It's funny how much I enjoy reading posts like this because I remember feeling exactly the same way with this game. Very possibly the very GOAT now that I have a couple of years of perspective.

I lost all my video gaming time to a more demanding job + 1st kid, haven't played nearly any games at all since DS1, certainly nothing memorable. Eagerly anticipating the day I can buy a PS4 (or 5) and run through DS2, DS3 and BB.

explored depths, fell somewhere, it was going fine, got invaded, beaten the guy but I was still roaming around trying to find exit or bonfire, ran into Gaping Dragon with 16k souls. Obviously lost it, Phantom died super fast. Hoped to get the souls back and tele the hell out of it (ran from Firelink) but obviously died on the way. **** this amazing game.

sigh, and now got cursed, another 6k souls gone, I feel like wasting time.

edit: aha! at least I can fight new londo ruins ghosts without the item, nice.

There's a bonfire in the Depths fairly close to the Gaping Dragon. You shouldn't have had to start all the way from Firelink.

I think I found that area today behind the white wall but I died and got cursed so started new londo instead.

gosh, got cursed again, this is really tiresome.

"What is bravery, without a dash of recklessness"

Basilisks are the absolute worst

Gaping dragon is one of my favorite bosses in the game though

Man, getting uncursed is a real PITA. I bought Crystal Shield and Sword (and also could afford helmet from Depths vendor) and I'm doing much more dmg to the ghosts but it's still very hard to get to Ingward. I even tried running past all of the ghosts but I get raped on the last chimney ladder. And I refuse to go back to chapel area to buy Purgent Stone for 3k souls... I'll be probably trying NLR till I get super frustrated and decide it's not worth the time.

There's a female undead merchant in the sewer tunnel on the way to The Depths who sells Purging Stones.

Basilisks and their curse effect are among the few things about DS that are downright cheap and unfair. Being cursed was even worse pre-patch when only the chapel merchant sold purging stones and they cost 6k.

Yeah, I was aware of it. After a few unsuccessful attempts at clearing NLR with half HP (despite having it done already once) I went to Oswald and bought the stone from him. Turns out I remembered today I had forgotten about the elevator leading to the church, mostly because I've done this part a few months ago before I quit because of Capra Demon. So, thanks to Weev's advice I decided to get Ingward to Firelink. He told me about the key and the gate. I was like 'whoa I must have missed it'. So I spent today on clearing NLR today, finally did it. Couldn't find any gate, there was one with a table behind it, talked to Ingward nothing. I talked to Weev 'hey man I can't find the gate'. It turned out I found it and the key I was supposed to have is given after obtaining Lordvessel. Thanks Weev. 'Well I never went there before obtaining it apparently' Yeah that's great.

The only good side to this that now I have 15k souls and I can go to Depths vendor to buy the armor (even though Weev says it doesn't matter, but screw him and his advice). He has all of the achievements in the game.

I guess I should work on Gaping Dragon now, possibly with two of the phantoms.

I've found you are better off with just one phantom. Each additional phantom raises the HP of the boss and I think it's a little easier with just one phantom.

Gaping isn't too tough though so you shouldn't have much of a problem.

Enjoy the next area!!!

Didn't know phantoms have such effect on hp.

Yeah, obviously have heard about it. Doesn't seem as bad, the halberd is doing well so far.

Are you playing online? I would like to invade you.

Yeah but doing Blighttown as hollow.

Blighttown was pretty rough on me the first time around...sht even the next time around it was still a bit rough in a few spots. Those damn flying mosquitos are a pain in the ass.

I've finished Blighttown, again wasn't that bad, I felt it was rather fair and interesting, definitely enjoyed it. I don't enjoy running from bonfire to Quelaag though. Working on her atm.

**** Quelaag, not even close, and you can't easily redo the fight because it's relatively far both effort and distance wise. Sigh. Going elsewhere.

What the hell? Went back to Firelink, Fire Keeper lady dead, bonfire dead?

If I'm remembering correctly the bonfire in the bottom Blighttown shouldn't be that far from Quelaag. Are you using the correct bonfire down by the swamp at the bottom?

Yeah bonfire should be really close and all thats in the way is some swamp trekking and two boulder bros.

Yeah, and always getting poisoned despite taking shortest way, I looked up the map

This made my day.

Not sure how spoiler heavy you want to get, but the fire keeper

Some people have enough patience to avoid spoiling stuff in Dark Souls, I wasn't one of them and I suspect a lot of people that think they are just end up getting frustrated and quit