Top 10 WORST Bosses in Video Games

“Uncharted 2: Among Thieves” (2009)

The second installment in the acclaimed adventure series gave us Zoran Lazarevic as the primary antagonist. Both intimidating and intelligent, he serves as a great foe for Nathan Drake. Naughty Dog really nailed it with his character, but the final showdown with Zoran leaves a bit to be desired. As he is immune to bullet damage, Drake must constantly run around the area in a circle, chipping away at Zoran’s health. The shoot and run away strategy is pretty lame, making the fight repetitive and dull. The banal encounter ends with a cutscene in which Drake leaves Zoran to his fate and just takes off. Unsatisfying is the word we would use.

“Dark Souls” (2011)

The “Dark Souls” franchise is notorious for its punishing boss battles. While most agree the combat is tough but fair, certain bosses prove to be an exception. The Bed of Chaos is a prime example. Instead of a typical duel involving careful timing and strategic strikes, this battle focuses way more on luck instead of skill. The player must work to weaken the monster, all while dodging its long, flailing limbs. If a hit lands it deals massive damage, and the attacks come at random. This style of death by dice roll is very frustrating, causing the player to trek all the way back and start over if they perish. The chance element paired with the underwhelming method of defeating the beast makes this boss unforgettable in the worst way.

“The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim” (2011)

Bethesda Game Studios gave us a beautiful open world game with their latest entry in the popular fantasy series. The most notable addition to the franchise was the dragons, specifically the all-powerful Alduin. Also called the World-Eater, Alduin taunts and attacks the player, known as the Dragonborn, numerous times throughout the game, and is seemingly impossible to slay. However, as the story progresses the player will naturally grow more powerful. As is the case in many open-world RPGs, by the time the showdown with the final boss is reached, the fight can turn from epic to trivial if the player is overleveled. The combination of power advantage and help from NPCs makes the finale an underwhelming set piece at best. Cool visuals though!

“Mass Effect 2” (2010)

“Mass Effect 2” brought us many new features, allies, and quests, and definitely improved upon its predecessor. The Collectors serve as the newest enemy, alongside the Reapers from the first game, and are sinister and intriguing. Together, the two groups of enemies construct the Human-Reaper, which serves as the final boss. While the lore is pretty cool, the fight itself is lackluster. The player must battle through hordes of Collectors while weakening their twisted creation in between waves. The second stage is a simple strategy of dodging attacks and hitting weak points on the immense opponent. This combined with tedious combat against the Collectors and having to revive your NPC allies constantly makes this fight one of the least enjoyable on the list.

“Street Fighter IV” (2008)

Fighting games stand out as having well-designed characters and tough final bosses. Seth from “Street Fighter IV” checks only one of those boxes. He is definitely difficult, but not in the way most players hoped. His movepool is an amalgamation of many other characters in the game. The concept sounds unique on paper, but facing off against him proves otherwise. Seth’s mixture of abilities allows him to use projectiles, teleport, and unleash heavy-duty combo attacks. The result is less of a challenge against a strong boss, but rather an irritating fight against a broken character. Overpowered, weirdly designed, and boring. Not a great mixture for a video game boss in any genre.

“BioShock” (2007)

It’s upsetting when one of the greatest games ever made has a mediocre final boss. As the protagonist Jack moves through the city of Rapture, it’s presumed that the city’s founder Andrew Ryan will serve as the final enemy. Brains were scrambled when Jack’s companion Atlas turns out to be the true adversary. Atlas is revealed to be Frank Fontaine, a former crime boss hellbent on controlling the city. The twist is excellent and memorable. The conclusive fight with Fontaine though, not so much. After enhancing himself with ADAM, the city’s coveted genetic material, Fontaine attacks Jack. Once weakened, he must be drained of his ADAM before changing forms and attacking again. The uninteresting rinse and repeat combat style left us wanting more to say the least.

“Assassin’s Creed II” (2009)

Ubisoft’s masterful sequel to the original “Assassin’s Creed” brought us Ezio, a young assassin seeking vengeance against the Templar Order. In typical fashion, the player stealthily eliminates loads of enemies before reaching the final boss, Rodrigo Borgia. The climactic confrontation turns to disappointment before long. Antithetical to the main gameplay, Ezio and Borgia decide to lay down their arms and have a fistfight. It’s nonsensical to have the finale come down to a boxing match. What’s even more silly is that Ezio spares Borgia’s life afterward, despite the immense body count he’s accrued up ‘til now. Ending the game this way felt like a lazy and irrational decision by the developers. We just wish there was a little more logic and creativity involved.

“Far Cry 3” (2012)

“Far Cry 3” remains the favorite of the entire series by the vast majority of gamers. One of the reasons it made such a strong impression is thanks to the standout villain, Vaas. Vaas is creepy, cunning, and very intimidating. While setting him up as the final boss seemed like the obvious choice, the game shifts once the player finishes off Vaas mid-story. Afterward, the protagonist is tasked with taking down Vaas’ employer, a slave trader named Hoyt. Hoyt seems to show up out of nowhere. The character isn’t completely bland, but is massively surpassed by the far more interesting Vaas. Eventually, the player takes down Hoyt during a dialogue-heavy quicktime sequence. It’s ultimately dissatisfying, and left us longing for a more memorable face-off.

“Batman: Arkham Knight” (2015)

Longtime fans of the Arkham video games are no doubt familiar with Deathstroke. Also known as Slade Wilson, the menacing mercenary crossed paths with Batman in the past. However, in “Batman: Arkham Knight” he serves as a watered-down version of his previous portrayal. After clearing the city of Scarecrow’s militia, Batman is able to face off against the villain. The encounter is more disappointing than the fight against the mutated Joker in “Batman: Arkham Asylum”. It involves a sluggish vehicle battle in which Batman must strike the weak points of Deathstroke’s tank. After damaging the vehicle enough, the dark knight knocks out the merc with a single punch during a cutscene. Reducing Deathstroke’s potential down to a batmobile fight left us baffled and bored.

“Borderlands” (2009)

It likely comes as no surprise that the Destroyer landed on this list where it did. As incredible as “Borderlands” is, its major flaw lies in the game’s culminating boss fight. Once the Vault Hunters finally reach the fabled Vault, a massive beast emerges. The ensuing cutscene led some to believe this would be an epic encounter. Instead, players are treated to a stationary bullet sponge of little interest. The lack of creativity is on full display here. The Destroyer has a shallow movepool of easily dodged attacks, and whittling down its massive health bar by shooting weak points just feels like a chore. Thankfully, the series found redemption in the sequel with the introduction of Handsome Jack.