Let’s talk “Demon’s Souls” New Game Plus (NG+). I’ve already conquered the game, so diving into NG+? I thought, “Bring it on.” But it turned out to be a totally different beast. I’m no stranger to the challenge of FromSoftware games having beat most of them up to +7 but Demons Souls NG+ was absolutely relentless. So much so it absolutely ruined my enjoyement of the game.
NG+: Not Just Harder, But Ridiculously So
NG+ didn’t just up the ante; it skyrocketed the difficulty to absurd heights. Every enemy felt like a boss fight. I knew things would be tougher, but this was extreme. It wasn’t just a few tweaks – enemies hit like trucks now, and even the weakest ones could take me out if I wasn’t ultra-careful
The Lost Charm of Exploration and Adventure
Part of why I loved “Demon’s Souls” was the exploration, the mystery, and the thrill of discovery. NG+ turned this into a game of constant anxiety. Instead of exploring, I was on edge, afraid that the next enemy would be my undoing. That feeling of being an adventurer was gone, replaced by the feeling of just trying to survive.
Instead of exploring each of the wonderful levels, I found myself holding my shield up and sprinting through the level to each of the games boss instead of wasting time with being overwhelmed by overpowered mobs.
The Issue with Over-Punishing Difficulty
I’m all for a challenge, but NG+ felt like it crossed a line. It wasn’t just hard – it felt relentlessly punishing. Where I used to strategise and plan, now I was just hoping to get lucky. The balance that made “Demon’s Souls” great seemed to have vanished, replaced by a relentless difficulty that felt more frustrating than rewarding.
Community Echoes
Once I made it to the Flamelurker boss, I reached my limit with the title so I took to reddit to complain and was pleasantly suprised to see this was my best performing post in Reddit with over 100 people agreeing with me that NG+ on Demons Souls is utter horseshit. The echoing sentiment that it was clear that everyone who called Demons Souls the “easy one” had clearly not started a NG+ Run at all.
The Allure of Soulsborne and Where NG+ Fits In
The Soulsborne games have always been about that perfect mix of challenge and satisfaction. You struggle, you learn, you overcome. That’s the formula. But NG+ in “Demon’s Souls” seems to forget that second part – the satisfaction. It’s all struggle with very little payoff.
My Personal Battle with NG+
I gave it a real shot, honestly. I tried different strategies, different builds. But no matter what I did, NG+ felt less like a game and more like a chore. I missed the days when I was excited to see what was around the next corner, not dreading it.
Is It Just for the Hardcore?
I appreciate that NG+ might just be for the hardcore players but having played literally every FromSoftware game since this game was originally released on the PS3, with many of my playthroughs jumping up to NG+7 I felt that this was just absolute bullshit. Going from being able to beat the shit out of the games final boss to then getting oneshotted by a dude with a pickaxe in the games second level didn’t fill me with confidence that the games balancing was right at all.
Game Design and Player Experience
Good game design is about crafting experiences that are challenging but fair. NG+ seems to have missed that memo. It’s not just about making enemies tougher; it’s about maintaining that delicate balance where players feel challenged but not overwhelmed. There are far too many enemies in the game that can just overwhelm the player with pure bullshit. Notable in the games 5-2 area there is a whole bunch of enemies who can do a rush attack where they literally PUSH the player and this is an instant kill no matter my health or armor settings.
Reflecting on the Journey
Looking back, I remember my first playthrough of “Demon’s Souls” with fondness – the highs and lows, the victories, and the defeats. Then I look at my NG+ experience, and it’s just not the same. It feels like a different game, one that forgot what made the original so special.
However what’s worth noting before all the Git Gud boys flood in is that I have in fact beaten NG+ on Demons Souls – thanks to Reddit I was able to realise that a couple of spells were the difference between the game being utter wank to being at least a little fun again.
The Final Verdict on NG+
So, where does this leave NG+? For the hardcore, it’s a dream come true – an almost insurmountable challenge. But for many of us, it’s a step too far. We wanted more “Demon’s Souls”, but not like this. Not at the cost of what made us fall in love with the game in the first place.
In conclusion, NG+ might be a hit for a certain type of player, but for me, it’s a miss. It took a game I loved and turned it into something I barely recognize. It’s not about not being ‘good enough.’ It’s about what makes a game enjoyable, and NG+ just didn’t do it for me.
So there you have it – my two cents on “Demon’s Souls” NG+. Maybe you agree, maybe you don’t, but one thing’s for sure: it’s a topic that’ll keep Soulsborne fans talking for a long time to come.