Every Resident Evil Final Boss RANKED

Many fans and critics agreed that “Resident Evil 7” was a welcome return to the series’ roots. It was scary, it was atmospheric, and perhaps most importantly, it put a major emphasis on the survival horror aspects. That said, it had a pretty weak final boss in Eveline. And we use the words “final boss” very, very lightly. Unfortunately, there’s just not much here (aside from some incredible and grotesque visuals). You mostly just pump as much ammo as you can into Eveline’s massive and horrifically disfigured face, and there’s very little - if any - fear of dying. It’s wonderfully cinematic, and it looks and sounds terrific, but it falls disappointingly short in the gameplay and strategy departments. It serves as a somewhat flat ending to an otherwise great game.

Owing to its unique structure, “Resident Evil 6” actually contains multiple final bosses. Simmons makes for a pretty bland and unmemorable boss, and the Ustanak fight is nothing but a glorified quick time event. Haos is by far the best final boss of the game, and it is encountered in the action-packed Chris storyline. First thing’s first - Haos looks incredible. Its design is unforgettable, serving as a massive, tentacled creature with an eerie skull with pulsing veins and human-looking eyes. The fight also conveys a terrific sense of scale, and it contains some great gameplay that keeps the quick time events to a minimum. This thing is pure “Resident Evil”, and it is glorious.

This is when the series started going down a more “Hollywood blockbuster” route, and it contained a suitably bombastic ending that takes place inside an active volcano. That said, the fight was against the series biggest villain Wesker, and whether it lived up to the hype is up for debate. This fight encapsulates “Resident Evil 5” in every possible way, from the epic volcano setting to the co-op based gameplay between Chris and Sheva to the iconic moment that sees Chris punching a boulder into the lava. Some found it a magnificent battle that served as a high-octane finish to a high-octane game, and others hated it for the exact same reasons. Either way, it’s a very well made boss fight, complete with the famous “shoot this glowing weak spot” “Resident Evil” trope.

The fight with Miranda is a visually stunning and sounding piece of work. It takes place in a creepy gladiator pit of sorts, and Miranda is one of the most visually distinctive bosses in the “Resident Evil” canon. The fight is also scored to an epic choral piece of music that sounds like it was ripped from “Dark Souls”. There are also some unique gameplay elements within the battle, including the sudden shift to black that sees the helpless player fighting Miranda in the dark. They certainly learned from the disappointing Eveline fight, as this one actually contains some gameplay and an element of challenge. There’s little more to it than dodging attacks and shooting Miranda in the face, but it’s enough, and the atmosphere goes a long way.

This boss was quite revolutionary for the time. Saddler’s final form - some type of disgusting spider creature with giant eyeballs - introduced the concept of massive, otherworldly monsters to the series, and it had a direct influence on the increasingly bombastic entries that followed. The 100-foot tall grotesquerie that is Eveline would not be possible without Saddler. It was also far more epic in scope than prior boss fights of the series. It took place on an expansive construction site, and the player was forced to use their surroundings to their advantage, like pulling levers to swing giant beams of steel into Saddler. The fight also contained the lovable “shoot here!” weak spot trope, the perfectly-integrated quick time events were not overbearing, and it contained a fantastic ending that sees Leon blasting away Saddler with a rocket launcher. It’s a great, and greatly influential, final boss fight.

The Tyrant fight from the first “Resident Evil” is obviously antiquated today, but it set the standard for “Resident Evil” boss fights and introduced many gameplay elements that continue to be used to this day. The fight entirely revolves around running away, keeping your distance, and pumping bullets into the monstrous, Terminator-esque creature. There’s little to the gameplay itself, but the fight was able to convey a terrific sense of fear and anxiety, and its “run away, shoot, dodge, run away again” formula became a “Resident Evil” staple. The fight also ends with the player using a rocket launcher against the Tyrant - an ending that would be repeated numerous times throughout the series, including in “Resident Evil 2” and “4”. This boss fight is the very definition of a benchmark.

Arguably the most famous villain in the “Resident Evil” franchise, Nemesis serves as the titular antagonist of the acclaimed third entry. The Nemesis is actually a recurring obstacle throughout the game, and the player is forced to continuously run from the pursuing creature. But when it comes time to actually fight the Nemesis, the game doesn’t mess around. The original game sees Jill fighting a modified form of the monster - one which crawls and attacks with writhing tentacles. It plays out much like the Tyrant fight from the first game, consisting of little more than running, dodging, and shooting. The remake keeps the general theme and concept of the fight intact but replaces the crawling Nemesis with a horrific mass of limbs, slime, and sinew. Both fights consist of shooting, evading, and powering up a massive weapon that eventually deals the climactic death blow. Both the fight itself and finally defeating the Nemesis once and for all are wickedly satisfying.

The horrifying mass that is Birkin may technically be the final boss of “Resident Evil 2”, but the climax belongs to the T-00. And it’s by far the better fight. Both versions of “Resident Evil 2” see Leon facing off against the T-00 in an enclosed area. The only strategy is to run and dodge, keep a healthy distance, and unload on the unkillable monster with every weapon in your arsenal. It’s a thrilling exercise in tension, and the fight perfectly toes the line between excitement and frustration. Just when it seems like all hope is lost, Ada hands you a rocket launcher and you blow the Tyrant to kingdom come. It’s very reminiscent of the Tyrant fight from the first “Resident Evil”, from the “run and shoot” mechanic to the explosive and gooey rocket launcher finale. But it’s harder, scarier, and more exciting, and the flaming Tyrant with his massive claws makes for the series’ most imposing final boss.