Nowadays, we’re so used to FromSoftware’s particular brand of ultra-difficult action game that they have their own subgenre — Soulslikes — and the Dark Souls series that popularized that type of gameplay is a constant reference point when talking about other games. But that wasn’t always the case. While Dark Souls introduced plenty of fans to the joy of getting your head crushed in over and over on the path to success, it of course isn’t the game in which FromSoft established its identity, and its predecessor came at a time when players by and large weren’t ready for the challenge they were getting themselves into.
Demon’s Souls was first released in Japan in February 2009, before making its way to North America on October 6 of that year. Its Japanese release got a somewhat mixed reception, but Demon’s Souls found a warmer welcome elsewhere, going on to become one of the most celebrated games of 2009. And beyond that, it tore down development trends that had taken over the industry, pioneered a new kind of online play, and started a legacy that somehow feels just as fresh today as it did 15 years ago.
