Few games excel at interconnected levels as well as Dark Souls. This series has mastered fair difficulty and beautiful levels that lead to each other in surprising ways.
This wouldn’t be as impactful if not for the levels themselves being great. Most locations in the Dark Souls franchise are well made and distinct from each other. One of the best examples of this is Anor Londo, a zone so distinct that it returned in Dark Souls 3 with few changes. From references to the first game to inspirations for the zone, here are 10 things many fans never noticed about Anor Londo in Dark Souls 3.
10 Same Dark Anor Londo From The First Game
Most Dark Souls fans will immediately notice that the Anor Londo in Dark Souls 3 is the same version from the first game, but with a darker ambiance.
What some fans might not know is that the Anor Londo from the first Dark Souls could also have this dark ambiance. Slaying the illusion of Gwynevere where players obtain the Lordvessel will cause Anor Londo to fall into darkness just like it is in Dark Souls 3. Ultimately, the Anor Londo of both games is the same.
9 Defeating Aldrich With Anri
Anri of Astora has a questline that can branch at various steps throughout the quest. Their ultimate goal is to slay Aldrich at Anor Londo, something players can help them with.
As long as the player is Embered, they can find Anri’s summoning sign right outside of Anor Londo’s gates. Slaying Aldrich with Anri will reward the player with their sword as a token of thanks. Players who slay Aldrich before touching Anri’s summoning sign will miss this step altogether.
8 Hidden Marriage Ceremony
If Anri’s quest takes a darker turn, players can end up marrying them at a hidden location directly below Anor Londo.
From the main bonfire, head down the elevator towards a giant circular room with a statue of Gwyn. Striking this statue reveals the boss arena of Gwyndolin from the first Dark Souls. Players at a certain point in Anri’s quest can choose to marry her at this location to unlock an alternate ending.
7 Giant Blacksmith
Entering Anor Londo for the first time involves walking by a dead giant. This isn’t a random giant, but rather a friendly blacksmith that players would frequent in the first Dark Souls.
Andre confirms this when players return the Giant’s Coal to him, stating that he misses the giant and knows him from a long time ago.
6 Leonhard Invasion
Leonhard is a less than trustworthy character players meet early on in Dark Souls 3. He teaches players how to invade other worlds using Red Eye Orbs, but a quest is also tied to this NPC many don’t know about.
Rosaria ends up getting betrayed by Leonhard. He takes refuge in Anor Londo once the betrayal occurs, which players can use as an opportunity for justice. Finding a Black Eye Orb and using it after the Aldrich fight will spawn players in Leaonhard’s world similar to a PvP invasion. Slaying him rewards Rosaria’s Soul that can be used to bring her back to life or to create Bountiful Sunlight.
5 Can See Archdragon Peak
The worlds of Dark Souls are all interconnected in some way. Dark Souls 3 might be much more linear than past entries, but it still does a great job at conveying future locations through distant terrain.
A great example of this is the landscape surrounding Anor Londo. Players can see where they’ve been but with no clear direction on where to go next. As a subtle nod to the hidden zone, players can see Archdragon Peak to the right of the cathedral atop distant mountains. This is a great way to show perceptive players that there is a hidden zone in the game to explore.
4 Hidden Covenant
Many of Dark Souls 3’s Covenants are hidden away from the player, the Blades of the Darkmoon being no exception.
Walking to the elevator behind the Anor Londo bonfire and walking down its steps will reveal a nearby tower. Players can walk on thin air to get near the tower and drop down onto it. From there, an NPC can be talked to that will grant players access to the Blades of the Darkmoon Covenant. They are functionally identical to the Blue Sentinels, summoning players to invaded worlds while equipped to defend hosts.
3 Hidden Painting Guardian Set
Right behind Company Captain Yorshka is a series of wooden beams that go straight down the giant tower she resides in. Using light armor or the Silvercat Ring will allow players to safely head down the tower.
A few items can be looted along the way, one of which is the Painted Guardian set. This armor is the same as the Painting Guardians that protected Anor Londo in the first Dark Souls.
2 Aldrich Consumed Gwyndolin
Players rarely get to closely inspect Aldrich, since the boss frequently moves around. Upon close inspection, those who beat the first Dark Souls will notice that Aldrich looks oddly similar to Gwyndolin.
That’s because Aldrich is using Gwyndolin’s corpse as a puppet. Some of the attacks Aldrich does are quite similar to what Gwyndolin did in the first game. Considering the hundreds of bones atop the sludge in the arena, it isn’t far fetched to believe that Aldrich consumed every living thing in Anor Londo to grow in power.
1 Inspired By A Real Cathedral
Reality can sometimes be even stranger than fiction. What many believe to be one of Dark Souls’ most over-the-top locations is based almost entirely on reality.
The Milan Cathedral in Milan, Italy is one of the largest cathedrals in the world that From Software took direct inspiration from when designing Anor Londo. The flying buttresses and spires that make Anor Londo so distinct from the rest of Dark Souls 1 and 3’s locations are also one of the most recognizable aspects of the Milan Cathedral. Anor Londo isn’t the only location that was based on a real place, either. Most of Dark Souls 1’s locations are based somewhat on a real place.
NEXT: Dark Souls: The 10 Hardest Achievements To Get
