Top 10 HARDEST Sci-Fi Video Game Bosses

“Control” (2019)

The Federal Bureau of Control is filled with more strange and deadly entities than one can imagine, but the one that really kept Jesse on her toes was her own reflection. Trapped inside of a mirror dimension, the newly instated director is forced to fight a backwards-speaking duplicate of herself with less than benevolent intentions. And yes, it has all the same telekinetic abilities, and uses them far more efficiently. Don’t stop firing, watch out for flying debris, and hope it’s not quicker on the draw than you.

“Titanfall 2” (2016)

For the most part, the bosses of this beloved sequel aren’t too much of an issue. With a wide variety of weaponry that your personal mecha can adapt on the fly, the majority of the enemy robots were turned to scrap after a single bout. Except for Viper. Why? Because his Titan can freakin’ fly! Normally this wouldn’t be an issue, except his boss fight takes place on an airship. While BT and the player are stuck on a limited surface, Viper has full use of the sky to dart around and snipe away without a care.

“Horizon Forbidden West” (2022)

Taking down giant machines may be Aloy’s bread and butter, but even stacked with a slew of traps and enhanced arrows, besting this evolved form of Forbidden West’s strongest beast is no walk in the park. Unlike the Thunderjaw, the Slaughterspine’s weapons can’t be so easily shot off, boasts a huge health pool, and is a frequent fan of unleashing a torrent of homing lasers that easily zap Aloy’s health down to zero. One misstep can spell doom here, so best practice your arm and work on those barrel rolls!

“Remnant: From the Ashes” (2019)

The final challenge for this third person-shooter-soulslike, you’re going to need a full clip and a whole lot of luck because gunning down this psychic monstrosity is no easy feat. Admittedly, with some good reflexes and a staunch aim, besting the Dreamer isn’t too much of a challenge, so long as you stay away from its tendrils. But then it transforms into the Nightmare, and that name is not for show. Constantly summoning minions, barrages of energy projectiles, AOE attacks, and worst of all – teleporting you to a different realm that starts to instantly chip away your health the longer you remain.

“Nier Automata” (2017)

Oh, so you thought he was just a quirky robot vendor with a weird mask? Surprise, he’s also a secret boss that will permanently delete 2B unless you can hack and slash him before he has the chance to. Made up of a collection of giant faces, each armed to the teeth with their own bullet hell arsenal, putting an end to these colossal replicas is demanding no matter which of the android trio you choose to control. Trying to side-step one of these eerie machines would have been tricky, but a fleet of them all attacking at once, partnered with Emil’s tragic narration, makes the whole fight a truly disturbing gauntlet.

“Mega Man” (1987)

The Blue Bomber has shot down numerous Robot Masters and bested Dr Wily countless times over the years, but there’s one mechanical monster that will forever strike fear into the hearts of Capcom fans. The Yellow Devil only really has one trick, but holy buster shot will it demolish you if you aren’t prepared. Splitting itself apart, flying across the screen, all before reassembling themselves to start the cycle all over again. Along with the occasional projectile. That might sound doable on paper, but remember – this is the first Mega-Man game! Shit moves fast, you – not so much!

“Metroid Dread” (2021)

Make no mistake, among all the alien threats that Samus has blasted through over the years, none compare to Papa Raven Beak. This Chozo is a one bird war machine that will devastate any newcomers across a slew of crazy phases. Between sweeping melee attacks, blasting out gigantic energy beams, and launching a miniature sun (because why not) maneuvering around each blow and taking advantage of each minute window to launch a counterattack is an exercise in patience!

“Lies of P” (2023)

She might technically be a human, as opposed to one of the game’s many psychotic puppets, but there is no denying that Laxasia is the pinnacle of difficulty across Pinocchio’s debut soulslike jaunt. With a first phase consisting of swinging around her great sword with an outrageous number of combos, parrying and dodging Laxasia’s attacks is brutal. But even that is tame when she switches to her second phase and starts to ride the lightning. Teleporting around the arena, uncoordinated strikes, offloading crazy status effects, bombardments of hard-hitting projectiles – Laxasia is a literal storm of difficulty that demands perfection to overcome.

“Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain” (2015)

Classic Kojima. Dangles a typical MGS set-up, only to pull out the rug from under us. Taking control of the latest Metal Gear, Eli goes on the warpath, which means that Snake has only one option – blow it all to hell. Only…there’s no weak point. No surefire strategy. No obvious method to drastically weaken it. There is only Sahelanthropus, and whatever gun you can get your hands on. Hence, one of the longest boss fights in the franchise. This thing not only has a crazy amount of weaponry that can devastate the landscape, but a staggering amount of defense. Get ready for the grind.

“Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon” (2023)

You may think you’ve mastered the mechanics, you may think you’re a pro at piloting giant robots, but nothing can prepare you for the fresh hell that is battling against this automaton. The Cel 240 isn’t your average AC, this thing is blinding with its speed, and unleashes wide reaching and nigh all-encompassing attacks far deadlier than anything else in the game. Unless you’ve got a tanky build or are a demon when it comes to reaction time, then chances are this mecha is going to be responsible for your many, many deaths!
Did any of these bosses make you loathe all things sci-fi? Let us know in the comments!