Demon's Souls: So hard you're dead on the cover art!

[mudah.swf]

Thought Japanese RPGs were easy mash-X fests where almost everything can be brute forced with level grinding? Fed up of magical girls and cute mascots? Want something grittier, harder and more like a WRPG? Then Demon's Souls may be the game for you! Gameplay is like a mash-up of Monster Hunter, King's Field and something like Oblivion. In a rare move for JRPGs, you have to pay attention to the size of the area you're swinging your sword about it. If the area is too narrow, your sword will just bounce uselessly off of walls rather than dicing up the various horrors you encounter. Developed by From Software, makers of the Armoured Core series.

Enemies? There's lots, of all different shapes and sizes. From zombies to gigantic armoured tarantulas (showing the Monster Hunter influence) and mindflayers, there's all kinds of things to chop up. Killing an enemy will let you steal its soul, and souls are used not only as currency but as points to upgrade your stats with too.

What's the plot?
The game is set in the cursed kingdom of Voletaria, where a deadly fog has arisen and is summoning demons left right and centre. As an adventurer of your own making, you stride into the fog to find the source and stop it before it gets too late. A class system gives you flexibility in how you play, with mixed jobs also possible.

Any multiplayer?
Yep there is indeed online multiplayer, which comes in three flavours, Co-Op, Competitive and Educational. In co-op, players can invite each other to their worlds to take on boss demons together. A certain item used in game will let other players know that you want to play. In Competitive, players can use a certain item in-game to force their way into other player's games just to ruin the other player's day. The defending player must either escape the attacking player or kill them to boot them from their game. In Educational, upon death, you can write a message to other players warning them about what's to come. Your ghost can even re-enact your last moments for passing adventurers.

What about the areas?
There are various huge levels to run through, accessed through a central hub. Nodes throughout the hub let you get to the levels, and of course you can do everything else you'd expect to be able to do in a hub area, such as shopping, managing your inventory and talking to NPCs.

Awesome! How do I get my hands on this?
The game is currently only on PS3. Out in Japan now, the Asian version comes out on the 24th. I mention the Asian version because apparently it's entirely in English, voices and all, so English-speaking importers can play without fear of the language barrier. It's expensive though.

Official site.
Live stream of gameplay.
Gameplay video from a Japanese LPer. Watch him beat a boss fight that should be unwinnable only to be sucker-punched by Satan.
Some screenshots from IGN here.
Some more footage with a more competent player.