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Summary

Final boss fights in video games can be extremely challenging, testing player skills and patience.
Some final bosses, like Hades and Sans, are exceptionally hard, requiring precise timing and strategy.
The greatest final bosses, like Isshin from Sekiro, offer a unique and demanding experience that can be both frustrating and rewarding.

The final opponent plays a crucial role in gaming. Back in the days of retro consoles, the anticipation of who or what this final opponent would be was like an exciting riddle. Nowadays, it’s almost a given and closely associated with the end credits on a contemporary video game.

In some instances, contrary to the conventional wisdom that the final boss should test all abilities learned throughout the game, this isn’t consistently true in practice. At times, a final boss may be too simple, or it could present a challenge, but it pales in comparison to the excitement of an earlier boss battle within the campaign. These bosses are exceptional as they represent some of the toughest final boss encounters found in video games, and they certainly don’t shy away from delivering a hard-hitting fight.

15. Hades, God Of The Dead – Hades

Two Phases At The End Of A Long Run Is Cruel

In the world of roguelike games, the persistent goal is to finish the entire game without restarting. Achieving this feat typically follows numerous attempts that end in failure, but the tension of reaching the final boss, aware that any defeat sends you back to square one, is scarcely found in other gaming categories. Hades, in particular, embodies this concept perfectly.

Playing a typical run of Hades can last between 35 minutes and an hour, varying based on players’ character setup and proficiency. Spending such a considerable amount of time merely to ascend to the world above can be exhausting. Although it may not have shocked many gamers when Hades, the God of Death, emerged as the game’s final adversary, there are still unexpected elements in this battle.

After reducing Hades’ vitality level, he embarks on a monologue. This is usually an ominous sign when a villain does this, and true to form, Hades rises again for a subsequent battle phase. During this phase, he attacks more rapidly and unleashes a destructive laser beam that players can only counter using scattered environmental objects. The combat is extremely challenging and often cuts short many long gaming sessions, but winning against him feels incredibly rewarding.

14. Sans – Undertale (Genocide Route)

Sans Refuses To Let The World End

Engaging in a “Genocide Run” within the game of “Undertale” offers an unsettling journey, where players, consciously or otherwise, fulfill the malevolent intention of Chara, a vengeful spirit aiming for global annihilation. Guided by Flowey, who is merely trying to survive the carnage, gamers are compelled to engage in combat and eliminate each and every monster they meet during gameplay to successfully complete a Genocide Run.

Ultimately, they find themselves facing Sans, who had initially offered aid to Toriel for safeguarding any humans who found themselves in the Underworld. Yet, over time, he is compelled to confront a difficult truth: Aiding the genocidal character Frisk would lead to the destruction of the world. Consequently, he positions himself as an obstacle, hindering them from reaching Asgore.

In the game Undertale, this battle against Sans becomes the most unbelievable boss encounter due to his unique strategies. He hurls a combination of bones and beams, applying gravity to his assaults, which compels players to navigate their Soul through his attacks by jumping between platforms and squeezing through openings. The fight becomes more like platform gaming than traditional combat. Sans also interferes with the player’s ability to access the Fight menu, attacks while they are selecting an action of their own, and sometimes even takes control of their Soul, leaving them unable to control it. Despite already being a challenging battle due to its inherent nature, when Sans starts tampering with the player’s thoughts, it reaches a whole new level of difficulty.

13. Yang – Sifu

Revenge Doesn’t Come Easy

The entire journey within Sifu serves as a tutorial on mental resilience. Blending elements of roguelike and Soulslike genres, the game presents unique twists that enable respawning (although at an advanced age) and level advancement, making it less challenging. However, Sifu does not offer much leniency for players to effortlessly conquer any part. Instead, it focuses on mastering mechanics and compensates with improved starting positions, age-wise, upon progression.

At the culmination of this gauntlet lies Yang, also known as The Leader. It was Yang who killed the players’ mentor at the game’s commencement, sparking their relentless quest for vengeance. Although every boss encounter in Sifu is formidable, Yang stands out. Players would be wise to master both parrying and dodging for this battle; even with such skills, they may still find themselves defeated multiple times before emerging victorious.

In my experience, Yang’s strikes and sweeps come swiftly and powerfully, leaving no room for respite. Attempting to counterattack can be quite challenging, but there are a few techniques like the Charged Back Fist, Flowing Claw, and Chasing Trip Kick that offer fleeting moments to strike back, particularly in the initial phase. However, Yang’s aggressive second phase presents a different challenge, and it’s wiser to focus on parrying and blocking as many attacks as possible, gradually depleting the boss’s Structure meter. If you’re aiming for the Wude ending, brace yourself, because perfect parrying of Yang’s rapid strike combinations is essentially the only viable strategy for achieving it.

12. Shao Kahn – Mortal Kombat (2011)

The Epitome Of Unbalanced Fighting Game Bosses

In 2011, NetherRealm Studios initiated their major modernization of the Mortal Kombat franchise with the game titled Mortal Kombat (2011), which fans often refer to as Mortal Kombat 9. This was their first significant attempt in this direction. The game marked the debut of X-Ray attacks, a feature that has since become iconic for the series. These attacks were further developed and reappeared in Mortal Kombat X before being transformed into Fatal Blows in Mortal Kombat 11 and Mortal Kombat 1.

Regrettably, even X-Ray attacks offer limited success against the ultimate adversary in Mortal Kombat (2011), Shao Kahn. Designing boss battles effectively has always been a challenge for fighting games, as they are primarily composed of one-on-one fights with AI characters possessing extensive health reserves and distinctive skill sets. Balancing to create a more difficult version of these fights is tricky. Unfortunately, the fight against Shao Kahn in MK9 attempts to make it excessively challenging, achieving this goal but perhaps a bit too effectively.

A familiar struggle among fighting game enthusiasts arises from a technique known as input reading. In contrast to battling human opponents who might react late, Shao Kahn seems to predict your moves or respond instantly. He doesn’t just block incoming attacks; instead, he often counters them with precision timing. Moreover, many of his attacks have super armor, making them tough to interrupt. However, you can trick him by provoking an upward swing, jumping over him, and landing uppercut blows repeatedly until you win. The real challenge lies in the fight itself as well as maintaining composure when “Shao Kahn Wins” appears for the umpteenth time.

11. Death Egg Robot – Sonic The Hedgehog 2

Twelve Hits, No Rings, No Escape

In the original Sonic the Hedgehog trilogy, there was a consistent pattern that carried through to the final battles of each game. No matter how skillfully players performed before the ultimate showdown, they began the boss fight with no rings. The remastered versions of this trilogy, together with Sonic Origins, offer a touch of leniency by letting players keep their rings when leaving Death Egg Zone. However, if a player dies during the final confrontation, they respawn without any rings.

In Sonic the Hedgehog 2, the battle against the Death Egg Robot stands out as exceptionally challenging among all three final bosses. Unlike the Egg Crusher in Sonic 1, which offers more room for maneuverability, or the Giant Eggman Robo in Sonic 3 with its larger hitbox for players to attack, the Death Egg Robot presents a formidable mix of confined space and swift, precise movements required to dodge its attacks.

In this battle arena, reminiscent of a typical boss room in Sonic 2, the combat space isn’t expansive. However, the boss itself towers above average size. The safe zones for players to attack are limited to the boss’s casing, where Dr. Eggman’s head is visible. Attacking any other part of the boss like its arms, legs, or jetpack can cause harm, and since players don’t have any rings, that means starting over. The Death Egg Robot doesn’t just stand still; it has a repertoire of attacks to avoid. To emerge victorious, players must land 12 precise hits on the Death Egg Robot, which seems challenging even in description. Actually pulling it off is a rigorous test of one’s patience and perseverance.

10. Nameless Puppet – Lies Of P

Cut Your Strings

The Soulslike genre has strived for a long time to equal the prestige held by its original creator, FromSoftware. However, only a handful of games outside of FromSoft have managed this feat successfully. Some titles have come close, but none have achieved such a harmonious balance of exploration, difficulty, and creative building as Lies of P. does.

In the spirit of Bloodborne over Dark Souls, Lies of P presents an alternate history cyber-horror reimagining of The Adventures of Pinocchio. The story centers around “P,” a puppet crafted by Geppetto in the imagined city of Krat. Mysteriously missing, Geppetto, P embarks on a quest to locate him. Upon finding him, Geppetto proposes turning P into a real human. Should P accept, he meets his end, but if he declines, Geppetto summons another of his creations: the Nameless Puppet.

In the initial skirmish against the Nameless Puppet, it’s challenging but controllable. The most difficult aspect is the broad reach of its attacks, as the boss swiftly traverses large distances to initiate combos. However, the second phase ramps up the difficulty significantly. It retains the extensive range of its strikes, but they now occur more frequently, transitioning between rapid sword and greatsword attacks, with numerous multi-hit combinations that seem to appear unexpectedly. Additionally, area-of-effect and jumping assaults are introduced, making the fight even more intense. The Puppet is also capable of using Pulse Cells to heal itself, which adds another layer of complexity. Players who have honed their parry skills in ‘Lies of P’ will relish this challenge, while others might find it less enjoyable.

9. Lord Of The Black Abyss – Arc The Lad: Twilight Of The Spirits

A Time-Consuming Battle That Can End In An Instant

Back in its prime, the Arc the Lad franchise held its ground against heavyweights like Fire Emblem and Final Fantasy Tactics in the strategic role-playing game (RPG) genre. But over time, it’s faded from memory for many. The last major release was Arc the Lad R, a mobile game that ceased operations in 2022.

The game titled “Arc the Lad: Twilight of the Spirits” was the sixth installment in the series and marked several significant milestones. It was the initial release for the PS2, introduced 3D graphics for the first time, and switched from a grid-based movement system to a circular one. The transition to this new system helped propel the series into the era of 6th-generation consoles, but it also made the battle against the final boss, “The Lord of the Black Abyss,” incredibly challenging.

This boss resembles a colossal brain with a red-eyed core, surrounded by smaller brains and protected by a protective shield. The mini-brains are capable of absorbing damage, but if players get too close to the boss, it can drain their health to strengthen its own formidable vitality. The most destructive aspect is the deadly laser beam it unleashes once all the minions are slain. To avoid this attack, players should move each character towards the walls of the arena, although this solution isn’t very precise – even a few steps away could result in a powerful impact. There is an optimal position, near the walls but far enough to evade the health-draining attack, which provides some relief, albeit only slightly. Ultimately, defeating the Lord of the Black Abyss becomes a battle of endurance, usually taking players more than half an hour to complete successfully, while being fully aware that its death ray could terminate the fight in just one turn.

8. Orphan Of Kos – Bloodborne: The Old Hunters

Poor Wizend Child Of Kos

In the Bloodborne: The Old Hunters DLC, the final boss, known as the Orphan of Kos, stands out remarkably from typical FromSoftware bosses. Most enemies created by FromSoftware can be categorized into either humanoids or creatures. However, Orphan of Kos is a unique amalgamation, exhibiting the swiftness and weaponry of humanoid adversaries alongside the bizarre attack patterns, visuals, sound design, and eerie factor reminiscent of their most grotesque eldritch monsters.

In terms of its backstory, The Orphan of Kos is a pitiful character who has endured torment and isolation for years. It seeks solace in the remains of its mother and only comes out to confront players when they arrive to eliminate it. Initially, you might feel sympathy towards this boss, but be warned: it’s a challenging opponent that will quickly make you forget any feelings of pity as you fight it.

Similar to the enigmatic puppet character in “Lies of P,” this initial stage might be challenging, but it’s doable. Many of the Orphan’s attacks can be dodged with a precise gunshot at the right moment, leading to substantial damage through a powerful Visceral attack. However, things take a turn for the worse in the second phase as the boss develops wings and jumps around the battlefield. The reach of its attacks is astonishing, yet they remain lethally accurate. The single blood orb it summons in the first stage multiplies into four in the second stage. Most troubling is when it summons a lightning storm that generates electric pulses racing across the ground while attacking concurrently with its weapon, putting players in a tough spot as they need to focus on two threats simultaneously. Even summoning another player doesn’t help much, as it boosts the Orphan’s health pool and makes its attacks more erratic. The recommended strategy is for players to stay aggressive, capitalize on opportunities for strikes, and hope for the best.

7. Rebel Flagship – FTL: Faster Than Light

Like Trying To Chase Down An Angry Lion

FTL isn’t just about the final battle; every part of it is demanding. It’s a strategy game, but it’s also a management simulation, an interactive story, and a roguelike. In essence, it might have been the game that brought the roguelike genre back into focus, setting the stage for modern classics such as Hades, Slay the Spire, Returnal, and Balatro.

Despite the fact that an average run in FTL can be quite difficult, it’s nothing compared to the toughness of confronting the Rebel Flagship. The battle itself is tough, as you’ll soon see, but there’s another challenge: resisting the temptation. You see, the fight against the Rebel Flagship spans three stages, and during the breaks between these stages, players can travel to nearby stars in search of supplies, shops, or new crew members. Sometimes, this may seem crucial if players are hurt from the initial phases of the battle. The disadvantage is that leaving opens up the Federation base for attack by the Rebel Flagship, and if the base is destroyed, the run ends, even if players are still alive.

In the battle itself, the Rebel Flagship’s powerful weapons can terminate a run due to their destructive capability. Armed with an Ion Cannon, Lasers, Beam Weapons, Drones, and an endless supply of Missiles, it’s a formidable opponent. The missiles don’t deplete the Flagship’s inventory, allowing it to fire them repeatedly. Even if you manage to eliminate its crew, the ship will be controlled by its AI, persisting in combat. It retreats, repairs its Hull and system damages, and extinguishes any onboard fires during phases. Players must follow suit to continue the fight. Meanwhile, players can use this intermission to mend their own ship’s systems and suppress fires. However, if the ship requires Hull repairs or has lost crew members, there’s no remedy unless one is willing to risk retreating. The tension of being caught between two unappealing options, either of which could spoil a promising run, is quite palpable.

6. Slave Knight Gael – Dark Souls 3: The Ringed City DLC

Massive Health Pools At The End Of All Things

The main antagonist in the base campaign of Dark Souls 3, known as the Soul of Cinder, serves as a satisfying conclusion to the game and a delightful reference to past final bosses, especially Gwyn, Lord of Cinder, through its combat style and music. Yet, the true finale for the Dark Souls series is found in the darkest recesses of The Ringed City DLC, where the battle against Slave Knight Gael unfolds.

In Dark Souls 3, players don’t encounter Gael for the first time at the game’s conclusion. Instead, he serves as a friendly gateway to the initial DLC, Ashes of Ariandel. He can be summoned as an aid in battles against Sister Friede and the Demon Prince. Additionally, throughout The Ringed City DLC, he leaves encouraging messages for players. However, Gael is deeply fixated on locating the Dark Soul and giving it back to the Painter to use as a pigment. This quest spans centuries. When players meet him for the last time, close to Filianore’s Rest as the world nears its end, Gael has discovered the Dark Soul, but it has taken over him. He demands a portion of the Dark Soul from the Ashen One and attacks if his demand is refused.

Gael’s survival for centuries is not hard to fathom, given his agility for a large character. His ferocious wielding of the greatsword, filled with primal rage, makes it tough to anticipate his attack patterns. He jumps vast distances, keeping up the pressure and leaving the player with scant time to recover their Estus. His attacks cannot be parried, and even if players manage to stagger him, the opportunity for a Riposte is fleeting. He launches projectiles that home in on the player, followed by a lightning strike wherever they land. However, the most daunting aspect of this battle is Gael’s enormous health pool. Even well-equipped players find it hard to make headway through any of the three phases of this boss fight, and summoning aid only exacerbates the issue. Yet, intelligent players have found that in phases 2 and 3, the Hollowslayer Greatsword deals extra damage to the boss (as Gael becomes Hollow during phase 2). It’s a minor advantage, but in such a grueling fight, it’s a relief.

2025-05-22 04:22