Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com Joystiq http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://www.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2013 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[PS Plus Europe explores Amalur, Demon's Souls, Ico/SotC in June]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/15/ps-plus-europe-explores-amalur-demons-souls-ico-sotc-in-june/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/15/ps-plus-europe-explores-amalur-demons-souls-ico-sotc-in-june/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/15/ps-plus-europe-explores-amalur-demons-souls-ico-sotc-in-june/#comments European PlayStation Plus subscribers have plenty to keep themselves busy with when the rain inevitably lashes down on Wimbledon next month. June's Plus update brings two very different breeds of RPG to the PS3's Instant Game Collection in Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning and Demon's Souls, as well the Ico and Shadow of the Colossus HD Collection. All three games arrive a wee bit early on May 29.

Meanwhile on Vita, June features Rayman Origins and Coconut Dodge Revitalized for the portable. Both Vita games join the Collection on June 5. Coconut Dodge Revitalized is the next Futurlab PS Mini to get the HD treatment. As before, the self-explanatory (or not) 2D high-scorer gets leaderboards and trophies support on Vita.

As ever, the revolving door that is PS Plus means new arrivals are countered by departures. Hitman: Absolution, Joe Danger 2, and Dead or Alive 5 leave the service on May 29, followed by Sine Mora on June 5, and Futurlab's Velocity Ultra on June 12.

JoystiqPS Plus Europe explores Amalur, Demon's Souls, Ico/SotC in June originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 15 May 2013 10:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>coconut-dodge-revitalizeddemons-soulseuropefuturlabico-and-shadow-of-the-colossus-collectionkingdoms-of-amalur-reckoningplaystationplaystation-plusplaystation-vitaps3psnrayman-originsvitaWed, 15 May 2013 10:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Demon's Souls pounces on PlayStation Plus today]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/02/demons-souls-pounces-on-playstation-plus-today/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/02/demons-souls-pounces-on-playstation-plus-today/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/02/demons-souls-pounces-on-playstation-plus-today/#comments The malignant majesty of Demon's Souls becomes free to North American PlayStation Plus members in today's PSN update. The servers for the From Software game are staying online for the foreseeable future, so there's no reason to pass on a PS3 game we described as a "leather-clad mistress" in our 2009 review - unless, perhaps... you're scared?

Less sadistic Plus entries coming this month include Zombie Tycoon 2, which heads to PS3 and Vita via PSN on April 30, Malicious and Labyrinth Legends for PS3, and PSP game Soulcalibur: Broken Destiny for Vita. There are no PS Plus ETAs for those last three.

As ever, new stuff coming in pushes old stuff back out. If you want to grab Spec Ops: The Line from PS Plus, today's your last chance to do so. Street Fighter 4: Arcade Edition dragon punches out on April 9, while Anomaly: Warzone Earth flees on April 16.

Finally, today's PSN update brings discounts to The Walking Dead, Rainbow Moon, and the Söldner-X series, including the first season of Telltale's zombified adventure for $14.99, a price that drops to $10.49 with Plus. For all those deals, check out the PlayStation Blog.

JoystiqDemon's Souls pounces on PlayStation Plus today originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 02 Apr 2013 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>atlusDemons-Soulsfrom-softwarelabyrinth-legendsmaliciousplaystationplaystation-plusplaystation-vitaps3psnsoulcalibur-broken-destinyvitazombie-tycoon-2Tue, 02 Apr 2013 12:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Demon's Souls PSN petrifying Europeans on January 23]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/04/demons-souls-psn-petrifying-europeans-on-january-23/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/04/demons-souls-psn-petrifying-europeans-on-january-23/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/04/demons-souls-psn-petrifying-europeans-on-january-23/#comments Demon's Souls PSN petrifying Europeans on January 23The PlayStation Network version of Demon's Souls is bringing death and despair to Europe on January 23, Namco Bandai tells us. That means our friends across the ocean must wait a little longer for From Software's downloadable dose of role-playing desolation, following yesterday's news of it coming to North America's PSN this coming Tuesday.

Namco says the game's European servers are staying online, so be sure to look out for messages telling you it's safe ahead when in fact there's a big, fat soul-loving spider who missed both breakfast and lunch and isn't really dealing with it well.

JoystiqDemon's Souls PSN petrifying Europeans on January 23 originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 04 Jan 2013 11:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Demons-Soulsfrom-softwarenamco-bandaiplaystationps3PSNrelease-datesony-computer-entertainment-japanFri, 04 Jan 2013 11:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Demon's Souls goes downloadable January 8]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/03/demons-souls-goes-downloadable-january-8/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/03/demons-souls-goes-downloadable-january-8/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/03/demons-souls-goes-downloadable-january-8/#comments Demon's Souls will be on PSN on TuesdayDemon's Souls is still incredibly difficult to play, but is about to become a little easier to start. On Tuesday, Jan. 8, it'll be released on PSN, eliminating the arduous task of standing up, walking to the PS3, and changing discs. The digital version is easy on the wallet too, at $19.99.

Atlus will show a bit of mercy in-game coinciding with this release, holding a "Pure White World Tendency" event through the 14th, making the game slightly easier. We've come a long way since Atlus wanted to shut the servers down: now the whole game is on the internet.

JoystiqDemon's Souls goes downloadable January 8 originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 03 Jan 2013 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>atlusDemons-Soulsplaystationps3psnrelease-dateThu, 03 Jan 2013 16:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Demon's Souls servers staying online into the 'foreseeable future']]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/25/demons-souls-servers-staying-online-into-the-foreseeable-futur/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/25/demons-souls-servers-staying-online-into-the-foreseeable-futur/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/25/demons-souls-servers-staying-online-into-the-foreseeable-futur/#comments So the world might be mended. So the world might be mended.Demon's Souls will not be denied as publisher Atlus announced today that it will support the game's online features for the "foreseeable future." Unlike players in the unforgiving RPG, the servers just refuse to die!

"While it originally seemed as though it would be unfeasible for us to continue to sustain the servers, a number of developments have made it possible for us to continue to invest in and support our fans as they have continued to invest in and support us and Demon's Souls," said Tim Pivnicny, VP of Atlus marketing and sales, we imagine holding a cat o' nine tails. "For all the gamers who have yet to discover the game's amazing online experience, we're happy to say you can still log on and find out why Demon's Souls is still regarded by many as one of the finest games of all time."

The entry fee for electronic sadism is a mere $20 now, as the game is part of the PlayStation 3's "Greatest Hits" collection. The game's online features were intended to end at midnight on May 31, but darkness always finds a way to stay alive.

Continue reading Demon's Souls servers staying online into the 'foreseeable future'

JoystiqDemon's Souls servers staying online into the 'foreseeable future' originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 25 May 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>AtlusDemons-SoulsFrom-Softwareplaystationps3Fri, 25 May 2012 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Demon's Souls to be taken offline on May 31]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/11/demons-souls-to-be-taken-offline-on-may-31/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/11/demons-souls-to-be-taken-offline-on-may-31/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/11/demons-souls-to-be-taken-offline-on-may-31/#comments ImageAtlus is shutting down the North American servers for Demon's Souls on May 31 at 11:59 p.m. PST. This will not affect the single-player mode, but will prevent players from leaving notes for other players, who appear as ghosts in remote games, and all other online activities.

Atlus is holding two World Tendency events, which can alter the difficulty and perks awarded to players in-game, throughout May. Atlus invites all players to sign in for one final hoorah on May 31, Game Informer writes.

Below is a heartfelt statement sent to Game Informer from Atlus VP of sales and marketing Tim Pivnicny:

Continue reading Demon's Souls to be taken offline on May 31

JoystiqDemon's Souls to be taken offline on May 31 originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 11 Apr 2012 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>AtlusDemons-Soulsdoneofflineplaystationps3shut-downWed, 11 Apr 2012 16:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Why Sony passed on publishing Demon's Souls in America]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/10/why-sony-passed-on-publishing-demons-souls-in-america/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/10/why-sony-passed-on-publishing-demons-souls-in-america/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/10/why-sony-passed-on-publishing-demons-souls-in-america/#comments Nobody expected Demon's Souls to be the hit it was, least of all Sony, the game's publisher in Japan. When Atlus decided to publish the game in North America, it took a risk -- one that paid off. The duty of publishing the sequel, Dark Souls, would then go to Namco Bandai.

Does Sony regret passing on publishing Demon's Souls in North America? Senior VP Shuhei Yoshida thinks so. He told Game Informer the company passed on the game after seeing an earlier build of the game. "What happened with Demon's Souls was until very late in the game's development, we were not able to play the game through. There were framerate issues and the network was not up and running. We underestimated the quality of the game and to be honest, the media in Japan did the same."

But still, even after a few hours with the final product, Yoshida remarked that he just wasn't able to see the value in the game. "For my personal experience with Demon's Souls, when it was close to final I spent close to two hours playing it and after two hours I was still standing at the beginning at the game. I said, 'This is crap. This is an unbelievably bad game.' So I put it aside." In the end, Yoshida admitted Sony "dropped the ball from a publishing standpoint" and was not able to "see the value of the product."

JoystiqWhy Sony passed on publishing Demon's Souls in America originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 10 Feb 2012 21:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>atlusDemons-Soulsplaystationps3sceashuhei-yoshidasonyFri, 10 Feb 2012 21:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Happy and hateful birthday, Demon's Souls!]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/06/happy-and-hateful-birthday-demons-souls/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/06/happy-and-hateful-birthday-demons-souls/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/06/happy-and-hateful-birthday-demons-souls/#comments So the world might be mended. So the world might be mended. Atlus sent out a little note reminding us all that today marks the second anniversary of the release of Demon's Souls, spiritual predecessor of Dark Souls. In celebration of two years of mind-numbing, controller-snapping difficulty, the publisher has some special World Tendency events lined up for the rest of the month.

Starting today and running through October 17, the in-game world of Demon's Souls will switch to Pure White Tendency, which makes the game (somewhat) less difficult and even opens up certain paths and items. From October 17 through the rest of the month - just in time for Halloween - the world will shift to Pure Black which, you guessed it, makes the game even more difficult (okay, fine, it also opens up different hidden areas too).

To offer up a birthday analogy, it's like Atlus is giving everyone a cake topped with beautiful white icing and a filling made of pure evil.

Continue reading Happy and hateful birthday, Demon's Souls!

JoystiqHappy and hateful birthday, Demon's Souls! originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 06 Oct 2011 21:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>atlusDemons-Soulsplaystationps3Thu, 06 Oct 2011 21:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Atlus continues Demon's Souls server support into 2012]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/22/atlus-continues-demons-souls-server-support-into-2012/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/22/atlus-continues-demons-souls-server-support-into-2012/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/22/atlus-continues-demons-souls-server-support-into-2012/#comments In an announcement timed suspiciously closely to the release of a totally unrelated game (wink!), Atlus announced that it's going to continue operating the servers for Demon's Souls "into 2012." They had previously only been ensured operation until October of this year.

Thanks to this renewal, players will still be able to leave notes for one another, show up as ghosts in others' games to warn of dangerous conditions, or just become a mean-spirited invader. And with that continued support will come new "Pure White" and "Pure Black" world tendency events for unspecified dates this holiday season.

Atlus PR also just casually drops the fact that Demon's Souls has an MSRP of $19.99, making it the best bargain in From Software's two-title-strong library of hardcore action RPGs.

Continue reading Atlus continues Demon's Souls server support into 2012

JoystiqAtlus continues Demon's Souls server support into 2012 originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 22 Sep 2011 17:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>atlusDemons-Soulsfrom-softwareonlineplaystationps3psnserverThu, 22 Sep 2011 17:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Amazon offering Atlus catalog sale today]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/04/18/amazon-offering-atlus-catalog-sale-today/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/04/18/amazon-offering-atlus-catalog-sale-today/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/04/18/amazon-offering-atlus-catalog-sale-today/#comments Radiant Historia for $28? Demon's Souls for $15 and 3D Dot Game Heroes for a measly $13.50? It's either straight up madness, or it's an Atlus-themed deal of the day special on Amazon, available for today only (spoiler: it's the latter).

Perhaps PS2 classic Odin Sphere is more your speed? That's also available for $16. And we'd be remiss if we didn't mention our favorite Atlus game with "Badass Rumble" in the title -- Kenka Bancho: Badass Rumble -- is marked down to $28. Just think, if you have 28 or more rumbles in Kenka Bancho, that's only $1 per badass rumble!

[Thanks, Joseph R.]

JoystiqAmazon offering Atlus catalog sale today originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 18 Apr 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>amazonatlusatlus-gamesDemons-Soulsdsnintendoplaystationps3pspsonyMon, 18 Apr 2011 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[72-hour charity marathon lets internet pick games, gets really tough ones]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/12/30/72-hour-charity-marathon-lets-internet-pick-games-gets-really-t/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/12/30/72-hour-charity-marathon-lets-internet-pick-games-gets-really-t/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/12/30/72-hour-charity-marathon-lets-internet-pick-games-gets-really-t/#comments The marathon gaming team Wily Whompers was scheduled to race team Zeldathon this week, but when that showdown fell through, it decided to turn its marathon into a Viewer's Choice of sorts, asking Reddit readers to help choose which games to play for 72 hours straight. The group is also raising money for Child's Play as it streams the event -- so far it has only reached a few hundred dollars, but there's still time left to play ... and watch.

The team started with a run through Mega Man 10 and then the Reddit folks showed a cruel streak, sending the players through Super Meat Boy (we're told they beat all of the Light World levels and the warp zones), Super Ghouls N Ghosts and a few other unforgiving titles before the Whompers' current challenge as of this writing: Beating the forehead-slappingly difficult Demon's Souls. We can only wish them luck -- we're hard pressed to do anything for three days straight, much less play some of the hardest games around.

Joystiq72-hour charity marathon lets internet pick games, gets really tough ones originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 30 Dec 2010 00:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>charitychilds-playdemons-soulsmarathonmega-man-10super-meat-boywily-whompersThu, 30 Dec 2010 00:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Demon's Souls server operation extended until late 2011]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/12/17/demons-souls-server-operation-extended-until-late-2011/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/12/17/demons-souls-server-operation-extended-until-late-2011/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/12/17/demons-souls-server-operation-extended-until-late-2011/#comments If you've ever set foot within the cacophonous, blood-encrusted hallways of Demon's Souls, you know that sure footing isn't always guaranteed. The only assurance you'll ever have is the one from the insidiously designed RPG's North American publisher, Atlus, which has pledged to keep online servers safe until the game's second anniversary, coming up in October 2011. Before this announcement, servers weren't set to fall away until "at least" March 2011.

Of course, since this is Demon's Souls, the kindness of Atlus comes at a terrible cost. While you enjoy the continuing online features and a new, Pure White World Tendency event taking place from December 20 until the beginning of 2011, spare a thought for the children sitting in a Californian basement, dutifully turning the server cranks.

Continue reading Demon's Souls server operation extended until late 2011

JoystiqDemon's Souls server operation extended until late 2011 originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 17 Dec 2010 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2011atlusDemons-Soulsplaystationps3serverswell-that-was-darkFri, 17 Dec 2010 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Demon's Souls shifts Atlus to black profit tendency]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/10/21/demons-souls-shifts-atlus-to-black-profit-tendency/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/10/21/demons-souls-shifts-atlus-to-black-profit-tendency/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/10/21/demons-souls-shifts-atlus-to-black-profit-tendency/#comments Index Holdings, parent company of Atlus, has released its financial results (PDF) for its fiscal 2010, which ended August 31. Things are looking rosy for Atlus USA, thanks largely to the dark and depressing Demon's Souls, which the company points to as a major factor in raising profits. Index Holdings reported that Atlus USA made ¥3.299 billion ($40.7 million) in sales for the year, up from ¥2.732 billion ($33.6 million) in 2009. More importantly, the company posted an operating income of ¥407 million ($5 million), which compares very favorably to last year's loss of ¥104 million ($1.2 million).

Hey Atlus, how about we celebrate by shifting Demon's Souls to white tendency for a little while? Please?

JoystiqDemon's Souls shifts Atlus to black profit tendency originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 21 Oct 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>atlusbusinessDemons-Soulsearningsfinancialfy-2010index-holdingsplaystationps3salesThu, 21 Oct 2010 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Watch Demon's Souls completed in under an hour]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/10/20/demons-soul-speed-run-video/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/10/20/demons-soul-speed-run-video/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/10/20/demons-soul-speed-run-video/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Sure, we liked Demon's Souls a lot, but we just wish it had been a little longer. 54 minutes of gameplay just isn't enough for a full price next-gen title. What's that? You needed more than 54 minutes (portrayed in following videos) to beat the notoriously difficult dungeon crawler? That's cute. (Warning: Don't watch these videos if you don't want the game spoiled!)

Continue reading Watch Demon's Souls completed in under an hour

JoystiqWatch Demon's Souls completed in under an hour originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 20 Oct 2010 03:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>demons-soulsfrom-softwareplaystationps3speedrunWed, 20 Oct 2010 03:00:00 EST<![CDATA[CoD: Modern Warfare, Ratchet and Clank: A Crack in Time and more added to PS3 Greatest Hits]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/09/28/cod-modern-warfare-ratchet-and-clank-a-crack-in-time-and-more/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/09/28/cod-modern-warfare-ratchet-and-clank-a-crack-in-time-and-more/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/09/28/cod-modern-warfare-ratchet-and-clank-a-crack-in-time-and-more/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Sony has added seven more titles to its North American "Greatest Hits" collection, each with a suggested price of $30. We knew about a couple of these already, but check out the official list after the break.

Continue reading CoD: Modern Warfare, Ratchet and Clank: A Crack in Time and more added to PS3 Greatest Hits

JoystiqCoD: Modern Warfare, Ratchet and Clank: A Crack in Time and more added to PS3 Greatest Hits originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 28 Sep 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Call-of-Duty-Modern-WarfareCall-of-Duty-World-at-Wardemons-soulsGreatest-HitsMAGmotorstorm-pacific-riftPacific-Riftplaystationps3ratchet-and-clank-a-crack-in-timeratchet-and-clank-future-a-crack-in-timeTekken-6World-at-WarTue, 28 Sep 2010 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Project Dark trailer is dark, Demon's Souls-esque]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/09/18/project-dark-trailer-is-dark-demons-souls-esque/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/09/18/project-dark-trailer-is-dark-demons-souls-esque/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/09/18/project-dark-trailer-is-dark-demons-souls-esque/#commentsFiled under: , ,

There's still a lot of unanswered questions about Project Dark, the next title from the Demon's Souls team at From Software, but chief amongst them is the simple query: Is this a Demon's Souls sequel? While we still don't have a clear answer on that front, the below cam-captured teaser provides some evidence that it's at least cut from the same, blood-stained cloth.

Project Dark is a PS3-exclusive in Japan, while Namco Bandai's English website lists an Xbox 360 version as well.

[Thanks, thepapercut]

Continue reading Project Dark trailer is dark, Demon's Souls-esque

JoystiqProject Dark trailer is dark, Demon's Souls-esque originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 18 Sep 2010 05:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Demons-SoulsFrom-SoftwaremicrosoftNamco-Bandaiplaystationproject-darkps3TGS-2010xboxSat, 18 Sep 2010 05:45:00 EST<![CDATA[PS3 Greatest Hits summons Demon's Souls for $30]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/09/15/ps3-greatest-hits-summons-demons-souls-for-30/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/09/15/ps3-greatest-hits-summons-demons-souls-for-30/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/09/15/ps3-greatest-hits-summons-demons-souls-for-30/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Atlus has announced that Demon's Souls is now part of the PS3 Greatest Hits line with a permanently reduced price of $29.99. (Of course, it's been $30 for a while now if you know where to look.) Man, the dollar-to-frustration ratio is now through the roof!

Continue reading PS3 Greatest Hits summons Demon's Souls for $30

JoystiqPS3 Greatest Hits summons Demon's Souls for $30 originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 15 Sep 2010 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>AtlusDemons-SoulsGreatest-Hitsplaystationps3PS3-Greatest-HitsWed, 15 Sep 2010 15:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Demon's Souls' brand of punishment proves potent in the UK]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/08/04/demons-souls-brand-of-punishment-proves-potent-in-the-uk/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/08/04/demons-souls-brand-of-punishment-proves-potent-in-the-uk/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/08/04/demons-souls-brand-of-punishment-proves-potent-in-the-uk/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Namco Bandai previously announced its intentions to publish From Software's punishing dungeon crawler, Demon's Souls abroad and the verdict is in: it's apparently been a big hit. The publisher told Eurogamer the initial run -- a "Black Phantom Edition" priced at £44.99 (€42), which includes the game, soundtrack, art book and strategy guide -- has sold out.

"I can't give you a number, but what I mean by an 'amazing success' is that all the stock we built of the Black Phantom Edition has sold out (apart from dribs and drabs)," said Lee Kirton, marketing and PR manager for Namco Bandai Partners UK. "For a game that's been out a long time overseas we believe it to be a success. Reviews scores and coverage have been amazing." He then added that Namco Bandai hasn't sold "hundreds of thousands of units, but we've been pleased."

On Friday, Namco Bandai will launch a standard edition of the game in the UK for a bargain price of £34.99 (€54), five pounds cheaper than the launch price of most new games.

JoystiqDemon's Souls' brand of punishment proves potent in the UK originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 04 Aug 2010 01:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>atlusDemons-Soulsfrom-softwarenamco-bandaiplaystationps3ukWed, 04 Aug 2010 01:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Atlus to maintain Demon's Souls servers until 2011]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/07/21/atlus-to-continue-demons-souls-servers-until-2011/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/07/21/atlus-to-continue-demons-souls-servers-until-2011/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/07/21/atlus-to-continue-demons-souls-servers-until-2011/#commentsFiled under: , ,

This is your lucky day, masochists! Atlus has announced that it will extend support for Demon's Souls' online servers until "at least" March 2011. When the game shipped in April 2009, the Demon's Souls user agreement made it clear that online functionality would be sponsored for "no less than six months". Now it would appear that the game's surprising success has led Atlus to extend that commitment significantly.

In celebration, Atlus is flipping the Demon's Souls World Tendency to Pure White, which will knock the controller-snapping difficulty down a few notches. The change should last for "a couple weeks," just long enough to lull newcomers into a false sense of security.

Continue reading Atlus to maintain Demon's Souls servers until 2011

JoystiqAtlus to maintain Demon's Souls servers until 2011 originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 21 Jul 2010 18:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>AtlusDemons-SoulsFrom-Softwareplaystationps3Wed, 21 Jul 2010 18:29:00 EST<![CDATA[UK charts: Harry Potter casts Chartium Supremus on Red Dead]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/06/28/uk-charts-harry-potter-casts-chartium-supremus-on-red-dead/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/06/28/uk-charts-harry-potter-casts-chartium-supremus-on-red-dead/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/06/28/uk-charts-harry-potter-casts-chartium-supremus-on-red-dead/#commentsFiled under: , ,

If you're wondering what it would take to best Rockstar's dust-em-up, Red Dead Redemption, in a battle for UK chart supremacy, it would seem it only takes a wizard -- a blocky, mute interpretation of the nation's own Harry Potter. It only makes sense that Lego Harry Potter: Years 1-4 would debut at the top spot. Isn't he like the UK's Prime Minister now?

The boy with a scarred forehead has pushed nearly everyone down a spot from last week: Red Dead Redemption has fallen to second, while Super Mario Galaxy 2 now takes up third. Also of note are strong UK debuts of several games, including Naughty Bear, Demon's Souls and Transformers: War for Cybertron. Find the complete top ten sales breakdown posted after the break.

Continue reading UK charts: Harry Potter casts Chartium Supremus on Red Dead

JoystiqUK charts: Harry Potter casts Chartium Supremus on Red Dead originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 28 Jun 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>505-gamesa2mactivisionchart-trackdemons-soulsEAhigh-moon-studiosLegoLego-Harry-PotterLego-Harry-Potter-Years-1-4naughty-bearred-dead-redemptionrockstartransformers-war-for-cybertronMon, 28 Jun 2010 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[A frustratingly good deal on Demon's Souls]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/06/04/a-frustratingly-good-deal-on-demons-souls/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/06/04/a-frustratingly-good-deal-on-demons-souls/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/06/04/a-frustratingly-good-deal-on-demons-souls/#comments If you've got $30, a PlayStation 3 and an overabundance of supernatural, zen-like patience, you seem like a perfect candidate for a deal which recently cropped up on Amazon. Atlus's notoriously punishing action-RPG Demon's Souls is now only $29.99 through the retailer. If you prefer going to stores, or buying from a different website, you can get it for the same price from GameStop.

That's a pretty wicked deal on a decidedly wicked game -- though we must insist you make a few other Amazon purchases to complement your Demon's Souls experience.

JoystiqA frustratingly good deal on Demon's Souls originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 04 Jun 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>amazonatlusdemons-soulsfrom-softwareGameStopplaystationps3Fri, 04 Jun 2010 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Amazon offering Demon's Souls for $33 with a free $10 gift card]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/30/amazon-offering-demons-souls-for-33-with-a-free-10-gift-card/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/30/amazon-offering-demons-souls-for-33-with-a-free-10-gift-card/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/30/amazon-offering-demons-souls-for-33-with-a-free-10-gift-card/#comments Online retailers are beginning to understand exactly what it takes to get shoppers interested in their discounted products: Free money. Or, rather, pseudo-money. Amazon's learned this lesson well, and has added a nice little bonus to its already appealing offer for Atlus' punishing RPG Demon's Souls: Pick up the game for $33, and you'll get a free $10 Amazon gift card to boot.

Actually, forget what we said about "pseudo-money." Do you know how many things are on Amazon? In our humble opinion, Amazonbucks are just as good as cold, hard cash.

[Thanks Euclides!]

JoystiqAmazon offering Demon's Souls for $33 with a free $10 gift card originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 30 Apr 2010 19:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>amazonatlusdealdemons-soulsgift-cardrpgsaleFri, 30 Apr 2010 19:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Gamestop discounts FFXIII, BioShock 2 and more, offers free store credit]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/27/gamestop-discounts-ffxiii-bioshock-2-and-more-offers-free-store/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/27/gamestop-discounts-ffxiii-bioshock-2-and-more-offers-free-store/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/27/gamestop-discounts-ffxiii-bioshock-2-and-more-offers-free-store/#comments SlickDeals tipster DJ3xclusive recently unearthed a handful of handsome discounts currently being offered by Gamestop. Anyone who enters the coupon code "15NEW" while checking out from the retailer's online storefront can save 15 percent on a few games, such as Final Fantasy XIII ($43 after coupon), GTA: Episodes from Liberty City ($28), and BioShock 2 ($38). In addition, these three games come with an additional $10 credit to be used on future purchases. Better still, the code works on pre-orders of Super Mario Galaxy 2 ($42.50), which comes with $20 credit.

The discount also applies to the BioShock 2 Collector's Edition ($68), Demon's Souls ($34) and Heavy Rain ($45), though these three don't come with the appended, complimentary 10-spot. Still, those are some pretty great deals. Or, if we could be so bold -- pretty slick deals?

JoystiqGamestop discounts FFXIII, BioShock 2 and more, offers free store credit originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 27 Apr 2010 17:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bioshock-2dealdemons-soulsepisodes-from-liberty-cityfinal-fantasy-xiiigamestopheavy-rainMicrosoftNintendosaleslickdealsWiiXbox-360Tue, 27 Apr 2010 17:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Demon's Souls hack-'n-slashing through Europe in June]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/16/demons-souls-june-25-europe-release-date/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/16/demons-souls-june-25-europe-release-date/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/16/demons-souls-june-25-europe-release-date/#comments
 Namco Bandai will unleash Demon's Souls upon European territories on June 25, ending the region's dearth of pleasurable pain, the publisher has announced. The PlayStation 3 exclusive will be released as a limited "Black Phantom Edition" retail package, featuring the game, a soundtrack CD, an artbook and a strategy guide (trust us, Europe, you'll need it!). Atlus, as you may recall, published the game in North America, following its debut in Japan under the Sony label. The game was co-developed by From Software and SCE Japan Studio.

If you're a would-be demon slayer anxious to learn more about what's in store should you embark on this difficult quest, might we point you to our review?

JoystiqDemon's Souls hack-'n-slashing through Europe in June originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 16 Apr 2010 11:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>black-phantom-editiondemons-soulseuropefrom-softwarenamconamco-bandaipalrelease-dateretailFri, 16 Apr 2010 11:58:00 EST<![CDATA[Report: Demon's Souls has punished nearly 4 times as many players as expected]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/14/demons-souls-has-punished-nearly-4-times-as-many-players/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/14/demons-souls-has-punished-nearly-4-times-as-many-players/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/14/demons-souls-has-punished-nearly-4-times-as-many-players/#comments It was quite clear, once retailers began requesting re-ups of that dope Demon's Souls product, that publisher Atlus had unleashed a bigger hit than it had anticipated. But just how low had Atlus set its expectations? According to data from parent company Index Holdings (via Siliconera), Atlus had projected a mere 75,000 units in sales of Demon's Souls for North America.

Lo and behold, beyond Atlus' wildest, demonic dreams, folks actually enjoyed the game's masochistic mission -- like, a lot of folks, in fact: sales totaled 280,000 units sold through the end of February. And with sales figures like that, Atlus must be pining for an opportunity to peddle a sequel -- of course, as our commenters point out, Sony, which owns the franchise, might want to get in on the North American push, should there be a sequel. Demon's Souls director Hidetaka Miyazaki wouldn't mind cooking up another hit, after all.

JoystiqReport: Demon's Souls has punished nearly 4 times as many players as expected originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 14 Apr 2010 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>atlusdemons-soulsfrom-softwareindex-holdingssalesWed, 14 Apr 2010 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Demon's Souls bipolar Valentine's event begins today]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/12/demons-souls-bipolar-valentines-event-begins-today/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/12/demons-souls-bipolar-valentines-event-begins-today/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/12/demons-souls-bipolar-valentines-event-begins-today/#comments Adventurers, your votes have been tallied and now Atlus is ready to unleash the Demon's Souls polar tendency event for Valentine's Day. Beginning today, Boletaria will shift to Pure White Tendency until next Tuesday. After that, the power of love will morph into its inevitable form of hate and plunge the world into Pure Black Tendency for the rest of the week (Atlus tells us, "Friday, most likely").

To experience the event, players will need to have their PS3 connected to the interwebs and it may require logging in more than once -- sometimes the servers hiccup. Happy questing!

JoystiqDemon's Souls bipolar Valentine's event begins today originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 12 Feb 2010 16:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>atlusdemons-soulstendencyFri, 12 Feb 2010 16:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Atlus lets you pick your special V-Day event in Demon's Souls]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/06/atlus-lets-you-pick-your-special-v-day-event-in-demons-souls/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/06/atlus-lets-you-pick-your-special-v-day-event-in-demons-souls/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/06/atlus-lets-you-pick-your-special-v-day-event-in-demons-souls/#comments Atlus is an awfully empathetic company. It realizes that not everyone gets all sunshine and lollipops around the 14th of February -- in fact, some folks experience the opposite sensation: Darkness and ... salt-water taffy? We guess?

With this dichotomy in mind, Atlus is allowing players to vote on the special event which will overtake its hard-as-hell RPG Demon's Souls on Valentine's Day -- will it be the easy-going White Tendency which appeared during the holiday season? Or the extra difficult Black Tendency which destroyed players on Halloween? Only you, and your either loving or jilted heart, can decide.

Gallery: Demon's Souls

JoystiqAtlus lets you pick your special V-Day event in Demon's Souls originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 06 Feb 2010 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>atlusdemons-soulsfrom-softwarerpgsonyvalentines-daySat, 06 Feb 2010 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Demon's Souls replacement guides ship next week]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/05/demons-souls-replacement-guides-ship-next-week/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/05/demons-souls-replacement-guides-ship-next-week/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/05/demons-souls-replacement-guides-ship-next-week/#comments If you were among the unlucky number of gamers to suffer printing issues on the Demon's Souls strategy guide, we have some good news. Atlus has announced that the replacement guides will begin shipping this Monday, February 8. Late last year, after discovering that many Demon's Souls collector's edition guides had "unusual cover ink wear / fading" problems, Atlus opened a replacement program.

Thankfully, the company didn't deprive gamers of their guides in the meantime, requiring that only the cover be sent as proof of the defect. It's a good thing too, because that game is effing hard. Seriously, look at that thing up there. You're supposed to kill that? With a sword? Hard!

JoystiqDemon's Souls replacement guides ship next week originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 05 Feb 2010 14:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>atluscustomer-servicedemons-soulsfrom-softwarerpgstrategy-guideFri, 05 Feb 2010 14:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Video Game Price Charts reveal biggest resale prices of 2009]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/30/video-game-price-charts-reveal-biggest-resale-prices-of-2009/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/30/video-game-price-charts-reveal-biggest-resale-prices-of-2009/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/30/video-game-price-charts-reveal-biggest-resale-prices-of-2009/#comments VideoGamePriceCharts.com, a site that tracks average online prices for video games and consoles, has released its year-end report for 2009, and if you were buying and selling games speculatively (we all do that, right?), you'll want to check it out. Okay, so maybe you weren't picking up the now-discontinued Demon's Souls Deluxe Edition because you hoped it would get rare, but if so, you're in luck: That game topped the list, raising in value from an MSRP of $69.99 up to a high of $116. Grand Theft Auto IV's Lost and Damned retail box (which contained a code for the DLC) is another big collector's item, and if you were so lucky as to nab a copy of Bass Pro Shops' The Strike (with Fishing Rod) for Xbox 360, then reel in the money, because it raised in value over 50%. Whew! Welcome to the exciting market of video game price speculation!

For a little more practical information, you can also see which companies and consoles kept their value in 2009 -- turns out MTV, Atlus and Nintendo games all did well at resale, with the Wii (surprise!) topping the market for overall value held among its games. Of course, you should really be buying games (and supporting developers) for their quality, not for their resale value, but it doesn't hurt to figure out which ones will give you a few more bucks in return when you're done.

JoystiqVideo Game Price Charts reveal biggest resale prices of 2009 originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 30 Jan 2010 06:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>atluscollectors-editiondeluxe-editiondemons-soulsdiscontinuedDSgrand-theft-auto-iv-lost-and-damnedMicrosoftmtv-gamesNintendoprice-chartsresaleretailthe-strikeusedWiiXbox-360Sat, 30 Jan 2010 06:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Best of the Rest: JC's picks of 2009]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/01/best-of-the-rest-jcs-picks-of-2009/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/01/best-of-the-rest-jcs-picks-of-2009/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/01/best-of-the-rest-jcs-picks-of-2009/#commentsMuramasa: The Demon Blade
Muramasa appealed to me in a way that Odin Sphere didn't, thanks to an emphasis on combo-heavy sword action instead of planting and whatever. And the RPG elements that are left, like the sword upgrades and cooking, are not only fun, but simple enough that I can get right back into the game after a long break and still know what is going on.

Also, I don't mean to be shallow, but the fact that Muramasa is the most beautiful game of 2009 helps me be positive about it.

Continue reading Best of the Rest: JC's picks of 2009

JoystiqBest of the Rest: JC's picks of 2009 originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 01 Jan 2010 15:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>5th-cellbest-of-the-rest-2009bit-trip-beatcanabaltcapybarademons-soulsDSGrand-Theft-Auto-Chinatown-Warsignition-entertainmentindies-zeromight-and-magic-clash-of-heroesmuramasa-the-demon-bladenamco-bandainew-super-mario-bros-wiiNintendoNintendo-SPD-Group-No.1phantasy-star-zeroretro-game-challengeRhythmrhythm-heavenscribblenautssegaspace-invaders-extreme-2the-legend-of-zelda-spirit-tracksubisoftvanillawareWiixseedFri, 01 Jan 2010 15:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Solstice shifting Demon's Souls to 'pure white tendency' for short time]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/12/17/solstice-shifting-demons-souls-to-pure-white-tendency-for-sho/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/12/17/solstice-shifting-demons-souls-to-pure-white-tendency-for-sho/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/12/17/solstice-shifting-demons-souls-to-pure-white-tendency-for-sho/#comments Atlus' Demon's Souls will take pity on the masses this holiday as the game shifts to the "pure white tendency" this holiday. What this means is that "new areas and special NPCs" will exist in Boletaria during that time -- as a bonus, enemies cause less damage and players inflict more. Pure white is not easy to achieve, so this is a great opportunity for players. Atlus does note that adventurers may need to "log in and out a few times before [the] tendency shifts to match the server."

Demon's Souls had a similar event during Halloween, but that was "pure black." There is no shame in using the game's official wiki and, for soul's sake, we recommend using it.

Update: We followed up with Atlus and received a more specific time for the event: "Noon PST to noon PST, 12/21-28." Happy hunting!

JoystiqSolstice shifting Demon's Souls to 'pure white tendency' for short time originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 17 Dec 2009 17:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>actionatlusdemons-soulsfrom-softwarerpgThu, 17 Dec 2009 17:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Demon's Souls strategy guide replacement program now live]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/12/demons-souls-strategy-guide-replacement-program-now-live/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/12/demons-souls-strategy-guide-replacement-program-now-live/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/12/demons-souls-strategy-guide-replacement-program-now-live/#comments Atlus has announced that it's previously revealed Demon's Souls strategy guide replacement program is now active. If you purchased the deluxe edition and wound up with a defective strategy guide -- the defective units have "unusual cover ink wear / fading" -- then all you have to do is visit the replacement program website and follow the instructions. In short, it amounts to filling out a form and shipping off the front cover and first page of the guide. Within 8-12 weeks, players should receive a shiny new copy.

All requests have to be postmarked by December 31, 2009, so hop to it if you've got a defective copy.*


*The editors of Joystiq realize that this post doesn't include a single crack about how incredibly difficult Demon's Souls is. Please accept their heartfelt apology.

JoystiqDemon's Souls strategy guide replacement program now live originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 12 Nov 2009 18:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>atlusdemons-soulsfrom-softwareThu, 12 Nov 2009 18:45:00 EST<![CDATA[EEDAR predicts Nintendo dominance, weak GTA and Brutal Legend performance in October sales]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/10/eedar-predicts-nintendo-dominance-weak-gta-and-brutal-legend-pe/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/10/eedar-predicts-nintendo-dominance-weak-gta-and-brutal-legend-pe/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/10/eedar-predicts-nintendo-dominance-weak-gta-and-brutal-legend-pe/#commentsEEDAR has released its predictions for October sales charts in North America. Analyst Jesse Divnich expects year-over-year declines for every console except the PS3 -- but also expects the Wii to regain its place at the lead, with an estimated 600,000 units sold. Divnich predicts that the Wii will remain at the top for the rest of the year -- based partly on New Super Mario Bros. Wii. Divnich expects the title to lose initially to Modern Warfare 2 in November, but pick up sales in the holidays and become the best-selling game of the year.

Other games expected to pick up in the holidays include Grand Theft Auto: Episodes from Liberty City and Brutal Legend. Divnich expects both games to underperform in October (coming in at under 100,000 and 300,000 units, respectively), but to receive significant boosts in the holidays.

Demon's Souls, however, may exceed expectations. Divnich estimates that Atlus's punishing RPG sold 100,000 copies in October.

JoystiqEEDAR predicts Nintendo dominance, weak GTA and Brutal Legend performance in October sales originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 10 Nov 2009 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>brutal-legenddemons-soulseedarepisodes-from-liberty-cityjesse-divnichMicrosoftnew-super-mario-bros-wiiNintendoWiiXbox-360Tue, 10 Nov 2009 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Demon's Souls director talks difficulty, sequel possibility]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/06/demons-souls-director-talks-difficulty-sequel-possibility/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/06/demons-souls-director-talks-difficulty-sequel-possibility/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/06/demons-souls-director-talks-difficulty-sequel-possibility/#comments Perhaps you've heard, but Demon's Souls is a hard game. Like really hard. Like bone-crushingly, soul-scathingly hard. Speaking to Game Informer, Demon's Souls director Hidetaka Miyazaki explains why. According to Miyazaki, the difficulty was designed around giving players "a sense of accomplishment," specifically in regard to the soul collecting mechanic. For those who haven't played the game, souls act as currency and you lose all of them upon death. They can be regained, but only if you make it back to your bloodstain without dying twice more. Trust us, it's not as easy as it sounds.

According to Miyazaki, "If the Souls could be recovered anytime, there would be no suspense or sense of accomplishment." He added that he wants players to feel like, "I did it! I made it to my bloodstain!" Of course, Miyazaki fails to mention the sense of utter, despairing failure one feels when they don't make it back to their bloodstain (a frequent occurrence).

Regarding the possibility of a sequel, Miyazaki said he couldn't give a direct answer, but noted that the team learned a great deal on Demon's Souls and there were several things that didn't make it into the game. Given the opportunity, Miyazaki said he would "welcome the chance to create an even better game in the same style." Gluttons for punishment that we are, we'll take it.

JoystiqDemon's Souls director talks difficulty, sequel possibility originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 06 Nov 2009 23:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>atlusdemons-soulsfrom-softwareFri, 06 Nov 2009 23:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Atlus replacing damaged Demon's Souls strategy guides]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/05/atlus-replacing-demons-souls-strategy-guides/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/05/atlus-replacing-demons-souls-strategy-guides/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/05/atlus-replacing-demons-souls-strategy-guides/#commentsIs the print wearing off of the cover of your Demon's Souls strategy guide? It's not entirely because you've been holding it for hours with your sweaty hands, desperately thumbing through the few pages in a feeble attempt to improve your in-game performance. Atlus announced that the cover to the guide, included with the Deluxe Edition of the RPG, is conducive to "unusual cover ink/wear fading."

And because Atlus knows that you've grown attached to your security blanket strategy guide, the company will only ask you to send in the cover and first page if you'd like a replacement, and not the whole book. Full details on the replacement program will be posted here.

JoystiqAtlus replacing damaged Demon's Souls strategy guides originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>atlusdemons-soulsfrom-softwarerpgstrategy-guideThu, 05 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Demon's Souls to be even harder on Halloween]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/10/29/demons-souls-to-be-even-harder-on-halloween/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/10/29/demons-souls-to-be-even-harder-on-halloween/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/10/29/demons-souls-to-be-even-harder-on-halloween/#comments The land of Boletaria in Demon's Souls will be plunged into "pure blackness" on Halloween for players connected to the internet. Publisher Atlus' announcement about its sleeper hit can be interpreted to mean that all players will have their world tendency shifted to black for the day (or a little longer), which affects enemy strength and player stats. A pure black tendency can mean that new passages and enemies may also exist.

"World Tendency" in Demon's Souls is another aspect of the challenging RPG that has a significant impact on the player's experience. If you're a new player who happens to pick up the game on Halloween ... don't panic. Yes, the game is hard, but it'll be a little bit more so with the entire world black aligned.

JoystiqDemon's Souls to be even harder on Halloween originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 29 Oct 2009 17:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>atlusdemons-soulsfrom-softwareThu, 29 Oct 2009 17:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Atlus: More Demon's Souls shipping to retailers, deluxe edition discontinued]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/10/19/atlus-more-demons-souls-shipping-to-retailers-deluxe-edition/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/10/19/atlus-more-demons-souls-shipping-to-retailers-deluxe-edition/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/10/19/atlus-more-demons-souls-shipping-to-retailers-deluxe-edition/#comments
Atlus USA announced today that it's deploying additional copies of Demon's Souls to North American retailers. Those who've been trying get a copy in a local brick-and-mortar establishment have likely noticed the game is pretty much sold out. The company also announced that the "deluxe edition," which included the 160-page strategy guide, will not be "remanufactured" -- good thing there's an official wiki.

Demon's Souls has quickly become one the surprise hits of the holiday season, garnering acclaim from various outlets (yes, even us, for those with reading comprehension skills) and has obviously had stronger sales than Atlus was originally expecting.

JoystiqAtlus: More Demon's Souls shipping to retailers, deluxe edition discontinued originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 19 Oct 2009 18:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>atlusdemons-soulsfrom-softwareMon, 19 Oct 2009 18:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Review: Demon's Souls]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/10/12/review-demons-souls/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/10/12/review-demons-souls/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/10/12/review-demons-souls/#comments Demon's Souls is not your friend, nor does it want or try to be. Your relationship is on its terms and you can love it or leave it.

From Software's dungeon crawler comes from some sick, demented alternate plane of existence, where arcades are thriving and popping quarters into your console is how publisher Atlus recoups the costs of the game. It's a reality where Diablo was a tremendous flop because gamers have accepted masochism as the only measure for a game's quality. Demon's Souls is your leather-clad mistress and -- the worst part -- if you can withstand the pain for almost eight hours, you may, in what can only be described as a horrifying epiphany ... begin to enjoy it.

Gallery: Demon's Souls

Continue reading Review: Demon's Souls

JoystiqReview: Demon's Souls originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 12 Oct 2009 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>atlusdemons-soulsfrom-softwarerpgMon, 12 Oct 2009 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Demon's Souls wiki isn't going to save you]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/10/06/demons-souls-wiki-isnt-going-to-save-you/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/10/06/demons-souls-wiki-isnt-going-to-save-you/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/10/06/demons-souls-wiki-isnt-going-to-save-you/#comments
 Demon's Souls, an Atlus-published action-RPG out this week on the PS3, is way too hard for you. We say this without knowing a thing about your skills and with no equivocation. If you're reading this, you're not good enough to play Demon's Souls, save for some sort of miraculous intervention.

Barring that, you're just going to have to rely on this new official wiki for the game, chock full of strategies to help keep you alive ... until your inevitable, predictable death.

JoystiqDemon's Souls wiki isn't going to save you originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 06 Oct 2009 16:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>atlusdemons-soulsTue, 06 Oct 2009 16:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Atlus says North American Demon's Souls servers not live until Oct. 6]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/10/04/atlus-says-north-american-demons-souls-servers-not-live-until-o/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/10/04/atlus-says-north-american-demons-souls-servers-not-live-until-o/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/10/04/atlus-says-north-american-demons-souls-servers-not-live-until-o/#comments
Are you an Atlus devotee who somehow snagged an early copy of this Tuesday's release of Demon's Souls for the PS3? If you do happen to be one of these folks, you might want to head over to the medicine cabinet and grab a chill pill, as Atlus says that nothing is wrong with the lack of connectivity to its North American servers, they just haven't been turned on yet.

Specifically, Atlus says, "What this means is that users that might manage to pick the game up early and start it up will get an immediate PSN error and have to start playing offline." Sure, you could shed a few tears and swear off the publisher forever, but look at it this way -- now you'll have two secret days of soul collecting to rub in your friends faces when the servers go live this Tuesday. Hooray!

JoystiqAtlus says North American Demon's Souls servers not live until Oct. 6 originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 04 Oct 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>atlusdemons-soulsfrom-softwarepsnrpgserverSun, 04 Oct 2009 13:00:00 EST