10 Soulsborne Locations That Fill Us With Dread
Blighttown
“Dark Souls” (2011)
Let’s get the obvious out of the way, shall we? A gauntlet for the unprepared, those wanting to make their way through are going to have to become well-acquainted with the rickey plank walkways and abundance of ladders. It’s not only easy to lose your footing here, but between the poison darts and poison swamp, it’ll serve as an unpleasant introduction to the franchise’s fascination with all things venomous. The fact you’ve got to maneuver your way through it all on the way to take down Quelag is just salt in the wound.
Sunken Valley
“Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice” (2019)
Locations-wise, Sekiro hits all the right notes. That being said, if there is an area that causes us to make the fatal flaw of hesitating, it would be this frosty collection of cliffs. While we’re always down to bust out the grappling hook, the abundance of Snake Eyes and their penchant for sniping really dampens the mood! You won’t be able to move an inch without some jerk blasting you out of the sky. Made all the worse with so many open areas to navigate! It certainly left us wishing Wolf’s prosthetic arm was loaded with a cannon of its own.
Miquella’s Haligtree
“Elden Ring” (2022)
Don’t get us wrong, the Haligtree is a stunning location, adding to the mysticism surrounding Miquella, and an overall feast for the eyes. Navigating it, however, is an exercise in patience and perpetual game overs. The branch pathways are on the slim side, and especially easy to fall from when you’re being pelted by the tree’s inhabitants. Even when you make it further in, you’ll be trading traversal for challenge as you’ll be faced with some of the toughest enemies the game can throw your way, all of which leads to the now infamous showdown with Malenia!
Nightmare Frontier
“Bloodborne” (2015)
Much like Sekiro, when it comes to the interwoven sections of Bloodborne’s world, its creativity and connectivity is of an incredibly high level. However, if there’s one area that makes us groan, it would be this hellscape. It's all too easy to lose your way amongst the rocky terrain, and should you make a wrong turn, your Hunter can expect to find themselves in yet ANOTHER poisonous swamp, plus a bunch of Giant Lost Children all too happy to toss boulders your way. While the Fishing Hamlet isn’t much better in terms of difficulty spikes, at the very least you’re on the cusp of beating the game. Here? It’s nothing but frustration and a lot of wasted blood vials.
Black Gulch
“Dark Souls II” (2014)
Poison, poison everywhere! Poison projectiles, poison pools, enemies that spawn from poison, enemies that corrupt you with poison – yeah, the Black Gulch leans so heavily into this status effect it’s almost a joke. Even if you’re darting through with every intention of just trying to make it to the boss, you’re still likely going to end up poisoned at least once before making to that fog door. It’s a wasteland that only the most masochistic of Souls-fans would enjoy frequenting.
Irithyll Dungeon
“Dark Souls III” (2016)
A dungeon in a Souls game? One filled with endless tight corridors and plenty of places for enemies to leap out from? Get ready for the pain. We could just about deal with the giant rats, corpses possessed by sentient maggot piles, and whatever the hell the wretches are. But the real kicker is the jailers – there’s a whole flock of them stationed amongst the dungeon, and each of them can reduce your maximum health down to a fraction, making it all too easy for the other residents to easily rip you apart. Have fun exploring!
Tomb of the Giants
“Dark Souls” (2011)
Are you a fan of exploring caverns and tunnels where you can barely see a thing? Ones that are also filled with skeletal beasts ready to pounce? For the majority, it’s a resounding no, as the Tomb of the Giants offers nothing by darkness and pain while players endeavor to find the correct path through. You can expect to fall to your demise plenty of times before figuring out the correct route. With Gravelord Nito waiting for you at the end of this treacherous maze, best make sure you keep your torch lit at all times!
Farron Keep
“Dark Souls III” (2016)
Miyazaki, we love you, but seriously, what’s with the poison swamps? Especially one as extensive as this. Having to navigate these putrid woods won’t only guarantee your Ashen One is left heavily poisoned, but it will also severely slow all movement, leaving the surrounding slugs, lepers and giants plenty of time to crush you. Maybe that could all be overlooked if the game didn’t demand you light three fires in order to proceed, which means you’ll be spending a whole lot of time exploring every inch of this wretched place. Lovely.
Lake of Rot
“Elden Ring” (2022)
They just couldn’t resist, could they? In the Lands Between, Scarlet Rot is poison on steroids, one that will quickly consume your entire health if you aren’t careful. So, imagine navigating a lake full of the stuff! Should you wish to cross, then you’re going to have to deal with raising platforms, a slumbering Dragonkin Soldier, plus a bunch of Kindred of Rot waiting on the other side. Unless you’re packing a slew of Preserving Boluses, then this place is going to be the death of you.
Frigid Outskirts
“Dark Souls II” (2014)
The only thing worse than an area filled with poison is apparently one consumed by a never-ending blizzard. While it may appear downright tranquil compared to some of the Souls series’ more haunting locales, the Outskirts are despised for the simple reason that you can barely see what’s in front of you. Should you get caught in the snowfall, your vision becomes beyond obscured, to the extent that you won’t know if an enemy is heading your way until they’re already on top of you! Unless your reflexes are next level, then this whole place might as well be one big icy grave!
Which Soulsborne location do you find the most foreboding? Let us know in the comments!
