2018 was full of games we won’t soon forget, and with them boss encounters that will stay with us well into the future. Of them, these were the 10 most memorable boss fights of 2018, ranked from memorable to unforgettable.
*Warning: Spoilers Ahead* Due to the nature of discussing said boss fights there are major spoilers we’ll be covering for some of 2018’s biggest games. You’ve been warned.
Best Boss Fights of 2018
10. The Scorchbeast Queen (Fallout 76)
Ongoing drama around its quality aside, Fallout 76 wasn’t lacking in memorable creatures for players to take on together. Case in point: The Scorch Beast Queen, a massive winged terror brought about by the game’s first successful nuclear launch.
Boasting the game’s highest enemy level and stats, the Queen is formidable enough all on its own. Players will need to come together with the best equipment they have and let loose on the beast, and keep up the pressure for a good long while at that.
All the while, they’ll have to hold off a slew of other monstrosities of the scorch variety, from level 50+ Scorchbeasts to Deathclaws and Mega Sloths.
It all culminates in a stew of chaos and carnage, all against a backdrop of a nuclear hellscape of the player’s own making. Whatever may come of the game in the future, there’s little doubt players will forget this moment from their playthroughs.
Best Boss Fights of 2018
9. Your Partner (A Way Out)
After working together to orchestrate a prison break, take down a crime lord and obtain an incredibly valuable jewel, most players of A Way Out were probably expecting a final boss battle that put Vincent and Leo’s teamwork to the test.
In a sudden about-face, however, it’s revealed that Vincent has been an undercover cop all along, using Leo to obtain the stolen jewel and put a stop to the crime lord’s reign. He’s intent on turning Leo in, and isn’t afraid to put him down if he refuses.
As a result, both players are pit against each other, one tailing the other across waterways and through a portside warehouse. Bullets fly and bonds are broken, leaving room for only one to walk away to begin their life anew.
It’s a surprise so sudden that it places players firmly in the shoes of their characters. Both will want to be the one to come out alive, even if it means killing a former comrade to do so.
Best Boss Fights of 2018
8. Badeline (Celeste)
Celeste is more than a game about climbing a mountain. It’s a game about overcoming one’s demons, which in the case of protagonist Madeline is made tangible by one of the mountain’s relics.
Deemed Badeline, this negative representation embodies everything that has plagued Madeline for years. She doubts Madeline at every turn, and tells her repeatedly that she can’t overcome the mountain’s trials.
This all comes to a head when Madeline tries to abandon Badeline for good, only to be dragged down to the mountain’s core in retaliation. To escape, she’ll have to find Badeline, overcome the obstacles she creates and discover the specter’s true purpose.
On top of being excellent narratively, the gameplay around this fight requires split-second decisions and perfectly timed platforming. A single mistake can set players back again and again, and each section cleared makes way for an even harder one.
Reaching the end takes time, patience and understanding. Once players have reached it though, it becomes clear this was the message all along and that Madeline and her dark side may finally be ready to make amends.
Best Boss Fights of 2018
7. Arthur vs. Micah (Red Dead Redemption 2)
From the beginning, Red Dead Redemption 2 players know Arthur Morgan isn’t destined for a peaceful end.
He says it himself repeatedly throughout the game, and after slowly succumbing to the symptoms of Tuberculosis, it’s clear he doesn’t have long by the time the climax hits.
All the same, he sees it as his duty to get John Marston out of the outlaw safely. When Micah and Dutch reveal their true colors, he stays behind to fight them off while John and his family escape.
What follows is a desperate last stand by Arthur against Micah. Players know they can’t hold out forever, but they must continue trading blow after blow with the treacherous outlaw for as long as they can.
By the battle’s end, Arthur lies broken and bloodied on the ground, but his goal is achieved. Even if only briefly, he redeemed himself for his past deeds and ensured someone else could live to learn from his past mistakes.
Best Boss Fights of 2018
6. Mythical Beasts (Assassin’ Creed Odyssey)
Though it may be cheating to include multiple bosses on this list, it’s hard to separate the different encounters players have with Assassin’s Creed Odyssey‘s mythical beasts.
Each encounter draws players further into the title’s lore while also presenting new gameplay elements to mix up the combat.
Facing down Medusa requires careful timing and placement to avoid being petrified, while the Minotaur sweeps vast swaths of the arena away with each swing.
Meanwhile, fighting the Sphinx takes consideration and cunning, asking the player to solve a puzzle in place of duking it out.
They all serve as a palette cleanser from the typical action and adventure players are accustomed to, and especially for the Assassin’s Creed series, they’re a welcome break from the norm that fans have seen so many times before.
Best Boss Fights of 2018
5. Galdera (Octopath Traveler)
While each of Octopath Traveler‘s eight main characters may seem drawn toward their own destinies and adventures at first, it becomes clear with time that they are all destined for a greater purpose; namely stopping the resurrection of Galdera.
A terrible god of life and death, Galdera lies on the verge of resurrection, after which he will leave the world players have come to know and love in ruin.
All of the heroes’ struggles have led to this confrontation, and the only way they can all see things through it to put him down. No matter the costs, and no matter how daunting the challenge, they have to win against this terrifying entity.
It’s JRPG shlock at its best, complete with a multi-formed final boss that puts your understanding of the game’s mechanics to the test.
More than that though, it’s a fantastic payoff for all of the eight characters’ stories. Everything the player has overcome in their time with the game feels all the more worth it when they topple this baddie, and caps off a truly fantastical set of adventures.
Best Boss Fights of 2018
4. Xeno’Jiiva (Monster Hunter World)
After hours upon hours of hunting monsters, crafting better equipment and tracking down the cause of the different disturbances around the world, Monster Hunter World players find themselves tasked with taking down one final beast.
As expected though, it’s far from a slouch. An elder dragon hatchling exposed to the life force of several dead elder dragons, the abnormal Xeno’Jiiva emerges from the Elder’s Recess to face down the hunter that seeks to tamper with its home.
Massive in size yet lightning-fast with its attacks, the beast forces players to use every strategy and technique they’ve accrued through their time with the game. Each attack needs to be perfectly timed, each item used for maximum effectiveness.
Likewise, the battlefield is far more cramped than other hunting grounds, ensuring both the player and Xeno’Jiiva can’t run for cover at any point in the clash.
By the time the beast finally falls before the player’s feet, there’s little doubt they’ll feel like they’ve taken down a suitably challenging target, capping off hours of stalking with a truly satisfying end.
Best Boss Fights of 2018
3. Galeem and Dharkon (Super Smash Bros. Ultimate)
Among the many aspects of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate that make it one of the best entries in the series, the final confrontation with the game’s main antagonists stands at the top.
After hours of piecing the world back together and freeing characters from their control, players must face down one last gauntlet of enemies.
Everything from evil copies of characters to villains like Dracula, Pig Ganon and Giga Bowser are thrown straight at them, requiring expert use of the player’s chosen characters to overcome without losing their limited stock of combatants.
After overcoming these challenges, the two cosmic beings responsible for all the chaos lie in wait. Both loom over the player’s characters, armed with moves that put Master Hand to shame.
Overcoming them requires carefully timed dodges and blocks, interspersed with combos and blows to chip away at both beings’ separate health bars.
It’s tense, it’s exhausting, and above all, it’s a fitting conclusion to one of the series’ most ambitious story modes to date. Time will tell if players ever see the two beings again, perhaps even as surprise playable characters.
Best Boss Fights of 2018
2. Dr. Octavius (Spider-Man)
Throughout their time playing Spider-Man, players and Peter Parker have witnessed the downfall of Dr. Otto Octavius first-hand.
Once an ambitious scientist and Peter’s idol who out to make life better for the many, the loss of his dreams and his continued reckless experiments warp Otto into a cold, maniacal monster out to destroy those he believes wronged him.
Though torn over his past admiration for the man, Doc Oc’s continually destructive actions force Peter to face him down atop the Oscorp Building.
The two clash and zoom all across the structure, their suits and friendship torn to shreds in equal measure. Sparks and blood fly as each fights to see their goals through.
By the time the battle concludes, both players and Peter have been pushed to their limits. A great man is gone, and the repercussions of his downfall will haunt both for a long time to come.
Best Boss Fights of 2018
1. Baldur (God of War)
The God of War series has always been known for bombastic opening acts, and the most recent entry in the series was by no means a departure from this trend.
After players guide Kratos and his son Atreus through a battle with a troll, things seem to settle down until a stranger comes to Kratos’ doorstep claiming to know about his past.
Kratos tries his best to remain calm, but before long, his insults cut deep enough to draw Kratos into a fight; and then, all hell breaks loose.
At a break-neck pace, players must exchange blows with the stranger. Each punch sends its targets hurtling through the surrounding forest, each kick splitting boulders and rending the landscape.
It’s a bare-knuckle brawl that is equal parts right at home with past entries and something entirely original. Most any player could tell that whatever came next, it was sure to be one wild ride.
Published: Jan 16, 2019 01:52 pm