Like the FromSoftware titles that followed the original Demon's Souls, you will often have the opportunity to go in different directions and do things in a different order.
After completing the tutorial, you will arrive in the Nexus, and you'll then have to the first Archstone in order to face Phalanx.
One you defeated Phalanx and unlocked the Maiden in Black, you'll have the choice to directly to visit the five worlds of the game.
There are two elements to take into account in your choice:
- Difficulty, the first section of each world is by far the easiest, the second section is much harder, the enemies are stronger and the following keeps getting tougher. For instance, the hardest boss in the game is at the end of the first world, so you probably don't want to start there first.
- Your class and the build you plan to play. Some armor and pieces of equipment are important to one class and not another, you'll want to collect the items you need the most quickly.
The Nexus
This central hub brings together many friendly NPCs and quest givers. You'll also find vendors there, at least once you've released them from their cells or rescued them.
The most important NPC is the Maiden in Black. She allows you to level up. Attacking her by mistake is not a problem, since she reappears, but be careful, as it's not the case for other NPCs.
From the Nexus, you can access the five Archstones that lead to the five worlds of the game. The final phase of the game also starts from the Nexus.
Recommended order of progression through worlds
The following list is not universal, as it does not take you class into account.
The Archstones are listed in order of appearance in the image above from left to right, the second number indicates the precise destination. Thus, (1 - 1) indicates the first stage of the first world.
- Archstone of the Small King - Boletarian (1 - 1)
- Archstone of the Small King - Phalanx Archstone (1 - 2)
- Archstone of the Burrow King - Stonefang Tunnel (2 - 1)
- Archstone of the Tower Queen - Tower of Latria (3 - 1)
- Archstone of the Shadowmen - Shrine of Storms (4 - 1)
- Archstone of the Chieftain - Valley of Defilement (5 - 1)
- Archstone of the Burrow King - Armor Spider Archstone (2 - 2)
- Archstone of the Burrow King - Flamelurker Archstone (2 - 3)
- Archstone of the Tower Queen - Fool's Idol Archstone (3 - 2)
- Archstone of the Shadowmen - Adjudicator Archstone (4 - 2)
- Archstone of the Small King - Tower Knight Archstone (1 - 3)
- Archstone of the Chieftain - Leechmonger Archstone (5 - 2)
- Archstone of the Tower Queen - Maneater Archstone (3 - 3)
- Archstone of the Shadowmen - Old Hero Archstone (4 - 3)
- Archstone of the Chieftain - Dirty Colossus Archstone (5 - 3)
- Archstone of the Small King - Penetrator Archstone (1 - 4)
- Nexus and end of the game
Original content by Robin "Raiden" Bouquet.
