Developed by FromSoftware, Demon's Souls has been a celebrated title in the action-adventure, boss-fighting genre ever since its release in 2009. Demon's Souls dark fantasy style and difficult but rewarding gameplay made it an instant hit and gave birth to one of the most beloved gaming franchises ever.
Remastering the game for the PlayStation 5 was definitely a good move. The older, clunkier aspects of the game and aged graphics were smoothed out into an even more beautiful and slightly more streamlined experience for the new player. Bluepoint, the team behind the remaster, had a tough job on its hands in remastering and repackaging such a fan favorite of a game, as can be seen with some people's reactions to reboots of other famous classics. Still, according to the reviews, the studio nailed it.
While a remaster can bring back old memories and put a fresh feel on old experiences, it doesn't really do much more than that. Now is the time for Bluepoint, FromSoftware and SIE Japan Studio to capitalize on the new wave of interest and critical approval generated with this remaster, and bring some of those changes and surprises through a sequel to Demon's Souls. The hype for such an announcement would already be waiting, seeing as the remaster of Demon's Souls gained extra exposure by being one of the few games available on the PS5 at launch.
But why Demon's Souls, and not a Dark Souls 4 or Bloodborne 2? It comes down to a few reasons. The first is that Demon's Souls is a more linear, story-based game than the likes of Dark Souls and Bloodborne, with featured more open-world maps and fewer meaningful NPC's. These story-driven, linear games are making a comeback as players grow tired of the constant grind of games as a service titles like Destiny 2 or Marvel's Avengers.
Furthermore, the level design and ambiance is something that Demon's Souls has always been praised for. Not only bringing back old favorites but actually developing new and equally atmospheric on today's superior technology is an exciting prospect. Fan-favorite environments like the Boletarian Palace and the Tower of Latria were brought to life in stunning detail in Bluepoint's remaster. Who wouldn't want to see that attention to detail in a new title?
In fact, the only thing that most people seem to criticize Demon's Souls for in comparison to its sequels is that the combat and overall gameplay was worse. Not surprising, perhaps, considering it was the debut title in the series. But by taking those lessons and experience gained from the Dark Souls and Bloodborne series, as well as better engines and tools for developers, Bluepoint could certainly be able to bring this new high standard of gameplay to a Demon's Souls sequel.
Lastly, it is important to note that most of FromSoftware is hard at work developing the elusive Elden Ring. A large, sprawling, semi-open-world game like a Dark Souls sequel might not be possible considering the smaller development team available. As such, Bluepoint, who has already proved its handling of a smaller, more focussed game and the world of Demon's Souls, could no doubt handle a sequel in the same vein.
All this shows that a Demon's Souls sequel is perfect not just for fans of the franchise and newer players brought in by the remaster but also for the studios and publishers behind the franchise themselves.