Demon's Souls

In the land of Boletaria, the Old King Allant wakened the Old One, a terrible demon that was sealed away below the Nexus eons ago. Now a colourless fog is unleashing the demons and terrorizing mankind. Only one lone hero can save Boletaria from its doom.

During combat, the player has to watch the protagonist's stamina bar, which decreases with physical movements like attacking, evading or blocking. Death does not end the game: once the hero dies he respawns in soul form. This means that his health is reduced, but he can do more damage against foes. Every time the protagonist dies he loses all the collected souls. However, these can be regained by touching the spot where the character lost his life.

The game features an online portion, where it is possible to observe other players playing the game in "alternate universes", running around the level as white phantoms. Places where players died are marked and can be viewed as a replay, to warn the player of imminent danger. It is also possible to leave messages about dangers like strong enemies or traps on the ground, which can be read by other players. With the use of special items, it is also possible to play cooperatively with other players or invade their worlds to kill them.