6. Bell Gargoyles (Dark Souls)
The fight against the Bell Gargoyles in Dark Souls is a special one for a couple of reasons. First, it’s the first real difficulty spike in the game. Up till this point, first-time players have only faced the Asylum Demon and the Taurus Demon. These guys are formidable, but their attacks are easy to read, and therefore it’s easy to take advantage of their obvious openings. The Bell Gargoyle hits hard, and its swooping attacks can send you back to the previous bonfire faster than you can say ‘YOU DIED’.
The second reason is in the name itself. Bell Gargoyles. When you enter the arena, there’s only one boss and one life bar. As soon as you get used to his moves and start whittling his health down, the game senses that you’re getting comfortable and decides to throw you a curveball. There are actually two Bell Gargoyles.
The fight gets more unpredictable as you now have to keep an eye on two equally dangerous enemies. That ‘oh, shit’ moment when the second Gargoyle joins the fight remains one of the most memorable experiences from my first playthrough.
