Going through Anor Londo is a requirement in both games; in Dark Souls, the protagonist must explore it to retrieve a powerful magic item, the Lordvessel, that allows them to progress the story.

Sulyvahn would later be allied with Aldrich, Devourer of Gods, a former human cleric who mutated into an amorphous blob due to his cannibalism, and one of the five Lords of Cinder resurrected to link the First Flame.

Comparing it to the Divine Comedy, and the strata traversed by Dante in the poem, they equated Anor Londo with Heaven, and that it therefore "makes sense that it's the one area in the game you are incapable of reaching by your own agency".

[1] Calling the first glimpses of Anor Londo "dazzling", they state that since Dark Souls is "so bleak at times, so starved of warmth and light", the city's beauty "seems almost eye-shadingly pornographic".

[9] Patrick Klepek of Kotaku called the appearance of Anor Londo in Dark Souls III a "highlight" of his playthrough and the city's architecture "beautiful" and "haunting".

[10] Den of Geek called Anor Londo one of "gaming's greatest levels", saying that it "represents the core appeal of Dark Souls", by being designed to "intimidate and impress" the player, as well as being full of mysteries.

IGN's Chiloi Rad calling it the "singularly defining encounter in the whole of the first Dark Souls", and the staff considered it one of the most unforgettable video game moments of all time.

[12] Mark Serrels of Kotaku called the fight "perhaps the most notorious boss battle in Dark Souls", and stated that he felt "pure zen" when he beat it, confident that he was going to win after many repeated attempts.

[13] Joe Donnelly of PC Gamer called the duo one of the best Dark Souls bosses, and "one of the series' most epic showdowns", adding that "my own inability to topple them keeps me coming back for more".

[14] Derek Swinhart of Game Informer noted that Ornstein and Smough "have become referenced far outside of their origins", adding that the fight "remains challenging and incredibly satisfying years later, and even veteran players can't let their guard down".