Nearly 15 years ago, the first Assassin's Creed was released. While the early titles focused primarily on stealth and parkour, the series has since evolved into adventures that also require its players to be ready for challenges of strength and combat.
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Before the release of Assassin's Creed: Origins, most bosses could be easily slain by a single strike to the throat. But since the series' soft reboot, the bosses have kicked up a notch, requiring skill, strategy, and a mixture of abilities to defeat. For those Assassins who preferred to stick to the shadows, these boss battles continue to haunt their nightmares.
El Tiburon
Edward Kenway's adventures in Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag offered the series first radical departure from its established formula. Rather than spending time maintaining a low profile and blending into plain sight, players were encouraged to do exactly the opposite and live the life of a privateer during the Golden Age of Piracy. It was a welcome change and opened the door for some of the series best characters to appear.
This new action-oriented approach also meant the introduction of tougher enemies who couldn't be easily stabbed in the back and set down softly on a nearby bench. Edward's toughest encounter on dry land happens when he finds himself face to face with El Tiburon, the right-hand man of head Templar Torres. El Tiburon, or "The Shark", is impervious to most of the player's means of attack. The only way to take him down is to berate him with an endless barrage of pistol shots.
Ahmet
Ottoman prince and master of the Byzantine Templars, Ahmet serves as the central antagonist during the events of Assassin's Creed: Revelations. He searches relentlessly for the keys to open the hidden library of Masyaf, hoping to obtain its legendary power as he ascends to the throne of the Ottoman Empire. The final sequence of Revelations against Ahmet is unlike anything else in the series. Sadly, that's not a compliment and that's really what makes it so difficult.
Rather than using the stealth, sword, and parkour skills you've worked the whole game building, this boss fight involves bumping horse-drawn carriages into boulders, assassinations from a parasail, and a fistfight while falling off a cliff. Nothing sounds particularly hard on paper, but it's a sequence that has confounded and frustrated many gamers since its release.
Hades
Assassin's Creed: Odyssey sets players loose on an adventure to explore the secret history of the Peloponnesian War in Ancient Greece. Its setting is completely overflowing with beautiful locales to visit. Odyssey's DLC, The Fate of Atlantis, expands on that glorious setting by mixing in the fantastical creatures, characters, and Gods of Greek Mythology.
In the second chapter of this saga, Torment of Hades, players are tasked with carrying out missions for the manipulative God of the Underworld before he, completely unpredictably, turns on you. Hades is fast and has a plethora of powerful attacks in his arsenal that can be used to quickly cut health bars to zero. He also frequently bolsters his own health with shields and summons magic orbs that can sneakily eliminate players if they aren't paying attention.
William of Montferrat
Many battles in this list require players to gather the best gear and grind to an appropriate level before they can even have a hope of taking down their opponent. These are all components of the game that didn't exist whenever players tried to eliminate William de Montferrat as Altair in the ancient city of Acre. Regardless, some will still argue that it's among the best in the series.
Unfortunately, security around the regent is tight and only the most skilled of players can eliminate this target without raising an alarm. Once spotted, Altair could expect an endless barrage of soldiers and a significant struggle to escape pursuit from the crusader horde. Ultimately, this confrontation highlights many things that were wrong with the game upon revisiting, and it has not aged gracefully.
Fenrir
Just like Origins and Odyssey, Assassin's Creed Valhalla's map is massive and completely packed to the brim with adventures and challenges for both hardcore and casual gamers alike. Those that reach the end of the main quest line can expect to be greeted by Fenrir, the legendary Isu who was imprisoned by Odin for fear of his role in Ragnarök.
Fenrir looks and fights like he could have been plucked straight out of Dark Souls or Bloodborne. He'll hurl rocks, create tornados, and frequently ambush the player from underground. Any attempts to take on this foe using the traditional method of getting up close and personal are doomed to failure. Eivor's only chance at winning this fight is to focus on firing their arrows at Fenrir's kneecaps, and hope they can scrounge up enough healing mushrooms to survive.
The Storm Fortress
One of the most polarizing features introduced throughout the series history was its naval combat. A feature that played a significant role in Black Flag and its prequel, Assassin's Creed: Rogue. These titles invited gamers to take command of a vessel, customize it to their liking, and captain the brig against the fearsome foes and legendary ships that sailed the Caribbean and North Atlantic waters.
Among these legendary ships is The Storm Fortress, an Assassin Man O' War confronted by turncoat Shay Cormac during the events of Rogue. Regardless of the player's preparation, The Storm Fortress is a devastating opponent with a ludicrous amount of firepower and an unbelievable amount of armor. On top of that, the ship also summons additional legendary ships to help out right before its death. A swift hit-and-run approach is the only option to avoid a watery grave.
Balor
Many praised Valhalla as the best entry in the Assassin's Creed series and were excited to see Eivor's adventure continue with the release of the Wrath of the Druids DLC. This self-contained adventure explored the mysterious background of the druidic cult, The Children of Danu, and added Ireland to Valhalla's already extensive map. After uncovering all there is to offer in this new setting, the final climactic battle pits Eivor against Balor, the one-eyed giant of Irish legend.
Balor is a fierce combatant who can eliminate players quickly with his large sweeping strikes. In addition to that, melee weapons are nearly useless against him. This is a long fight that requires a full stock of arrows, hefty amounts of rations, and a ton of endurance.
Tutankamun
Much like Valhalla and Odyssey, the DLC for Assassin's Creed Origins introduced players to a more mythical take on Ubisoft's historical epic. Curse of the Pharaohs sees the incredible cast of Origins return to face off against the resurrected spirits of pharaohs awakened by the theft of their treasure. Of the DLC's bosses, Ramesses, Akhenaten, and Nefertiti are all formidable adversaries, but Tutankamun is a cut above the rest.
This is yet another boss fight where melee weapons are of very little consequence. While he's not impervious to a direct assault, Tutankamun's aggressive use of spin attacks makes the strategy effectively useless. The best way for players to put this Pharoah back in his sarcophagus is to keep their distance and pick off the spirit with a mixture of arrows and firebombs.
Medusa
The Queen of Gorgons' place in video game history is well documented. Medusa has stood in the path of players in Kid Icarus, Castlevania, and God of War, so her inclusion in Assassins' Creed Odyssey is far from a surprise. However, this is by far the most powerful version of the villain to date.
Medusa's main method of attacks involves summoning minions to attack the player while she tries to pick them off from a distance with her signature stone gaze. Those who survive that onslaught can expect aerial blasts, fast charging attacks, and unblockable grabs that deal devastating damage. While not part of the main storyline, Medusa must be defeated before players can explore The Fate of Atlantis DLC.
Erymanthian Boar
In a list that includes specters, mythological creatures, and Gods it seems like a mistake that the title of hardest boss is awarded to a boar. On the other hand, it's undeniable that the Erymanthian Boar is the toughest boss that players encounter throughout the Assassin's Creed series. This boar is large, relentless, and unafraid to resort to "dirty" tactics.
The Erymanthian Boar's most devastating ability allows him to pass a deadly gas that remains in the air for the duration of the fight. If players linger in this stinky fog too long, they will suffocate to death. Nobody turns on their Xbox or Playstation thinking they'll be murdered by boar toots, but Assassin's Creed made that dream a reality for many players.