• Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.

Demon's Souls Remake is sorely dissapointing in the art direction

diffusionx

Gold Member
Changes to music.. = nostalgia?

Like if they changed Ocarina of Time's music... ???

No, this type of stuff is integral to the experience.
Compare Doom PC to Doom PSX.

Yes the music is integral to the experience but the point is, these new devs come in, they have a vision, they do the best they can to adhere to the vision, and it comes out the way it comes out. It's totally subjective. Unless you think Bluepoint intentionally made shit music just to fuck with From fans, in which case, lol (although that would be hilarious).
 
Last edited:

DaciaJC

Gold Member
Agreed on all points, OP. For me, the lowest point was revisiting 5-2. In the original, it looks and feels grimy as all hell, there's a turpid rainy haze heavily obscuring the visibility, clouds of flies noisily swarm around the village. The remake feels sanitized in comparison.

Wow when your this wrong there's not much point in arguing.

So your telling me you prefer low sample rate midi music over a full orchestra.

There's more definition and subtlety in the remake. Stop being salty cos it's not on PC yet.

lol. lmao, even.

fatofficial.png


Flamelurker theme in the original: tastefully uses horns to represent the relentless advance of the demon.




Flamelurker theme in the remake: over the top and forgettable apart from the middle section (guess why).

 

Nickolaidas

Member
I mean when I got to 2-1 and got the dogs sent after me by the fat official, I expected him to laugh in my face.

His laughs are iconic in the original. Does he even laugh here? I didnt hear him laugh.

Ofcourse I kept dying to the dogs, lmao.
I think they only laugh when they fireball you (far or close doesn't matter) or that particular one in the Boletaria castle cutscenes.

I don't remember the one in the mines laughing when he sets his dogs on you.
 

rm082e

Member
I thought it was an amazing game. I spent hundreds of hours playing all three regional versions of the original game (almost got all 3 platinums). I don't have a PS3 anymore so I didn't do any side-by-side comparisons, nor would I care to. I'm fine with the developer making some changes along the way. Nothing that I saw seemed like a downgrade to me.

Obligatory: I'm still holding out hope for a Bloodborne remake from BluePoint.
 
Last edited:

MMaRsu

Member
Compare Doom PC to Doom PSX.

Yes the music is integral to the experience but the point is, these new devs come in, they have a vision, they do the best they can to adhere to the vision, and it comes out the way it comes out. It's totally subjective. Unless you think Bluepoint intentionally made shit music just to fuck with From fans, in which case, lol (although that would be hilarious).
No ofcourse thats not what I think happened.

I think they wanted to make it more Epic, and like some other posters said more accessible to a larger audience.

Pretty stupid if you ask me and shows a huge misunderstanding of the source material.
 

Nickolaidas

Member
Agreed on all points, OP. For me, the lowest point was revisiting 5-2. In the original, it looks and feels grimy as all hell, there's a turpid rainy haze heavily obscuring the visibility, clouds of flies noisily swarm around the village. The remake feels sanitized in comparison.

lol. lmao, even.

Flamelurker theme in the original: tastefully uses horns to represent the relentless advance of the demon.


Flamelurker theme in the remake: over the top and forgettable apart from the middle section (guess why).


Flamelurker theme in the original: Your ears practically telling you to fall asleep while your eyes are witnessing literal hell as you fight for dear life.

Flamelurker theme in the remake: Your ears tell you the same thing your eyes do - this is the most epic fight in the entire game.
 

Punished Miku

Human Rights Subscription Service
No ofcourse thats not what I think happened.

I think they wanted to make it more Epic, and like some other posters said more accessible to a larger audience.

Pretty stupid if you ask me and shows a huge misunderstanding of the source material.
They literally rewrote the OST. They wouldn't do that with any other aspect of the game. The unstated premise is that Bluepoint thinks the original OST is flawed and insufficient. They could have tried re-recording it with modern production values, but they didn't.
 

diffusionx

Gold Member
No ofcourse thats not what I think happened.

I think they wanted to make it more Epic, and like some other posters said more accessible to a larger audience.

Pretty stupid if you ask me and shows a huge misunderstanding of the source material.
Well, like I said in my post, remakes are interpretations. This is the core issue with how people receive them. It's not a misunderstanding, it is simply a different understanding of what a modern version of the game would look like.
 

R6Rider

Gold Member
Agreed on all points, OP. For me, the lowest point was revisiting 5-2. In the original, it looks and feels grimy as all hell, there's a turpid rainy haze heavily obscuring the visibility, clouds of flies noisily swarm around the village. The remake feels sanitized in comparison.



lol. lmao, even.

fatofficial.png


Flamelurker theme in the original: tastefully uses horns to represent the relentless advance of the demon.




Flamelurker theme in the remake: over the top and forgettable apart from the middle section (guess why).


Sorry, but that Flamelurker theme in the original is terrible. It sounds like two tracks playing at the same time and does not fit the location nor the feel of the boss fight at all.

Sounds like it would fit better in Runescape.
 

Punished Miku

Human Rights Subscription Service
Flamelurker theme in the original: Your ears practically telling you to fall asleep while your eyes are witnessing literal hell as you fight for dear life.
That's literally why it stands out. It's the musical embodiment of Miyazaki's entire design philosophy at the time.

"I remember when I was drawing the Undead Dragon, I submitted a design draft that depicted a dragon swarming with maggots and other gross things. Miyazaki handed it back to me saying "This isn't dignified. Don't rely on the gross factor to portray an undead dragon. Can't you instead try to convey the deep sorrow of a magnificent beast doomed to a slow and possibly endless descent into ruin?"

They were trying to hint at unusual depth, dignity, or history for each boss even through the music. That's how they started creating lore like they do and getting fans to make tons of boss lore history videos. The boss music doesn't fit the traditional mold for a boss fight and makes you question why.

And personally I never found it "sleepy." It sounds like it could literally be in the Conan OST.
 
Last edited:

solecon64

Member
A lot of the replies in this thread are genuinely sad, but not surprising. The perfect example for why Japan and Europe got Final Fantasy covers with the logo on a white background, while the US got those CGI abominations.

There is no nuance with some people, they simply cannot understand any feeling deeper than "bright colours make brain happy".

And then we get daily youtube videos bemoaning that "gaming is boring now". It was inevitable, with how big gaming has become. But it is sad.
 

DaciaJC

Gold Member
Flamelurker theme in the original: Your ears practically telling you to fall asleep while your eyes are witnessing literal hell as you fight for dear life.

Flamelurker theme in the remake: Your ears tell you the same thing your eyes do - this is the most epic fight in the entire game.

That's not my interpretation of it, but to each their own, music is subjective. My point was that the remake doesn't exactly do "subtle."
 

Paltheos

Member
This is a pretty common complaint from fans who have played both - that the remake is a beautiful creation that all too often completely misses the point of the original. I'm more surprised that there are a ton on GAF shocked that people don't like the remake, that this is the first they're hearing of it. I thought the malcontent was pretty widely known.
 

Nickolaidas

Member
They were trying to hint at unusual depth, dignity, or history for each boss even through the music.
Every Souls FROM game under the sun has the same boss philosophy - tragic, decayed, fallen from grace, consumed demigods/champions/heroes/villains who become travesties and mockeries of their former selves, yet from Dark Souls I and beyond, almost all bosses get the frantic orchestra treatment.

It is obvious that Miyazaki later agreed (or conceded) that his choice/direction of soundtrack in Demon's Souls wasn't fitting and changed it from the next game forward. And SURE, we can argue that the original Demon's Souls OST is more unique as a result, but that doesn't mean it's more fitting.
 

Punished Miku

Human Rights Subscription Service
Every Souls FROM game under the sun has the same boss philosophy - tragic, decayed, fallen from grace, consumed demigods/champions/heroes/villains who become travesties and mockeries of their former selves, yet from Dark Souls I and beyond, almost all bosses get the frantic orchestra treatment.

It is obvious that Miyazaki later agreed (or conceded) that his choice/direction of soundtrack in Demon's Souls wasn't fitting and changed it from the next game forward. And SURE, we can argue that the original Demon's Souls OST is more unique as a result, but that doesn't mean it's more fitting.
Demon's Souls is the best one out of all of them. It's the most creative and inventive out of all of them. This is when they were thinking up ideas in a much more freeform way. After that, they just basically started cranking out iterative sequels and the OST took a nosedive when they hired Sakuraba to do it instead. It's unclear if Namco mandated it since he does a lot of the Tales OSTs and Dark Souls 1 is when they switched to Namco funding.
 

Hudo

Member
I fully agree that Bluepoint completely missed the mark with the Remake. They not only changed the art direction but also the level design in some places. E.g. they've added a lot more detail/"fidelity" to Boletaria and, imho, removed this somewhat surreal feeling that the place has in the OG game. And they've done this to almost all areas and NPCs and enemies in the game. And I argue that atmosphere is a big part of what makes the original game good. That being said, they've certainly removed the "jankyness" of the original w.r.t to character movement, combat and menu navigation. The remake feels closer to more modern Souls games in those aspects. But I still prefer the original, and I don't get why some people seriously want for Bluepoint to remake Bloodborne. If anything, the remake has shown that only From Software themselves could remake Bloodborne. And Miyazaki said that he himself has no interest in remakes.
 

Nickolaidas

Member
Demon's Souls is the best one out of all of them. It's the most creative and inventive out of all of them. This is when they were thinking up ideas in a much more freeform way. After that, they just basically started cranking out iterative sequels and the OST took a nosedive when they hired Sakuraba to do it instead. It's unclear if Namco mandated it since he does a lot of the Tales OSTs and Dark Souls 1 is when they switched to Namco funding.
So the possibility that they did it because they thought it improved the score doesn't apply?
 

Fake

Member
Remember, of all games Sony could remake, they pick up a game with an entire 100% art direction focused to put graphics.

Next time just leave From Software to do the work. Dark Souls Remasters works pretty good and maintance the art direction almost intact, not to mention the OST.
 
Last edited:

Fake

Member
What does this statement even mean?

100% art direction...what?

From Software = art direction.

Or what? Are you saying From Software games are not well knowed for art direction?

And funny you ignored the other part of my reply about, IDK, more than 50 games that Sony could do remake instead of Demon's Souls.

Nothing wrong to like the Demon's Souls Remake. Its personal taste. I don't. Toss all the art direction in the trash in favor of graphics.

lol. lmao, even.

fatofficial.png

This is probably the most stupid change I ever saw.
 
Last edited:

Unknown?

Member
From Software = art direction.

Or what? Are you saying From Software games are not well knowed for art direction?

And funny you ignored the other part of my reply about, IDK, more than 50 games that Sony could do remake instead of Demon's Souls.

Nothing wrong to like the Demon's Souls Remake. Its personal taste. I don't. Toss all the art direction in the trash in favor of graphics.
ROFL! Are you saying the remake doesn't have any art direction? You may not like the art direction but it has just as much art as the original.
 

R6Rider

Gold Member
From Software = art direction.

Or what? Are you saying From Software games are not well knowed for art direction?

And funny you ignored the other part of my reply about, IDK, more than 50 games that Sony could do remake instead of Demon's Souls.

Nothing wrong to like the Demon's Souls Remake. Its personal taste. I don't. Toss all the art direction in the trash in favor of graphics.
If you think the majority of players play the From Software games for their art direction, then you're living in a fantasy land yourself.

On top of that, a game can't be "100% art direction" focused. That makes zero sense.
 
Last edited:

rofif

Can’t Git Gud
Style is not ideal on some enemies. but I like everything else.
That said, would prefer straight bloodborne port than their remake
 

NeoIkaruGAF

Gold Member
Few games ever had the same intense atmosphere as OG Demon’s Souls. Latria kept me on the edge the whole time, that place alone was scarier than the entirety of Silent Hill 2.

I haven’t played the remake and I probably never will. But I listened to the OST and boy oh boy, way to miss the point entirely.
Demon’s Souls original OST was perfect for the game, and a far cry from the generic bombastic orchestral pieces full of cheesy ooohhh aaaahhhh ooohhh chanting that have been a trademark of Dark Souls and ER.
 

Fake

Member
If you think the majority of players play the From Software games for their art direction, then you're living in a fantasy land yourself.

On top of that, a game can't be "100% art direction" focused. That makes zero sense.

Never say majority. I said 'well knowed'. Its mean is popular for those who play and even how doesn't.

ROFL! Are you saying the remake doesn't have any art direction? You may not like the art direction but it has just as much art as the original.

RT.

Style is not ideal on some enemies. but I like everything else.
That said, would prefer straight bloodborne port than their remake

I would prefer a remaster to be honest. I played last year Dark Souls Remaster on PS4 and From Software really did a good job remastering that game.
 
Last edited:

rofif

Can’t Git Gud
Never say majority. I said 'well knowed'. Its mean is popular for those who play and even how doesn't.



RT.



I would prefer a remaster to be honest. I played last year Dark Souls Remaster on PS4 and From Software really did a good job remastering that game.
dark souls remaster is infamous for how bad it is though... it's made by qloc and they butchered lighting, some textures and missing background audio... don't even start looking that up because it will ruin the game for you. sorry.
 

Fake

Member
dark souls remaster is infamous for how bad it is though... it's made by qloc and they butchered lighting, some textures and missing background audio... don't even start looking that up because it will ruin the game for you. sorry.

Strange. I remember watching Digital Foundry saying goods about the remasters. Wasn't the remaster for Nintendo Switch the problem?

And Dark Souls was in many respect a very old game. They don't need to touch the Bloodborne OST at all.
 

Punished Miku

Human Rights Subscription Service
Few games ever had the same intense atmosphere as OG Demon’s Souls. Latria kept me on the edge the whole time, that place alone was scarier than the entirety of Silent Hill 2.

I haven’t played the remake and I probably never will. But I listened to the OST and boy oh boy, way to miss the point entirely.
Demon’s Souls original OST was perfect for the game, and a far cry from the generic bombastic orchestral pieces full of cheesy ooohhh aaaahhhh ooohhh chanting that have been a trademark of Dark Souls and ER.
Seriously. People should seriously go back and listen to the entire thing. It was so meticulously quiet and minimalist on purpose to the point that a single piano key hit could give you chills. This is one of the louder tracks and its still purposely super minimalist piano, maybe intended for a 4 piece on strings at the most. Everything has space, silence and breathes.



The build up at 1:08 is so purposefully quiet and restrained. Everything is intended for a small quintet, or solo strings recording. Reminds me of Echochrome in that sense.
 
Last edited:

Madflavor

Member
Loved it. I'm sure the original is more atmospheric, don't really give a shit because it never got ported or remastered.
 

rofif

Can’t Git Gud
Strange. I remember watching Digital Foundry saying goods about the remasters. Wasn't the remaster for Nintendo Switch the problem?

And Dark Souls was in many respect a very old game. They don't need to touch the Bloodborne OST at all.
Siwtch remaster only had low audio quality but it's the most faithful version to original releases otherwise.
The remaster on pc/ps4/xbox are the problem.
 

GymWolf

Member
Wow when your this wrong there's not much point in arguing.

So your telling me you prefer low sample rate midi music over a full orchestra.

There's more definition and subtlety in the remake. Stop being salty cos it's not on PC yet.
And?

People still consider some snes games soundtracks like the dk2 ost better than most modern game platforms\similar genre, i take killer instinct snes ost over majority of modern fighting games ost, and i'm pretty sure that a snes can produce even less complex music than a ps3 with demons.
 

MMaRsu

Member
prob just wanted it to look ugly, have terribly fluctuating framerates, and be sub-30 fps, the true Soulsllike experience

Did you miss the thread title and OP that states technically its great?

Im talking about art style here.
 

tibia

Neo Member
So I finally bought a PS5, was able to buy my cousins at a cheap price because they upgraded to a Pro.
Basically GTA 6 was my reason for buying the console, as I want to play it the day it comes out.

For most Sony games I'm able to just play them on PC, with better quality visuals and framerates than what the PS5 can churn out.
However I did have my sights set on Demon's Souls. I can't remember if I played Dark Souls or Demon's Souls first, but when I did play Demon's Souls on PS3, it was an eye opening experience.

Not only is the game extremely atmospheric, and has an phantasmal or ghost/spirit like feel to it. Every scream visceral, from enemies and enviroments.

Booting up the Demon's Souls remake however.. I was very dissapointed from the start. Not only is the intro cinematic worse, it features worse music as well.

ORIGINAL

REMAKE


Not only did they change the menu sounds (why??), basically a lot of sounds are changed or removed, music has been changed/added/removed as well.
What is the purpose of this? Why did they decide this would fit better with the game?

Going into the Tower of Latria, I was expecting to be greeted with extremely loud bells, crickets, and screams from the prisoners. But sadly, the same atmosphere was not present at all.

Check the difference in sounds alone, not even counting enemy designs etc.

ORIGINAL

REMAKE


This is just based on one level, and a few sounds etc that I'm missing, that makes an extreme difference to the general atmosphere.

Tower of Latria in the original is very oppressive, and it makes you scared to continue. In the remake I had none of these feelings.

Then there is the Nexus theme. WHY in gods name did Bluepoint decide, oh we need a new Nexus theme??? The one that was there was ABSOLUTE PERFECTION.

ORIGINAL

REMAKE


In all honesty I can't even say much more because I didn't bother playing more. These struck me so much and pulled me out of the game, dissillusioned about how such a remake came to be.
Why in gods name did they decide these changes were good? Overseen by nobody from FromSoft I assume.

Because they got all the shit wrong. And it makes me really sad, because I was quite looking forward to playing this.

Basically this video rings true to me.


It's not just music, the look and feel of the game is different.

Im NOT saying its a bad game, obviously its not, but the remade parts are having me scratch my head in confusion.

Also NOT saying the game is ugly, or not the best looking PS5 title. I'm talking about art direction and atmosphere,


Ha! i complained about almost exactly all these things to my friends. I've beaten des ps3 over 30times, ps5 version about 20times.

The changes in the remake lessened the experience and, as you pointed out, at times, removed parts of what made the original so powerful. Hilariously, i re-bought a ps3 again for the original.

Bad changes: Menu sounds, soundtracks, certain character re-designs, map colors/atmosphere. Some NPCs have lost their character impact/personality.
Good changes: combat, adding rust ring.

Old game 10/10 - felt like an epic adventure in a distant, ethereal dream.

New game 8/10. Meh, Action game.

im chalking it up to rookie western devs without the experience. That or their vision is noob. I dont think They dont have what it takes to touch dark souls or bloodborne.

I feel the pain! But hopefully you finish it. It's not bad, just not epic.
 

Melfice7

Member
My main issue with the remake is the new ost, for the love of god stop doing this to remakes, music is easiest path to nostalgia overload, if you do wanna change it at least give us the option to use the original ost as well
 

tmlDan

Member
Did you miss the thread title and OP that states technically its great?

Im talking about art style here.
"looks ugly" i covered that for you. Everything is better in the remake, but for many who play these games they want it to have jank/muddiness because it adds charm, worse sounds, worse animations, looks muddy. It's like art that looks bad but people think its unique, thats what your OP post feels like.

I do agree to a point, but i dont think this remake is a good example. A good example is some film nowadays that feel to "clean" when they are in some warzone, it visually feels like they're on a set rather than in a war.
 
Last edited:
Top Bottom