Painted World was designed as a "vertical slice" of the game when it was originally pitched, designed to showcase what the game was largely about, because of that it had an insane amount of care put into its level design to try to showcase the interconnects its of the game and had great enemy/item placement
I think Anor Londo is overrated tho, I never really liked the level design that much and O&S has some extremely strange design decisions that keep me from parading as one of the best bosses in the series
thank you! o&s was just a bs rng boss fight. can't stand that ornstein can basically just spam his dash attack and get stuck on pillars and still somehow hit you. that whole area is just meh and doesn't fit in super well with dark souls' aesthetic. also, are people forgetting about that awful platforming section when you cross narrow beams on the roof with assassins throwing knives at you? or the part with the archers which is just tedious as fuck.
1. O&S, BS rng boss fight? Also, attacks going through walls is a common theme in all of 'Bloodsouls' , its a glitch more or less. 2. How does it not fit? Due to it being too light? Kill Gwynevere, you'll realize the light was only an illusion by Gwyndolin and find out how Dark the area really is.... 3. Rafters? I don't see it being 'oh so bad' at all..You take out the first one directly on the left, take out the other one like across the room. Walk towards the middle, take out the Painting Guardian, which is fairly easy, just lock on, slowly walk towards it and it might just jump towards you, then try to headshot another painting guardian and the final one can go down the ladder. Its not hard at all, Infact I've never died to that area or found it tedious, even on my first playthrough. I don't see why the hate is there.
But it was just a shitstorm slug through heavily repeated enemies with very bad item placement. The item jump next to the dragon required you to run all around the map every time you missed it. I missed it about 14 times, so I had to run around the whole map about 14 times. For some reason, the area below the jump offers no way back up. There is literally no reason for this. That experience alone would put the Painted World near the bottom of my list, but combined with the trash boss and generic snow atmosphere...
Gwynevere doesn't know that black knights exist, because she didn't see any that they were fighting dragons. and their armor is black because of the soot.
FUCK the Velka Demons. They're pretty much the only enemy in the game that 1shot you with an inescapable grapple with broken hitboxes that get you while rolling.
If the framerate wasn't utter shit on consoles, the weird lighting filter wasn't so overdone that it made anything in the distance really difficult to see and if the poison swamp wasn't so annoying with the flying insects, I feel that the area would get the credit it deserves. The design is actually really solid otherwise. I wish they would hav made the area a little smaller and instead focused on Lost Izalith more, though.
The painted world... was supposedly the first area from ever worked on in dark souls. The level design is exemplary, being able to see everywhere you can go and finding tantalizing items you could only get after going through more of the area. Places of interest are spaced nicely, some good secrets hidden place to place. The enemies are a bit weak but somewhat diverse, from blockers to fodder to status ailment jackasses, oh and booty crows. Sure the boss is bad, but she's supposed to be. She doesn't want to fight you, rather just wants you gone. It could be thought of as she's inexperienced as a fighter, not able to use her abilities well because of being in a "peaceful" land. Just my thoughts on the area. Oh. ... Priscilla is waifu for laifu.
It shouldn't just be about looks in my opinion. The actual level design is what matters the most. That's why i think Painted World is so high on the list, because it's the one area in the game that resembles the interconnected level design that's seen in Undead Burg.
Oh noooo I wanted ash lake as #1. I still never forgot that feeling when I accidentally discovered by checking if that chest behind an illusory wall and finding another illusory wall that lead to a great tree and then that area. It's so... haunting and different even for dark souls areas. The colors and the music are so foreboding it's as if you've stumbled upon a place where you feel very small and you've seen something you're definitely not supposed to be seeing. No other area has replicated the feeling for me in any other soulsborne games not even the workshop in Bloodborne.
Painted World has quality level design up the wazoo. The way all the buildings, narrow paths, walkways, spirals and undercrofts continually twist and bend over and under each other in such a dense, tightly interwoven space is perhaps the best level design in the entire series, and it's definitely the best on offer in Dark Souls 1.
Painted world is my favourite area, because of the level design. They were able to stuff so many things into one compact well designed level. From the basement with the wheel skellies to the tower with the RSS on the top. There are so many interconnected paths you can take and find yourself in an entire different spot with nooks and crannies everywhere.
@Person Mcbloke than what about Ash Lake, oolacile sanctuary and firelink? (he also avoided battle of stoicism, sanctuary garden and the abyss, but I get why)
To put it simply for someone who doesn't understand the difference between the 2, when a king passes on his throne it's called succession, not precession.
Ash Lake was amazing! not just the place itself, but how far from home it was. It really gave me a sense of exploration and achievement when i finally found it.
Anor Londo never really struck me as the the best area. Looks great, sure, but finding that first ledge to traverse over, the annoying lightning demons and those two fucktwats with bows really bugged me. O&S and your first encounters with the Sentinels are awesome though - I'd probably rank it around 5 or 6. I actually really liked the atmosphere in Blighttown and New Londo Ruins, also the Conan vibes in Sen's Fortress got to me. The way Undead Burg, Darkroot Garden/Basin and The Depths are connected is also super impressive, that is some of the best level design I have ever seen in a game and kinda made me perceive them as one area. In hindsight and only counting single areas, I actually think Blighttown might be my favourite. Once you figure out where the toxin comes from it really puts you on the edge for the whole level and makes it a really tense experience. The only thing beating out Blighttown would be the whole Undead Burg/Darkroot/Depths connection, that design is too good and even eclipses the shitty bosses (Taurus/Capra).
(Unpopular opinion alert) I love Dark souls 2. I love the main game, I love the dlc and the pvp. I just really enjoyed the game so I'm happy your next vid will be based on it
I loved it too. Randomly the first Souls game I played and it was a great starter for me. I actually found DS3 waaayyyy too easy- except for nameless of course. Honestly didnt die to another boss more than once or twice. Fume Knight, The Pursuer, Lost Sinner and others I had much more trouble
NlnjaWarrior I liked Dark Souls 3 as well. I died quiet a bit in that game, though not as much as 2 (I can be an oblivious idiot to my surroundings in souls sometimes) I still favor DS2, however I'm very excited for the new DS3 dlc
Like some have said before, in my opinion dark souls 2 is not a bad game, it's still a good game but it wasn't as memorable or as good (to me at least) as other souls games. It probably suffered with it being constantly compared to the widely praised dark souls 1 on release. I think I would have enjoyed it more if I was able to experience the pvp but I would hardly get invaded, summoning and getting summoned was a pain leaving the PvE. But hey if you enjoy something that's not bad.
I loved Dark Souls 2 as well but I think that has a lot more to do with the fact that it's the first Souls game where I really got into the PVP, and subsequently dumped hundreds of hours into it and felt like I really knew the game inside and out. I had only played through Demon's Souls and DS1 one time each so I didn't really manage to get any kind of emotional attachment to them. I have since gone back and played through the others more, but DS2 will still always have those memories for me
I really liked the Duke´s Archives, i think everything looked nice, the castle, the cells, the Backyard, the crystal cave, etc. and i think the way they show you that there are invisible bridges is pretty neat
That is not exactly true. The Black Knights are former Silver Knights, who traveled with Gwyn to the Kiln of the First Flame, and got burned by the still hot ashes there. So by saying that fighting them in their normal state in Anor Londo, is technically not wrong.
I'm a new player that just finished the game. For me my top 3 is: 1. Anor Londo - Just a plain spectacle, shatters everything the game had shown you before and gives it a bigger context lore-wise. Best boss too. 2. Sen's Fortress - Felt like a house of traps that did what it was supposed to do very well. I liked that there was an outdoor area as well, and transition to Anor Londo. 3. Blight Town - I really liked it after thinking about it. I had lots of trouble too, but imo it was very well designed, big and full of stuff, and I enjoyed the theme overall, and it was just memorable to me. Honorable mention: Ash Lake - I stumbled upon the tree area completely by accident (I was in awe once I hit that second wall after the chest and it actually revealed the area) and kept thinking where it was going to lead. Once i made it to the bottom and entered the Lake with the music hitting *shivers* I enjoyed the idea of playing hide and seek with the hydra a bit, going into random hollow trees, then reaching the end to find a DRAGON!? Was amazing, although the area itself could have been designed better tbh.
I personally found Sen's Fortress to be my favorite area. It was the unique challenge of it that really set it above the others, with both enemy placement and level design being very prevalent themes. It took me a very long time to ascend the tower, from what I recall, but each time resulted in more knowledge in the area. I liked having to adapt to the area and change the way I actually played the game in order to succeed in it. Rash actions would result in death, so everything needed to be careful and precise. It was definitely my turning point in the game, when I went from hoping that whatever I did worked to actually thinking about how to approach the situations. If Sen's Fortress had be placed later than Anor Londo, I doubt I would have had much success there. Its presence was one of my favorite facets of Dark Souls, as the area felt truly unique and exciting.
Ryan Dudley I honestly hated it the most. I liked blighttown, liked tomb of giants and appreciated basically every other are but sen‘s fortress I hate. It was dying 1000 times before getting the lightning spear - then the are became a joke. Its the same probem I have with Anor Londor and O+S. Incredibly hard unless you have right items - then its easy
Yay for accountability! 2017 is a fresh year everybody. We're gonna do great - and I hope you enjoyed the vid. I'm going live on twitch with my Soul Level 1 DS1 run so come join me! www.twitch.tv/thedemodcracy
7:55 I think areas start to lose their luster when you've explored them so thoroughly you know every secret by heart. The first moments of exploration in an area are special and you just cannot recapture that magic on subsequent playthroughs.
sometimes when I read the comments under a Dark Souls videos, I feel like I'm the one who actually liked DS2. Like really it's a good game (if you don't compare it to the glorious original Dark Souls)
ブレーズ You're not alone The second was different. Original and at the same time gave the first a continuity. Plus the lore on Drangleic is better and more complete than Lordran
really? because half the comments here are people saying "unpopular opinion, i like DS2" Doesnt seem to be too unpopular of an opinion, especially in this comment section.
I think the Painted World is praised for two reasons 1- the world is a huge reward for the trials of getting there. You have to fly back to Undead Asylum, find the peculiar doll in the cell you started the game in, and then going to the painting and entering the world like Super Mario 64. It is a lot of work and to have a secret like this is amazing! 2- the level design is probably at its peak, as it really stacks a lot of verticality into a small space. The stairs, the sewer, the dragon, it all is really tight and makes for a lot of exploration. I think Priscilla and the snow is overrated, but the design of the level and the amount of work to get the area really makes it stand out in my opinion. If you see this, maybe it will give you a new look at the painted world.
My list: 10. Undead Burg 9. Royal Woods 8. Undead Parish 7. Kiln of the First Flame 6. Sean’s Fortress 5. Ash Lake 4. Firelink Shrine 3. Oolacile Township 2. Painted World of Ariamis 1. Anor Londo
pinwheel was a nice boss, the problem with catacombs is that you have to fall from it. the fall to pinwheel directly isn't that bad, but fall to vamos is a complete pain.
I absolutely think that the fight with Ornstein and Smough is the peak moment of all of Dark Souls. It's my favorite boss fight, a difficult but not unfair battle against two enemies that complement each other well, and offering two unique second phases, as well as two different armors. The difficulty of the fight grants an immense sense of euphoria upon victory, and immediately after the player is gifted not only the most useful item in the game, the Lord Vessel, but also the amazing sight of the only thing of beauty and light to be found in the game (even if it is all a lie). I can't think of a single boss battle that offers as much, and is as well constructed as, Ornstein and Smough.
I don't think anyone like those areas. The boss at lower undead burg was such a painful fight which made me immensely mad, and the Great Hollow's pathway almost made me cry.
Tinni Debnath i quit playing ds1 for like half a month because i couldnt figure out how to beat him because i didnt know that i could drop on him lmao then i watched a video and i felt like such a noob
I will honestly never understand why everyone finds the Capra Demon to be so hard. I was fucking awful when I started Dark Souls, and I was so intimidated by the Taurus Demon that I farmed souls and bought a fuck ton of fire bombs to kill him. That's also how I killed the Black Knight in the Undead Burg and Havel. I also summoned Solaire to fight the gargoyles (and beat them first try, so from that point on I vowed not to use summons). So when I faced the Capra Demon I was still pretty fucking bad at the game. But without a summon, and without doing a plunging attack, I beat him first try (no estus and barely any health, but still first try)
Call me crazy but Anor Londo was never anything special imo. But the painted world is by far the best in the game. Complex design tons of loot excellent atmosphere it’s perfect.
Honestly my favourite area is blightown. Getting there for the first time was rough, the decent from the depths all the way to the first bonfire was pretty hard and having to cope with all these new enemies in the slim planks and tiny passageways proved to be quite the challenge. But once you have an idea of the enemy placement, the layout of the area and which way leads where the decent/ascent becomes a lot easier. You know where the enemies are, how to lure them out in small packs, where there's a shortcut or a better path. The challenge it poses in the beginning also suits the area quite well: It's supposed to have that depressing feeling and it nails that. The reason I truly live the area as much as I do however is it's visual design: four completely different environments clash here and it fits perfectly nontheless. There is a vast, poisoned, unyielding swamp at the bottom of it, however there are still trees to one side, a sign that nature can survive in this unfriendly environment, while to the other there is queelags lair with it's unsettling look. However, built on top of this environment is a huge wall of stone, held in place by gigantic arcs in a gothic style that support the weight of the mountain on top of or inside of which almost all of the other areas lie. And attached to said wall are the rugged, loose piles of wooden planks and sticks that cling to the rocks, so cluelessly attached and mapped out that it has the appearance of a slum that grew over time without planning or second thoughts. The sightlines down there, the harsh nature of the place and this clash of different environments, some man made, some natural, some... alien, make this a place I'm in awe of every time I come down there and I admire fromsoft for creating this masterpiece. The frame rate on some devices sucks though. I happen to have a smooth one, it if you don't this turns this somewhat hard area into a nightmare.
Painted world is good because of the way the level is designed imo. Walking in a straight path from the bonfire to the boss after you've opened the doors is brilliant. I didn't like it in my first playthrough but I've come to respect the design a lot more recently. Apart from the underground bit of course...
I think Ariamis gets so much love because it feels kinda like a nostalgic throwback to 1-1 in demons souls. Complete with a cutscenes opening a straight shot to the boss.
For me, the reason I love the painted world is because it reminds me of demons souls. It's beautiful, the level has incredible design, and it has that "secret" feeling too it
The Painted World is so praised for its amazing level design, how well connected everything is and how exploring the area really feels rewarding. I like to challenge myself and explore it 100% and then go and kill Priscilla without resting at the bonfire everytime I play the game.
TheGrimHHH so you like going to down three different paths and have them lead you to the same place in an area that only takes like 1 minute to get through if you know the way. Yeah. For sure. Great level design there.
@@Outliers4Life literally almost all the areas in dark souls have only one path you can take , that also leds you to the same place. And the 1 minute thing , is bullshit to leave the area takes at least 3 minutes (link me a guy who did it in one). The whole area has: good lore, connection to one of the most mysterious characters (velka) , rewards explorers (you can find: 2 unique pyromancyes , one miracle , the invasion sign , velka's rapier and the invader), you need to go out of your way for all of the items. Also the all end in the same place, the game ends the same , always you go fight gwyn , the game has 2 paths and both end at the kiln. If you say that gives the area bad level design , then the entire game is designed bad.
I personally enjoyed the Painted World because of how intricate and dense it is. It's relatively small, but it has a lot to discover, a great many paths to go through - it's Dark Souls 3 levels of density.
I feel like i’m the complete opposite in terms of what I look forward too in these games. For me personally, I prefer the areas and locations over boss fights. The boss fights are still really fucking fun, but i’ve always prioritized a good local then a good fight
Why is painted world so good? Great level design, an awesome secret level, whose way of being accessed is unmatched in DS2 or 3, lore implications galore involving one of the most mysterious and intriguing characters (Velka), and an optional boss fight in an optional area. The enemy encounters are fairly poor (crow enemies are annoying, hollow enemies are meh, pus things are no more interesting than hollow enemies if you have a fire weapon, but annoying if you don't, bonewheels are HOLY HELL MAKE IT STOP), but everything else about it is great. That being said, I do think that DS areas may not be judged purely for area quality though, nostalgia probably plays a part. For me, areas like painted world, great hollow, and ash lake are so memorable because, with DS1 being my first Soulsborne game, it was so mind boggling at the time that a developer would go to such lengths to hide extensive, quality content within its game. Ahhh, just typing this makes me want to boot up DS1 again. Also, I'll say that while Anor Londo isn't my favorite area (top five, for sure though), I'm surprised it got as many votes as it did for worst area.
I know everybody is saying this but I mean it. Dark Souls 2 is my favorite souls game, period. I'm not gonna straight up say its "the best" since it does have a lot of large flaws, and some pretty bad areas. But the game to me, is one of the best I've ever played. The PvE was good, the bosses, although lazily designed sometimes, were for the most part amazing, and the greatest part of course, the multiplayer. The PVP in DS2 was and still is, amazing. By far there best in the entire series. There were so many weapons to choose from, and none really felt the same. I have been recently replaying this game on PS4 with friends, and it's one of the best times I've ever had. Combine that with amazing DLC, and a near perfect combat/PVP/invasion system (looking at you, poise, you beautiful bastard), and you have what makes (in my opinion) one of the best games in the series.
I prefer DS3. Ds2 - in its scolar of the first sin form - is way too unbalanced. Normal enemies are brutal and gang up on you while bosses are the easiest in the series. I have nightmares from the 1-2 estus beginning, nightmares from heide knights and nightmares from a certain DLC. The DS games were always bad at fighting multiple enemies so dont make it the freaking core challenge. Also jumping in a souls game as a required mechanic is not a good idea... Besides that I enjoy the lore of DS1 and 3 much more. I think DS2‘s combat at its core is pretty damn fun though.
Xaxar There were only 2 amazing bosses in Dark Souls 2. There were some good ones, but Fume Knight and Sir Alonne are the only two top tier bosses, and they're not even in the main game. Most were crap, DS2 has the worst bosses in the series. Also, Old Iron King was good, but not as good as Artorius of the Abyss or Ringed City because of how annoyingly Ganky it was, and the co-op areas sucking. Sunken King and Ivory King were very meh.
The atmospheric tension is what gets me with Painted World. It *feels* cold, dark, and quiet. Then of course there's the crows that fly up and squawk when you disturb them, and *holy crap there's giant demon versions of them aargh!* And of course the level design is exemplary and you can thoroughly explore, opening up new doors/shortcuts that will lead you back to where you were. This was probably the most memorable game area from my first playthrough.
Question, why are the health bars yellow? I may be misremembering, but I recall them being red, with lost health marked in yellow, and it seems to be opposite here. Mods?
I am very happy you have continued the Best Areas for the Souls series, I really love the idea! Ash Lake is probably my personal favorite, because as you said, it's just so memorable. The endless expanse, the grand Arch Trees, and the haunting music. I just love it all so much. Very excited to see the Dark Souls II areas! The second game has some of my favorite areas in the whole series! :)
Why is the great hollow not considered an area? You didn't say anything about it being linked in the rankings with either blighttown or ash lake, so what gives?
I knew Ash Lake wasn't going to top the list, what with it's sparse nature... But it's the only place I warp back to frequently just to walk around. And the music takes on a whole new meaning as you stare down at poor, hollowed, defeated Onion Bro.
Dark Souls 2 areas I liked: Forest of Fallen Giants was a pretty amazing intro level. Heide's Tower Of Flame was intimidating and beautiful. Shrine Of Amana was beautiful even though it's design is kinda bad. I actually really like Iron Keep. Never played DLC.
Last Chance Breaker! Shrine of Amana is the absolute worst. Well, maybe not. Iron Passage and Frigid Outskirts are both legendary for how grueling they are.
Luke Beall Shrine of Amana pre patch was fucking woeful. I feel that Frigid Outskirts was meh to bad. Mainly because of the random Rudolph the red nosed reindeer attacks and just how dull and barren it is. Fuck. That. Place.
You really need to play Scholar of the First Sin, mate. The DLC areas in DS2 are some of the best in the entire franchise (minus the side co-op areas ie Iron Passage, Frigid Outskirts and Cave of the Dead, which are incredibly difficult to do alone, but that's why they're co-op areas).
The painted world ranked so high likely because the lore involved in it added such deep character to the area and context of the enemies. Priscilla being easy even kinda makes sense considering she doesn't want to fight, just be left alone
I played with the aggression mod permagravelorded with a friend in anor londo the other day and it was a freaking blast. Hard as HELL but definitely a blast. It was such a wonderful new experience with the game I have come to love over the years. We had to face an army of the Silver knights both normal and Gravelorded and trying to strategically manipulate them in such a way that we didn't get wrecked truly felt wonderful to best. So many close calls but we both eventually made it. It gave me even more love for such a wonderful area!
I honestly don't understand how Ash Lake isn't higher on the list. The first time I walked down the base of the tree, past the mushroom people and out onto that sandy beach while the incredible music played I was just completely blown away. The Hydra in the water, an endless ocean full of trees that each seemed like they hosted their own universe at the base of the world was fucking insane. I've booted the game and gone for a walk around that area just because it's so immersive. Expected it at the top of the list.
Jason Hirt awesome scenarios not like in most of the areas, the best difficulty peak in the game too, you fight the most difficult boss in the game( or the second) you can fight a freaking god or make a covenant with him, also best loot peak too, one of the biggest and most fun areas in the game, gives you the possibility to teleport after defeating the boss, and then... throw a single throwing knife to gwynvere and anorlondo will became darkness, and you just will see a lie, what really happens with the age of gods. Anyway, it has the most important lore in the game at all, as it was gwyn's come. And also it gives you the chance to enter in the top 2, Ariamis Painted World.
It does feel incredibly satisfying returning to Firelink after some time. Whether it be a few minutes or a couple hours, it feels like coming home to put your feet up, collect your thoughts and prepare for the inevitable journey back out into the harsh world.
sometimes it's not about whats in a level. Ash Lake is one of my favorite levels because of the ascetics. the sheer size of the place, as well as the soundtrack and the sandy shores with the tower trees in the distance, this is a place I could just stare at. entering the Ash lake for the first time had me going "Wow..."
I cant believe that Anor Londo got placed at the number 1 spot. I really think its not that great except the boss fight at the end. Maybe I have such a bad opinion about it is because thats when dark souls kinda turned to shit after the almost perfect first half.
ezzerby This was kind of a stupid comment, but I don't like it's enemies or boss that much either. But I guess that doesn't account for the level itself.
To me, Painted World of Ariamis is one of the best areas of Dark Souls. This is partly because of the typical reasons: it's snowy, the area paths are well designed, it's hard if you casual through, but speed-running it is easy with the shortcuts that make it easy to pass, just like Catacombs. I also like that it is not required. I recently went through it again for the first time since my first ever play-through (this is a couple of years difference). My experience was that Painted World is spooky and creepy (which I like), and I had my shield up the whole time, as I didn't remember where enemies are, and there are many corners they are hiding around. So, I think playing the area every once in a while, so that you somewhat forget where stuff is, is the best way to experience it. Painted World feels like DLC to me (as in, different and cool) more that any other area in Dark Souls (besides the actual DLC). The only thing I don't like is that all the loot in Painted World is useless, except to very specific builds.
Anor Londo is the most overrated area in the entire series, I truly can't for the life of me understand why people love it so much, aside from the O+S fight which has nothing to do with the actual area itself. The whole area is just a bunch of running down long bridges, archer spam, a tight rope walk where if you move an inch to the left or the right you die, and a boring indoor area where you kill some knights and move up spiral staircases until you get to the admittedly awesome boss fight. Seriously people, that's why you love this area so much. Take out O+S and focus on just the level design of this area, and it's wildly mediocre. I challenge you to look at just this area by itself, focus on the level design as a whole compared to everything you did to get there, and take a second look and decide if this is REALLY as great an area as you think it is.
It is a really great area,specially because of the lore implications,it's an empty city/keep of godlike creatures...and these same creatures basicaly abandoned it because of how bad the situation is ,also the knights are stil only there because they believe Gwenyvere is still there,so in a mechanical/gameplay way is far from perfect but still good and from a lore standpoint its perfect so yes...it's the best area in Dark Souls 1 PS:You also see how the age of fire and lords is really fading when lights go out
I agree, It gets so boring and only new players would think it is exciting. The best area in the game is probably Ash Lake, it's so secret and mystical and it really has some nice, calm feel to it.
The biggest reason why I like it so much is because of how grand and contrasting it is to the areas preceding it. In the undead parish, burg, asylum, depths, sens, and even blighttown on the ledges, it’s so small and claustrophobic. There’s an enemy like every 5 feet and the camera has been set so close to your character for a reason. These places, maybe not sens, are really filthy and showcase how humans were living as undead in lordran. In anor londo every guy is at least double sometimes triple your height but that is balanced by how open the area is. It showcases how luxurious the lords were living, even being gilded in sunset, and you get to see so much of it due to the long open walkways leading to the next powerful enemy instead of being distracted by constant combat. Also meeting gwynevere and the ability to warp instead of walking everywhere is icing on the cake for one of the hardest bosses in the game. All in all, it’s extremely beautiful to look at and the enemies are so different to what you’re used to.
blighttown is the most underrated area in dark souls, the place has one of the best level design in the game and it also hold some of the best loots in the game like the light armor crimson set and wanderer set(when fully upgrade) and some of the best pyromancy like power within and fire tempest. Most people hate the area because it is very frustrating and keep getting trouble of being toxic by the blowdart zombie guy, but this can be prevented by keeping yourself cover and prevent fighting off enemy in open which provide some very interesting yet tactical challenge unlike the invisible road in the crystal cave.
I like the painted world because it’s so tightly designed, one bonfire, opening up doors to progress to the end, and good verticality and side content, it’s like a tiny little capsule of good level design within the game
In Dark Souls 1 it was. I was excited as hell when I found out it would make its return in Dark Souls 3, then immensely disappointed when I actually played through it. They randomly slapped the Cathedral alone on top of another city and called it Anor Londo, which made zero sense considering Anor Londo was an entire gigantic city on top of a mountain about as big as the one that the High Wall of Lothric is on. Not to mention that most of the cathedral was inaccessable and the little that was available was filled with annoying enemies. And don't even get me started on how they replaced Gwyndolin with one of the shittiest lore characters in all of Souls.
Lance To be fair, it's literally been ages since we saw Anor Londo before then. The fact that a part of it's still standing is a miracle in and of itself (though I think Gwyndolin or Yorshka had a role in its persisting). Personally, it still left an impact for me, the kind like when you come home from a longand arduous journey and find out that your home's been pillaged and ransacked and one of your beloved friends has been killed and his body rotting out in the open. It's unforgettable once again but in a completely different way. It hurt to see it in a different way than other things in the series hurt.
Don't get me wrong, I'm still glad they included it, I just wish there was more of it, and that its odd placement would at least get an explanation of sorts. But yes, I also get an unpleasant feeling in my stomach when I look at what was once the pinnacle of the world crumbling and overrun by the unworthy. Which is actually somewhat funny, considering the Anor Londo in Dark Souls 1 was already long past its prime and abandoned by everyone but Gwyndolin, Smough and the Silver Knights protecting their illusionary Princess. I'd honestly love to see a Dark Souls prequel, just to witness Lordran in all its glory during the dawn of the Age of Fire. Prime Anor Londo and Izalith would be fascinating to see.
Anor Londo was an aesthetically pleasing area, it had great pacing and lore behind it. The spiral stairs leads to some secrets, the pvp and the covenant dedicated to the area made it a very unique area. The game punishes you for killing gwyndolin and is a great way to show how the words are linked between the players. I would have liked a 'trial' with the 4 knights of Gwynn but in regards to the rest of the series, I would vote Cainhurst above it. Great video btw
I just want to share my experiences with Firelink Shrine. Prefacing this with the fact that this was my first experience with the Souls series and, arguably, my first experience with a game that is actually out to get you. When I first got to Firelink, I didn't think much of it. It was the hub, I would be coming back here from time to time. However, I grew to enjoy the sense of security that it provided, the fact that it wouldn't try to kill you on sight. Eventually, I found Lautrec. I didn't expect much of him, he was an NPC, he wouldn't do much. I beat the Gargoyles, then headed back to Firelink, because I thought the New Londo Ruins would be the next area. I get to the Shrine, and, as a matter of habit, go to rest at the bonfire. But then I can't. I didn't draw the connection for some time, because I had never seen Lautrec at the Shrine before. When I learned, revenge against him was one of the things I wanted most. So, I continue on, making Andre's bonfire my new home. I braved the Depths, defeated Quelaag, found my covenant, and opened Sen's Fortress. On my trek back, I noticed something as I passed through Firelink, something I hadn't felt before. Loss. At this point, I realized how masterfully crafted the story of this game was. I felt actual emotion, some of the most I'd ever felt in a game, from the loss of a checkpoint. But the game, just through the way it worked, made it more than that. I ****ing love this game.
For me, the Painted World stuck out so much because it was really complex-ish, and felt like I was exploring a castle to an extent. On top of which, it felt like a treasure hunt, and leading hosts through the world to get all of the treasure before we finally took on the boss was extremely rewarding. Literally the only part I don't like about it is the bonewheels, even though I like where you fight them. And I guess the poison-on-death guys if you're not using fire, who shoot shit at you, but still.
For someone who makes so many soulsbourne videos, you’re incredibly negative about much of these games. Even the positive areas are peppered with comments about how annoyed you are with having to traverse them or how annoying the enemies are. I can’t even watch the “worst” list videos bc they’re so filled with needless gamerage. Very unbalanced
Both Oolacile Township and The Painted World are extremely atmospheric locations in my opinion. Whereas Ash Lake and Anor Londo are awe-inspiring, the township and Painted World are creepy and unsettling, partly thanks to the sound design. I also think the Painted World is an exellently designed level. While Anor Londo is pretty linear, the Painted World is like a microcosm of the entire world design of Dark Souls.
Man watching these most recent DeMod souls vids has really made me realize how utterly sick of the franchise I am these days. I went from a big fan of them to just......completely burnt out and tired of these games. I hope the series goes into dormancy for a while.
After Ornstein and Smough, I fell in love with this game and the series. After every new installment, I hope to get another one soon enough so I can relive the massive joy i got after defeating OnS for the first time, even hoping the new dark souls would have a rehash fight of some sort just to experience it all over again. This is my favourite gaming series and game to date and it is all thanks to the Anor Londo bit and OnS bit. Making people want a boss fight like OnS and challenge like Dark Souls in every other game is what only a handful of games can achieve and I am glad that I experienced it.
Best areas for me: -Darkroot garden: Love the atmosphere; so dark and ominous yet it feels like YOU are the one breaking the uneasy peace. Also, the PVP memories are awesome. -New Londo: again, awesome atmosphere and sense of foreboding, it feels like you are never going to see the safety of firelink again. The darkwraiths are fun as fuck to parry and it is an awesome spot to farm souls and titanite chunks/slabs. But god help you if you stumble upon it early game. Worst areas: -Tomb of the giants: the atmosphere is rubbish, the enemies do ridiculous damage and you can't see them coming, and most people will have to resort to the internet to figure out how the fuck you are supposed to have a source of light. -The depths: Rubbish enemies (except for the butchers), an underwhelming boss, and you the fucking WORST boss to gain entry to it. Plus you need to go there if you want to upgrade your weapons past +5. Anor Londo would be best if it wasn't for those fucking archers. Died to them more on my first playthrough than literally ANY boss.
I think most fans love the Painted World for its lore and the feeling the environment evokes. Also there's just something cool about "a world inside a painting". So, I'd say that it's the most 'endearing' area for fans, if such thing could exist in a Soulsborne universe.
![Ranking the Souls Series Bosses from Worst to Best [#129-115]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/89xPlf7l3FM/mqdefault.jpg)
Dark souls bosses in a nutshell:
If there's a tail, then there's a weapon made from said tail.
Or the asylum demon
Or priscilla
@@ThallesSama Priscilla has a tail weapon (Priscilla's dagger)
Or sif
You mean Monster Hunter
Rip drake valley
And the great hallow
@@Yeah-pu8om Both suck.
@@MoronicChunk1 but they exist
The abyss
Valley of Drakes is the true hub area of DS1
Painted World was designed as a "vertical slice" of the game when it was originally pitched, designed to showcase what the game was largely about, because of that it had an insane amount of care put into its level design to try to showcase the interconnects its of the game and had great enemy/item placement
I think Anor Londo is overrated tho, I never really liked the level design that much and O&S has some extremely strange design decisions that keep me from parading as one of the best bosses in the series
thank you! o&s was just a bs rng boss fight. can't stand that ornstein can basically just spam his dash attack and get stuck on pillars and still somehow hit you. that whole area is just meh and doesn't fit in super well with dark souls' aesthetic. also, are people forgetting about that awful platforming section when you cross narrow beams on the roof with assassins throwing knives at you? or the part with the archers which is just tedious as fuck.
Matt at least it's not Crystal caves final invisible bridge
1. O&S, BS rng boss fight? Also, attacks going through walls is a common theme in all of 'Bloodsouls' , its a glitch more or less.
2. How does it not fit? Due to it being too light? Kill Gwynevere, you'll realize the light was only an illusion by Gwyndolin and find out how Dark the area really is....
3. Rafters? I don't see it being 'oh so bad' at all..You take out the first one directly on the left, take out the other one like across the room. Walk towards the middle, take out the Painting Guardian, which is fairly easy, just lock on, slowly walk towards it and it might just jump towards you, then try to headshot another painting guardian and the final one can go down the ladder. Its not hard at all, Infact I've never died to that area or found it tedious, even on my first playthrough. I don't see why the hate is there.
But it was just a shitstorm slug through heavily repeated enemies with very bad item placement. The item jump next to the dragon required you to run all around the map every time you missed it. I missed it about 14 times, so I had to run around the whole map about 14 times. For some reason, the area below the jump offers no way back up. There is literally no reason for this. That experience alone would put the Painted World near the bottom of my list, but combined with the trash boss and generic snow atmosphere...
Silver Knights in Anor Londo, not Black Knights lol
They are black, but the illusion makes them silver :)
Cypi nope, there are only silver nights
Gwynevere doesn't know that black knights exist, because she didn't see any that they were fighting dragons. and their armor is black because of the soot.
Cypi oh ok
@@cypi236 dude just read the objects they drop they're SILVER knights
The painted world has ONE bonfire, it's such brilliantly designed level.
Yeah, you know what area has One bonfire too!
Demon Soul's 5-2
@@TYR1139fuck the valley
FUCK the Velka Demons.
They're pretty much the only enemy in the game that 1shot you with an inescapable grapple with broken hitboxes that get you while rolling.
@@TYR1139 frigid outskirts
@@DrRAZI99 Zero
no joke blight town is one of my favorite areas, i think its the verticality and atmosphere that win it for me
If the framerate wasn't utter shit on consoles, the weird lighting filter wasn't so overdone that it made anything in the distance really difficult to see and if the poison swamp wasn't so annoying with the flying insects, I feel that the area would get the credit it deserves. The design is actually really solid otherwise.
I wish they would hav made the area a little smaller and instead focused on Lost Izalith more, though.
I completely agree. The frame rate doesn't even bug me tbh, Sen's and Blighttown are always my favourite places to go through
Tipp on Xbox when you are in the swamp water look a bit down. Improved my frame rate quiet a bit.
Looking back, and comparing it to the even shittier areas we have to go to later in the game, yeah it's quite good.
I actually like upper blight town. It's the awful swamp area I can't stand
The painted world... was supposedly the first area from ever worked on in dark souls. The level design is exemplary, being able to see everywhere you can go and finding tantalizing items you could only get after going through more of the area. Places of interest are spaced nicely, some good secrets hidden place to place. The enemies are a bit weak but somewhat diverse, from blockers to fodder to status ailment jackasses, oh and booty crows. Sure the boss is bad, but she's supposed to be. She doesn't want to fight you, rather just wants you gone. It could be thought of as she's inexperienced as a fighter, not able to use her abilities well because of being in a "peaceful" land.
Just my thoughts on the area.
Oh.
...
Priscilla is waifu for laifu.
I agree
Priscilla waifu 4 laifu
God you're cringe
It shouldn't just be about looks in my opinion. The actual level design is what matters the most. That's why i think Painted World is so high on the list, because it's the one area in the game that resembles the interconnected level design that's seen in Undead Burg.
Oh noooo I wanted ash lake as #1. I still never forgot that feeling when I accidentally discovered by checking if that chest behind an illusory wall and finding another illusory wall that lead to a great tree and then that area. It's so... haunting and different even for dark souls areas. The colors and the music are so foreboding it's as if you've stumbled upon a place where you feel very small and you've seen something you're definitely not supposed to be seeing. No other area has replicated the feeling for me in any other soulsborne games not even the workshop in Bloodborne.
Even more unforgettable when you reach is without lordvessel, I still have ptsd
Tenyth I’m having to deal with that right now, lord help me
@@therealgardenhose2938 gl
Which I experienced it like that
Painted World has quality level design up the wazoo. The way all the buildings, narrow paths, walkways, spirals and undercrofts continually twist and bend over and under each other in such a dense, tightly interwoven space is perhaps the best level design in the entire series, and it's definitely the best on offer in Dark Souls 1.
I think it’s a little overrated
To me Ash Lake was the one. Especially with this Dragon and his closed wings revealing himself at the end.
The "Wow" effect.
Painted world is my favourite area, because of the level design. They were able to stuff so many things into one compact well designed level. From the basement with the wheel skellies to the tower with the RSS on the top. There are so many interconnected paths you can take and find yourself in an entire different spot with nooks and crannies everywhere.
Dude you forgot Great Hollow and Valley of the Drakes !
how is valley of drakes good
and quelaag domain
@Person Mcbloke but The Great Hollow is considered as a medium one
@Person Mcbloke than what about Ash Lake, oolacile sanctuary and firelink?
(he also avoided battle of stoicism, sanctuary garden and the abyss, but I get why)
@@magejag2977 its not but he still forgot it
Is it me or was the valley of drakes forgotten? Or is it because there is not much to it so you don't consider it important enough to be in the list?
i think he missed undead parish as well unless he clumped that in with undead burg
Valley of Drakes is the most forgettable area ever. The only reason you go there is to use it as a passage.
Samuel Renaud was sens fortress on the list too?
He didn't mention The Great Hollow either.
Yes Sen's Fortress definitely was there
Sen's is the area SUCCEEDING Blighttown, not PREceeding it
skysthelimit112 proceeding is what he said
skysthelimit112
Not if you like to get Blighttown out of the way first, but that's just me.
To put it simply for someone who doesn't understand the difference between the 2, when a king passes on his throne it's called succession, not precession.
You HAVE to do blighttown BEFORE sens fortress but blighttown is worse
I like how every reply except for one didn't even understand what the original commenter was trying to say
Ash Lake was amazing! not just the place itself, but how far from home it was. It really gave me a sense of exploration and achievement when i finally found it.
Anor Londo never really struck me as the the best area. Looks great, sure, but finding that first ledge to traverse over, the annoying lightning demons and those two fucktwats with bows really bugged me. O&S and your first encounters with the Sentinels are awesome though - I'd probably rank it around 5 or 6.
I actually really liked the atmosphere in Blighttown and New Londo Ruins, also the Conan vibes in Sen's Fortress got to me. The way Undead Burg, Darkroot Garden/Basin and The Depths are connected is also super impressive, that is some of the best level design I have ever seen in a game and kinda made me perceive them as one area.
In hindsight and only counting single areas, I actually think Blighttown might be my favourite. Once you figure out where the toxin comes from it really puts you on the edge for the whole level and makes it a really tense experience. The only thing beating out Blighttown would be the whole Undead Burg/Darkroot/Depths connection, that design is too good and even eclipses the shitty bosses (Taurus/Capra).
Capra? Oh, you mean that secondary enemy at the boss fight in lower undead burg. Y'know, the boss fight against claustrophobia?
(Unpopular opinion alert) I love Dark souls 2. I love the main game, I love the dlc and the pvp. I just really enjoyed the game so I'm happy your next vid will be based on it
I loved it too. Randomly the first Souls game I played and it was a great starter for me. I actually found DS3 waaayyyy too easy- except for nameless of course. Honestly didnt die to another boss more than once or twice. Fume Knight, The Pursuer, Lost Sinner and others I had much more trouble
Bruce Deliso I enjoy it, but not nearly as much as the others. It's just unfairly frustrating at times, and not even in a difficulty sense.
NlnjaWarrior I liked Dark Souls 3 as well. I died quiet a bit in that game, though not as much as 2 (I can be an oblivious idiot to my surroundings in souls sometimes) I still favor DS2, however I'm very excited for the new DS3 dlc
Like some have said before, in my opinion dark souls 2 is not a bad game, it's still a good game but it wasn't as memorable or as good (to me at least) as other souls games. It probably suffered with it being constantly compared to the widely praised dark souls 1 on release.
I think I would have enjoyed it more if I was able to experience the pvp but I would hardly get invaded, summoning and getting summoned was a pain leaving the PvE. But hey if you enjoy something that's not bad.
I loved Dark Souls 2 as well but I think that has a lot more to do with the fact that it's the first Souls game where I really got into the PVP, and subsequently dumped hundreds of hours into it and felt like I really knew the game inside and out. I had only played through Demon's Souls and DS1 one time each so I didn't really manage to get any kind of emotional attachment to them. I have since gone back and played through the others more, but DS2 will still always have those memories for me
#10: "Rushed through it to get to the Artorias boss fight"...
Me: "Rushed through it praying not to get crushed by the guardians' hammers" :D
It took me longer to work out how to fight those guardians that most of the bosses, like damn those attacks are so slow
I really liked the Duke´s Archives, i think everything looked nice, the castle, the cells, the Backyard, the crystal cave, etc. and i think the way they show you that there are invisible bridges is pretty neat
The knights in Anor Londo are silver, not black!
Raycroissant There are black knights too
- GreeN - no
No there aren't, not even one
That is not exactly true. The Black Knights are former Silver Knights, who traveled with Gwyn to the Kiln of the First Flame, and got burned by the still hot ashes there. So by saying that fighting them in their normal state in Anor Londo, is technically not wrong.
What he means is they are similar to the black knights but they respawn, despite having different move sets, armours and stats
I'm a new player that just finished the game. For me my top 3 is:
1. Anor Londo - Just a plain spectacle, shatters everything the game had shown you before and gives it a bigger context lore-wise. Best boss too.
2. Sen's Fortress - Felt like a house of traps that did what it was supposed to do very well. I liked that there was an outdoor area as well, and transition to Anor Londo.
3. Blight Town - I really liked it after thinking about it. I had lots of trouble too, but imo it was very well designed, big and full of stuff, and I enjoyed the theme overall, and it was just memorable to me.
Honorable mention:
Ash Lake - I stumbled upon the tree area completely by accident (I was in awe once I hit that second wall after the chest and it actually revealed the area) and kept thinking where it was going to lead. Once i made it to the bottom and entered the Lake with the music hitting *shivers* I enjoyed the idea of playing hide and seek with the hydra a bit, going into random hollow trees, then reaching the end to find a DRAGON!? Was amazing, although the area itself could have been designed better tbh.
I personally found Sen's Fortress to be my favorite area. It was the unique challenge of it that really set it above the others, with both enemy placement and level design being very prevalent themes. It took me a very long time to ascend the tower, from what I recall, but each time resulted in more knowledge in the area. I liked having to adapt to the area and change the way I actually played the game in order to succeed in it. Rash actions would result in death, so everything needed to be careful and precise. It was definitely my turning point in the game, when I went from hoping that whatever I did worked to actually thinking about how to approach the situations. If Sen's Fortress had be placed later than Anor Londo, I doubt I would have had much success there. Its presence was one of my favorite facets of Dark Souls, as the area felt truly unique and exciting.
Ryan Dudley I honestly hated it the most. I liked blighttown, liked tomb of giants and appreciated basically every other are but sen‘s fortress I hate.
It was dying 1000 times before getting the lightning spear - then the are became a joke.
Its the same probem I have with Anor Londor and O+S. Incredibly hard unless you have right items - then its easy
Yay for accountability! 2017 is a fresh year everybody. We're gonna do great - and I hope you enjoyed the vid. I'm going live on twitch with my Soul Level 1 DS1 run so come join me!
www.twitch.tv/thedemodcracy
theDeModcracy good luck DeMod . I cant watch its midnight where i live :/
theDeModcracy you forgot great hollow and lower undead burg
is comeing something like that for ds3 ?
i think you forgot valley of the drakes, lower undead burg, undead parish and the great hollow.
number one reason why anor londor is loved can be summed up in two words
Chest Ahead
7:55 I think areas start to lose their luster when you've explored them so thoroughly you know every secret by heart. The first moments of exploration in an area are special and you just cannot recapture that magic on subsequent playthroughs.
sometimes when I read the comments under a Dark Souls videos, I feel like I'm the one who actually liked DS2. Like really it's a good game (if you don't compare it to the glorious original Dark Souls)
Really didn't like it, thought it was a bad, lazy game in general.
ブレーズ You're not alone
The second was different. Original and at the same time gave the first a continuity. Plus the lore on Drangleic is better and more complete than Lordran
and blood borne and dark souls 3
I love DS2, not as much as the others, but it's still a fun game to me.
really? because half the comments here are people saying "unpopular opinion, i like DS2"
Doesnt seem to be too unpopular of an opinion, especially in this comment section.
3: Undead Burg
2: Anor Londo
1: Kiln of the First Flame.
I think the Painted World is praised for two reasons
1- the world is a huge reward for the trials of getting there. You have to fly back to Undead Asylum, find the peculiar doll in the cell you started the game in, and then going to the painting and entering the world like Super Mario 64. It is a lot of work and to have a secret like this is amazing!
2- the level design is probably at its peak, as it really stacks a lot of verticality into a small space. The stairs, the sewer, the dragon, it all is really tight and makes for a lot of exploration.
I think Priscilla and the snow is overrated, but the design of the level and the amount of work to get the area really makes it stand out in my opinion. If you see this, maybe it will give you a new look at the painted world.
I personally would love a top soundtrack list, the music in these games is phenomenal.
all 4 songs?
Ash lake number 1, nothing tops it
My list:
10. Undead Burg
9. Royal Woods
8. Undead Parish
7. Kiln of the First Flame
6. Sean’s Fortress
5. Ash Lake
4. Firelink Shrine
3. Oolacile Township
2. Painted World of Ariamis
1. Anor Londo
My top five are:
5 - Blighttown
4 -Undeadburg
3 - The Catacombs
2 - Anor Londo
1 - Sens Fortress
Papa Ducknips So you like killing skeletons just to end up with a disappointing boss?
pinwheel was a nice boss, the problem with catacombs is that you have to fall from it. the fall to pinwheel directly isn't that bad, but fall to vamos is a complete pain.
I actually like pinwheel. It was neat. All the others on this list were pretty easy too so not too sure what the difference is.
yeah it was easy boss sO BBAD BOSS LOL Xd
@@magejag2977 You can kill Pinwheel as 2nd boss in your run and he is still too easy, so how should he be a great boss, if u never saw his moveset.
I absolutely think that the fight with Ornstein and Smough is the peak moment of all of Dark Souls. It's my favorite boss fight, a difficult but not unfair battle against two enemies that complement each other well, and offering two unique second phases, as well as two different armors. The difficulty of the fight grants an immense sense of euphoria upon victory, and immediately after the player is gifted not only the most useful item in the game, the Lord Vessel, but also the amazing sight of the only thing of beauty and light to be found in the game (even if it is all a lie). I can't think of a single boss battle that offers as much, and is as well constructed as, Ornstein and Smough.
Great Hollow and Lower Undead Burg?
Roman Smith yea I thought about that aswelly
I don't think anyone like those areas. The boss at lower undead burg was such a painful fight which made me immensely mad, and the Great Hollow's pathway almost made me cry.
Tinni Debnath i quit playing ds1 for like half a month because i couldnt figure out how to beat him because i didnt know that i could drop on him lmao then i watched a video and i felt like such a noob
I will honestly never understand why everyone finds the Capra Demon to be so hard. I was fucking awful when I started Dark Souls, and I was so intimidated by the Taurus Demon that I farmed souls and bought a fuck ton of fire bombs to kill him. That's also how I killed the Black Knight in the Undead Burg and Havel. I also summoned Solaire to fight the gargoyles (and beat them first try, so from that point on I vowed not to use summons). So when I faced the Capra Demon I was still pretty fucking bad at the game. But without a summon, and without doing a plunging attack, I beat him first try (no estus and barely any health, but still first try)
Capra Demon isn't the problem.
Those 2 fucking bleed proc'ing bitch dogs with him, combined with the small area, is the damn problem
Woo I was waiting all day for this vid, as always ty Demod :D
Call me crazy but Anor Londo was never anything special imo. But the painted world is by far the best in the game. Complex design tons of loot excellent atmosphere it’s perfect.
Honestly my favourite area is blightown. Getting there for the first time was rough, the decent from the depths all the way to the first bonfire was pretty hard and having to cope with all these new enemies in the slim planks and tiny passageways proved to be quite the challenge. But once you have an idea of the enemy placement, the layout of the area and which way leads where the decent/ascent becomes a lot easier. You know where the enemies are, how to lure them out in small packs, where there's a shortcut or a better path. The challenge it poses in the beginning also suits the area quite well: It's supposed to have that depressing feeling and it nails that.
The reason I truly live the area as much as I do however is it's visual design: four completely different environments clash here and it fits perfectly nontheless. There is a vast, poisoned, unyielding swamp at the bottom of it, however there are still trees to one side, a sign that nature can survive in this unfriendly environment, while to the other there is queelags lair with it's unsettling look. However, built on top of this environment is a huge wall of stone, held in place by gigantic arcs in a gothic style that support the weight of the mountain on top of or inside of which almost all of the other areas lie. And attached to said wall are the rugged, loose piles of wooden planks and sticks that cling to the rocks, so cluelessly attached and mapped out that it has the appearance of a slum that grew over time without planning or second thoughts. The sightlines down there, the harsh nature of the place and this clash of different environments, some man made, some natural, some... alien, make this a place I'm in awe of every time I come down there and I admire fromsoft for creating this masterpiece.
The frame rate on some devices sucks though. I happen to have a smooth one, it if you don't this turns this somewhat hard area into a nightmare.
hey demodcracy why dont you do a list of the hardest mob enemys
Fantastic video, and I'm not surprised to see Anor Londo take the W. That area is top notch
Wow, Blighttown didn't make it? I thought everyone loved that area, the frame rates is what made me love that area.
Painted world is good because of the way the level is designed imo. Walking in a straight path from the bonfire to the boss after you've opened the doors is brilliant. I didn't like it in my first playthrough but I've come to respect the design a lot more recently. Apart from the underground bit of course...
just filled dark souls 2 survey, fuck the iron passage.
Earth O' Pedia yup fuck that shithole
I have no hustle with the game, but pretty much every area was a dread to get by, well except Undead Burg and Undead Parish.
You underestimate the power of aesthetics.
I think Ariamis gets so much love because it feels kinda like a nostalgic throwback to 1-1 in demons souls. Complete with a cutscenes opening a straight shot to the boss.
Dark souls 2 Best: Dragon aerie
Worst: Iron Passage
Sorry I grew a tumor after I read iron passage
Iron Passage and Frigid Outskirts...
*Vietnam flashbacks*
N7pirate I forgot about Dragon Aerie, I love that place just as much as Eleum Loyce.
I love the elevator leading to dragon aerie.
For me
Best: Brume Tower
Worst: Black Gulch
For me, the reason I love the painted world is because it reminds me of demons souls. It's beautiful, the level has incredible design, and it has that "secret" feeling too it
The Painted World is so praised for its amazing level design, how well connected everything is and how exploring the area really feels rewarding. I like to challenge myself and explore it 100% and then go and kill Priscilla without resting at the bonfire everytime I play the game.
TheGrimHHH so you like going to down three different paths and have them lead you to the same place in an area that only takes like 1 minute to get through if you know the way. Yeah. For sure. Great level design there.
@@Outliers4Life literally almost all the areas in dark souls have only one path you can take , that also leds you to the same place.
And the 1 minute thing , is bullshit to leave the area takes at least 3 minutes (link me a guy who did it in one).
The whole area has: good lore, connection to one of the most mysterious characters (velka) , rewards explorers (you can find: 2 unique pyromancyes , one miracle , the invasion sign , velka's rapier and the invader), you need to go out of your way for all of the items. Also the all end in the same place, the game ends the same , always you go fight gwyn , the game has 2 paths and both end at the kiln.
If you say that gives the area bad level design , then the entire game is designed bad.
I personally enjoyed the Painted World because of how intricate and dense it is. It's relatively small, but it has a lot to discover, a great many paths to go through - it's Dark Souls 3 levels of density.
You forgot the Abyss, every dark mode user's wet dream
I feel like i’m the complete opposite in terms of what I look forward too in these games. For me personally, I prefer the areas and locations over boss fights. The boss fights are still really fucking fun, but i’ve always prioritized a good local then a good fight
Why is painted world so good? Great level design, an awesome secret level, whose way of being accessed is unmatched in DS2 or 3, lore implications galore involving one of the most mysterious and intriguing characters (Velka), and an optional boss fight in an optional area. The enemy encounters are fairly poor (crow enemies are annoying, hollow enemies are meh, pus things are no more interesting than hollow enemies if you have a fire weapon, but annoying if you don't, bonewheels are HOLY HELL MAKE IT STOP), but everything else about it is great. That being said, I do think that DS areas may not be judged purely for area quality though, nostalgia probably plays a part. For me, areas like painted world, great hollow, and ash lake are so memorable because, with DS1 being my first Soulsborne game, it was so mind boggling at the time that a developer would go to such lengths to hide extensive, quality content within its game. Ahhh, just typing this makes me want to boot up DS1 again.
Also, I'll say that while Anor Londo isn't my favorite area (top five, for sure though), I'm surprised it got as many votes as it did for worst area.
My personal favourite area in DS1 was darkroot garden, fighting those bandits really helped me out for PVP.
I know everybody is saying this but I mean it. Dark Souls 2 is my favorite souls game, period. I'm not gonna straight up say its "the best" since it does have a lot of large flaws, and some pretty bad areas. But the game to me, is one of the best I've ever played. The PvE was good, the bosses, although lazily designed sometimes, were for the most part amazing, and the greatest part of course, the multiplayer. The PVP in DS2 was and still is, amazing. By far there best in the entire series. There were so many weapons to choose from, and none really felt the same. I have been recently replaying this game on PS4 with friends, and it's one of the best times I've ever had. Combine that with amazing DLC, and a near perfect combat/PVP/invasion system (looking at you, poise, you beautiful bastard), and you have what makes (in my opinion) one of the best games in the series.
I honestly couldn't pick a favorite game
I prefer DS3.
Ds2 - in its scolar of the first sin form - is way too unbalanced. Normal enemies are brutal and gang up on you while bosses are the easiest in the series. I have nightmares from the 1-2 estus beginning, nightmares from heide knights and nightmares from a certain DLC. The DS games were always bad at fighting multiple enemies so dont make it the freaking core challenge.
Also jumping in a souls game as a required mechanic is not a good idea...
Besides that I enjoy the lore of DS1 and 3 much more.
I think DS2‘s combat at its core is pretty damn fun though.
Xaxar There were only 2 amazing bosses in Dark Souls 2. There were some good ones, but Fume Knight and Sir Alonne are the only two top tier bosses, and they're not even in the main game. Most were crap, DS2 has the worst bosses in the series. Also, Old Iron King was good, but not as good as Artorius of the Abyss or Ringed City because of how annoyingly Ganky it was, and the co-op areas sucking. Sunken King and Ivory King were very meh.
The atmospheric tension is what gets me with Painted World. It *feels* cold, dark, and quiet. Then of course there's the crows that fly up and squawk when you disturb them, and *holy crap there's giant demon versions of them aargh!*
And of course the level design is exemplary and you can thoroughly explore, opening up new doors/shortcuts that will lead you back to where you were. This was probably the most memorable game area from my first playthrough.
Question, why are the health bars yellow?
I may be misremembering, but I recall them being red, with lost health marked in yellow, and it seems to be opposite here.
Mods?
Wakka: Made in Yevon Yes
This was driving me insane throughout both videos xD
Oh thank god I thought I was going crazy
DSFIX for PC.
I am very happy you have continued the Best Areas for the Souls series, I really love the idea! Ash Lake is probably my personal favorite, because as you said, it's just so memorable. The endless expanse, the grand Arch Trees, and the haunting music. I just love it all so much. Very excited to see the Dark Souls II areas! The second game has some of my favorite areas in the whole series! :)
Why is the great hollow not considered an area? You didn't say anything about it being linked in the rankings with either blighttown or ash lake, so what gives?
*O P I n I O n s*
I knew Ash Lake wasn't going to top the list, what with it's sparse nature...
But it's the only place I warp back to frequently just to walk around. And the music takes on a whole new meaning as you stare down at poor, hollowed, defeated Onion Bro.
Dark Souls 2 areas I liked: Forest of Fallen Giants was a pretty amazing intro level. Heide's Tower Of Flame was intimidating and beautiful. Shrine Of Amana was beautiful even though it's design is kinda bad. I actually really like Iron Keep. Never played DLC.
Last Chance Breaker! Shrine of Amana is the absolute worst. Well, maybe not. Iron Passage and Frigid Outskirts are both legendary for how grueling they are.
Don't forget majula
Best hub area in the series
Luke Beall Shrine of Amana pre patch was fucking woeful. I feel that Frigid Outskirts was meh to bad. Mainly because of the random Rudolph the red nosed reindeer attacks and just how dull and barren it is. Fuck. That. Place.
You really need to play Scholar of the First Sin, mate. The DLC areas in DS2 are some of the best in the entire franchise (minus the side co-op areas ie Iron Passage, Frigid Outskirts and Cave of the Dead, which are incredibly difficult to do alone, but that's why they're co-op areas).
Dragon Aerie, Shrine of Amana, and Eleum Loyce.
Anor Londo is also kinda 2 maps in one after you send an arrow into the amazing chest. So it's double the value.
There is no black knight in Anor Londo, those are silver knights actually. I had to, I'm sorry. :)
The painted world ranked so high likely because the lore involved in it added such deep character to the area and context of the enemies. Priscilla being easy even kinda makes sense considering she doesn't want to fight, just be left alone
You're not alone, I don't get why Ariamis is so beloved either.
I played with the aggression mod permagravelorded with a friend in anor londo the other day and it was a freaking blast. Hard as HELL but definitely a blast. It was such a wonderful new experience with the game I have come to love over the years. We had to face an army of the Silver knights both normal and Gravelorded and trying to strategically manipulate them in such a way that we didn't get wrecked truly felt wonderful to best. So many close calls but we both eventually made it. It gave me even more love for such a wonderful area!
3:50 I think you men succeeds it lol
I honestly don't understand how Ash Lake isn't higher on the list. The first time I walked down the base of the tree, past the mushroom people and out onto that sandy beach while the incredible music played I was just completely blown away. The Hydra in the water, an endless ocean full of trees that each seemed like they hosted their own universe at the base of the world was fucking insane. I've booted the game and gone for a walk around that area just because it's so immersive. Expected it at the top of the list.
How does anor londo rank so high? Sure the part inside is ok but the outside part is honestly awful. Nothing works there.
Jason Hirt but it is Disneyland(I personally voe for sens though)
Jason Hirt awesome scenarios not like in most of the areas, the best difficulty peak in the game too, you fight the most difficult boss in the game( or the second) you can fight a freaking god or make a covenant with him, also best loot peak too, one of the biggest and most fun areas in the game, gives you the possibility to teleport after defeating the boss, and then... throw a single throwing knife to gwynvere and anorlondo will became darkness, and you just will see a lie, what really happens with the age of gods. Anyway, it has the most important lore in the game at all, as it was gwyn's come. And also it gives you the chance to enter in the top 2, Ariamis Painted World.
JAIME NIETO GÓMEZ and it gives u the reason to use the binoculars
EnsonTheVile beautiful xD just beautiful
Its without a doubt the peak of the game. And the painting is in there, so thats neat too.
I love a gorgeous game with amazing scenery and colors but i REALLY love when normal sized every day things are GIGANTIC just amazes me
Where is Valley of Drakes, the arguably best area in the series? come on man
Valley of Drakes served zero purpose other than as an area meant to connect a bunch of other ones, the painted world is by far the best.
@@Beanpolr Glad you got the joke.
It does feel incredibly satisfying returning to Firelink after some time. Whether it be a few minutes or a couple hours, it feels like coming home to put your feet up, collect your thoughts and prepare for the inevitable journey back out into the harsh world.
Mod squad where you at?
sometimes it's not about whats in a level. Ash Lake is one of my favorite levels because of the ascetics. the sheer size of the place, as well as the soundtrack and the sandy shores with the tower trees in the distance, this is a place I could just stare at. entering the Ash lake for the first time had me going "Wow..."
I cant believe that Anor Londo got placed at the number 1 spot. I really think its not that great except the boss fight at the end. Maybe I have such a bad opinion about it is because thats when dark souls kinda turned to shit after the almost perfect first half.
Anor Londo also unlocks fast travel which is a God send
Painted World is good for it's level design and asthetic, that's it.
"The level is good only because it's designed well"
Well golly gee
ezzerby This was kind of a stupid comment, but I don't like it's enemies or boss that much either. But I guess that doesn't account for the level itself.
"This tv is good at playing all sorts of video and audio, that's it."
To me, Painted World of Ariamis is one of the best areas of Dark Souls. This is partly because of the typical reasons: it's snowy, the area paths are well designed, it's hard if you casual through, but speed-running it is easy with the shortcuts that make it easy to pass, just like Catacombs.
I also like that it is not required. I recently went through it again for the first time since my first ever play-through (this is a couple of years difference). My experience was that Painted World is spooky and creepy (which I like), and I had my shield up the whole time, as I didn't remember where enemies are, and there are many corners they are hiding around.
So, I think playing the area every once in a while, so that you somewhat forget where stuff is, is the best way to experience it. Painted World feels like DLC to me (as in, different and cool) more that any other area in Dark Souls (besides the actual DLC).
The only thing I don't like is that all the loot in Painted World is useless, except to very specific builds.
Anor Londo is the most overrated area in the entire series, I truly can't for the life of me understand why people love it so much, aside from the O+S fight which has nothing to do with the actual area itself. The whole area is just a bunch of running down long bridges, archer spam, a tight rope walk where if you move an inch to the left or the right you die, and a boring indoor area where you kill some knights and move up spiral staircases until you get to the admittedly awesome boss fight.
Seriously people, that's why you love this area so much. Take out O+S and focus on just the level design of this area, and it's wildly mediocre. I challenge you to look at just this area by itself, focus on the level design as a whole compared to everything you did to get there, and take a second look and decide if this is REALLY as great an area as you think it is.
It is a really great area,specially because of the lore implications,it's an empty city/keep of godlike creatures...and these same creatures basicaly abandoned it because of how bad the situation is ,also the knights are stil only there because they believe Gwenyvere is still there,so in a mechanical/gameplay way is far from perfect but still good and from a lore standpoint its perfect so yes...it's the best area in Dark Souls 1
PS:You also see how the age of fire and lords is really fading when lights go out
I agree, It gets so boring and only new players would think it is exciting. The best area in the game is probably Ash Lake, it's so secret and mystical and it really has some nice, calm feel to it.
The level design isn't great at all.
The biggest reason why I like it so much is because of how grand and contrasting it is to the areas preceding it. In the undead parish, burg, asylum, depths, sens, and even blighttown on the ledges, it’s so small and claustrophobic. There’s an enemy like every 5 feet and the camera has been set so close to your character for a reason. These places, maybe not sens, are really filthy and showcase how humans were living as undead in lordran. In anor londo every guy is at least double sometimes triple your height but that is balanced by how open the area is. It showcases how luxurious the lords were living, even being gilded in sunset, and you get to see so much of it due to the long open walkways leading to the next powerful enemy instead of being distracted by constant combat. Also meeting gwynevere and the ability to warp instead of walking everywhere is icing on the cake for one of the hardest bosses in the game. All in all, it’s extremely beautiful to look at and the enemies are so different to what you’re used to.
One of the weirdest experiences whilst visiting anor londo for the first time was actually walking on carpets.
blighttown is the most underrated area in dark souls, the place has one of the best level design in the game and it also hold some of the best loots in the game like the light armor crimson set and wanderer set(when fully upgrade) and some of the best pyromancy like power within and fire tempest. Most people hate the area because it is very frustrating and keep getting trouble of being toxic by the blowdart zombie guy, but this can be prevented by keeping yourself cover and prevent fighting off enemy in open which provide some very interesting yet tactical challenge unlike the invisible road in the crystal cave.
Aw. I wish Firelink Shrine had gotten first.
Also, FUCK the Painted World. I didn't like it.
And I think everyone knew Anor Londo would be number one.
Good that you added 'I think' , because personally, my favorite area has GOT to be Sens Fortress.
I like the painted world because it’s so tightly designed, one bonfire, opening up doors to progress to the end, and good verticality and side content, it’s like a tiny little capsule of good level design within the game
Anor Londo is the best area in any blood souls game
Also the second time around?
In Dark Souls 1 it was. I was excited as hell when I found out it would make its return in Dark Souls 3, then immensely disappointed when I actually played through it. They randomly slapped the Cathedral alone on top of another city and called it Anor Londo, which made zero sense considering Anor Londo was an entire gigantic city on top of a mountain about as big as the one that the High Wall of Lothric is on. Not to mention that most of the cathedral was inaccessable and the little that was available was filled with annoying enemies. And don't even get me started on how they replaced Gwyndolin with one of the shittiest lore characters in all of Souls.
Lance
To be fair, it's literally been ages since we saw Anor Londo before then. The fact that a part of it's still standing is a miracle in and of itself (though I think Gwyndolin or Yorshka had a role in its persisting). Personally, it still left an impact for me, the kind like when you come home from a longand arduous journey and find out that your home's been pillaged and ransacked and one of your beloved friends has been killed and his body rotting out in the open. It's unforgettable once again but in a completely different way. It hurt to see it in a different way than other things in the series hurt.
Don't get me wrong, I'm still glad they included it, I just wish there was more of it, and that its odd placement would at least get an explanation of sorts. But yes, I also get an unpleasant feeling in my stomach when I look at what was once the pinnacle of the world crumbling and overrun by the unworthy. Which is actually somewhat funny, considering the Anor Londo in Dark Souls 1 was already long past its prime and abandoned by everyone but Gwyndolin, Smough and the Silver Knights protecting their illusionary Princess. I'd honestly love to see a Dark Souls prequel, just to witness Lordran in all its glory during the dawn of the Age of Fire. Prime Anor Londo and Izalith would be fascinating to see.
Lance
Aye
Also, the fact that you never mentioned Ornstein among those who remained is proof you do know your stuff xD
I looked high and low, I never found the Ash Lake. Its the one area that still eludes me in Dark Souls 1
These videos make it seem like Dem doesn't like any area... Always has something negative to say.
puffwad he praised the undead asylum quite a bit
Anor Londo was an aesthetically pleasing area, it had great pacing and lore behind it. The spiral stairs leads to some secrets, the pvp and the covenant dedicated to the area made it a very unique area. The game punishes you for killing gwyndolin and is a great way to show how the words are linked between the players. I would have liked a 'trial' with the 4 knights of Gwynn but in regards to the rest of the series, I would vote Cainhurst above it. Great video btw
did this fool just say he finds the enemies in the soul series, meh...?
I just want to share my experiences with Firelink Shrine. Prefacing this with the fact that this was my first experience with the Souls series and, arguably, my first experience with a game that is actually out to get you.
When I first got to Firelink, I didn't think much of it. It was the hub, I would be coming back here from time to time. However, I grew to enjoy the sense of security that it provided, the fact that it wouldn't try to kill you on sight.
Eventually, I found Lautrec. I didn't expect much of him, he was an NPC, he wouldn't do much. I beat the Gargoyles, then headed back to Firelink, because I thought the New Londo Ruins would be the next area. I get to the Shrine, and, as a matter of habit, go to rest at the bonfire. But then I can't. I didn't draw the connection for some time, because I had never seen Lautrec at the Shrine before. When I learned, revenge against him was one of the things I wanted most.
So, I continue on, making Andre's bonfire my new home. I braved the Depths, defeated Quelaag, found my covenant, and opened Sen's Fortress. On my trek back, I noticed something as I passed through Firelink, something I hadn't felt before. Loss. At this point, I realized how masterfully crafted the story of this game was. I felt actual emotion, some of the most I'd ever felt in a game, from the loss of a checkpoint. But the game, just through the way it worked, made it more than that.
I ****ing love this game.
:ok_hand:
For me, the Painted World stuck out so much because it was really complex-ish, and felt like I was exploring a castle to an extent. On top of which, it felt like a treasure hunt, and leading hosts through the world to get all of the treasure before we finally took on the boss was extremely rewarding. Literally the only part I don't like about it is the bonewheels, even though I like where you fight them. And I guess the poison-on-death guys if you're not using fire, who shoot shit at you, but still.
For someone who makes so many soulsbourne videos, you’re incredibly negative about much of these games. Even the positive areas are peppered with comments about how annoyed you are with having to traverse them or how annoying the enemies are. I can’t even watch the “worst” list videos bc they’re so filled with needless gamerage. Very unbalanced
Both Oolacile Township and The Painted World are extremely atmospheric locations in my opinion. Whereas Ash Lake and Anor Londo are awe-inspiring, the township and Painted World are creepy and unsettling, partly thanks to the sound design. I also think the Painted World is an exellently designed level. While Anor Londo is pretty linear, the Painted World is like a microcosm of the entire world design of Dark Souls.
Man watching these most recent DeMod souls vids has really made me realize how utterly sick of the franchise I am these days. I went from a big fan of them to just......completely burnt out and tired of these games. I hope the series goes into dormancy for a while.
you can play other game too.... no one is forcing you to play dks
DS 3 was the last game in the Dark Souls series, 1 more DLC then we are done.
It sounds like your attitude needs some...calibrations. :P
After Ornstein and Smough, I fell in love with this game and the series. After every new installment, I hope to get another one soon enough so I can relive the massive joy i got after defeating OnS for the first time, even hoping the new dark souls would have a rehash fight of some sort just to experience it all over again. This is my favourite gaming series and game to date and it is all thanks to the Anor Londo bit and OnS bit. Making people want a boss fight like OnS and challenge like Dark Souls in every other game is what only a handful of games can achieve and I am glad that I experienced it.
Anor Londo: so top they brought it in a second time
And in true Dark Souls fashion they crushed it so hard it's difficult not to cry
Best areas for me:
-Darkroot garden: Love the atmosphere; so dark and ominous yet it feels like YOU are the one breaking the uneasy peace. Also, the PVP memories are awesome.
-New Londo: again, awesome atmosphere and sense of foreboding, it feels like you are never going to see the safety of firelink again. The darkwraiths are fun as fuck to parry and it is an awesome spot to farm souls and titanite chunks/slabs. But god help you if you stumble upon it early game.
Worst areas:
-Tomb of the giants: the atmosphere is rubbish, the enemies do ridiculous damage and you can't see them coming, and most people will have to resort to the internet to figure out how the fuck you are supposed to have a source of light.
-The depths: Rubbish enemies (except for the butchers), an underwhelming boss, and you the fucking WORST boss to gain entry to it. Plus you need to go there if you want to upgrade your weapons past +5.
Anor Londo would be best if it wasn't for those fucking archers. Died to them more on my first playthrough than literally ANY boss.
Almost at 100,000 subs bro! keep it up!
Ash Lake is my favourite one, the design being so beutiful feels like reward for reaching it.
I think most fans love the Painted World for its lore and the feeling the environment evokes. Also there's just something cool about "a world inside a painting". So, I'd say that it's the most 'endearing' area for fans, if such thing could exist in a Soulsborne universe.
Yeah Ash Lake was hard to forget on my first playthrough... Died about a dozen times while cursed trying to get out.
just got artorias to 1 health on my first playthrough fighting him and got killed, and now my whole body is shaking.