I’m happy to report that I’m finally playing Demon’s Souls, my most anticipated next-gen game. While full impressions will require more time, let’s take a look at the various visual filters the game provides to players on PlayStation 5.
(These are 4K images captured via the console’s Create button, by the way, so be sure to expand them to see their full glory.)
Demon’s Souls is the most stunning game I’ve seen during my first few weeks with PlayStation 5, a far cry from its aging precursor on the PlayStation 3. Here’s my character—yes, I chose Royalty as my starting class, don’t judge me—hanging out at the beginning of the tutorial area with no filter applied:
The first visual filter you’ll find in the options menu is “Classic,” which adds a soft green glow to the game as a way to mimic the aesthetics of the PlayStation 3 original. It’s a nice touch that will definitely evoke some nostalgia, but the game looks so different on PlayStation 5 that a simple filter won’t be quite enough to make veteran Demon’s Souls players feel entirely at home.
Next is the “Vivid” filter. I’m not a fan of this one, but it should do if you’re looking to brighten the game’s dark, gothic environments.
“Bright” is similar but feels more natural.
If you like things a little more brown, the “Summer” option has you covered. Seems a bit more fall than summer to me, but maybe the seasons are different in Boletaria.
Winter is coming with the, uh, “Winter” visual filter. The stark lighting and blue hues turn Demon’s Souls into a scene from Game of Thrones.
“Evergreen” makes Boletaria look more like an irradiated wasteland than a fog-covered medieval kingdom.
What would a collection of visual filters be without a black-and-white setting? “Monochrome” is all about giving Demon’s Souls a layer of noir vibes.
And finally, the “Antique” option is for when you need a sepia-toned photo to show off on Instagram.
Demon’s Souls is a massive undertaking for Bluepoint Games. While I haven’t yet played enough to determine if this classic remake hits the mark, I’m already impressed by the diversity of these visual filters. I plan to play without a filter for the time being, but they might be good to spice up subsequent playthroughs.