While Dark Souls 2 is often viewed as the black sheep of the series, some are fond of the game. However, even the biggest Dark Souls 2 fans likely despise The Gutter, and one player captured some footage of a particularly rough experience they had here.
FromSoftware games usually have two types of areas that frustrate players: poison-filled locations and spots that are incredibly dark. The Gutter and the Black Gulch it leads into combine both of these heavily disliked mechanics, making for a section of Dark Souls 2 that most fans dread. As if The Gutter’s darkness was not annoying enough, the fact that it demands a lot of platforming from players on top of that makes it a chore to get through. Unfortunately, this is where Redditor ghost-hardware017 struggled.
The clip in question sees the player attempted to run through The Gutter, with viewers quickly realizing why they were “a bit salty.” After moving around a jar, they spot an unlit bonfire. Thinking they are safe, they walk straight toward it, but unfortunately it turns out to be a bit of a troll. As soon as they get close to the bonfire, they fall through a gap between the floor they were on and the bonfire’s platform, learning that one final jump was needed to make it to the other side.
While there have been plenty of heartbreaking moments shared by FromSoftware fans, this one is particularly tragic because of how close the player was to reaching the bonfire. It feels like a cruel trick to hide one final jump in the darkness, and while the player would likely not make the same mistake twice, they will have to traverse through the Gutter again in order to reclaim their lost souls and properly activate the bonfire. Fortunately, most of the comments reminded them of how they should be approaching the area.
As pointed out by HobbzTheHammer, FromSoftware placed a lot of emphasis on lighting with the second game in the Dark Souls trilogy. As a result, they say the Redditor should use a torch, something several other commenters mention - with some shocked that the player would be willing to enter The Gutter without a torch in hand. While ghost-hardware017 shares that they wanted to use dual swords, sacrificing a cool build may be worth it for this particular section. Despite the criticism, though, commenters did enjoy the fail enough to give the post over 700 upvotes.
Overall, the clip is a good reminder that Dark Souls 2’s bosses are far from the only threat gamers have to deal with. Next time players head into The Gutter, they should be sure to have a torch equipped so that they do not suffer a similar fate.
Dark Souls 2 is available now on PC, PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, and Xbox One.