Just when I was getting used to Dark Souls, I just had to stumble my way through the Valley of Drakes into this land of suffering.
The first enemies I fight in this god forsaken pit are club-wielding ogre things that give you crap when you kill them. That’s not a metaphor, they drop literal crap when you kill them. That alone speaks for how much this place spites you.
Then when you get deeper, you come across what I can only assume is demonic lava frog/spider hybrids, man-eating leeches, worm barbarians, fire breathing weasels, moving bridges, poison dart tribesmen and a never ending supply of poison spitting mosquitoes. Oh yeah, the floor is also poison.
Thank god I found the Seal Suit early on, or I would’ve uninstalled Dark Souls. I’m also glad that I found the sewer bonfire quickly because that fire keeper lady was murdered, removing my closest bonfire to Blight Town and presenting me with no way to bring her back ATM.
Thankfully, the boss was pretty simple, despite it being a giant lava spider/frog demon with a lady wielding a flaming sword on top of it. Sure, I died a few times, but it’s nothing compared to those stupid Bell Gargoyles.
I really hope this was the hardest place in the game, but I doubt it is. The only worthwhile thing I got in this place is the Falchion.
As I’m writing this, I’m trying to get through the fortress with the snake people, but I also have the option of opening the heart of the forest, going deeper into the previous boss’s domain, continue to explore the Valley of Drakes, or try going back to the Asylum again.
Any suggestions without spoilers would be appreciated.
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Sounds like you're about a quarter or a fifth of the way done with the base game. Never played the DLC, so I can't comment on game length with it installed. Like Aifos said, Sen's Fortress is the next required area to progress the game. You probably have secrets, items, and other locations to discover in the other areas you just were though. I'll write some cryptic and hopefully not too hard to decipher advice down for you. All of it will be factually accurate, but it's up to you to figure out where it's applicable. [i] "Past the Phantom Riches of the Blighted Bark rests a Hallowed Hollow, filled with Cursed Cloudmakers and Titanic Treasure."[/i] [i]"The Gallery of Lords paintings and frescoes are a delight to behold, especially up close. Beware the Connoisseurs, their critiques can be quite pointed."[/i] [i]"The Pilgrim's Gate isn't the only Asylum of Demons. A Familiar place hides a forgotten comfort, linked inexorably to a land of peace, it's kindly inhabitants welcoming to all."[/i] [i]"The Gardens are lovely this time of year, and the service is to die for! A shame about the wildlife though. Especially the groundskeeper's dog, it sounds so lonely."[/i]