Revolutionary online features support your adventure like never before, presenting seamless interconnectivity that serves in every instance to enhance the single-player game. Team up with two other players in simultaneous cooperative play, working together to topple some of the game's colossal bosses, or force your way into the games of skilled players and challenge them to PvP battle. Leave hints and clues for those who will follow in your footsteps; either intentionally or through your own inadvertent demise, your bloodstains will allow your successors to view a replay of your death, hinting at how to avoid your gruesome fate. Unprecedented in its depth and subtlety, peerless in its relentlessly challenging gameplay, Demon's Souls is the ultimate action RPG.

King Allant the XII, the last king of Boletaria, searched tirelessly to expand his might. The Nexus, a great ice shrine nestled in the mountains, bestowed the power of the souls onto him, bringing prosperity to his kingdom. Still unsated, he returned again to the Nexus, where he foolishly awakened the Old One from its eternal slumber. This long forgotten evil, now wrought upon Boletaria, plunged the realm into darkness and fog. A mighty demon horde poured into the kingdom, devouring the souls of men.

Champions from other realms learned of Boletaria's fate and sought to deliver the kingdom from evil; none would return from the cursed land. Called upon by a mysterious maiden in black, you go forth, the last hope for humanity in a place lost to demons and darkness...

In addition to the standard version ($59.99) of the game, which now features new North-American exclusive box art, there will also be a deluxe edition ($69.99). For less than it costs to import the game, fans will receive a 150+ page strategy guide (only available as part of this deluxe version, not for sale anywhere else) and a collectible outer slipcase, in addition to the game itself.

Fans who pre-order either version will receive a free bonus art book with designs and concept sketches from the world of Demon's Souls (only at participating retailers, while supplies last).

In addition to the previously announced 40-page, full-color art book, fans who pre-order at a participating retailer can now also expect to receive a free soundtrack CD featuring music from the game.  The disc, which offers 24 tracks totaling 71 minutes from the game's haunting orchestral score, represents the complete Demon's Souls soundtrack, available for the first time as part of this exclusive North American promotion.  The CD will be secured within the inside back cover of the art book, ensuring that existing pre-orders will receive the added bonus disc.

"With its deep, satisfying gameplay and highly innovative online functionality, Demon's Souls is already a tremendous value for PLAYSTATION 3 system owners," stated Aram Jabbari, Manager of PR and Sales at Atlus. "Not content with just that, or possibly suffering from some sort of undetectable mental ailment, we're taking things even further with the expansion of the free pre-order gift being offered to customers. Reserve EITHER edition of the game, Standard or Deluxe, at a participating retailer and receive a 40-page art book and a music CD featuring the game's full soundtrack, all exclusive to North America and at no additional cost to the customer. With this, pre-orders of the Deluxe edition of Demon's Souls become one of the best values in gaming history, and a must-own for collectors and avid fans of the game." 

Key Features

• Ultimate hardcore RPG challenge -- In this brutal land, death is inevitable, but not final. Combining the best features of an action game and RPG, you'll slice, smash, shoot, and ensorcel some of the most horrible, vicious enemies ever encountered. Are you strong enough to face the impossible and win?
• Groundbreaking online capabilities -- Network features go far beyond any previous RPG, allowing players to leave hints for each other, replay death scenes, cooperatively revive dead players, or invade another player's game to wreak havoc. Not merely an add-on feature, multiplayer options are vast, and uniquely focused on changing and intensifying the single player experience.
• Freeform and flexible -- The open-ended structure of the game means that there is no single path, but rather a wealth of options. Set your own pace and progress as you like. Build exactly the character you want by creating a detailed avatar, nurturing the right stats, and customizing your skills and equipment.
• You act, the world reacts -- The World Tendency system changes the aggressiveness of monsters and the rewards for killing them based on players' actions. Different events and NPCs may be triggered, as well.

Demon's Souls is scheduled for North American release on Oct. 6, 2009.

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