Ever since the release ofFromSoftware’sDark Souls,game developers have been creating copycats to capture its essence.TheDark Soulstrilogy gave rise to the Souls-like subgenre,ushering in a new wave for a generation.
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TheDark Soulstrilogy might have the best and worst level design, depending on the location and game.Dark Souls 3contains less backtracking, but the castle setting of the firstDark Soulsis ingenious. Poor level design can detract from the overall experience. Almost every game has a level or world that stuck out. WhichDark Soulstrilogy levels are the worst?
10Grave Of Saints (Dark Souls 2)
There are multiple ways to access The Pit, the location that leads to the Grave of Saints. One of theDark Soulsseries most horrid places can be found by players with 12,000 souls or a Silvercat Ring. Down Majula’s well is an unforgettable place that shouldn’t have made it into the final game.
As arat-infested place that will test your poison resists,Grave of Saints is one of the worst locations in theDark Soulstrilogy. Home to the Rat King boss, the area is an unnecessary detour inDark Souls 2.
9Brightstone Cove Tseldora (Dark Souls 2)
At the Royal Army Campsite area, Brightstone Cove Tseldora is atmospheric and worth visiting. However, make your way down to the cove itself, and you’ll find that Brightstone Cove Tseldora is a place you wish never existed. After all, who likes overgrown, creepy crawly spiders? If youpicked a magic class,Ducal Spiders are easily defeated, but a ranged technique might not work against the Duke’s Dear Freja boss.
8Smouldering Lake (Dark Souls 3)
It’s an optional place containing the Old Demon King boss fight. Explore the area for the Shield of Want and Dragonrider Bow, but beware of the Ballista shots that drop from the upper area and the giant worm. The giant worm is easily avoided if you stick to the safe spots.
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Smouldering Lake is a sizeable area that serves little purpose other than to find a few valuable items. Considering its massive size, the place feels unnecessary to the point of contention.
7Shrine Of Amana (Dark Souls 2)
Don’t feel alone if you forgot about the Shrine Of Amana inDark Souls 2.It’s a level that leaves you in the dark as you follow a narrow trail. Shallow water surrounds the path, and there is a drop-off you’ll have to watch out for. It’s tempting to venture outside the main way since items are found here.Collect a torch and a bowto defeat the location’s various ranged attacking enemies.
6Farron Keep (Dark Souls 3)
Found inDark Souls 3is a place that acts more as a roadblock than a passageway into the next area. Farron Keep is a poisonous, swampy location that you can’t simply run across. There are too many obstacles to hurdle to progress through Farron Keep.
Had the level been less swampy and less confusing, players might have seen this as a necessary point in the game. There are items to be found, but you’ll probably get only half of them because of the swampland’s nature.Expect to use Purple Mossand to do a lot of rolling!
5Lost Izalith (Dark Souls)
Other than the steaming hot lava areas, everything about Lost Izalith suggests it’s inferior to otherDark Soulslevels. The design feels like it was a half-baked idea that was thrown into the game prematurely.
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Lost Izalith has terrible enemy, level, and boss designs. Although it is a good way totest your combat prowess against enemiesthat appeared earlier in the game, it’s still one ofDark Souls' worst locations.
4Profaned Capital (Dark Souls 3)
Profaned Capital is undoubtedly one of the worst locations in theDark Soulstrilogy. Appearing inDark Souls 3, Profaned Capital feels unfinished. The enemy design is weak, and the path to completion is dark and gloomy. The Monstrosity of Sin is an enemy that resembles a crawling hand. Unless you’re looking for Dung Pie, there is virtually no reason to engage this enemy. To top things off, the level contains rats with low-value drops. This level doesn’t contain a proper buildup to theYhorm the Giant boss fight.
3The Gutter (Dark Souls 2)
After experiencing the abomination that is Blighttown, players had hoped dimly lit level design was a thing of the past. The Gutter is either the worst location in theDark Soulstrilogy or one of the worst. Of course, this forsaken location is filled with poison traps and tedious enemies. Many players backtrack in The Gutter without realizing it. As a level that resembles Blighttown (the upper portion), The Gutter is one ofDark Souls 2’smost unforgettable places for the wrong reasons.
2Black Gulch (Dark Souls 2)
Black Gulch’s poison pools and long-reaching enemies are more frustrating than anywhere else in the game. The level, found beneath Majula, is filled with poisonous creatures and statues. Worm-like enemies called Cragslippers pop out of the walls and are deeply infuriating. There are strategies for progression, like running back to the bonfire once poisoned, yet this level felt unnecessary.
1Blighttown (Dark Souls)
Too many players have rage quitDark Soulsbecause of Blighttown’s contentious level design. There is too much poison, and the level is dimly lit, giving players too few favors. FromSoftware made Blighttown much harder than the rest of the trilogy. Concerning artistic value, Blighttown loses points for creativity. It’s acreation based onDark Soulslore,yet Blighttown feels unfinished as an outlier for the series.
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