10 Video Game Bosses With The Strongest SECOND Phases

10 Video Game Bosses With the Strongest Second Phases

Welcome to MojoPlays, and today, we’re counting down our picks for the bosses in video games who surprised us all with how strong their second forms were!

Saren

“Mass Effect” (2007)

Let’s be honest, practically everyone used their Paragon or Renegade options to negate the first phase of this fight, pushing the traitorous Turian into taking his own life. But on the off chance you didn’t, it’s a simple case of blasting from around cover as Saren hovers overhead. A tad tricky but nowhere near impossible. However, when the Reaper takes over and revives his synthetic skeleton, things can get pretty gnarly. The arena is small, there’s limited cover, and Saren will bounce from wall to wall while blasting out bolts of energy that can do major damage to Shepard. Hope you didn’t choose to play as a Vanguard.

Firth

“Another Crab’s Treasure” (2024)

What happens when a narcissist with dreams of grandeur snatches godhood for themselves? They become an even bigger narcissist, but now they can control the ocean. As the Crab Who Stole The Whirl – Firth packs a mean swing, mainly due to how he can dodge a lot of melee attacks, teleport, and summon a giant blade that will crack open your shell if you don’t dodge in time. But it's when Firth becomes the Avatar of Waste that he really starts to become a pain. Between the giant sea-mines and waterspouts, trying to land a hit and stay in one piece becomes exponentially more difficult.

Vide

“Octopath Traveler II” (2023)

A giant cocoon that likes to summon a whole lot of tentacles? Nothing that a ragtag of JRPG characters can’t handle, especially after so much grinding to unlock the best jobs, abilities and weapons. At least that’s what we all thought until Vide revealed his darkly divine true form. Despite having control of eight characters, you still feel like an underdog. Maybe due to how Vide’s giant limbs all have their own health bars – and can revive one another It’s a gauntlet to overcome and a marathon to endure. Best of luck!

The Demon Prince

“Dark Souls III” (2017)

If you want to get to the Ringed City, you’re going to have to walk through hellfire, courtesy of the Demon in Pain and the Demon from Below. Perfectly balanced yet still challenging, overcoming the demon twins shouldn’t prove to be overwhelming for any Ashen Ones who have leveled themselves to a modest degree. That is until the two fuse together and resurrect themselves into their true guise of the Demon Prince. Now able to fly, the Prince will blanket the area in flames and projectiles, but if you venture too close, it’s going to come in hot and slice you to pieces with a barrage of combos. We can see why Lorian struggled against it.

Dr. Kahl's Robot

“Cuphead” (2017)

This infernal iron giant proved to be the bane of our existence in what was already proving itself to be one of the most difficult boss rushes gaming has ever known. Between the homing missiles, lasers and danger of getting too close to its hulking body, the first phase alone was a piece of work. So, what could be harder? How about pure bullet hell? When Dr Kahl reveals himself, he wastes no time in blanketing the screen with projectiles that will have you sweating and swerving. You’ll spend so long trying to navigate you’ll forget to return fire!

Eviterno

“Blasphemous 2” (2023)

The Father of the Penitents may be getting on in years, but don’t let that fool you, the geezer knows how to make a sword sing. The first phase is actually rather reasonable, offering plenty of opportunity to punish him and even deflect a few of his attacks back his way. That all goes out the window when he decides to swap the sorcery for a melee build. His AOE attacks are absurd in their size, scope and speed. Just when you think you’re out of harm’s way, you’ll likely find yourself sliced to pieces in another crazy combo.

Ludwig

“Bloodborne” (2015)

You’ll barely have a moment to process what you’re looking at before this accursed beast has trampled you into paste. Horrifying and mesmerizing in equal measure, Ludwig’s charge attacks demand you to be quick on your heels and even quicker when it comes to landing hits. That is, until Ludwig rediscovers his guiding moonlight, and switches things up drastically. Now armed with the Moonlight Greatsword, his attacks now consist of massive swings that can reach near and far, whilst offering little margin for error. Not only does this phase provide a great arc for Ludwig’s character, but one of Bloodborne’s greatest hurdles to overcome.

Theseus and Asterius

“Hades” (2020)

As a double battle, this mythological hero and his minotaur bro make for quite the test of skill, with one launching projectiles from afar while the other brings the pain up close. Whichever one you choose to dispatch first, rest assured, the fight only gets harder from there. Asterius will become even more relentless with his swings, while Theseus will take a page out of Zag’s playbook and start channeling the power of the gods. The only thing more intense than the fight itself is the rage you’ll feel towards Theseus’ smug face.

Simon Manus

“Lies of P” (2023)

Insane alchemist turned monster with one hell of a tumor, Simon Manus’ turn as a boss was almost disappointing when compared to some of his puppet lackeys. He just swings his weapon around, leaving plenty of room for openings. And then he revealed the fruits of his experiments. Turns out that tumor of his actually houses…um…god? Or at least a conduit for one, on account that as soon as it’s born it literally reaches out to touch the actual hand of god? We think? It may be bonkers, but it sure as hell hits hard, barely giving you an inch before laying the smite down on poor Pinocchio.

Radahn

“Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree” (2024)

The awe and surprise of seeing this beloved boss return was almost as intense as the thrashing he gave us seconds later. As Elden Ring’s most challenging boss (Yes, even more so than Malenia) shaving off even an inch of his health felt like a triumph. Then his second phase began, wherein Miquella decides to enter the fray, declare his beloved brother as his new consort, and give him the power to unleash an absurd amount of holy damage. Radahn’s new moveset was already punishing enough, but combined with Miquella’s not so kind array of magic, he becomes an absolute monster.

Which of these second phases made you rage quit? Let us know in the comments!