Top 10 Hardest Video Game FINAL Bosses of the Century (So Far)

“Monster Hunter Rise” (2021)

Primordial Malzeno is the final boss of the Sunbreak DLC’s post-game, and the final fight of the Elgado Outpost story. To unlock the fight, players must first reach Master Rank 10, and he’ll be available to hunt. Malzeno is an enormous dragon, who employs a plethora of perilous attacks in the fight. It can wield incredible amounts of power once entering the “Bloodlust” state when low on health, making it impossible to calm with attacks. It’s one of the fastest bosses in the series, and packs a mighty punch, requiring you to know all three of its phases to successfully beat them.

“Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance” (2013)

“Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance” might be the most unique title in the Metal Gear franchise, turning into a hack and slash where you play as Raiden, rather than a stealth game as Snake. The final boss is against evil politician Senator Armstrong, a nanomachine-augmented superhuman, and he is arguably the toughest boss in Metal Gear history. The arena you fight in is tiny, his defense is irritatingly high, and he is constantly turning the whole place on fire. He can also regenerate, healing all the damage you’ve dealt, and even reattaching lost body parts. He also played football in college and has a banger of a theme song, so watch out!

“Final Fantasy IX” (2000)

An alien being with the goal of destroying literally everything. Yeah, he packed a punch. Necron is arguably the most challenging boss in the franchise, dealing powerful attacks which deal damage to all party members. If players are unprepared, he will make short work of them. Necron’s fight introduces unique mechanics too, for example, he can inflict status ailments like “instant death” and “zombie” which can disrupt your strategy. If that’s not tough enough, they also gave him a humongous health pool, so even the smallest mistakes can wipe your party. Mastering strategies and being as well-prepared as possible is crucial to overcoming this formidable foe.

“Black Myth: Wukong” (2024)

Erlang Shen is a Chinese folk god, who was ordered to subdue Sun Wukong after wrecking the heavenly palace. He’s also the secret final boss of “Black Myth: Wukong”, and easily the hardest boss in the game. Erlang uniquely has a stance bar, and if it’s full then expect him to take little damage. He uses a multitude of attacks, usually infused with thunder. These range from him throwing a giant ax at you, his black dog biting you, and sometimes he’ll even cancel your transformations completely. This boss tests all the skills you’ve learned along your journey, and upon completion, makes you truly feel worthy of taking Sun Wukong’s name.

“Devil May Cry 3: Dante’s Awakening” (2005)

“DMC 3” is considered the hardest entry in the franchise, and its final boss, Vergil, is at the peak. He’s also the final boss of “DMC 5”, but the third game’s battle is much more challenging. Vergil can easily match Dante’s skill, with fast attacks and unpredictable moves, he can close distances terrifyingly well. The combos he will unleash are an absolute headache to memorize, and he can even adapt to Dante’s playstyle, punishing repetitive attack patterns. Vergil isn’t just another boss, he’s Dante’s brother, making the fight emotionally driven, turning him into one of the most demanding, and most memorable, bosses of all time.

“Bloodborne” (2015)

This wouldn’t be a boss fight ranking without mentioning FromSoftware, with the Orphan of Kos being more than worthy of inclusion. It’s widely regarded as the toughest boss in “Bloodborne”, and a brutal final test in “The Old Hunters” DLC. The Orphan’s fighting style is unpredictable, chaotic, and relentless, with fast and erratic attacks that are a migraine to avoid. If you thought its first phase was challenging, its second phase is going to devastate you. Its combos become even longer, and it gains intense area-of-effect attacks, which can punish even the smallest mistakes. The arena is also uncomfortably small, giving you little breathing room to handle the Orphan.

“Hollow Knight” (2017)

Absolute Radiance is the final boss of Godmaster, one of the three content packs for “Hollow Knight”. This upgraded form of The Radiance is infamous, with a total of 6 phases, all featuring complex attack patterns. She is constantly alternating between lasers, orbs, and sword attacks, forcing you to constantly adjust your positioning and timing. Like a lot of entries on this list, there are very few safe windows to heal, meaning you have to be as cautious as possible to win. It’s an especially long fight, requiring endurance and complete concentration, meaning even the tiniest slip-ups can cost you everything.

“Undertale” (2015)

Sans becomes the final boss of “Undertale” if you complete a genocide run, and he’s easily one of the most taxing bosses to date. He’s attacking you constantly, leaving no safe breaks between, forcing you to constantly dodge and react without even a second of rest. You must navigate through a series of challenges, such as “bullet hell” sequences. Additionally, his attacks can inflict “poison damage”, causing you to lose health over time, making healing an absolute nightmare. Sans only has 1 HP, making you think he’ll be an easy target, but he dodges almost every single attack until the end of the fight, adding a psychological challenge as you inevitably start another grueling run against him.

“Elden Ring” (2022)

If you thought Starscourge Radahn was too easy, then maybe Promised Consort Radahn will be up your alley. They’re the final boss of the “Shadow of the Erdtree” DLC, and are a contender for the toughest among Elden Ring’s pantheon. Consort Radahn wields two gigantic swords, which he will be constantly throwing at you in a wild flurry of rapid attacks. His second phase is a thing of nightmares, and feels downright unfair. Given that every attack comes armed with a layer of magical damage, plus access to an insta-kill grab. Complete patience is required to come out on top, but if done, you will feel like a god.

“Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice” (2019)


Who else would we pick for number 1? Sword Saint Isshin is without a doubt, the hardest boss fight of the century, and is arguably the greatest ever created by FromSoftware. It’s a four-phase battle, with Isshin taking up three of them. His first phase is a massive challenge, but it’s his second phase that really sticks out like a sore thumb. Isshin pulls out a gun and a spear, and the only saving grace comes in his third phase when he unleashes lightning attacks on you. If successfully reversed, it makes his third phase a breeze, but if not you may instantly die. Thankfully, shadows die twice, but for this boss, you’re likely to die a lot more than that.


Which final boss took you the longest to beat? Drop on down to the comments section and let us know!