Whose bosses are cooler? Remember the best game fights in history
How to determine the creators of the best bosses in the history of video games? For each, after all, the criteria of the "best" can be different. Someone is sure that for the battle with the real boss it is necessary to prepare for hours, accumulating strength and cartridges, for someone an enemy without tactics and tricks and not boss at all, others appreciate the performance, and the latter-an abundance of a mechanic. And someone else considers the highest achievement the opportunity to persuade the main enemy to surrender without a fight or bypass him through the ventilation pipes. In addition, what if an impressive duel is not the fruit of the works and talent of developers, but pure good luck or, even better, glue?
We decided to approach the problem systematically. In the rating of the most impressive bosses, we included not separate games, but whole series. After all, the true talent is not to succeed, but to be able to repeat it!
Undertale
Well, we set the rules and immediately violated them. There is only one completed and released game on the account of Toby Fox – Undertale; DELTARUNE Still in a state of a senior demo version, while the Creator is slowly working on the continuation. Nevertheless, bosses in both games are treacherous and so memorable in a good way that they deserve places in the ranking.
Not all bosses Undertale are equally interesting. Toriel is completely able to strew with his monotonous reactions
The peculiarity of the creation of Toby Fox is that the game is quite possible to go to the end, without noticing the catch, because in each battle there are two options for victory: ordinary (through violence) and peaceful. Almost every boss, like an ordinary monster, will surrender if the player can hold out for the living for a long time, steadily showing goodwill. Yes, not all Undertale bosses are equally interesting, but it is not difficult to choose the best: just see who most often appears in fan arts, memes and merchandise. For example, the cheerful skeleton Sans is probably familiar even to those who have never launched the game. The battle with him is opened only by those who decide to follow the path of the genocide to the end, exterminating all the existing. This is the weakest of the characteristics of the enemy, which at the same time is unsubstantially considered the most difficult boss of the game. His attacks are fast and painful, in some places reminiscent of Flappy Bird or some other hardcore platformer. He is able to not notice the temporary invulnerability of the player, which is why the attack works on each frame of animation. The skeleton itself is so successfully dodging that it does not manage to get along it immediately, and the real battle will begin at all only when it finally gets tired.
Sans – one of the favorite characters among artists and cosplayers. Its cheerful physiognomy is very recognizable
However, why talk about this if you can try to go through this fight on a special site? There you can even practice reflecting all Sansa attacks. True, in a trial battle his most insidious ones do not work: in a normal battle, he forces the player to get bored, give up or even quit the game.
Those who choose a peaceful approach, the final boss will be completely different: Flui flower, who did not get the soul, gain strength and reveal its true form. But on the “bloody” path of impressive bosses, the fights with which will be remembered for a long time, much more: to recall at least Andine (of course, in the form of immortal) or metaton, any attack of which is damped on the spot.
Shadow of the Colossus
U Shadow of the Colossus Even fewer reasons to be called a game series than one and a half creations of Toby Fox. But everything is not so clear with her: the original game was released back in 2005 on very weak PlayStation 2 times. Then, in 2009, a collection appeared on sale ICO and Shadow of the Colossus, where are the versions of both games for PlayStation 3. And in 2018, a full -fledged Remaster reached the PlayStation 4 – and only then the game appeared in all its glory, at the level of detail, which was simply unthinkable on an old gland. So instead of one release, the game experienced as many as three, and this is talking about something.
Talking about Shadow of the Colossus bosses at the same time is easy and very difficult. In fact, the whole game is dedicated exclusively to the battles with bosses, the very colosses from the title: fantastic enormans, the fights with which begin with applied mountaineering or searching for other ways to get to the distance of a blow. Indeed, among the sixteen colosses there are also flying and so high that the main part of the battle takes the way up, and those that the word “colossus” seem to not suit compactness – but they are not less than the danger.
Falanks is one of those incredible fantastic creatures that are even sorry to kill
Let us recall at least Falanks. At first glance, it is not as impressive as the final boss Malus, but in objective statistics it is the largest colossus in the game: the length of the flying snake from the head to the tip of the tail is about two hundred meters. And the battle with him is divided into several stages. First you need to pierce air bags on the onion on the belly, so that the monster reduces the height, then jump onto the fin to get to vulnerable points. You will not have time to fill the beast into one entry – it will become in the sand and a little later will jump out as if nothing had happened.
Many consider the battle with the Malus not as impressive as with the previous fifteen colosses, because they expect something supernatural from the final boss. But the very type of sixty -meter living skyscraper is deposited in memory at first glance and forever.
Not the most difficult, but undoubtedly the most impressive boss
Dark Souls and other Fromsoftware Games
When we say Dark Souls, we do not always mean the very very Dark Souls. The name of the hardcore RPG Fromsoftware For a long time it became a household name and determined the whole squeal, which includes not only the “soul”, but also its relatives in the game process: Bloodborne And Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice.
All Soulsborne-IGR bosses are understandable, in general terms, they are similar to each other: these are incredibly powerful, dangerous and tenacious reptiles that can kill even the most stable hero with a couple of blows. But even in this table there are record holders. Take at least Issin Asina: the brilliant master of the sword is often recognized as one of the best bosses not only in Sekiro, but also in the history of fromsoftware. The battle with him takes place in four phases (if we count for the first fight with Ganitiro), and each requires special tactics: at first he is fighting his faithful katana, then he takes out a spear, and at the end he begins to throw lightings at all.
The appearance of Issin Asina will become a spoiler for someone, so Ganitiro here: everyone who launched the game is familiar with him
Soulsborne veterans generally know well that the greatest danger, as a rule, represent “ordinary” bosses – that is, opponents (relatively) human sizes and forms. Unusual mechanics often also tie them to them. For example, a mirror knight from Dark Souls 2 At a certain stage of the battle, he calls for a help, which may not be the weakest NPC and another player! IN Demon’s Souls Similar mechanics were realized in a battle with an old monk, in the role of which, in fact, another player was supposed to act. True, this did not always work as planned.
If we talk about paired battles, then the Dragon -sided and the executioner Smogog from the first Dark Souls come to mind. This is one of the best such battles in history and one of the most difficult Soulsborne, because instead of one boss, the player needs to deal with two at once. Ornstein is swift and dexterous, he skillfully wields a spear and rims lightning. Smog – slow and clumsy, but if he manages to get his hammer, it will not seem a little. And the most interesting thing happens when it is possible to kill one of two: the survivor will take his skills of the deceased, at the same time restoring his health. Who seems simpler, electric swimming or super-rynstein?
Ornstein and Smowe react differently to the death of his ally: the knight will be upset, the giant will laugh
Many SoulsBorne Bosses are impressive not only with power, but also. Those who saw the birth of a spit orphan orphan The Old Hunters to BloodBorne, this spectacle is unlikely to forget – and the boss himself came out unpredictable, fast and completely wild. And the fact that he is fighting his own placenta, also does not calm down a bit. The Divine Dragon from Sekiro, which has grown into the barrel of the flowering Sakura, almost does not pose a threat, but how beautiful this battle is! And the ruler of storms from Demon’s Souls, a heavenly slope, as if flying from the planet named after Lovecraft, to judge the size of which perhaps its minions allow! And a monkey-line from Sekiro with a neck pierced by a sword: remember how her headdered corpse got up, grabbed his own head and rushed to beat it with a wolf? Finally, the dancer of the cold valley from the third part of Dark Souls – her various attacks harmoniously add up to the bewitching dance, and the transparent veil either emphasizes its movements, then soars a counterpoint.
One can only imagine how Artias would fight if he could use both hands
Finally, another category of bosses is opponents, tightly linked to game mythology. Associated not just with the plot, but with the backstory and past of the world. First of all, the arties of the abyss from the only DLC to the original Dark Souls. This is not just a dangerous opponent who forces to break and throw on the landfill all the tactics that have developed before his appearance, and the character with a truly tragic story. By the way, once his companion was another boss: the Great Wolf Sif with a sword in the mouth. And the wolf is able to find out the main character if he played his role in his fate before their meeting.
Yakuza
Undertale is distinguished by the variability of the battles, Dark Souls is difficult, Shadow of Colossus is impressive and strategic approach. Yakuza in the selection is responsible for eclecticism. The creators of the series masterfully string the comedy and tragedy on a single thread, disarming pathos and thin mental motives, juggle with locations and classes, and at any time, at any stage of the plot lines, they are able to grieve, surprise and shock.
Yakuza 2 (or Yakuza Kiwami 2) First of all, it is remembered by the main and almost the best boss and villain of the series: Ryuji God. The Patriarch of the Family of the Go-Ryu from the Alliance Omi is in no way inferior to the protagonist, Cazum Kiryu,-it is not for nothing that another dragon decorates his back. Moreover, during the events of the game, despite all the inconsistency of nature, he manages to earn respect for his determination and masculinity, to conquer powerful charisma. And the final fight of two dragons – extremely cruel and stubborn – passes with incredibly high bets: we perfectly understand that this time the loser will definitely die, and not just fall with exhausted, as in other cases. In the entire series, Kiryu Kazuma only fights twice “to death” – and this is one of them.
There should be only one dragon, and for Ryuji this is a matter of honor
And now let's go back a little: Kiryu is looking for a stolen daughter in the Osaki castle, full of ninja of different cuts. And then suddenly, suddenly, in one of the halls rush at him … Two tigers! Yes, in Yakuza: Like a Dragon We are fighting with a construction crane, but this is not so impressive: Itban is generally a little hero not from this world, he is the only one who believes in magic. Whether the case of Saejima and his pursuit of a love bear in Yakuza 5, which, even if it begins with a shotgun, but ends, according to all codes of honor, in hand -to -hand.
Another bosses "Yakuza" are notable for emotional intensity. Yes, almost every villain before the fight is simply obliged to pronounce a pathos monologue for five minutes, effectively tear off outer clothing or at least build a terrible mine. But the main thing is that by the time of these theater scenes we are already having time to find out this enemy well and often even find excuses for what he does. It is no accident that one of the most memorable fights of the series is with the named brother, who stumbled, trying to do the best, and an American agent, in which Kiery for very good reasons saw his beloved and long -lost father. Well, we will not forget about the Torah of Hiros from Yakuza 6: the head of a small provincial clan, an extremely friendly, sweeping and “cozy” old man played by Takesi Kitano, is one of the most famous Japanese actors and directors.
In the Yakuza series, many are hiding something, now and then being not those who are given themselves for, but Toru Hirosa, even against their background, stands apart
Finally, one cannot help but recall the city of Majimu, who throughout the series performed almost all conceivable roles, from the protagonist and ally of the protagonist to a mini-boss. IN Yakuza Kiwami He frankly had nothing to do as part of the plot, but he was still able to squeeze him into the mechanics of Majima Erywhere. And then the frantic dog Simano shows everything that is capable of!
Metal Gear Solid
When we repeat the Hideo Kojima's genius of Hideo Code over and over again, we do not experience any mental discomfort. After all, what he invented for the series Metal Gear , really wears a pronounced imprint of innovation and even foresight. And this is easy to prove: you just have to recall the bosses of the series.
Let's start with a simple one-The End Grandfather Sniper from Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater. The battle with him is one of the most difficult and long -term, and the battlefield is simply huge. A centenary old man is hiding at a point with a rifle ready, and if the hero is leaning out of the grass, as a shot will not force himself to wait. Immediately after this, the grandfather will change his position, and if the Snake remains alive, he will have to start the game in the cat mouse at first. The sniper does not always affect the screen of the thermal imager, a trained parrot helps him, and he is so successfully dissolving in the forest that it Kong Casino resembles a ghost. Therefore, you have to listen, monitor the routes of the parrot and catch the reflection of the sun on the lens of the sight: the entire previous game at this moment seems only preparation for the decisive battle.
The story of the boss is one of the longest and emotional in the series
Only in this long and tense stealth-sales, you can not get involved. Almost at the very beginning of the game, after a conversation in the docks, you can see how a sniper is taken in a stroller – and if there is a sniper rifle in the inventory, no one forbids to lay the old man without any risk with one shot. If it came to the battle, then there are options. For example, translate the console time for a couple of weeks forward: The end will die from old age without fulfilling his last mission. By the way, if you hurry and “squeeze” only a couple of days, the hero will fall asleep, which the boss will use instantly. And, and also the location of the old man on the map successfully shows the legendary "Code of Konami". Total three different ways to complete a duel and one bypass maneuver – and all this for the only boss in the game released seventeen years ago.
Oh, how will the old man get angry if you kill his beloved parrot!
We move back in time, in 1998, when the PlayStation was released Metal Gear Solid. Meet: psycho mantis, boss who knows how to read thoughts. He willingly demonstrates his skills before the start of the battle, calling all the games Konami on the memory card or noting what genres the player prefers. The boss can comment on the entire previous passage of the game, declaring a coward of the one who often resorted to stealth. Finally, Psycho Mantis is able to interact with the “iron”: temporarily disconnect the screen or make the controller move due to vibration.
The fight with him without preparation is doomed in advance to failure, because the telepath easily reads all the player’s intentions and evades all his attacks. The only way to stop this possibility is to stick a controller into another nest. Or go to control from the keyboard to RS. By the way, in the same game, the vibration of the controller is used in another unusual way: Naomi "massages" the damaged hand of the Snake.
Snake also connects a lot with the ocelot, and he can even suddenly smack the hero at the height of the battle
The experts of modern games probably sounded several bells. Yes, Undertale's ability to “remember” everything that we did in the game, despite the use of restarts, it turns out, is not so new. And fans of visual short stories probably remembered Monica from Doki Doki Literature Club, which forces us to delve into game files. For these powerful sensations, it is also worth saying thanks to the genius of Kojima.
Alas, this is not a remake of Metal Gear Solid, but just a collectible figure
Naturally, in order not to make this text very huge, we left a lot of magnificent, unforgettable bosses. Pyramid -headed from Silent Hill 2, Virgil from Devil May Cry 3, Jubileus from Bayonetta, Finally, Tiran T-103 from Resident Evil 2. And we did not even touch the raid bosses from online role -playing games, to win the coordinated work of dozens of players.
We offer to supplement the list in the comments: what game boss is remembered to you for your life?
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