10 Amazing Video Game Items (That Actually Curse You)

Soul Edge is an iconic weapon from the Souls series of fighting games. Starting life as an ordinary sword, it slowly morphed into a demonic weapon after drawing blood and being wielded in hatred for its entire life. It now sports a polished, blood-red blade and an animated eye, giving it a creepy, Lovecraftian look.

Which, given what it does to the user, is appropriate.

For most people who pick up the sword, they quickly find that the tremendous power and damage that Soul Edge gives is offset by the fact that it constantly drains the user's health / life. Logically, the sword also lets you regain health proportionate to the damage you inflict during combat. So, the more you hurt others, the less you hurt yourself.

The sword drastically changes the gameplay style, necessitating that the player constantly be attacking in order to keep their health bar up. If you as the player stand still, or even slow down, Soul Edge will inevitably eat away at your health until you die.

The weapon has some other unpleasant side effects as well. In the Souls canon, the sword can take possession of bodies to bring out their darker, more violent sides, it can animate the dead, and it changes shape depending on who wields it.

An outstanding piece of armament, yes, but as long as you use Soul Edge it is inexorably killing you, hatred filling its all-seeing eye.