Yesterday, I finished Demon's Souls for the second time and earned the platinum trophy. Back when I first played it in 2010, I didn't think that there would be any chance for me to earn that platinum. But, in only 35 hours, I managed to earn it. Obviously, I used the duplication glitch.
When it was first released, such a thing was never heard of. I struggled through the game as a Royal and didn't know what the hell I was doing. I probably died over 100 times and undoubtedly missed some of the secrets. But, I look back at that playthrough with fond memories because it was my first Souls game and, really, the first time I played a game that had both difficulty and a dark, unsettling theme.
This time, I had a guide with me every step of the way. After learning the duplication trick, I can say that this file was just as fun as the first one. I still died a few times here or there, but it was because I either had to shift the World Tendency or I was being stupid and misjudged a foe or a pit. I began as a Knight and built up both vitality and intelligence in order to create a unique character that had the ability to wield a heavy weapon and powerful magic.
The only real struggle with this platinum was finding the Pure Bladestone. I killed nearly 80 dual-katana wielding black skeleton enemies until I finally earned one. The sad thing is, some people are still trying to earn one. The drop rate on that thing was ridiculous. Looking back on it, I feel lucky enough to have earned one on my own instead of trading with other players. Speaking of, I played the entire game off-line so I didn't have to worry about a Black Phantom invasion.
For those that wish to go for 100% trophy completion, I highly recommend playing through the game once on your own without the use of a guide. Half of the fun of Demon's Souls is seeing the world on your own for the first time, watching as these huge bosses attempt to decimate you and discovering tactics that work best for the type of character you build. The second time, take advantage of the item duplication trick. It works wonders.
Some final thoughts:
*My favorite area in the game was The Tower of Latria. They could have built an entire game out of this place alone. A haunted prison, intimidating spires, creepy enemies, and a unique history are all part of this area. And just when you think you've seen it all, you end up in a swamp that is littered with bodies that clearly underwent some sort of torture.
*My least favorite area was the Valley of Defilement. Now I see where Blight Town in Dark Souls got its inspiration.
*The Large Sword of Moonlight was one of the main weapons I used until I started forging weapons with boss Souls. I ended up favoring the Scraping Spear after I made it because I really enjoy unique weapons, and this one was great. In my mini-third file, I used the Northern Regalia. Since I had PBWT, nothing stood a chance. Nothing.
*I really enjoyed all of the boss fights, even if some needed to be "cheesed" with arrows or Poison Mist. The Maneater was the only one that I felt bad for, but I didn't want to deal with two of them.
*I think the World Tendency system is fantastic; more games should try to do something similar to it.
*As always, I tried to make my character look stylish instead of being practical. The options felt more limited than they did in Dark Souls, but I still ended up with a snazzy warrior.
Even though Dark Souls has more to it, I still favor Demon's Souls. The next game I'll play in the series will probably be Dark Souls II: Scholars.
