Top 10 Best Video Games Bosses of The Decade (So Far)

“Lies of P” (2023)

Soulslike games are known for their brutally difficult yet well-designed boss fights (as you’ll see later on this list), and “Lies of P” is no different. Laxasia the Complete, formerly alchemist Adriana, is a servant of the main antagonist Simon Manus, having been reborn through the Elixir as the first “whole being”, hence her name. Donning an enormous sword and sick looking armor, Laxasia is a terrible force to be reckoned with. She’s heavily weak to Acid attacks, and employs a devastating Electric Blitz that encompasses much of the arena during her second phase. Once you defeat her, you’re home free to defeat Simon and finish the game.

“Metaphor: ReFantazio” (2024)

At this point, we all know the legacy “Persona 5” has had on the JRPG genre and the industry as a whole, so when Atlus and Studio Zero unveiled “Metaphor: ReFantazio,” a new IP set in a fantasy world, expectations were through the roof. And boy did they deliver. The menus and turn-based combat are flashy and stylish as hell, and of course, the music is amazing. This, along with some of the greatest boss fights Atlus has designed, makes Metaphor one of 2024’s best games. Specifically, the final fight against main antagonist Louis Guiabern has already reached icon status. The clever mechanic of targeting a specific mask with the required attack type makes it crucial for the player to understand the ins and outs of the battle, and the multi-phased battles with narrative moments layered in will live in our heads rent free for years to come.

“Baldur’s Gate 3” (2023)

The fight against Raphael in the House of Hope is one of the most fun and rewarding in the game. Not only do you take on his Cambion form during the fight, but he has back up in Yurgir, Korrilla, and six generic vengeful Cambions. Watch out for the Soul Pillars strewn about the map, as Raphael will use these to heal himself and cast spells. If you’ve made the right decisions throughout the game, you’ll be able to recruit Hope and Yurgir to your party, but these can be easily missed. Defeating Raphael in Act One is recommended, as doing so will net you some serious XP in the early game.

“Black Myth: Wukong” (2024)

2024’s “Black Myth: Wukong” is one of a handful of action games that came out that year, and had no shortage of epic and well-designed bosses. The fight with Erlang Shen is among the best. You can fight him at Mount Mei after completing Erlang, the Sacred Divinity’s questline, and boy are you in for a fight. His first phase is his human form, and he’s extremely quick and demands you time your dodges perfectly. In the back half of the fight, he’ll transform into a big ol’ anthropomorphic hairy demon thing. He’s much slower here, but his strikes are heavy, making him one of the most formidable fights of 2024.

“Hades” (2020)

The roguelike phenomenon “Hades” is a masterclass in game design. The progression, the combat, the customization, the UI, the acting, all of it. The icing on the proverbial cake here is the battle at the end of each run against the titular God of the Underworld, Hades. He unpredictably teleports around the arena, shooting projectiles or dashing at you immediately, hardly leaving an ample dodge window open. It’ll likely take you upwards of 10 runs to finally get to this point, through permanent upgrades and learning the mechanics, but finishing your first Hades run is an accomplishment that feels incredible every time. Now, let’s do just one more run.

“Ghost of Tsushima” (2020)

“Ghost of Tsushima” often poses this question to the player throughout the game: Is tradition more important than conflicting values for the sake of the future? This is fully present in the final battle against protagonist Jin Sakai’s uncle Lord Shimura at the end of the game. Taking place at the beautiful backdrop of Jin’s childhood home, the fight is an over-the-shoulder duel you’d be familiar with from throughout the game. Upon defeating Lord Shimura, players get to choose one of two options; kill your uncle, honoring his tradition and giving him the death he wants, or spare his life in the name of progress, bringing shame on his values.

“God of War Ragnarok” (2022)

After the teaser at the end of 2018’s “God of War,” we couldn’t wait to take on Thor. You encounter the Norse God of Thunder in 2022’s “God of War Ragnarok” twice, and each encounter is as awesome as the other. The first instance sees Kratos get absolutely wrecked, teasing the player with a game over screen before Thor says he isn’t finished with you yet and brings you back. The second fight, taking place on Asgard, pits the two deities against each other once more, but this time Thor’s daughter Thrud is on your side. Luckily, Kratos is much more decked out in weapons and armor compared to the beginning of the game, so you should have no problem withstanding his brutal lightning attacks.

“Final Fantasy XVI” (2023)

2023’s “Final Fantasy XVI” is filled to the brim with epic, insane boss battles, but the one that clearly takes the cake here is the fight against Bahamut. After a tense and emotional scene with protagonist Clive’s awful mother, the battle against the Warden of Light kicks off in dramatic fashion. The kaiju-esque battle with Ifrit and Phoenix against Bahamut perfectly blends the cinematic over-the-top combat mechanics with story beats that will keep you on the edge of your seat the entire time. Part of this fight has you all the way up into space, we’re honestly not sure what more we can say to convince you.

“The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom” (2023)

“The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom’s” bosses are a nice change of pace from “Breath of the Wild’s” generic Ganon Blights. The bosses in this 2023 sequel are more traditionally-designed in both appearance and mechanics, and are some of the most memorable the series has seen to date. “Tears of the Kingdom’s” climax sees you face off against the Demon King Ganondorf, marking his long-overdue return since 2006’s “Twilight Princess.” As usual, the fight starts off as a mano-a-mano sword fight between him and Link, trading blows and dodging his attacks through multiple phases, eventually leading to taking on Ganondorf’s new form, the Demon Dragon. Jumping between Zelda’s and Ganondorf’s dragon forms, soaring high above the skies of Hyrule, this is one of the most epic boss fights of this decade!

“Elden Ring” (2022)

From Software’s masterpiece “Elden Ring” took the familiar, brutally difficult Soulslike gameplay and dropped it into an open-world, solidifying it as one of the greatest games ever made. The encounter with Malenia, Blade of Miquella is its most formidable challenge and the best boss fight of the 2020’s so far, and will likely stay at the top of most gamers’ lists for years to come. The fight happens over two phases, with the first being her armored appearance we’ve grown familiar with. The second phase sees Malenia become the Goddess of Rot, shedding her armor and growing eldritch wings. Make sure your health is above 80 percent during this phase, as once she gets you into her relentless attack combo you’ll be downed before you know it.

What are some of your favorite bosses of the 2020’s so far? Let us know in the comments below.