The hardest, longest, and most stressful dungeons in gaming
We’ve all been there: straining our eyes in the dimly lit corridors of a dungeon, desperately trying to find our way around while fighting off enemies. Dungeons are among the most iconic locations in video games, but which of these dark, dank, and dangerous halls stand out as a real challenge?
To give you some ideas for your next gaming binge, we’ve collected some of the most challenging dungeons from around PC gaming, from the Pitioss Ruins in Final Fantasy XV to the horrifying Ruins in the elder game Rend. From classic World of Warcraft dungeons to recent Destiny raids, here are some of the most difficult dungeons in gaming.
The longest and most difficult dungeons in gaming are:
Pitioss Ruins
The Pitioss Ruins are unlike anything else in Final Fantasy XV. This dungeon takes you through a series of bizarre and unique rooms that challenge you with platforming, puzzles, and hordes of enemies. Our own Tom S gets to the bottom of the Pitioss Ruins, and recalls how it took him eight hours to clear.
King Nole’s Labyrinth
The Landstalker King Nole’s Labyrinth is another notable dungeon, taking up five hours of your life as you navigate its twisting paths and hordes of monsters. The twist, as one of our users points out, is that you’re never in doubt as to whether or not you’ve been in this dungeon before. The labyrinth layout is always the same, forcing you to rely on audio cues to navigate your way to the exit.
Blackrock Depths
This dungeon from the original World of Warcraft is the biggest in the game, and is known for being one of the longest, too. Few players manage to get through it without taking a break. One user writes: “We had to rest at the entrance. We all took a break, grabbed some food, and then came back”.
Siege of Orgrimmar and Naxxramas
Many users mention Vanilla World of Warcraft dungeons like the Siege of Orgrimmar and classic Naxxramas as contenders for difficult dungeons. One user writes: “Siege of Orgrimmar and Naxxramas were pretty tough”, with another adding that the original Naxxramas is “the granddaddy of them all”.
Skyrim dungeons
Skyrim’s Dwemer ruins and Blackreach are frequently mentioned in the thread as some of the most challenging and stressful dungeons in video games. “The Dwemer ruins, Blackreach, and all the other Skyrim dungeons are stressful”, writes one user, while another adds: “I remember getting lost in the Deep Roads”, referring to Dragon Age: Origins’ underground tunnels.
D&D
D&D’s Tomb of Annihilation and Undermountain are two of the toughest Dungeons & Dragons modules. One user says, “I got through Tomb of Annihilation, but Undermountain is still a bit much”. Another writes: “I played a one-shot of Tomb of Annihilation and nearly had a heart attack!”
World’s Largest Dungeon
The World’s Largest Dungeon is a classic D&D module, designed to be even longer than Undermountain. It is described as “the equivalent of four Undermountains”, and is too difficult for many D&D players.
White Palace
Hollow Knight’s White Palace is praised for its challenging platforming sequences. One user writes: “The White Palace in Hollow Knight is one I’ll never forget because of the insane platforming it has.”
Bitterblack Isle
Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen takes Bitterblack Isle from Dragon’s Dogma and expands it into one of the most challenging dungeon crawling experiences you can get. One user writes: “Bitterblack Isle was tough. Really tough.”
Climatrol
Phantasy Star II’s Climatrol is a highlight of the classic 16-bit RPG. The fourth and final dungeon, Climatrol is a huge, vertically-scrolling area that sees the party taking on a sinister, sentient weather-controlling force. The battle itself is tough enough, but the platforming sequences required to reach the top of Climatrol are enough to give anyone a heart attack.
Ikuto
Climatrol is not the only Phantasy Star dungeon to make this list. Ikuto from Phantasy Star IV is also remembered as a challenging dungeon from the series. One user writes: “Ikuto from PSIV. That place was really hard.”
Outbreak Prime
The Destiny raid, The Crown of Thorns, is remembered as a fun and exciting gaming experience by many users. Some, though, write about their difficulty in beating the Outbreak Prime in The Crown of Thorns. “I remember The Crown of Thorns and the Outbreak Prime being a nightmare”, writes one user.
Mt. Moon
Mt. Moon is one of the first places you visit in Pokémon Red/Blue. You know it’s going to be tough because your rival is there before you. Mt. Moon is a classic maze-like dungeon that sees your inexperienced trainer taking on wild Rattata, Zubats, and Geodudes.
