Boss battles are an essential part of video games. They are often seen as a gateway to a new part of the game and in most cases, they serve as primary challenges to their players. As such, most developers put a lot of effort into designing these boss encounters, making some of them lasting identities for their games.
Today, we are taking a look at some of the most iconic boss fights where they can leave a memorable mark on their players—for the best and sometimes for the worst.
1. Thor (God of War: Ragnarok)
Let’s start things off with a more recent title. It’s actually pretty hard to choose a stand-out boss battle from the GOW franchise because most of them are just so well-made.
We’ve decided to go with Thor because it starts right at the beginning of the game and it helps set the tone that the Gods of Midgard are not playing around this time. Thor’s making his first appearance to Kratos and Atreus is bone-chilling, to say the least. He walks in nonchalantly and offers them a drink—it was a move from a position of power.
During the fight, we get to see how godly and powerful Thor is, giving the mighty Kratos a lot of trouble. This is shown when Thor seemingly managed to kill Kratos and when the Game Over screen was shown, Thor breaks the fourth wall by reviving Kratos saying that it’s not time for him to perish.
This touch gave us the chills and it also displayed how serious the plot is getting. Definitely one of the—if not the—most iconic boss fights in the GOW universe.
Also, if you want to get better at God of War: Ragnarok, be sure to check out our beginner’s guide!
2. Lu Bu (Dynasty Warriors)
It is no surprise that the most feared warrior of the Three Kingdoms era is also the most feared enemy in the Dynasty Warriors franchise. Known to have unparalleled strength and unyielding bravery from the history books, Lu Bu’s might is often showcased in the DW games as well.
The original owner of the Red Hare is commonly first seen defending Hu Lao Gate, a stage early into the game. Up until this point, most enemies would most likely be a cakewalk as DW games generally give you the power to smash any opponents you face.
This train of thought would soon be a myth when you finally encounter Lu Bu. Once you’ve encountered Lu Bu, the game would tell you to avoid confronting him. However, having slain so many soldiers and generals, most players would just face Lu Bu head-on. This mistake can easily be fatal.
At this stage of the game, Lu Bu can easily kill the player with a couple of swings of his halberd. His attack range is absurd and with the mounted Red Hare, there’s almost no escaping him.
It’s pretty uncommon to see a boss fight so difficult that the game recommends you run away from it. Surely, this quirk allows Lu Bu to ride into our list for some of the more uniquely designed bosses!
3. Cynthia (Pokemon)
There is no arguing that Pokemon games are generally easy games to finish. Most of the games can be completed by a child and that is where Pokemon’s target audience is. In Pokemon Diamond and Pearl, that thought was blurred when the player battled against Cynthia.
Having her own theme track, Cynthia emerged as arguably the strongest Champion the Pokemon franchise has ever produced. She is so strong that the game had to nerf her Pokemons’ levels in the enhanced version, Platinum.
Her Pokemon team is very diverse and there isn’t a monotype that the players can abuse. All her Pokemon either boast powerful sweeping moves or are generally bulky and hard to take down. Yes, her Garchomp is the stuff of nightmares.
To stand up against Cynthia, you will need an equally diverse team of your own and highly levelled as well. Using a half-baked team might get you through the Elite Four but with Cynthia, it might not work. For a Pokemon game, Cynthia is really a unique one, especially when it comes to its unforgiving difficulty.
4. Divine Dragon (Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice)
Sekiro has some of the best boss battles but if we were to pick one unique one, it definitely has to be the Divine Dragon. Sure, it might not be the most difficult fight, but from its design to gameplay, it certainly stands out from the rest.
When we first go up against the Divine Dragon, the first thing that comes to mind is the atmosphere and aesthetic. The entire fight is fought on a different plane where lightning crackles all around the screen.
For its gameplay, you will need to use the Lightning Reversal technique to reflect the dragon’s attack. Grappling is also recommended here to get Wolf into a better position. All in all, this fight can even qualify as final boss material. It is unique and provides a different taste from the other human bosses.
5. Morgott (Elden Ring)
Similar to Sekiro, Elden Ring has its fair share of amazing bosses we could choose from. That said, when it comes to the one that left us with a lasting memory should be Morgott the Omen King.
Commonly, players will face Morgott pretty early into the game. At this point of the game, Morgott is extremely hard to fight as it tends to jump around all the time. This also means that connecting your attacks will be difficult as Morgott is super evasive.
Even so, the difficulty of this fight isn’t the only thing that makes Morgott so interesting. Morgott’s attacks, he is able to conjure golden weapons and hurl them at the player. It is very visually pleasing but also super deadly at the same time.
Also, Morgott is also a run-killer for many players. It is a boss with a rather unique move kit and without prior knowledge, most players will fall here.
6. Falling Woman (Fatal Frame 2: Crimson Butterfly)
The Fatal Frame franchise is a staple in the horror game genre and as kids, we were haunted by many of its supernatural beings. Despite all the horror, one of them truly stands out though, and that is none other than the famed Falling Woman.
This is because the Falling Woman just comes at you unexpectedly. It’s pretty hard to pinpoint where she is going to drop from and that is very anxiety-inducing. Adding to the fact that she literally shrieks at you when she falls, the Falling Woman also comes at you audio-wise.
When she’s on the ground, her pace and speed drop tremendously. While this might seem like a perk but honestly, it actually adds to the tension. She crawls toward the player as if she has not eaten for decades and is about to make the player her longed feast.
7. GLadOS (Portal)
It’s always a sucky feeling when you get demoralising when the enemy demeans you when you fall in battle. You’ve seen it in Hades, Tekken and various other video games. But none quite does it like GLadOS where it throws shade at you while you are battling it.
Then again, we really can’t get mad at GLadOS because the delivery and punches by this intelligent AI are just so witty. Unlike most arrogant final bosses, GLadOS criticises the players will highly intellectual rants that are ironically insightful.
We find GLadOS particularly unique largely due to its amazing execution of taunts and verbal abuse. They are the results of good writing, dedicated to such a perfect antagonist.
And there we have it! These are some of the best out-of-the-box bosses from video games! If you are interested in going toe to toe with them, be sure to get your video game needs here at OffGamers!
