10 Times Dark Souls Games BRUTALLY Tricked You

FromSoftware's acclaimed selection of Soulsborne games have become renowned for many reasons. Alongside being known for eye-widening art design that merges dark fantasy and gothic horror to create worlds that are both beautiful, bleak, and massive in scope, these games excel in creating level design that's as intricate as its world-building and lore.

However, if these games have become recognised for anything, it’s their brutal difficulty. Whether it’s punishing players for getting a little too overconfident or requiring learning move sets and dodge timings to finally overcome a tough boss, FromSoftware’s portfolio of games continues to prove to be a tough challenge for even the most veteran players. But the Soulsborne series’ difficulty comes in another, much crueller form.

Whenever the developers aren’t throwing nightmarish monsters in players’ paths, they’re duping them with traps and other nasty surprises throughout these games too.

While enemy ambushes and the notorious mimic chests are expected parts of these games, FromSoftware have deployed more imaginative varieties of trickery to keep players on their toes and make overcoming the challenge that little bit more satisfying.

Be wary of minor spoilers ahead for the Dark Souls trilogy, Bloodborne, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, and Elden Ring.

Sen's Fortress in Dark Souls is this game's equivalent of a funhouse., except the surprises players will find inside are anything but fun.

Located across a bridge near friendly blacksmith Andre in the Undead Parish and accessible only after ringing two bells, this place is comprised almost exclusively of traps.

There are pendulums swinging over narrow walkways, pressure plates that shoot arrows, a boulder rolling down the main staircase, and pitfalls. Sen's Fortress is even the first place where players encounter a mimic. But none of these are as deviously cruel as one lift found next to where players meet the mimic.

In Dark Souls, the discovery of a lift means potentially finding a path forward or a vital shortcut. However, noticing this particular lift is splattered in gore should warn players that there's some foul play going on here.

While this lift will take players to the floor above, loitering on the platform for a second too long will spell a quick death. Moments after arriving at the next floor, giving players only a brief window to disembark, the lift will swiftly transport the unfortunate rider straight into an awaiting and unavoidable spike trap.