A fashion display, of all things, has been giving Dark Souls players flashbacks this week. It all began when a user on X drew attention to Japanese clothing chain Uniqlo’s unusual way of showcasing their new range of spring sweaters.

入店したら急にダークソウル始まったんだけど、とりあえず装備全部脱いで軽ロリできるようにしておけばいい？ pic.twitter.com/2msGYLo60P
— 杏仁まぜそば (@an_nindouph) January 28, 2024

Post translation: Went into the store and suddenly I’m in Dark Souls. Should I drop my armor and do some light rolls?

It seems the sight of all this swinging knitwear is taking players right back to the infamous pendulum axes found in Sen’s Fortress, an extremely difficult dark castle found in the first Dark Souls game. The player must time their slow walk along the narrow path just right to avoid becoming minced meat. In places where there’s not enough space to stop between the pendulums, it’s best to unequip armor so you can carefully light roll past. This seems to be the recommended strategy for swinging sweaters too.

Apparently, this display can be found inside the Uniqlo branch in Tokyo’s posh Ginza district. One poster recalled their first terrifying encounter.

Dark Souls pendulum tweet 1 — ***Post translation:*** … When I went to Ginza, I was surrounded by so many high-class shops and buildings and people that I thought I was going to be crushed. When I finally found Uniqlo and ran up to it, I realized that the inside of the store was full of tricks like this. I remember this despair.

Many posters recalled their arduous journey through Sen’s Fortress- the numerous traps, the reptilian guards and the boulder-throwing giants- all of which took a toll on their souls.

Dark Souls pendulum tweet 2 — ***Post translation:*** *My stomach hurts when I remember Sen’s Fortress. I wanted to get across before the arrows came.*

Dark Souls pendulum tweet 3 — ***Post translation:*** *I lost a total of 10,000 souls on this stage…*

However, apparently not all Dark Souls players have harrowing memories of Sen’s Fortress. The sound of giant axes swinging across the narrow path can even be… relaxing? YouTube channel Ambient Solitude Game Worlds even released a relaxation video complete with comforting axe sounds.