September NPD: Obviously Destined to Sell Tons

I think this NPD was a 5-week run, more favorable for Wii in this case, with it's late-month drop.

Though it's momentum may last a bit longer. We'll see.

Demon's Souls is a very niche game, it would be crazy for such a game to get into the top 10, just look at the games that are on that list. It deserves it though, I hope the hype the game suddenly got helped garner attention.

@Winterfang:
Actually, that would be Atlus's fault. Atlus holds the license for the North American distribution whereas SCEJ and SCE Asia handled Demon's Souls's release in Japan and Asia respectively.

Your best bet in finding Demon's Souls is through Fry's Electronics or getting it from Amazon.

the game still has sonys hand in the mix though. sony owns the game on the back of the box it says. when you start the game it says sony presents: atlus

i found the game at frys and i see how the joystiq reviewer came to his opinions and review from the few hours that i have played the game. i hope it can turn out to be a fun game for me, but im not really enjoying it so far. that is just my opinion from starting the game
the battle system is very weak IMO and doesnt offer much. there are cool aspects of the game though and many people seem to like it.

im not going to give up on it, but after playing uncharted 2 its hard for a game to come close to that enjoyment.

and batman was a great game, but i would have to say that uncharted 2 is my game of the year and one of my favorite games to play this entire generation like MGS4, mass effect, halo 3, bioshock, etc....

I'm finding that Demons Souls is one of my favorite games on the PS3. The environment, online mechanic, deep customization and class based progression all make for a unique experience. It took me 3 different character classes, lots of trial and error and some tactical adjustments before I beat the first stage! I'm also digging the depth of the weapons systems (repairing and upgrading blades), armor, accessories and the combat itself. Managing your stamina bar, using the lock on feature, double wielding blades and using projecticles are all important factors to staying alive.

Anyone have tips on beating the baddie in front of the mausoleum that uses the spear? I've gotten the key already from that noble who needed help but even with using the stuff to fire my blade (napalm?), fire bombs and strikes with an upgraded sword he still kills me. Maybe a perfectly timed reptose (sp?) is the ticket? The problem is even when Im blocking and evading backwards if I get struck once I'm damn near dead and it's hard to heal because he is chasing me. Then he has that cheap ass shield attack that stuns me and does that triple slash/stab attack. Even when I get him to chase me to the other side of the castle and I run and open the mausoleum he still pursues me into that chamber with kings statue. I'm the knight class with the full armor in case anyone is wondering. Other than that section I already beat the first boss thing with the spear. If I had a Mage it would be easier because I could spam the fire attack but I haven't got any spells yet.

But the game is so refreshing and has already become one of my favorite PS3 RPGs this gen probably only second to valjyria chronicles.

@sk8monroe:
Sony Computer Entertainment owns the IP for Demon's Souls. As for who determines the publishing rights, I don't know. I personally think that SCEA could have published Demon's Souls but the fact that Atlus is the one doing it is perfectly acceptable to me.

Did you pick up Demon's Souls before or after Atlus made the announcement that they were shipping more copies?


@johnny:
Which world? I'd personally recommend looking it up on the official Demon's Souls wiki page.


@every one else:
If you're going to start the game as a melee character, you might want to invest in both Luck and Dexterity. They both go a very long way in helping you perfect your Parries and Riposte-Counters. Also, if you want a really good challenge, try to melee King Doran in 1-4 (I think); his attack style is similar to what you would encounter from a level 650+ Black Phantom (Knight class) played by a veteran player (lots of rolling around, fast movement speed, packs a wallop of an attack).

@johnny:
I read your comment again and I think I know what you're talking about. That knight with the spear is the Red Eyed Demon. You DON'T fight him, period.

You basically have to lure him to his death because the AI path-system isn't that smart. Lol.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nq6ELyhVUR4

Oops. That was for @WINterfang

Wii Fit Plus shouldn't help too much, except for the fact that they're launching a new ad campaign for it, which could help encourage awareness.

Why didn't you buy millions of copies of Batman to make it number 1 like you bought millions of tickets for The Dark Knight? Or is the recession hitting Wayne Enterprises too? :(

I'd imagine it would have sold a lot more if they had started earlier and gotten it ready in time to release alongside TDFK movie.

On the bright side, the PS3 version of Arkham Asylum landed in the top 10 for September even though the 360 version trailed it by about 4-5 thousand copies. So there's some staying power but people just aren't advertising it enough or something.

It's also not the type of game with replay value. No offense to the quality of the title but it's a play it once and be done with it type of game for most people. It's the kind of game some people will wait to buy used because it doesn't have a multiplayer component. Thats my guess anyway. All things considered these are tremendous sales of a liscensed Batman game.

I don't know about you, but I'm not going to pick up MW2 at all. A number of PC/console gamers have brought to my attention that online multi-player really should be held on dedicated servers. The argument there is that dedicated servers improve the online experience by reducing the workload on the host (or client) machine and by reducing the lag that players experience. Warhawk is a good example of a game that has longevity simply because of the dedicated server support. The hands-on review that Joystiq did for MAG is another example of a console game that has dedicated server support. I think that this is the direction that console multi-player should be going in especially if it builds a community that regularly plays on the same server(s).

And yeah, there's also the whole petition going around asking Infinity Ward to bring back support for dedicated servers.

If you already subscribe to XBL then PSN being free isn't relevant because you are already paying for the other service. The game is going to be good on both so if it's a game you want to play with friends and you already have an XBL subscription get it for the 360. If you aren't already paying for Live it's pretty silly to do so for one game and you have to weigh the issue about playing the PS3 anywhere in the house ... if those are true go with the PS3 version. It all comes down to (imo) what controller you prefer, if it's inconvienant to play the 360 where the modem is and if you already pay for Live.

@Mah

The first Modern Warfare didn't have dedicated servers on consoles and it played fine. In fact, for the most part most console games don't have dedicated servers. The first party Sony stuff is really the exception there. But yeah, in light of that info there is no reason to get the PC version but it doesn't have an effect on the console versions.

@johnny:
Yeah, my exposure to Call of Duty has mostly been from the PC. Modern Warfare 1 and Rainbow Six Vegas were games that I played on my friend's gaming rig.

It's a shame that 3rd parties aren't offering dedicated server support for console shooters even though it is arguably one of the best moves that Sony has done this generation by doing so for a few of its first party titles. I can't possibly imagine MAG being played on a P2P network with its 256 player cap, it just doesn't seem possible without the back-end support (in the form of dedicated servers).

Quick question though, I know that Halo 1 and 2 supported LAN parties, how many other console games support LAN parties?

u make it a hard choice but u might have to go with more friends to play with ? that is always a plus and a reason i enjoy more games online on the 360, just because i have more friends available. and the myth that the service is better, which is was, but sony has really increased its PSN support and dedication over the years and it seems like the 2 are very close in online play consistency, etc now so it doesnt matter which one to play on. it sounds like playing on your 360 is an inconvenience though by moving it, so you have to decide.

I have never really worried about call of duty online play as it has seemed to be 1 of the more consistent games to play online without errors, but i have only played the games on the 360. i can pop in call of duty 2,3,4,5 right now and play a game online on my 360 and i could probably play cod 3,4,5 right now online on my ps3 if i owned those versions.... call of duty is 1 series that is serious about online support and play. the game is just not for everyone if they dont like it, but the online capabilities and support have been one of the greatest i have seen this generation, so never worry about popping the game in years later and being able to play, IMO. im getting the game because i really like the series.

Strangely, I'm finding ODST to be a lot more immersive and entertaining than Halo 2 and 3's single player.

Though its likely due to the fact that I expected it to be pretty poor and that I refused to pay for it (instead, managed to get it for free).

360, according to VG Chartz, has sold 32 million units compared to the PS3's 25 million.

Trust me- if Sony ever outsells the 360 world wide, you'll hear about it non-stop...

Under 1,000? Seriously?

One of the leaks said it sold around 500-600 units. Also, it's $20 now. Coincidence? Doubtful.

Also, Dead Space Extraction was between 9k and 10k. (Insert over NINE THOUSAND gif here).

It kills me to see people "wary" over problems like the RROD. Are you really too scared to have something happen to your video game console and you might lose it for a month?

I just sent mine out due to the E47 error. It won't be back for 2-3 weeks. I consider this a blessing in disguise.

Scared? That would be the wrong term. I would say annoyed. I would be annoyed at spending $200-300 to have something break on me within months. Granted, I'm not a "hardcore" gamer, so maybe it wouldn't be such a big deal. But I would rather spend that money on something else that I'm confident in as a consumer.

If you have no problem with spending your money on what seems to be a poorly built machine, then have at it. If Microsoft manages to get those RROD numbers down to a respectable level, then maybe I'll consider a purchase. Till then I'll pass.

If your a casual gamer who likes mini games, waggle, Mario stuff and don't mind a lack of media capability then the Wii is the best solution. I don't really follow your logic since the PS3 houses some of the best game this generation but whatever floats your boat.

We use the Wii as our kids console and the ocassional good mature type game but other than that there isn't much else we use it for. It's good for when we have family get togethers or when the kids have friends over.

What more do you want from the PS3? It's got fantastic games, rich network infrastructure, high quality downloadable titles, free online play, blu ray, DVD, music and photo import and management, media center functionality and a flash enabled
web browser. It only does everything!

Other than MGS4, anything I'd get on the PS3 I have for the 360; I've never been enticed by many games exclusive to any Sony console. Online community is alright, but frankly you get what you pay for. The controller doesn't feel right in my hands and the analog sticks just feel funny. Oh and the MacbookPro I am typing on holds my music, photos, gets me on the internet, edits my film, etc.

My 360 has treated me well. I have enjoyed it's game library immensely, love it's online functionality, Netflix is awesome. It only does everything I want it to!

And why do I want a Wii? Because everyone with functioning limbs loves the Wii. And it's $200 dollars.