By Rae Grimes , Isaac Williams & Jeremy Devoe
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Most video games are a test of player skill to some degree, but some areas take it further than others. In particular, boss fights typically represent climactic points for both a video game's story and gameplay. Players are usually made to draw out all the stops to take out the more challenging bosses of the middle to late game, but some particular bosses ask the player for that and more to overcome them or even require such to have a chance at succeeding.
These bosses can push even experienced players to the upper limits of their skills, some even requiring players to go beyond the bounds of the game's mechanics to mitigate their difficulty. The main appeal of these bosses comes from the sheer sense of relief and satisfaction when everything clicks into place and the player triumphs. While difficult boss fights were once intended to extract quarters from pockets and wallets, they have long since become a valuable and popular element of the gaming medium.
Updated On July 5, 2024, by Jeremy Devoe: Conquering difficult video game bosses is on many an avid gamer's checklist. While many of them provide nice rewards, others are worth beating just for the satisfaction of doing so alone, especially when it's tied to an enthralling set piece that has a notable impact on the plot. We've updated this list to include five more bosses worth taking down for players seeking a challenge. We've also added additional analysis on the bosses' functions while providing a snapshot of their hit points and phases with tables in each entry.
20 Malenia, Blade Of Miquella Takes Patience To Learn And Overcome
Elden Ring (February 2022) - Elphael, Brace of the Haligtree
Hit Points | 33,251 (33750 on NG+, scaling further with each level of NG+.) |
|---|---|
Phases | 2 (Initial Phase, and a second phase which activates after Malenia's first health bar is depleted. She regains 80% of her hit points for the second phase.) |
Additional Trivia | The puddle at the center of Malenia's boss arena reduces Fire damage by 10% and increases Lightning damage by 10% for the player and Malenia when they stand in it. |
Related
Every Demigod In Elden Ring, Explained
Elden Ring's enticing yet vague vague storytelling can make it hard to know the backstories and motivations of the game's many dangerous demigods.
Although it's more approachable than other FromSoftware titles, Elden Ring is still filled with challenging fights. One of its most infamous and popular is the showdown with Malenia. Having a tailored build in Elden Ring is helpful in general, but this boss pushes players to optimize specifically for her. FromSoftware reported that, in Elden Ring's first year after launch, 392 million unsuccessful attempts (and counting) at beating Malenia have been made by players.
One of the traits that contributes most to Malenia's difficulty, beyond her wide-reaching and health-bar shaving moves, is her passive ability to regain a percentage of her health with every hit — even if they're blocked. Combine this with her nefarious Waterfowl Dance, and players who defend more than attack may end up helping Malenia more than themselves. That said, like with all bosses in FromSoftware's "Soulslike" games, with enough patience or help from fellow Tarnished, Malenia can be overcome.
Elden Ring
Once ruled by the immortal Queen Marika, keeper of the Elden Ring, the Lands Between are now divided between several demigods. As the battling demigods fought over the ring, they created the Shattering, granting each of them a shard. As the Tarnished, it is up to the player to confront these demigods, collect their Great Rune pieces, repair the Elden Ring and become the Elden Lord.
- Platform(s)
- PS5 , Xbox One , PS4 , Xbox Series X , Xbox Series S , PC
- Released
- February 25, 2022
- Developer(s)
- From Software
- Publisher(s)
- Bandai Namco Entertainment , From Software
- Multiplayer
- Online Co-Op , Online Multiplayer
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Language, Suggestive Themes, Violence
- How Long To Beat
- 58 Hours
19 Orphan Of Kos Is a Relentless Great One That's Best Faced Alone
Bloodborne: The Old Hunters DLC (November 2015) - Coast, From the Lighthouse Hut
Hit Points | 19,217 (25,757 on NG+.) |
|---|---|
Phases | 2 (Base phase and secondary phase activated when dropping below ~33% HP.) |
Additional Trivia | The Orphan of Kos is not a Kin enemy type and is one of the rare true Great Ones players will fight. |
Bloodborne is infamous for adding a frantic and aggressive edge to Dark Souls' learning curve for understanding the ins and outs of combat. Few bosses embody Bloodborne's enemy design philosophy than the Orphan of Kos, the final boss of The Old Hunters DLC. The Orphan of Kos stands at the end of the Fishing Hamlet on the Coast, staring into the Moon before turning to attack the player with surprising ferocity as they approach.
The Orphan of Kos is relentless in its assault and will punish players who are too passive or reluctant to engage it directly with the pace of its attacks. However, the Orphan of Kos will not "activate" until it's more closely approached within its arena. This means players can step inside and get their buffs ready before kicking the fight off. Bolt and Fire damage will be a player's best friend against the Orphan of Kos, though, it is still surprisingly tanky for its movements. Players should expect a drawn-out fight, and having optimal weapons is also crucial for this Bloodborne fight.
Bloodborne
A hunter awakens in the plagued lands of Yharnam, where the denizens have succumb to beast hood, in an attempt to learn the truth and how to end the plague, unbeknownst of the true horror lurking within the city.
- Platform(s)
- PS4
- Released
- March 24, 2015
- Developer(s)
- From Software
- Publisher(s)
- Sony
- Publisher
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Violence
- How Long To Beat
- 33 Hours
- Mode
18 Emerald Weapon Is an Optional Menace With a Great Reward
Final Fantasy 7 (1997) - Bottom of the Sea, Accessible After Players Get the Submarine
Hit Points | 1,000,000 |
|---|---|
Phases | N/A |
Additional Trivia | The Underwater materia can remove the 20-minute time limit on this boss fight. |
The Emerald Weapon wasn't even in the original Japanese release of Final Fantasy VII. being added as a "superboss" for FF players to take on within the internationally released editions of FFVII. Emerald Weapon is arguably the most difficult among the Weapons faced in FFVII, possessing a massive pool of hit points and a twenty-minute time limit for the fight overall. Of the elements available, Lightning is the only one that Emerald Weapon is weak against, though Gravity is also quite effective despite being listed as a resistance.
Emerald Weapon's most devastating attack, Arie Tam Storm, deals 1,111 damage per materia equipped to a character on hit and will be utilized liberally during the fight. This means players must carefully consider which and how much materia they will equip before fighting Emerald Weapon. If players can take it down, they're rewarded with the Earth Harp, which can be traded for a Master Magic, Master Command and Master Summon materia at the village of Kalm.
Final Fantasy 7
RPG
Systems
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation (Original) , PC , iOS , Android , Nintendo Switch , Xbox One , PS4
- Released
- January 31, 1997
- Developer(s)
- Square Enix
- Publisher(s)
- Square Enix
- ESRB
- T for Teen: Blood, Fantasy Violence, Language, Mild Suggestive Themes
- How Long To Beat
- 37 Hours
17 Fatalis Surpasses the Elder Dragons of the New World
Monster Hunter World: Iceborne (September 2019) - Castle Schrade Ruins, "The Black Dragon":
Hit Points | ~66,000 (Solo), ~114,949 (Duo), ~171,600 (3 or 4 players) |
|---|---|
Phases | 3 (Initial stage, a second stage after losing 22% of its health and a third after losing 50%. Fatalis will also continue to release more of its Nova attacks as its health drops further.) |
Additional Trivia | Monster Hunter World: Iceborne is the first Monster Hunter game to give Fatalis a UI icon, previously only represented with a question mark. |
Wilds is set to take Capcom's franchise to new heights, but Monster Hunter: World elevated its mainstream appeal. Monster Hunter: World is effectively a series of boss fights one after the other. Every monster acts as a climactic and challenging fight. Fatalis is beyond a fitting challenge for the end of the game. Fatalis requires a Herculean effort to take down, with a huge health pool that only grows larger with every hunter present, arena-wide one-hit kill AOE attacks. Its hitboxes are unforgiving, and the fight even has a 30-minute time limit just to make things more intense.
As difficult as it is, Fatalis is still a personally rewarding boss fight to overcome, giving hunters a chance to employ their game knowledge and prep work to their full extent. MHW: Iceborne also offers hunters constant support from the Excitable A-Lister during the battle and a surge of morale should they hit Fatalis with a Dragonator, which triggers the iconic "Proof of a Hero" to start playing. Fatalis proves a grand and difficult finale for Monster Hunter World: Iceborne.
Monster Hunter World: Iceborne
Iceborne is the last major DLC to Capcom's Monster Hunter: World. The expansion was originally launched on consoles in late 2019 and made its way to PC in 2020.
The wait was worth it, and if you are true Monster Hunter or RPG fan, you know Monster Hunter: World's impact in the greater Monster Hunter series. Although it would be nice for Capcom to release its content on console PC simultaneously, the wait will eventually be worth it.
Iceborneis far more than just a simple update to an already impressive title. The echanics and the majority of the gameplay are still the same as the original Monster Hunter, but a handful of new monsters have been included in the DLC. With Monster Hunter, you are an elite hunter in a fictional land that’s tasked to explore and kill towering, gigantic monsters. You are equipped with a variety of different weapons and traps to use throughout the game. As usual, the quests can be undertaken in the single-player or multiplayer mode with a group of fellow hunters.
When you first try Iceborne, you’ll quickly find out that it rounds out the original Monster Hunter: World experience. It features a whole new story and expanded area to explore. Further, you are given a wealth of new mechanics to use, a blessing for veteran monster hunters.
Monster Hunter: World was a great title in and of itself but Iceborne brings a lot to the table, making it a must-have for series fans and new Xbox One owners alike.
Action RPG
Systems
- Franchise
- Monster Hunter
- Platform(s)
- PS4 , Xbox One , PC
- Developer(s)
- Capcom
- Publisher(s)
- Capcom
16 Viper Reminded Players of What it Means to be a Pilot
Titanfall 2 (October 2016) - Atop the IMS Malta, During "The Ark" Mission
Hit Points | No specific values are available. |
|---|---|
Phases | N/A |
Additional Trivia | Viper's Northstar Titan is a custom model meant for long-duration flights like those of military aircraft. This Northstar's flight core is used by his daughter, Valkyrie, in Apex Legends as part of her custom jetpack. |
Viper is overall not near-impossible to take down. Still, he's one of the most memorable bosses from Titanfall 2 for notably upping the ante and requiring many players to switch up their usual tactics while tracking one of the fastest-moving targets in the game. Viper's difficulty comes from the raw step up in execution and attention to tactics needed to beat him compared to earlier bosses. This surprised many pilots as he picked them apart from afar with his Plasma Railgun while two Scorch Titans closed in on their position atop the IMS Malta.
While some BT load-outs like Tone have an easier time handling Viper's speed, many players are in for quite a tough challenge if they stick to their usual load-out, especially on the hard and master difficulties. It's a bit of a bragging rite among players to have beaten Viper on Master using the Scorch load-out on BT, as it is the load-out most directly countered by Viper's Northstar Titan.
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Titanfall 2
FPS
- Franchise
- titanfall
- Platform(s)
- PS4 , Xbox One , PC
- Released
- October 28, 2016
- Developer(s)
- Respawn Entertainment
- Publisher(s)
- Electronic Arts
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Language, Violence
- How Long To Beat
- 6 Hours
See at Xbox Games StoreSee at Amazon
15 Senator Armstrong Demands Full Use of Raiden's Skill Set
Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance (February 2013) - R-07 Assassination Attempt
Hit Points | No specific values are available. |
|---|---|
Phases | 3 (Two fistfights atop Metal Gear E.X.C.E.L.S.U.S. and a third phase on the ground after, while Raiden uses Jetstream Sam's sword.) |
Additional Trivia | Senator Armstrong is also the final boss of the Jetstream Sam DLC for Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance. |
Related
Why You Should Play Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance After Final Fantasy XVI
Fans who have already finished Final Fantasy XVI might just find their next favorite game in 2013's Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance.
Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance's boss fights go all-in on both spectacle and challenge. Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance's greatest threat is the bespectacled United States Senator, Steven Armstrong. Senator Armstrong's aggression and nanomachines make him a greater challenge than cyborgs, technologically enhanced assassins, sword masters, and Metal Gears that players have faced previously, using his raw power to attack Raiden with overwhelming force. These can range from throwing gigantic chunks of the earth around as projectiles and causing magma to rise from the Earth by punching it hard enough.
Ultimately, Senator Armstrong's fight combines mechanics from nearly every other boss fight in Metal Gear Rising, testing if the player has grasped the various combat techniques available. These include Blade Mode and his parry, quickly disposing of challengers who struggle to utilize these skills. Surpassing Senator Armstrong establishes tangible evidence of a player's mastery over Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance's mechanics and will be as memorable as it was difficult for players.
Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance
Action
Systems
- Franchise
- Metal Gear
- Platform(s)
- PS3 , Xbox 360 , PC
- Released
- February 19, 2013
- Developer(s)
- Platinum Games
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ due to Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language
- How Long To Beat
- 7 Hours
14 Matt Is The Most Infamous and Recognizable Nintendo Mii
Wii Sports (November 2006) and Wii Sports Resort (June 2009) - Boxing and Swordplay Champion Respectively
Hit Points | No specific values are available. |
|---|---|
Championship Sports Levels | Boxing (Levels: 1550-1649) and Swordplay (Levels: 1496-1500) |
Additional Trivia | Matt is also the Boxing coach, and the only Mii to be a champion of two separate sports, one in each Wii Sports game. |
Matt can be seen in nearly every sport available between Wii Sports and Wii Sports Resort. While he isn't the most difficult CPU Mii available to face, his spotlight roles as the champion of the Boxing and Swordplay sports have left a lasting impression on players. These have elevated his already steep difficulty to mythic proportions with jokes and posts about his skills. However, his talent as a two-time champion is no laughing matter in practice.
In Boxing, Matt steps into the ring as the sport's champion with a deceptive range and opportune timing on his attacks, which can surprise players who rush in while thinking he's on the ropes. Defeating him earns them their Mii silver gloves to equip during the Boxing mode. In Swordplay, Matt is unforgiving, using a unique purple and automatically retaliating with an attack whenever the player fully strikes his guard, requiring them to precisely time every swing to land effectively.
Wii Sports
Sports
- Platform(s)
- Wii
- Released
- November 19, 2006
- Developer(s)
- Nintendo EAD
- Publisher(s)
- Nintendo
- ESRB
- E For Everyone due to Mild Violence
13 Cynthia Still Stands as One Of Pokemon's Toughest Champions
Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl (November 2021) - After Stark Mountain, Pokémon League Champion
Pokemon Levels | Two at level 84 (Spiritomb and Milotic), one at level 85 (Porygon-Z), two at level 86 (Togekiss and Lucario) and one at level 88 (Garchomp). |
|---|---|
Pokemon's Abilities | Spiritomb (Pressure); Porygon-Z (Adaptability), Togekiss (Serene Grace), Lucario (Inner Focus), Milotic (Marvel Scale), Garchomp (Rough Skin) |
Additional Trivia | In Cynthia's Pokemon Platinum appearance, her Togekiss has the Hustle ability, but no moves that benefit from it. |
Pokémon's Cynthia of the Elite Four was always infamous and beloved for her prowess as the champion of the Sinnoh region. Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl manage to make her even more competitive, despite the Fairy typing opening up easier checks against her Spiritomb and Garchomp. This is because the Pokémon on her team are at the highest levels they've ever been, including a roster swap of Roserade for Porygon-Z, all of which have ideal natures, abilities, and stats.
Cynthia's itemization, move selection, and strategy for all of her Pokémon have been remodeled to emulate how professional Pokémon players use those creatures. This makes her already highly-feared Garchomp and Lucario that much more intimidating. Her Milotic is also much more of an effective wall now that it utilizes the synergy of its Marvel Scale with Burn Orb's effect. Players looking for the toughest Pokemon trainers to face can't do much better than Cynthia in Brilliant Diamon and Shining Pearl.
Pokémon Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl
- Franchise
- Pokemon
- Platform(s)
- Switch
- Released
- November 19, 2021
- Developer(s)
- ILCA
- Publisher(s)
- Nintendo
- How Long To Beat
- 26 Hours
12 Absolute Virtue Is One of Its Series' Most Infamous Monsters
Final Fantasy XI: July 19, 2005, Version Update - Al'Taieu, NM System around Lumoria
Hit Points | 66,000 (Down from its original 100,000.) |
|---|---|
Phases | 2 (Base form, and enters an enhanced mode at 59% HP.) |
Additional Trivia | After its patch, Absolute Virtue will de-spawn if not defeated within two hours of the Jailer of Love spawning. |
Final Fantasy XI is a massively multiplayer online game that's been out for just over two decades. In that time it's become the longest-running boss that was not defeated by official means. The developers exacerbated this issue by patching out every single method of defeating Absolute Virtue that wasn't adhering to a specific process that the Developers intended. Some groups of players would even take up to 30 hours in their attempts at Absolute Virtue's broken state before finally failing.
Even after its patch, Absolute Virtue's innate regeneration and Benediction healing spell are so strong that the fight's virtually impossible to beat via traditional means if players don't seal it off first. Additionally, at just above half health, Absolute Virtue enters "bracelet mode" where all of its stats are buffed. This makes players feel the impending pressure of the newly implemented time limit coming to a close. Despite the changes, triumphing over Absolute Virtue is still quite a feat for any gamer.
11 Rhulk Set the Fans' Standards for Difficult and Engaging Raids
Destiny 2: The Witch Queen (February 2022) - Vow of the Disciple Raid
Hit Points | ~16,000,000 (~14,500,000 before Final Stand) |
|---|---|
Phases | 3 (A puzzle phase to remove barriers to Rhulk, a direct fight against Rhulk through multiple damage phases and a Final Stand phase that is essentially a damage check.) |
Additional Trivia | Rhulk hijacks the player's HUD during the Vow of the Disciple Raid, using it to display messages to them in place of their objectives. |
Players are already gearing up for Destiny 2's The Final Shape. Still, Rhulk from Destiny 2: The Witch Queen quickly became one of the series' most memorable antagonists among the ranks of foes like Savathûn and Oryx. But it was the initial damage phase with Rhulk that truly cemented him as a standout and difficult boss. The usual damage phase in Destiny 2 sees Guardians huddling together to use buffs like the Warlock's Well of Radiance or the Titan's Ward of Dawn's Weapons of Light to burst down a relatively stationary foe in cycles.
Rhulk turns this on its head by actively chasing down players while using his Glaive to attack with charges and projectiles alike. This includes a short-range kick for Guardians who get too close to Rhulk in turn. When Rhulk is on his last legs, he pushes the difficulty just a bit further. The boss enforces a strict time limit to whittle down the last section of his health during a final stand in which he has access to all his moves and improved mobility.
Destiny 2: The Witch Queen
Action RPG
FPS
- Released
- February 22, 2022
- Developer(s)
- Bungie
- ESRB
- T For Teen Due To Blood, Game Experience May Change During Online Play, Language, Violence
- How Long To Beat
- 12 Hours
10 Dante Provides Two Stylish And Unpredictable Boss Fights
Devil May Cry 5 (March 2019) - Missions 19 and 20 as Vergil
Hit Points: | No specific values are available. |
|---|---|
Phases | Technically 2, when counting his Devil Trigger. |
Additional Trivia | Devil May Cry 5 is the first game in the series in which Dante's sword is broken. |
Related
How Devil May Cry's Biggest Blunder Actually Improved the Series
Devil May Cry 2 is often considered the black sheep of the franchise, but it played a crucial role in the development of its vastly superior sequels.
Vergil's campaign in Devil May Cry 5: Special Edition has mostly the same enemies and bosses as the regular campaign. However, Mission 19 and 20 pit Vergil against his brother, the Legendary and fan-cherished Devil Hunter Dante. This fight against the series' iconic protagonist shows just how out of their depth most Devil May Cry villains are, even if Vergil is one of the few individuals able to match Dante in ability.
Dante's boss incarnation has almost all the moves his playable self has in Devil May Cry 5. This results in two tenuous but flashy boss fights chock-full of stylish combos against Dante, who can also use his Devil Trigger to crank up the difficulty of adapting to his attacks. This is emphasized in Mission 20, with Dante able to use his Sin Devil Trigger to maximum effect for the duration of the battle. The players who best Dante in these back-to-back duels will understand Vergil's satisfaction in striving for more power.
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Devil May Cry 5
Action
- Platform(s)
- PS4 , Xbox One , PC , PS5 , Xbox Series X , Xbox Series S
- Released
- March 8, 2019
- Developer(s)
- Capcom
- Publisher(s)
- Capcom
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood, Partial Nudity, Strong Language, Violence
- How Long To Beat
- 11 Hours
9 Sephiroth Brings His Fearsome Reputation to Another Square-Enix Title
Kingdom Hearts II (December 2005) - Dark Depths, From the Great Maw in Hollow Bastion
Hit Points | 3,000 |
|---|---|
Phases | 3 (Initial phase, secondary phase after losing ~ 4 1/2 Health Bars and a final form after ~9 1/2.) |
Additional Trivia | Sephiroth is a secret boss available to fight in Kingdom Hearts Final Mix. |
Kingdom Hearts is no stranger to grueling bosses. Final Fantasy VII's Sephiroth makes multiple appearances, but his most difficult and personally rewarding to beat comes from his Kingdom Hearts II incarnation. Many players will not have adequate answers to Sephiroth's overwhelming moveset that harkens to his origins as FF7's final boss. Sora stands against him without any help, dueling Sephiroth one-on-one, gaining the Fenrir Keyblade should he win, which has the highest outright power of the Keyblades.
Sephiroth is lightning-fast and hits like a truck, even trying to get one over on the player with a Flash as soon as combat begins, catching players who aren't ready to block the move. Ribbons and Petit Ribbons are both great sources of much-needed defensive stats to handle Sephiroth's incoming damage, while it's recommended to take High Jump and Aerial Dodge for mobility's sake. These assist players in moving, consistently moving out of the way or otherwise dodging Sephiroth's attacks.
Kingdom Hearts 2
Action RPG
Hack and Slash
- Franchise
- Kingdom Hearts
- Platform(s)
- PS2 , PS3 , PS4 , PC
- Released
- March 28, 2006
- Publisher(s)
- Square Enix
- ESRB
- E10+ For Everyone 10+ Due To Mild Blood, Use of Alcohol, Violence
8 Hollow Knight's Absolute Radiance Is Vicious And Unpredictable
Hollow Knight: Godmaster DLC (August 2018) - Pantheon of Hallownest
Hit Points | 400 (Stage 1), 450 (Stage 2), 300 (Stage 3), 750 (Stage 4), 281 (Stage 6) (2,181 total). |
|---|---|
Phases | 6 (4 Phases of Standard Boss Fight Combat, one of upwards platforming with beam attacks and one final sequence which requires a Nail hit to end) |
Additional Trivia | Absolute Radiance doesn't have her own journal entry, instead dropping the entry for Radiance if it wasn't otherwise gained. |
Absolute Radiance is the final and most extreme challenge in Hollow Knight. She's the foe for the penultimate fight of the infamous Pantheon of Hallownest gauntlet. On top of her vicious and unpredictable moves, the player has to fight her after carving through almost every boss in the game. Fatigue and focus from enduring such increase the inherent danger of Absolute Radiance in her boss fight. This is on top of her being fairly insurmountable already with her litany of phases and overwhelming attacks.
Of particular note is her Sword Rain attack, which she spends her entire third phase using until she's interrupted by her next phase transition. It covers the width of the screen over a platform that's already lined with spikes in various formations. This forces players to use their mobility skills to their utmost effect to escape unscathed each time it's used. Charms that improve the reach and damage of the Kinght's nail are ideal for giving the player an edge heading into this supreme challenge. Players will also want to ensure their trusty Nail weapon is properly upgraded.
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Hollow Knight
Roguelikes are incredibly popular in the indie game genre, but so are metroidvania types. A metroidvania, for those new to the term, is a game that mimics the game design of Super Metroid or Castlevania. Both games involve a single character that explores an interconnected map. As players gain new skills and equipment, new areas of the map become accessible, and there is a lot of backtracking or re-exploring to find everything in the game.
Hollow Knight is one of the finest metroidvania games that have been released in the past few years. Part of that is its commitment to the sub-genre as well as its standout and unique art style. Hollow Knight is dark and moody, but it is also lovely and filled with some of the most lovingly crafted artwork of any indie game.
In Hollow Knight, the players take control of Knight as he arrives in the dilapidated town of Hollownest. An Infection has spread among the denizens, driving them to madness. As the player uncovers what is happening, they must defeat three Dreamers to gain access to the Hollow Knight to defeat the Infection once and for all. The game has multiple endings based on certain items and conditions the player has, and it makes for a fun and engrossing experience.
If you enjoy metroidvania titles, Hollow Knight is a must for you. It’s lovely art style combined with its unique story and fine-tuned gameplay makes for one of the best indie games you can get on the Nintendo Switch.
Metroidvania
- Franchise
- Hollow Knight
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Switch , PC , PlayStation 4 , Xbox One , macOS , Linux
- Released
- February 24, 2017
- Publisher(s)
- Team Cherry
- ESRB
- E10+ for Everyone 10+: Fantasy Violence, Mild Blood
- How Long To Beat
- 27 Hours
7 Jinpachi Mishima is the Father of the Iconic Heihachi Mishima
Tekken 5 (November 2004) - Arcade Mode Final Boss
Hit Points | No specific values are available. |
|---|---|
Phases | N/A |
Additional Trivia | Jinpachi does not usually have the abilities he does as a boss in this game, which are a result of him being possessed by a vengeful spirit. |
Jinpachi Mishima's time as Tekken 5's arcade boss is his most memorable. The near-vertical leap of his difficulty curve has stuck with players for years. Jinpachi was influential enough that he had his arcade ending should the player not continue after losing to him in Tekken 5. The most infamous combo that Jinpachi employed was a full-floor stun, that if not dodged, left players open to taking one or two stomach-borne fireballs from Jinpachi.
One fireball was usually enough to finish the round if the player had already taken damage. But two of these attacks do enough damage that there's no chance the player survives if they catch both after getting stunned once. Players' best bet at striking Jinpachi down is to be aggressive. This is because letting him get off any of his stuns or projectiles is a surefire way to end up with a major health deficit to overcome for the rest of the round.
Tekken 5
Fighting
- Franchise
- Tekken
- Platform(s)
- Arcade , PS2 , PS3 , PSP
- Released
- February 24, 2005
- Publisher(s)
- Namco
- How Long To Beat
- 2 Hours
6 Isshin, The Sword Saint Swiftly Punishes Unprepared Players
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice (March 2019) - Ashina Reservoir, After Choosing to Serve Kuro
Hit Points | Unknown |
|---|---|
Phases | 3 (Initial phase and two more, each separated by the depletion of a health bar and a successful death blow). |
Additional Trivia | Beating Isshin unlocks the only long-range combat art in Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, Dragon Flash. |
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice has a radically different style of combat from any previous FromSoftware game. It emphasizes intimate duels between two combatants who have to react to the other's movements in a split second, with an emphasis on proactively parrying foes to make openings to fill their posture gauge. No boss embodies this particular style of challenge more than Sekiro's final boss, Isshin, The Sword Saint, who fairly but ruthlessly descends upon the player with his entire arsenal through three phases of toiling combat.
Isshin demands near perfection and a heap of confidence, quick to open up players who miss a single parry or window of opportunity to attack, which can wear on the player's mental endurance. At the same time, however, even Isshin's most imposing attacks, like his Quad Shot and Lightning Slash, have direct tells and wind-ups. This means he can be studied and beaten with enough patience. It's fitting given that Isshin is certainly a test on everything Sekiro's combat had to offer.
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Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
Sekirofollows ashinobiknown as Wolf, who attempts to take revenge on asamuraiclan that imprisoned him and kidnapped his lord.
Action RPG
- Platform(s)
- PS4 , PC , Xbox One
- Released
- March 22, 2019
- Developer(s)
- From Software
- Publisher(s)
- Activision
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Violence
5 Sans Cheats Game Mechanics While Wearing Out Himself and the Player
Undertale (September 2015) - Genocide Route
Hit Points | 1 (24 dodges protect it.) |
|---|---|
Phases | 2 (He has 24 moves, 12 for each phase.) |
Additional Trivia | At one point during the battle, Sans will spare the player. If the player accepts this, Sans will use the opportunity to spring a surprise attack and automatically kill the player. |
Related
10 Best Games Like Undertale
Undertale had a huge impact on indie games like Deltarune and Omori, which learned a lot from UT's aesthetics and themes.
While many Undertale bosses step up their game to match the increased power Kris will have with a higher LV, there is a deliberate roadblock in the form of Sans. Despite his low stats and laid-back personality, Sans gives the player the fight of their life by cheating Undertale's game mechanics and turn-based RPG conventions with his pragmatic abilities. Sans most notably negates his 1 DF by dodging Kris' attacks, even remarking that he won't stand still as every other monster had.
Sans' attacks only do a single hit of damage each and circumvent not only the usual hit-invulnerability Kris' soul gets. However, they also the safety of the player's battle menu, with bones that will hover over various options and damage the player as they select them. With the lack of hit-invulnerability and the stacking Karma (KR) DOT on each of Sans' attacks, players can find themselves at a game-over screen in surprisingly short order. Awareness of Sans' difficulty has extended far beyond Undertale since its release, and beating the skeleton is still quite the achievement
4 The Forgotten One Is a Decayed and Tanky Behemoth
Castlevania: Lament of Innocence - Prison of Eternal Torture, From the Warp Room
Hit Point | 14,400 |
|---|---|
Phases | 3 (Initial platform starts at the hanging torso, then rises to the chest and arms and ends level with The Forgotten One's Head). |
Additional Trivia | The Forgotten One has the second-highest HP of a boss in the entire Castlevania series, only beaten by Legion/Nuculais in Castlevania: Curse of Darkness |
An optional boss from Castlevania: Lament of Innocence — the game that also reveals Dracula's origins — The Forgotten One is one of the Castlevania series' hardest bosses. The Forgotten One's fight has three stages total, starting at his lower torso which is lacking anything below his exposed innards. It is mainly a stalling phase that sprays poisonous blood in response to being hit. Meanwhile, maggots can make Leon constantly fall and close in on his position on the platform. From there, players progress to The Forgotten One's arms and chest, which is a more straightforward encounter where its main attacking hand doubles as the weak point.
When only the head remains, The Forgotten One's most devastating attack becomes available. A massive beam of energy is fired from its mouth, sweeping the platform once or twice. However, the rocks it knocks down from the ceiling with its shout can provide cover from this. Without the rocks for cover, the player must sidestep or perfect guard at the right times, a much taller ask on short notice.
Castlevania: Lament of Innocence
Action-Adventure
- Franchise
- Castlevania
- Platform(s)
- PS2 , PS3
- Released
- October 21, 2003
- Developer(s)
- Konami
- Publisher(s)
- Konami
- Engine
- unity
- How Long To Beat
- 8 Hours
3 Cuphead's King Dice Is A Luck-Based Endurance Match
Cuphead (September 2017) - All Bets Are Off!
Hit Points | 600 (Regular), 750 (Expert) |
|---|---|
Phases | 4 (The player fights an assortment of three minibosses before the Dice King himself.) |
Additional Trivia | If the player if extremely unlucky, they could extend the number of phases to 10 total including King Dice and all of his available minions. |
King Dice, as his name implies, involves the manipulation of dice to determine the player's progress in his fight on a game board during Cuphead. At least three minibosses are summoned along the way before the player can take on King Dice himself. As such, much of the fight doesn't take place against King Dice directly, and is instead an outright test of endurance against Cupheads' above-average difficulty curve. There are nine minions, each affixed through a number 1-9 to fit along with the game King Dice has set up for Cuphead.
King Dice's boss fight can consist of as little as three challenging miniboss fights or become ten grueling slogs. That's unless they get particularly effective at manipulating the dice to land where they want them. Even if the player can accomplish such, opinions on the easiest and hardest minibosses vary. This means no route to Dice King is a guaranteed quick way through, especially with START OVER spaces tossed into the mix.
5 Images
5 Images
Cuphead
Cuphead is a classic run and gun action game heavily focused on boss battles. Inspired by cartoons of the 1930s, the visuals and audio are painstakingly created with the same techniques of the era: traditional hand drawn cel animation, watercolor backgrounds, and original jazz recordings.
Platformer
- Platform(s)
- PS4 , Xbox One , Switch , PC
- Released
- September 29, 2017
- Developer(s)
- Studio MDHR Entertainment Inc.
- Publisher(s)
- Studio MDHR Entertainment Inc.
- Multiplayer
- Local Co-Op
- ESRB
- E10+ for Everyone 10+: Fantasy Violence, Mild Language, Use of Alcohol and Tobacco
2 Dark Souls 3's Slave Knight Gael Is Considered The Series' Final Boss
Dark Souls 3: The Ringed City (March 2017) - Fillanore's Rest
Hit Points | 15,037 (Base) 15,263 (NG+1), and so on with each NG+. |
|---|---|
Phases | 3 (Three separate stages divided by full health bars per stage). |
Additional Trivia | Slave Knight Gael's boss arena is the largest of its kind in the Dark Souls series, |
Dark Souls is known for its difficulty, especially during climactic boss fights, and arguably none are more memorable or challenging than Dark Souls 3's Slave Knight Gael. Often considered the final boss of the Dark Souls franchise as a whole, starting slow and gradually ramps up in intensity as the fight continues. Gael's hard to read, as his combos gain additional attacks throughout the fight as well, adjusting the timing of his combos and maneuvers on the fly. Additionally, the arena itself is subject to hazardous lightning strikes that limit movement throughout the battle.
Of interesting note, as of phases 2 and 3, Gael has hollowed and thus the Hollowslayer Greatsword will be more effective on him during these phases. The Slave Knight Gael boss fight is an optional part of the Ringed City DLC and is found at the Pygmy Lords' throne near Filianore's Rest, but worth going out of the way to conquer and put a stamp on the player's Dark Souls experience.
Dark Souls 3
Like the Dark Souls games that came before it, as well as Bloodborne, Dark Souls III is an amazingly intense RPG featuring tens of insanely difficult boss fights, hair-pulling-ly tough enemies, and a fascinating (but deadly) world to explore. And also like the previous Dark Souls games, Dark Souls III includes a co-op multiplayer mode that isn’t to be missed.Unlike the majority of co-op titles, Dark Souls III isn’t as cut-and-dry as selecting an option from the main menu to start up a co-op session. Rather cooperative play takes place fairly seamlessly, allowing one player to head straight into another’s game, where they then can take down bosses and fight baddies together. And given the sheer difficulty of some sections of Dark Souls III, you’ll often need that helping hand. From start to finish, there are a plethora of bosses that can handily take you down, so having a friend there to help you out almost feels like a necessity at times.While many Dark Souls players have spent their hours defeating bosses on their lonesome, Dark Souls III is just as great a co-op experience as any, and better than most due to the utter brutality of late-game bosses. So if you’re looking for one of the best co-op games for PS4, look no further than Dark Souls III.
Action RPG
- Franchise
- Dark Souls
- Platform(s)
- PS4 , Xbox One , PC
- Released
- March 24, 2016
- Developer(s)
- From Software
- Publisher(s)
- Bandai Namco Entertainment , From Software
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood Violence
1 Sigrun Stepped In as Queen of the Valkyries After Freya
God of War (April 2018) - The Council of Valkyries, North of the Lake of Nine After Slaying the Other 8 Valkyries
Health | No specific values available. (15 Segments/Bars for her total health pool present.) |
|---|---|
Phases | N/A |
Additional Trivia | If players sell Sigrun's helmet to Brok and Sindri, it can be seen above their store's fireplace later. |
Sigrun is God of War (2018)'s final optional boss and is among the hardest action game bosses of all time. The player unlocks her fight by overcoming the other eight Valkyries, themselves hidden boss fights far harder than the game's average boss encounters. Her moveset implements the toughest-to-handle parts of each previous Valkyrie, giving her an unpredictability and versatility no other foe in the game can match, especially with the potential to all but one-shot Kratos on a clean hit.
A God of War player has to go out of their way to find Sigrun and then settle in for a lengthy battle of attrition against one of Kratos' few genuine equals in combat. While Baldur certainly closes out the narrative well, the setup to summon Sigrun and the corresponding fight is easily the capstone of the God of War's gameplay. Players need to carefully consider their equipment and runics before what is the game's hardest challenge by far.
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6 Images
God of War (2018)
After wiping out the gods of Mount Olympus, Kratos moves on to the frigid lands of Scandinavia, where he and his son must embark on an odyssey across a dangerous world of gods and monsters.
Action
Adventure
- Franchise
- God of War
- Platform(s)
- PC , PlayStation 4
- Released
- April 20, 2018
- Developer(s)
- Santa Monica Studio
- Publisher
- Engine
- Proprietary Engine
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language
- How Long To Beat
- 20 Hours
- Games
- Video Games
- bloodborne
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