyside]

I think I'm close to beating the second game in the okami trilogy, I'll be back to where I left off on the ps2 in no time!

Can't believe I need to do that blockhead shit again soon, fml.

I never played Okami before this month, but I knew about the blockhead. Fortunate timing for me, as I just now finally entered the modern era by owning an iPod (yes, POD, not phone) that can record video. That's what I'll use to beat the difficult blockheads.

Had I not though, I would've resorted to the youtube secret of drawing on the screen with a water-based marker.

Edit: This one. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=raN4RVDr6mg

 

[Ocaso]

Not true. At least not to the extent of dying over and over at every corner.

I remember that the only thing that surprised me were the wolves in 1-2. Before that everything was proper in 1-1. Those wolves taught me that position could trigger enemy spawns, so from that point I didn't go mindlessly running despite not seeing enemies.

You might not have run mindlessly through the game, but I'm sure you still died several times your first run through a level. The point isn't that deaths are unfair, it's that the penalty for dying saps the enjoyment from the game too often nonetheless.

Just a an example, I'm now in what I believe would be 3-2, and there is one part where I'm having trouble progressing. Reaching that section takes me maybe 10 minutes and I can reach it without getting hit once, but having to replay that section over and over makes for tedium, no matter how rich the atmosphere or how engrossing the world design is.

Drab art direction? What the absolute fuck?

I think it's the very grim and somber tone that prompts this. I'd say it's beautiful in its own way, but I can understand the comments.

Really, the comparison to an NES game is apt, but now, in retrospect, completing those games was often more a triumph of will than skill. The same is true of Demon's Souls. Doesn't mean it's not worth playing, but it does highlight why modern games moved away from this.

 

[Miles Quaritch]

So the US get Demon's Souls and we get Hitman: Absolution?

Some kind of joke? Because I am not amused.

 

[Tizoc]

Gaf is not a single entity, I mean what I said - "a lot of people".

So is it a big issue if they would rather enjoy an FPS than Souls games?

 

[jstripes]

I could say the same about the games that people pay $60 for that can be "blasted through in an afternoon." But oh wait they have multiplayer so it justifies that, right on.

The $60 you spent on a game back then equals out to about $120 now, given inflation. A much bigger investment, and harder to justify at the time. Also, there were very few places to trade them in when you were done with them. Getting a game was like Christmas for most kids.

 

[Anteater]

I never played Okami before this month, but I knew about the blockhead. Fortunate timing for me, as I just now finally entered the modern era by owning an iPod (yes, POD, not phone) that can record video. That's what I'll use to beat the difficult blockheads.

Had I not though, I would've resorted to the youtube secret of drawing on the screen with a water-based marker.

Edit: This one. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=raN4RVDr6mg

lol I drew the order on a piece of paper when I did it on the ps2.

It's only the last one that's difficult I think.

 

[I'm an expert]

So is it a big issue if they would rather enjoy an FPS than Souls games?

Why are you trying to bait me into some hardcore vs casual trap?


But I can't help myself! Boo casuals! Boo shooters!

 

[Camjo-Z]

Games being tough as nails was a requirement back then, because they were a lot shorter and more expensive. What value did you get for your dollar if you could blast through the game in an afternoon?

I remember on that Iwata GCCX Balloon Fight video he was saying that devs would sometimes make things harder because they had to playtest the games themselves and they would get so good at it they'd think "man this is too easy, we need to make this more of a challenge".

Also I see we're back to Demon's Souls fans trying to convince people who dislike it that they're just too casual for the game.

 

[borghe]

Games being tough as nails was a requirement back then, because they were a lot shorter and more expensive. What value did you get for your dollar if you could blast through the game in an afternoon?

Now I just find it frustrating. I like games with replay value, but that doesn't have to come from "I can't fuckin' beat it!" (I can always go back to the Katamari games, for example, because it's fun and I can try to do a bit better each time.)

Anyway, the "sense of wonder" isn't gone from games. It's just gone from you. It's called "getting older." Sorry about that.

This is very true... games were tough because they literally needed to be. I think things changed a little bit once rentals started taking off.. You saw really great games that were a bit easier.. almost seeming like they were meant to be beaten in the space of a rental period (or two, or three, depending on the late fees you could afford)

Now, I sort of see what you are saying.. Go for length/content, or go for difficulty. But very few people out there want a tough as nails experience for like 15+ hours. Or if you ARE going to make a great hard experience... put difficulty levels in. I love how for the past year or two developers have been explaining their difficulty levels up front. Absolutely. Make a good hard or insane mode, and then tell the player "yeah... you better be prepared for hard. and you can't possibly be prepared for insane."

at the end of the day, not every game is for everyone. It's just a shame that some people can possibly lose out on playing a game they MIGHT actually like, if only it were a tad easier.

 

[Ocaso]

I could say the same about the games that people pay $60 for that can be "blasted through in an afternoon." But oh wait they have multiplayer so it justifies that, right on.

This is somewhat off topic, but I never understood the offense at games costing $60 when most single player campaigns offer upwards of 10 hours of gameplay. Even if the "single afternoon-ers" play for 10 hours straight (boy, I miss the days when that was even an option!), that's still a good value compared to other entertainment forms.

 

[I'm an expert]

Also I see we're back to Demon's Souls fans trying to convince people who dislike it that they're just too casual for the game.

I don't think I've ever called anyone or anything casual on gaf. In my opinion, I think people call themselves "casuals" or "too old for xyz" as an excuse for being bad at those games.

 

[brandonh83]

Also I see we're back to Demon's Souls fans trying to convince people who dislike it that they're just too casual for the game.

If this concerns me... I'm not trying to convince anyone of anything. My post was explaining why I love the game, and probably reasons why others love the game. I think opinions are dandy, I just have my own and I respect those of others. I don't have the power to convince someone that they're wrong about something, and there's nothing wrong with not liking Demon's Souls.

That being said, I know how annoying it can be when people try to put their likes on a pedestal at a bout for opinionated supremacy and I don't mean to come across that way. I love the game, and I love what it represents, but I don't think of it so highly that if I see someone complaining about the difficulty or just not being able to get into it I think they're inept, or "casual." In fact, as I said, at one point I was also in those shoes. I tried it, and gave up on it for months. I think it took me somewhere around a year and a half to go back to it, and I'm very glad I did.

This is somewhat off topic, but I never understood the offense at games costing $60 when most single player campaigns offer upwards of 10 hours of gameplay. Even if the "single afternoon-ers" play for 10 hours straight (boy, I miss the days when that was even an option!), that's still a good value compared to other entertainment forms.

I didn't say there was anything wrong with games that can be beaten in an afternoon costing $60. He used the argument "What value did you get for your dollar if you could blast through the game in an afternoon?" and I get the point he's trying to make -- and I don't even necessarily disagree with it -- but that could be used to describe plenty of games now.

 

[Tizoc]

So the US get Demon's Souls and we get Hitman: Absolution?

Some kind of joke? Because I am not amused.

Where were you when EU got Sleeping Dogs, DoA 5, MGS Vita, VLR, Okami HD and Thomas was alone Vita?

Why are you trying to bait me into some hardcore vs casual trap?


But I can't help myself! Boo casuals! Boo shooters!

 

[borghe]

This is somewhat off topic, but I never understood the offense at games costing $60 when most single player campaigns offer upwards of 10 hours of gameplay. Even if the "single afternoon-ers" play for 10 hours straight (boy, I miss the days when that was even an option!), that's still a good value compared to other entertainment forms.

high five!

I don't have enough play time in me for 20+ hour games. Tomb Raider was ALL I PLAYED and that was like three weeks to get through. Guacamelee seems to be about perfect... Get through the whole game in probably 4 gameplay sessions.

Not that there's anything wrong with 40+ hour epics... but man... I actively hunt out the big budget titles where I can basically play a week or two on my available time and actually get to the end of it. Too few of those nowadays.

 

[Miles Quaritch]

Where were you when EU got Sleeping Dogs, DoA 5, MGS Vita, VLR, Okami HD and Thomas was alone Vita?

I'm not discounting those, I'm just bitter we're getting the exceedingly mediocre H:A whereas the US gets the magnificent Demon's Souls.

Give me Demon's Souls. I need it.

 

[Toki767]

I'm not discounting those, I'm just bitter we're getting the exceedingly mediocre H:A whereas the US gets the magnificent Demon's Souls.

Give me Demon's Souls. I need it.

The US gets a 4 year old game and Europe gets a 6 month old game and you're complaining? Wow.

Quality of the game aside, at least you guys are getting fairly new content.