Elden Ring was released on February 25th and fans are still split on how they feel about the final boss. On one side, it is a genuinely challenging foe and fits the lore remarkably well. But on the other, it does feel a bit lackluster in terms of measuring the player's overall skill or even being that interesting of characters.
Final bosses in video games can often end up being the best boss in the entirety of the game. And why shouldn't it be? Gamers want the ultimate experience to wrap up their long journey. But when it comes to satisfying conclusions for an entire gaming journey, which final bosses are truly the best of the best?
Red - Pokémon SoulSilver and HeartGold
This is the final boss fight featured for players in Pokémon SoulSilver and HeartGold, and it still holds up today as arguably the best battle in all of Pokémon.
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This fight bares many similarities between the one in Silver and Gold but is simply more refined. The experience of going up against the previous game's protagonist was thrilling and unexpected. Seeing Red on the snowy mountain and battling him with the starters from Generation 1, Pikachu, Lapras, and Snorlax, was honestly such a giddy experience. This fight is challenging and will require intense training.
Vergil - Devil May Cry 3
The climactic battle of Devil May Cry 3, has long been hailed as the perfect ending to one of the best Devil May Cry games.
Vergil's character has become more layered throughout the years and this battle gives fans mixed emotions of awe and sadness as the two brothers fight. Before it almost seemed as if they had made peace as they fought with each other, but now they fight against one another to the death. This fight is far more difficult than the other encounters with Vergil, but the payoff of victory is worth it.
Zeus - God of War III
The final battle of Kratos vs. Zeus in the third God of War installment is both a cinematic experience and tremendously fun.
Some of the best boss fights in video games require more than simply action, and that's exactly what is done for the Zeus boss fight. Throughout this game Kratos began to change for the first time, growing to genuinely care for Pandora. The death of Pandora and the final battle against Zeus is likely what set Kratos on the right path for the future.
Ashera - Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn
There are plenty of great final bosses in Fire Emblem, but none of them really compare to Ashera, the goddess of Order.
The endgame of Radiant Dawn was incredibly long, spanning five different chapters. The final boss fight came through with an intense battle against Ashera. And unlike most bosses, Ashera can't be engaged directly right away and has to have her aura destroyed first. This is easily the most intense boss fight in Fire Emblem, with the boss having an incredible amount of support to keep her from getting damaged.
Lord Shimura - Ghost of Tsushima
The final boss battle against Lord Shimura, Jin's uncle, is one of the most heartbreaking boss battles in video games.
This fight is beautifully done, having the two samurai duel beneath the tree they had practiced so many times before. This is where Jin learned everything from Shimura, so it's fitting it should all end here. The best part of this fight is the conclusion, which allows Jin to either let his uncle live or give him a samurai's death. Either way, it is a depressing finale.
Eredin - Witcher III
This boss fight feels straight out of a movie and is one of the reasons Netflix's Witcher should adapt the video games after finishing the books.
The boss fight is long, spanning from fighting aboard a ship to fighting in an open field of ice. Eredin of the Wild Hunt is a character many fans of the book will be familiar with, so to finally do battle with him is chilling. This is no doubt the toughest battle in Witcher III and requires dedication to see it through to the end.
Ganondorf - The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
There are too many amazing Ganondorf boss fights in Zelda. But Ocarina of Time's Ganondorf still holds up as the best boss fight in Zelda.
Prior to Ocarina of Time, Ganondorf was never seen in a human form. This made Ganondorf a bit of a surreal character but it also made him far more intimidating when he transformed into his Ganon form. This boss fight isn't very difficult, but it is fun and requires Link to go down memory lane as he uses many tactics that he employed against previous bosses.
Isshin, the Sword Saint - Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
Fans likely rolled their eyes when they saw Genichiro Ashina was standing in their way once again, but this time, he should be much easier. What followed after however was an incredibly grotesque reminder for fans that this is FromSoftware. Isshin sprouts out of Genichiro's severed neck, returned from the Underworld.
Genichiro Ashina did an amazing job to force the player to learn the game. In many ways, he serves as an exam for players to see if they're ready to go forward. Isshin is similar to this but determines whether the player is ready to complete the game as a swordmaster. This is the hardest boss battle in Sekiro and forces the player to master more aspects of the combat than even they might have imagined.
Sephiroth - Final Fantasy VII
The first part of Final Fantasy VII's remake already gave fans an incredible Sephiroth boss fight, but the final boss fight in the original game is still unmatched. Sephiroth will always be a heavily praised boss and character and is one of the best RPG villains around.
This boss fight is not only incredibly tough but also visually spectacular. When Sephiroth prepares heavy cosmic attacks fans will likely panic feeling the impending doom that's to come when that attack lands. Sephiroth will likely take most players multiple attempts to defeat unless they are over-leveled. Final Fantasy VII was a wild ride and this final boss makes the full experience all the better.
Slave Knight Gael - Dark Souls III: The Ringed City
The final boss of Dark Souls III's DLC is without a doubt the best final boss in video game history, as well as the best boss in general.
This boss fight is the true test of every player and is the ultimate conclusion to the Dark Souls video game franchise. The boss's movements and phases, his design, the dark setting and how the fight was led up to, and of course, the impeccable OST. This fight did the best of everything in Dark Souls III and is bound to be anyone who loves Dark Souls III's favorite boss fight.