I recently recieved my copy of Demon's Souls deluxe edition in the mail, and, after unrapping everything, flipping through the art book and official guide, and giving everything a good sniffing, I began my journey into the demon infested realm of Boletaria... and died within minutes.

The funny thing is, I can't stop going back for more. As difficult as Demon's Souls may at first seem, lessons are learned quite swiftly, and the same mistakes are rarely made. Sure, you lose all of your souls when you die, but unless you are pointlessly hoarding them for no reason, this is never really as bad it may intially seem. There are items scattered throughout the game that allow you to instantly gain a certain number of souls making purchases and stat leveling possible even if you are constantly being killed. Which you will be. Over and over.

But, as I learned last night, death isn't all that bad. After all, you can't help or be helped by other players unless you are in soul form, and fighting a huge boss with a full party of three is a welcome change from the feeling of lonliness that comes with going it solo against insurmountable odds.

The online multiplayer found in Demon's souls is unique and clever. It's definitely not the standard MMO fare, as you can't really strategize or communicate about the upcoming boss' weak spot. But it still has that undeniable sense of teamwork.

However, all is not about cooperation in the world of Boletaria, as players in soul form also have the option of invading your game and killing you to regain their bodies. Although I've yet to try this feature out (or have it tried on me), I'm anxiously awaiting the feeling of tension this feature will add.

Speaking of tension, Demon's Souls is chock full of it. Not knowing whether or not the next foe you run into will be the one to make you lose all your hard earned souls makes for some heart pounding moments. I rarely go around a corner without brandishing my shield first.

There is so much more for me to discover in this game, but so far, I'm in love with just about every aspect of it. I'll update again when I've made it bit further in to the game and have more details to divulge. For now, I highly reccomend this game to all PS3 owners looking for a rewarding challenge.