Everything you need to know about Demon's Souls, the PS5 launch title

FromSoftware's Souls franchise created a distinct difficulty tier when it first launched in 2009 with the PlayStation 3 exclusive Demon's Souls. This style of game didn't break into the mainstream until 2011's Dark Souls, but the series' progenitor wouldn't be forgotten. 11 years later, Demon's Souls is being released as a launch title for the PlayStation 5. What's changed since the initial release? Has anything improved?

Here's everything we know about Demon's Souls for PS5.

When is the Demon's Souls release date?

Demon's Souls will launch on November 12, 2020 in the US and Japan. It will then launch on November 19, 2020 everywhere else. These dates were chosen because Demon's Souls is a PS5 launch title, and will be one of the first major showcases of the system's power.

Is there a new Demon's Souls gameplay trailer?

Yes, there is! On October 29, a brand new trailer Demon's Souls was released. It shows about four minutes of uncut gameplay before highlighting bosses and more from later in the adventure. Check it out below:

Is Demon's Souls a PS5 launch exclusive?

Yes! Demon's Souls will be available for purchase when the PlayStation 5 and PS5 Digital Edition launch. Unlike other PlayStation 5 titles like Spider-Man: Miles Morales and Horizon Zero Dawn: Forbidden West, Demon's Souls will not be available for the PS4.

This is a true next-gen PS5 exclusive. Similar to Bloodborne, Demon's Souls began life as a PlayStation exclusive and will likely remain that way, especially given that it's developed by PlayStation itself, so don't expect it to come to Xbox Series X or PC.

Is Demon's Souls on PS5 a remake or remaster?

Demon's Souls is being developed by Bluepoint Games. You might know them as the studio behind remastered ports like The Nathan Drake Collection and Gravity Rush, but Demon's Souls is a full-on remake rather than a remaster.

In collaboration with SIE Japan Studio, Bluepoint seems to have painstakingly recreated every pixel from the original title. Although some eagle-eyed fans have noticed minor changes.

In a September 2020 interview, renowned "Souls expert" Illusory Wall noted that Bluepoint's Demon's Souls seems a tad more gothic than the original. They pointed to alterations in enemy design and environments to prove this point. Other fans previously noticed changes in boss models like Flamelurker's skull missing a janky eye socket.

While Demon's Souls might be an overall improvement, some are worried it'll remove what made the original unique. This was also a critique for Bluepoint's previous Shadow of Colossus remake.

Other than the aesthetic, the gameplay is expected to remain largely the same including the punishing World Tendency system. Though there might be some minor additions. Bluepoint's Shadow of Colossus added new collectibles and game filters.

What are the Demon's Souls pre-order bonuses?

Officially, pre-order bonuses have yet to be announced. ResetEra users spotted a listing on the PlayStation website claiming that those who pre-order would receive the Reaper Scythe, a seemingly new weapon. Mention of the Reaper Scythe has since been removed. It's unknown precisely how this weapon will work. Some are taking this to imply Demon's Souls will include other new weapons and DLC.

What's the Demon's Souls file size?

The Demon's Souls remake will occupy 66 GBs of your hard drive. This is significantly higher than the original's 8 GB file size.

What is Demon's Souls' price?

Demon's Souls will cost $69.99, which is seemingly the standard price for PS5 games.

Will Demon's Souls for PS5 have an easy mode?

While some people believe that Demon's Souls should get easy difficulty options to make it more accessible for players, that is not something that the developers appear to be interested in.

"There is no easy option in Demon's Souls," Creative Director Gavin Moore told GameSpot. "It's true to the original in that it's a fair challenge based on you learning the enemy patterns, you learning the environment, and taking on that risk-reward of the combat system."

How does Demon's Souls use the PS5's new features?

As a true next-generation exclusive, Demon's Souls can take advantage of the PS5's new capabilities where other systems can't. First off, players can choose between playing the game at a true 4K resolution and 30 FPS or a more fluid 60 FPS, but with a dynamic 4K resolution that doesn't always look like true 4K.

"We literally added thousands upon thousands of new sounds into this game, obviously paying close attention to what the original has done," Moore told IGN, teasing the game's usage of PS5's 3D Tempest audio. "You can feel the Imperial spies creep up behind you in the Palace of Boleteria. You can feel the creatures crawling out of the slime. I can hear the arrows go past my head," he continued, giving examples of how the remake's audio is more immersive.

"[We’re] using the SSD to improve the loading, but also using the SSD to create environments which are absolutely stunning," he also told IGN while discussing the loading improvements that the PS5's SSD brings. "There are limitations to what the PlayStation 3 could do both visually and audio-wise. We created environments now, for instance, which are so intricate and detailed, every room or corridor tells a story."

Demon's Souls also takes advantage of the DualSense controller's haptic feedback. In a PlayStation Blog post back in August, Moore said these features make the game "feel grittier, darker, and deadlier" as players can feel things like "every blow as you strike down your enemies and cast each spell."

Will Demon's Souls have multiplayer?

The original Demon's Souls featured light multiplayer elements in the form of ghosts, notes, two-player co-op battles, and one-on-one PVP battles. As a remake, Demon's Souls PS5 will retain these multiplayer features, polishing them for a new audience.

What is Demon's Souls' story?

Demon's Souls takes place in the medieval kingdom of Boletaria. A being called the Old One has caused the world to be consumed by magical fog, prompting numerous demons to appear. It's up to the player to journey across Boletaria, remedy the fog issue, and defeat the Old One.

Demon's Souls will be release for PS5 on November 12, 2020.