<s>
is	O
a	O
2009	O
action	B-Application
role-playing	I-Application
game	I-Application
developed	O
by	O
FromSoftware	O
for	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Operating_System
3	I-Operating_System
under	O
the	O
supervision	O
of	O
Japan	O
Studio	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
is	O
referred	O
to	O
as	O
a	O
spiritual	O
successor	O
to	O
FromSoftware	O
's	O
King	B-Application
's	I-Application
Field	I-Application
series	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Demon	B-Application
's	I-Application
Souls	I-Application
is	O
set	O
in	O
Boletaria	B-Application
,	O
a	O
kingdom	O
consumed	O
by	O
a	O
dark	O
being	O
called	O
the	O
Old	O
One	O
,	O
following	O
its	O
release	O
through	O
the	O
use	O
of	O
forbidden	O
Soul	O
Arts	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Players	O
take	O
on	O
the	O
role	O
of	O
a	O
hero	O
brought	O
to	O
Boletaria	B-Application
to	O
kill	O
its	O
fallen	O
king	O
Allant	O
and	O
pacify	O
the	O
Old	O
One	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Gameplay	O
has	O
players	O
navigating	O
five	O
different	O
worlds	O
from	O
a	O
hub	O
called	O
the	O
Nexus	O
,	O
with	O
a	O
heavy	O
emphasis	O
on	O
challenging	O
combat	O
and	O
mechanics	O
surrounding	O
player	B-Application
death	I-Application
and	O
respawning	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Announced	O
in	O
2008	O
,	O
early	O
reactions	O
to	O
the	O
Demon	B-Application
's	I-Application
Souls	I-Application
demo	O
were	O
seen	O
as	O
negative	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
high	O
difficulty	O
prompted	O
Sony	O
to	O
pass	O
on	O
publishing	O
the	O
game	O
outside	O
of	O
Japan	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Demon	B-Application
's	I-Application
Souls	I-Application
introduced	O
many	O
of	O
the	O
core	O
elements	O
that	O
would	O
define	O
the	O
eventual	O
Soulslike	O
genre	O
and	O
it	O
has	O
since	O
been	O
cited	O
as	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
greatest	O
games	O
of	O
all	O
time	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Its	O
success	O
led	O
to	O
the	O
development	O
of	O
a	O
spiritual	O
successor	O
,	O
Dark	B-Application
Souls	I-Application
(	O
released	O
in	O
2011	O
)	O
,	O
and	O
a	O
remake	B-Application
(	O
released	O
in	O
2020	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Demon	B-Application
's	I-Application
Souls	I-Application
is	O
an	O
action	B-Application
role-playing	I-Application
game	I-Application
where	O
players	O
take	O
on	O
the	O
role	O
of	O
an	O
adventurer	O
,	O
whose	O
gender	O
and	O
appearance	O
are	O
customized	O
at	O
the	O
beginning	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
,	O
exploring	O
the	O
cursed	O
land	O
of	O
Boletaria	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
When	O
a	O
player	B-Application
is	I-Application
killed	I-Application
during	O
a	O
level	O
,	O
they	O
are	O
sent	O
to	O
the	O
beginning	O
of	O
the	O
level	O
with	O
all	O
non-boss	O
enemies	O
re-spawned	O
,	O
while	O
the	O
player	O
returns	O
in	O
soul	O
form	O
with	O
lower	O
maximum	O
health	O
and	O
the	O
loss	O
of	O
all	O
unused	O
souls	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Demon	B-Application
's	I-Application
Souls	I-Application
makes	O
use	O
of	O
asynchronous	O
multiplayer	O
for	O
those	O
connected	O
to	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Device
Network	I-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
Co-operative	O
play	O
allows	O
up	O
to	O
three	O
characters	O
to	O
team	O
up	O
in	O
a	O
host	B-Device
world	O
where	O
visiting	O
players	O
appear	O
in	O
soul	O
form	O
that	O
can	O
only	O
be	O
returned	O
to	O
their	O
bodies	O
when	O
a	O
boss	O
is	O
defeated	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
competitive	O
play	O
,	O
players	O
can	O
invade	O
another	O
world	O
as	O
a	O
Black	O
Phantom	O
to	O
engage	O
in	O
combat	O
with	O
the	O
host	B-Device
player	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
If	O
the	O
Black	O
Phantom	O
kills	O
the	O
host	B-Device
,	O
they	O
can	O
be	O
returned	O
to	O
their	O
body	O
in	O
their	O
own	O
game	O
,	O
whereas	O
if	O
killed	O
themselves	O
,	O
the	O
host	B-Device
gains	O
a	O
portion	O
of	O
the	O
Black	O
Phantom	O
's	O
souls	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
the	O
phantom	O
losing	O
an	O
experience	O
level	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
World	O
Tendency	O
is	O
also	O
influenced	O
by	O
the	O
overall	O
Tendency	O
of	O
worlds	O
on	O
servers	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Demon	B-Application
's	I-Application
Souls	I-Application
takes	O
place	O
in	O
the	O
kingdom	O
of	O
Boletaria	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
ancient	O
times	O
,	O
due	O
to	O
the	O
misuse	O
of	O
magic	O
known	O
as	O
the	O
Soul	O
Arts	O
,	O
Boletaria	B-Application
was	O
attacked	O
by	O
a	O
being	O
called	O
the	O
Old	O
One	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Old	O
One	O
was	O
eventually	O
lulled	O
to	O
slumber	O
,	O
saving	O
what	O
remained	O
of	O
Boletaria	B-Application
,	O
while	O
some	O
survivors	O
became	O
long-lived	O
Monumentals	O
to	O
warn	O
future	O
generations	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
present	O
,	O
Boletaria	B-Application
's	O
ruler	O
King	O
Allant	O
restored	O
the	O
Soul	O
Arts	O
,	O
awakening	O
the	O
Old	O
One	O
and	O
its	O
demon	O
army	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Boletaria	B-Application
is	O
now	O
being	O
consumed	O
by	O
demons	O
,	O
with	O
those	O
humans	O
without	O
souls	O
turning	O
into	O
insane	O
monsters	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Players	O
take	O
the	O
role	O
of	O
an	O
adventurer	O
entering	O
the	O
fog	O
engulfing	O
Boletaria	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Now	O
bound	O
to	O
the	O
Nexus	O
until	O
the	O
Old	O
One	O
is	O
returned	O
to	O
slumber	O
,	O
the	O
player	O
travels	O
to	O
five	O
regions	O
of	O
Boletaria	B-Application
,	O
killing	O
the	O
powerful	O
demons	O
controlling	O
those	O
areas	O
and	O
absorbing	O
their	O
souls	O
to	O
increase	O
their	O
power	O
so	O
they	O
can	O
face	O
King	O
Allant	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
If	O
the	O
Slayer	O
of	O
Demons	O
leaves	O
the	O
Old	O
One	O
,	O
they	O
are	O
hailed	O
as	O
the	O
hero	O
of	O
a	O
restored	O
,	O
though	O
damaged	O
,	O
Boletaria	B-Application
,	O
becoming	O
a	O
new	O
Monumental	O
to	O
support	O
the	O
world	O
as	O
the	O
knowledge	O
of	O
Soul	O
Arts	O
is	O
lost	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Demon	B-Application
's	I-Application
Souls	I-Application
was	O
developed	O
by	O
FromSoftware	O
,	O
a	O
developer	O
noted	O
for	O
creating	O
the	O
King	B-Application
's	I-Application
Field	I-Application
and	O
Armored	B-Application
Core	I-Application
series	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Demon	B-Application
's	I-Application
Souls	I-Application
was	O
directed	O
by	O
Hidetaka	O
Miyazaki	O
,	O
who	O
had	O
joined	O
the	O
company	O
in	O
2004	O
and	O
worked	O
as	O
a	O
coder	O
on	O
the	O
Armored	B-Application
Core	I-Application
series	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
initial	O
concept	O
for	O
Demon	B-Application
's	I-Application
Souls	I-Application
came	O
from	O
FromSoftware	O
's	O
King	B-Application
's	I-Application
Field	I-Application
series	O
,	O
with	O
Miyazaki	O
citing	O
its	O
dark	O
tone	O
and	O
high	O
difficulty	O
as	O
the	O
main	O
inspirations	O
for	O
the	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Despite	O
these	O
inspirations	O
,	O
Miyazaki	O
did	O
not	O
want	O
to	O
connect	O
Demon	B-Application
's	I-Application
Souls	I-Application
to	O
King	B-Application
's	I-Application
Field	I-Application
,	O
and	O
despite	O
his	O
urging	O
otherwise	O
many	O
have	O
termed	O
the	O
game	O
as	O
a	O
spiritual	O
successor	O
to	O
King	B-Application
's	I-Application
Field	I-Application
,	O
while	O
USgamer	O
also	O
notes	O
similarities	O
to	O
FromSoftware	O
's	O
Otogi	B-Application
:	I-Application
Myth	I-Application
of	I-Application
Demons	I-Application
(	O
2002	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
He	O
wanted	O
to	O
create	O
a	O
game	O
which	O
would	O
recreate	O
the	O
dark	O
fantasy	O
and	O
hardcore	O
feel	O
of	O
classic	O
RPG	O
titles	O
(	O
such	O
as	O
the	O
King	B-Application
's	I-Application
Field	I-Application
and	O
Wizardry	B-Device
series	O
)	O
on	O
modern	O
consoles	O
,	O
along	O
with	O
incorporated	O
online	O
elements	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Miyazaki	O
acknowledged	O
some	O
similarities	O
to	O
other	O
video	O
games	O
such	O
as	O
Monster	B-Application
Hunter	I-Application
and	O
Bushido	B-Application
Blade	I-Application
,	O
but	O
said	O
the	O
team	O
did	O
not	O
have	O
any	O
specific	O
video	O
game	O
influences	O
in	O
mind	O
when	O
creating	O
Demon	B-Application
's	I-Application
Souls	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
One	O
scrapped	O
idea	O
was	O
to	O
introduce	O
permanent	B-Application
death	I-Application
,	O
but	O
this	O
was	O
seen	O
by	O
staff	O
as	O
going	O
too	O
far	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Variety	O
was	O
added	O
to	O
combat	O
by	O
changing	O
how	O
different	O
weapons	O
affected	O
the	O
character	O
's	O
movements	O
,	O
similar	O
to	O
The	B-Application
Elder	I-Application
Scrolls	I-Application
IV	I-Application
:	I-Application
Oblivion	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
world	O
view	O
and	O
tone	O
of	O
the	O
world	O
drew	O
from	O
that	O
of	O
King	B-Application
's	I-Application
Field	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
When	O
creating	O
the	O
world	O
,	O
Miyazaki	O
drew	O
inspiration	O
from	O
European	O
folklore	O
and	O
mythology	O
,	O
contrasting	O
with	O
the	O
trend	O
of	O
Japanese	O
action	B-Application
RPGs	I-Application
to	O
use	O
Japanese	O
folklore	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Tower	B-Application
of	I-Application
Latria	I-Application
and	O
Valley	O
of	O
Defilement	O
were	O
built	O
around	O
the	O
respective	O
themes	O
of	O
man-made	O
and	O
natural	O
evil	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Demon	B-Application
's	I-Application
Souls	I-Application
was	O
first	O
announced	O
in	O
early	O
October	O
2008	O
through	O
that	O
week	O
's	O
issue	O
of	O
Famitsu	O
,	O
with	O
the	O
game	O
being	O
playable	O
at	O
the	O
Tokyo	O
Game	O
Show	O
(	O
TGS	O
)	O
the	O
following	O
week	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Demon	B-Application
's	I-Application
Souls	I-Application
released	O
in	O
Japan	O
on	O
February	O
5	O
,	O
2009	O
by	O
Sony	O
Computer	O
Entertainment	O
Japan	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
North	O
American	O
servers	B-Application
for	O
Demon	B-Application
's	I-Application
Souls	I-Application
were	O
originally	O
planned	O
for	O
shutdown	O
in	O
October	O
2011	O
,	O
two	O
years	O
after	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
release	O
in	O
the	O
region	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Atlus	O
decided	O
a	O
month	O
before	O
to	O
keep	O
the	O
servers	B-Application
running	O
until	O
May	O
the	O
following	O
year	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Later	O
,	O
after	O
unspecified	O
new	O
developments	O
,	O
Atlus	O
announced	O
that	O
it	O
would	O
keep	O
the	O
servers	B-Application
running	O
"	O
indefinitely	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
few	O
months	O
after	O
the	O
servers	B-Application
went	O
offline	O
,	O
a	O
group	O
of	O
fans	O
created	O
a	O
private	O
server	O
which	O
restored	O
all	O
online	O
functions	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
remake	B-Application
by	O
Bluepoint	O
Games	O
for	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Device
5	I-Device
was	O
announced	O
at	O
the	O
console	O
's	O
reveal	O
event	O
in	O
June	O
2020	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Production	O
on	O
the	O
remake	B-Application
began	O
following	O
completion	O
of	O
the	O
studio	O
's	O
2018	B-Application
remake	I-Application
of	O
Shadow	B-Application
of	I-Application
the	I-Application
Colossus	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Demon	B-Application
's	I-Application
Souls	I-Application
released	O
as	O
a	O
launch	O
title	O
for	O
the	O
console	O
on	O
November	O
12	O
,	O
2020	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Upon	O
its	O
release	O
in	O
Japan	O
,	O
Demon	B-Application
's	I-Application
Souls	I-Application
was	O
generally	O
well	O
received	O
by	O
critics	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Official	O
U.S.	O
PlayStation	O
Magazine	O
however	O
,	O
while	O
commending	O
the	O
game	O
overall	O
,	O
said	O
Demon	B-Application
's	I-Application
Souls	I-Application
was	O
"	O
best	O
left	O
to	O
the	O
most	O
masochistic	O
,	O
hardcore	O
gamer.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
Shortly	O
after	O
its	O
North	O
American	O
release	O
,	O
ScrewAttack	O
named	O
Demon	B-Application
's	I-Application
Souls	I-Application
as	O
the	O
eighth	O
best	O
PS3	B-Operating_System
exclusive	O
to	O
date	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Eurogamer	O
called	O
Demon	B-Application
's	I-Application
Souls	I-Application
"	O
stoic	O
,	O
uncompromising	O
,	O
difficult	O
to	O
get	O
to	O
know	O
,	O
but	O
also	O
deep	O
,	O
intriguingly	O
disturbed	O
and	O
perversely	O
rewarding	O
"	O
while	O
Edge	O
explained	O
their	O
positive	O
view	O
on	O
the	O
difficulty	O
by	O
stating	O
"	O
if	O
gaming	O
’s	O
ultimate	O
appeal	O
lies	O
in	O
the	O
learning	O
and	O
mastering	O
of	O
new	O
skills	O
,	O
then	O
surely	O
the	O
medium	O
’s	O
keenest	O
thrills	O
are	O
to	O
be	O
found	O
in	O
its	O
hardest	O
lessons	O
"	O
,	O
concluding	O
"	O
for	O
those	O
who	O
flourish	O
under	O
Demon	O
’s	O
Souls’	O
strict	O
examination	O
,	O
there	O
's	O
no	O
greater	O
sense	O
of	O
virtual	O
achievement.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
During	O
its	O
first	O
week	O
on	O
sale	O
,	O
Demon	B-Application
's	I-Application
Souls	I-Application
debuted	O
at	O
second	O
place	O
in	O
the	O
charts	O
with	O
over	O
39,000	O
units	O
sold	O
,	O
coming	O
in	O
behind	O
the	O
previous	O
week	O
's	O
top-seller	O
Tales	B-Application
of	I-Application
the	I-Application
World	I-Application
:	I-Application
Radiant	I-Application
Mythology	I-Application
2	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
According	O
to	O
Miyazaki	O
,	O
initial	O
sales	O
for	O
Demon	B-Application
's	I-Application
Souls	I-Application
were	O
slow	O
in	O
Japan	O
,	O
which	O
combined	O
with	O
negative	O
reactions	O
from	O
trade	O
shows	O
made	O
the	O
team	O
fearful	O
that	O
the	O
game	O
would	O
be	O
a	O
failure	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
was	O
almost	O
entirely	O
attributed	O
to	O
the	O
commercial	O
success	O
of	O
Demon	B-Application
's	I-Application
Souls	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
September	O
2010	O
,	O
Atlus	O
announced	O
that	O
Demon	B-Application
's	I-Application
Souls	I-Application
would	O
be	O
released	O
in	O
North	O
America	O
under	O
the	O
Sony	B-Device
Greatest	I-Device
Hits	I-Device
label	O
with	O
a	O
price	O
cut	O
following	O
strong	O
sales	O
,	O
higher	O
than	O
previously	O
expected	O
by	O
the	O
publisher	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Demon	B-Application
's	I-Application
Souls	I-Application
favorable	O
review	O
scores	O
made	O
the	O
fiscal	O
performance	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
unique	O
because	O
of	O
the	O
lack	O
of	O
a	O
supporting	O
marketing	O
campaign	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Gaming	O
analyst	O
Jesse	O
Divnich	O
commented	O
"	O
Demon	B-Application
's	I-Application
Souls	I-Application
is	O
probably	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
most	O
statistically	O
relevant	O
games	O
released	O
in	O
the	O
gaming	O
world	O
as	O
it	O
helps	O
answer	O
an	O
often	O
asked	O
question	O
:	O
how	O
much	O
would	O
a	O
high	O
quality	O
game	O
sell	O
if	O
it	O
was	O
supported	O
by	O
no	O
mass	O
marketing	O
,	O
released	O
by	O
a	O
little	O
known	O
publisher	O
,	O
and	O
was	O
a	O
new	O
intellectual	O
property.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
their	O
2009	O
Best	O
and	O
Worst	O
Awards	O
,	O
GameSpot	O
awarded	O
Demon	B-Application
's	I-Application
Souls	I-Application
with	O
Overall	O
Game	O
of	O
the	O
Year	O
,	O
Best	O
PS3	B-Operating_System
game	O
,	O
Best	O
Role-Playing	O
game	O
and	O
Best	O
Original	O
Game	O
Mechanic	O
for	O
the	O
online	O
integration	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
IGN	O
also	O
awarded	O
the	O
game	O
Best	O
RPG	O
for	O
the	B-Operating_System
PS3	I-Operating_System
.	O
</s>
<s>
RPGamer	O
awarded	O
Demon	B-Application
's	I-Application
Souls	I-Application
RPG	O
of	O
the	O
Year	O
2009	O
,	O
including	O
Best	O
Graphics	O
and	O
Best	O
PS3	B-Operating_System
RPG	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
At	O
the	O
2010	O
Interactive	O
Achievement	O
Awards	O
,	O
Demon	B-Application
's	I-Application
Souls	I-Application
was	O
nominated	O
for	O
"	O
Role-Playing/Massively	O
Multiplayer	O
Game	O
of	O
the	O
Year	O
"	O
and	O
"	O
Outstanding	O
Innovation	O
in	O
Gaming	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Demon	B-Application
's	I-Application
Souls	I-Application
has	O
been	O
cited	O
as	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
greatest	O
video	O
games	O
of	O
all	O
time	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Its	O
success	O
sparked	O
a	O
number	O
of	O
spiritual	O
successors	O
with	O
similar	O
gameplay	O
by	O
FromSoftware	O
including	O
Dark	B-Application
Souls	I-Application
,	O
Bloodborne	B-Application
,	O
and	O
Elden	B-Application
Ring	I-Application
,	O
which	O
are	O
also	O
considered	O
among	O
the	O
greatest	O
games	O
of	O
all	O
time	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
is	O
cited	O
as	O
an	O
influence	O
on	O
The	B-Application
Witcher	I-Application
series	O
,	O
Journey	B-Application
,	O
and	O
Nioh	B-Application
,	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
features	O
of	O
the	B-Operating_System
PlayStation	I-Operating_System
4	I-Operating_System
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
remake	B-Application
was	O
released	O
as	O
a	O
launch	O
title	O
for	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Device
5	I-Device
in	O
2020	O
.	O
</s>
