Gamers: Least favorite level/dungeon/area in a game?

[Joe the Destroyer]

Even the best games have levels that stick in your craw.  Sometimes it's the tricky design, sometimes it's a new stipulation added to the level that kicks your ass, or sometimes the game is just being unfair and the new level takes that unfairness to all time highs.  In any case, here's the place to document your tales of insanity and high blood pressure.

Ninja Gaiden- Level 6-2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RcXlETxFLqo

filmnstuff pretty well discusses the fine points of aggravation in this level.  It's at this point that the game throws the smallest platforms at you with copious amounts of erratically moving enemies (like those damn birds!) that respawn continuously if their respawn point is right on the edge of the screen.  I can't remember how many hours it took me to complete this.  6-3 is far less irritating, thankfully, but right afterward is the final boss.  Get a game over on that guy and guess where you start.  Yeah, level 6-1.  You have to do 6-2 all over again.  Screw that.  For me, Ninja Gaiden ends right after you beat Bloody Malth.

Final Fantasy VI- Cultists' Tower (aka Fanatics' Tower)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dfjs0pc81Hs

This homicide inducing dungeon has killed me so many times.  For starters, it's straightforward.  All you do is ascend floor-by-floor to the top of the tower, stop maybe now and then to check a treasure box, and then descend again.  You cannot fight or use special abilities here, but can use magic and items.  Enemies, likewise, only use magic.  Ascending takes forever, especially when you're constantly stopping to fight enemies and can only kill them with magic.  It also doesn't help that many of the enemies have Reflect cast on them, meaning they can send your spells right back at you, leaving you to use Reflect yourself.  Should you forget to cast Float on your party, you will be screwed.  One enemy uses Quake quite often, which pretty much wipes your party out unless you're an insanely high level.  The apex of the tower features a tough boss battle with an enemy that changes his weakness any time he is hit by a spell of any kind.  If you don't have Flare or Ultima, you'll be in for a very long battle.  Alright, boss defeated, all's well right?  Just use Teleport and we'll be- Oh, s**t, you can't use Teleport.  You have to descend the whole way back down and hope you don't get killed in the process.  Never mind that a regular enemy you fight near the top of the tower is one called L. 90 Magic, which can hit you with multi-target spells that you cannot reflect back (Meteor, anyone?). 

I almost want to list a level from 8 Eyes, but that would be every freakin' level.

[indianasmith]

In Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind, when you go to do the Bloodmoon Prophecies expansion, you have to find the six Earth Stones on Solstheim and use them to restore the harmony to the land.  They are the Earth Stone, the Wind Stone, the Beast Stone, the Sun Stone, the Tree Stone, and the Water Stone.  Long and rather boring set of quests - although the Cave of the Giant Farts - I mean, the Cave of the Earth Music - is kinda fun!

In OBLIVION, I never really liked the Knights of the Nine Expansion.  LOVED Shivering Isles.  LOVED the Lost Spires.  But just didn't care for the whole Knights of the Nine Quest line.

[Mr. DS]

Actually Joe I'd nominate any level past the first one on Ninja Gaiden for NES.  I have bite marks on my NES controller from that game.  I beat it once, never went back.

The annoying dream sequences in Max Payne part one annoy me and give me a headache with all the damn baby whining.

[Doggett]

Easiest question EVER

Control in GoldenEye for the N64.

AAARRRGGGGHHHHHHHHHHH 

As a kid I hated that ! I've never pleayed the game as an adult for all I know I could do it rather easily now, but it took over a year to do that level.
My sis then deleted the save files and, I kid you not, I cried.
I wept. 

[SPazzo]

Well, I"m not much of a gamer, but I'd say levels 8 and 12 of Max Dirt Bike are a real britch! 

[InformationGeek]

Super Mario Galaxy 2 has a ton of levels that spring to mind (any stupid level with Fluzzard), but the most hateful level that has made me explode with rage was bonus star called Silver Stars of Purple Pond.  Died 14 times, an all time record for me for any game.

[Couchtr26]

Ghosts 'n Goblins Third level can't make it past the multiple gargoyles and still have never done it. 

Final Fantasy original the final boss was never able to beat it. 

The 7th Saga (SNES) most of the game because the difficulty level is never on par with your skill level.  You have to grind to level up constantly.  When you do, if you meet a fellow traveler, they are always levels above you. 

Call of Duty: WAW  Final mission on veteran limited travel and multiple grenades make it a tough one. 

Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts (SNES) first level never made it further after renting the game for a week. 

Ninja Gaiden never bothered me that much.  Not that it isn't hard but persistence pays off on the game. 

There is quite a few more but will need to think of things that have bothered me more then those listed. 

[retrorussell]

Many levels in Tower of Druaga were so irritating.  Kinda gave up on that one.
For the longest time I had RIDICULOUS difficulty with the underwater scene in God Of War where the giant press comes after you.  I finally beat it but I would not play that area again if you paid me.
The birds in Ninja Gaiden was a good choice.
I hated the dropping platforms in Mega Man on Gutsman's stage for many a month before I finally got the hang of it.
Also in the Mega Man series: The DISAPPEARING BLOCKS!  AAARRRRGGHH!!!

[Leah]

Gloria's level in Psychonauts was just plain dumb.

[InformationGeek]

Gloria's level in Psychonauts was just plain dumb.

Actually, that was kind of cool, but strangely enemy free for quite a bit.  Now if we are talking about the Meat Circus... *shudder*

[Leah]

Gloria's level in Psychonauts was just plain dumb.

Actually, that was kind of cool, but strangely enemy free for quite a bit.  Now if we are talking about the Meat Circus... *shudder*

that part was kinda fun, though! Not as fun as, say THe Milkman Conspiracy or Black Velvetia or Waterloo....

[Couchtr26]

Many levels in Tower of Druaga were so irritating.  Kinda gave up on that one.
For the longest time I had RIDICULOUS difficulty with the underwater scene in God Of War where the giant press comes after you.  I finally beat it but I would not play that area again if you paid me.
The birds in Ninja Gaiden was a good choice.
I hated the dropping platforms in Mega Man on Gutsman's stage for many a month before I finally got the hang of it.
Also in the Mega Man series: The DISAPPEARING BLOCKS!  AAARRRRGGHH!!!

I agree with God of War having some moments but for me it was the Ring section side game.  There was a point where you just have to fight and I keep running out of time to beat it.  

Super Empire Strikes Back, Han Solo in the rebel base.  Not impossible but it will make or break the game for you depending on how easily you get through.

Batman (NES) boss before the Joker

Final Fight (SNES) last two levels.  

Crawmerax on Borderlands.  Yeah, that is some tough stuff.  

Last level of Medal of Honor: Airborne.  Limited health and those Nazis with the armor.  

Mega Man 2: referring back to the quote on Mega Man series.  A few points, 1) Quickman while Flashman's weapon makes it easy, I tried for nearly 20 years to get through that without using and finally got the hang and got through.  2) That dragon boss for Dr. Wily's first stage.  It isn't truly difficult but you get a rhythm going and suddenly must wait for the block to appear to jump.  It will surprise you if you aren't prepared for it.  

7th Guest, I remember quite a few puzzles being cryptic and one where you had to write a message with ys as the only vowel but can't remember the message for the life of me.  

Tex Murphy I had no game at the age of 11 and was having a lot of difficulty getting the secretary to give me information.  

Wolfenstein 3D, the mutants.  They can be tough if you are unprepared for them.  

Oblivion aiming that arrow shot for the Thieves Guild.

[Zapranoth]

Ugh.

The part of Ghouls 'n Ghosts when you're on the back of the big giant slug, that spawns flying worms that you must dodge, while trying to shoot out the worm under your feet.    Fiendishly hard.

(skip to 6:15, although the whole game is  horrifyingly hard)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6hM20M2px3g

THEN, the realization that after you finish all the levels in that game once... you have to do it ALL AGAIN.

The end of "Crime Fighters" totally sucked.  It was just a blatant attempt to get you to quarter-push (that is what we called it when a game just makes you pump credits to win.)  The "boss rush."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yahniZfXkR0&feature=related

[Zapranoth]

Level 42 of Bubble Bobble was pretty awful, too.  Particularly because you wanted to survive (without any lives lost) to level 50 (to get a warp to level 70).      My partner and I beat the game on a credit each a number of times, though!   

[Jack]

The Vettel Challenge in GT5 was ridiculous.  Here's a guy beating it by one one-thousandth of a second - after 8 hours of trying.  Oh, that's just one of three challenges you have to pass.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=of2YVO_bQ4c