Ranking Every Souls Boss
#59 - #40
The boss fights within the Souls series are some of the most compelling, dynamic and challenging in the industry. Many of them demand excellence when approached. They do not give quarter and we, the player, expect none. You must master the mechanics, persist through death, and, above all, learn from your mistakes in order to come out victorious. Regardless, some fights were clearly superior to others and, in order to make my opinions a little more balanced, I devised a five category, 50-point system to rank each of the bosses. The categories are Gameplay, Lore, Originality, Challenge, and Entertainment. Below, I go into detail about each category which I encourage you to read because it informs the bosses point totals. For example, Challenge is not just about how difficult it is but also about whether or not the difficulty is organic and fair (looking at you Ancient Dragon). Additionally, I'd like to note that I'm not including the Chalice Dungeon bosses on this list. Thanks for reading and please enjoy full list!
Gameplay
This encompasses the actions that you're taking during a boss. Are you frantically trying to avoid attacks and desperately chuggin Estus or are you trying to dodge randomly falling platforms that will instantly kill you. The way that a fight utilizes interesting mechanics will increase this score such as the tense Executioner Chariot battle while poor design choices will hurt this score like the Bed of Chaos falling platforms.
Lore
Lore takes a few aspects of a fight into account. This include the quality of the backstory of the character, the amount of investment you have when facing them, and overall environment and aesthetics of a fight. Are you fighting some random dude in a nondescript cave with no pertinence to the story or are battling a legendary figure of old in a glorious cathedral? Much of the time, the quality of the location and relevance of the story can be enough to elevate a boss into excellence.
Originality
How original is the concept for this boss? Is this the same design that From Software used before or is it something fresh? A unique design goes a long way in making a boss memorable. Large dudes with big swords and growling, burning demons are fairly commonplace but can set themselves a part with interesting mechanics or move sets.
Challenge
Not only does this score take into account the actual difficulty of a boss but also how 'fair' it is. What this means is whether or not a player can anticipate and counter a bosses attacks, no matter how difficult they are. The best bosses are demanding in terms of reaction time but never unfair in either their move set or how much damage they do (looking at you Ancient Dragon).
Entertainment
This score is more about gut reaction to a boss. How much fun did I have when fighting it? Was it exciting and interesting? Did I get a rush of adrenaline when defeating it or was it merely a roadblock before getting to the better battles? It's hard to define and tabulate what gives certain encounters that elusive magic but some have it and some don't.
Without further adieu, here's number 59 through 40 of the best bosses in the Souls series!
59. The Pursuer
Gameplay - 7.6 * Lore - 7.5 * Originality - 5.6 * Challenge - 7.2 * Entertainment - 7.2
Total - 35.1/50.0
Borne aloft by a mysterious crow, like a pilgrim from a faraway asylum, The Pursuer drops out of the sky in front of you. Slowly, he rises, wielding a greatsword and shield, floating just above the ground, the eye slot in his armor burning red. A cool entrance by all accounts and the fight itself is entertaining if a bit easy. He strikes hard and fast, able to move across the entire space in a matter of seconds. Plus, if you get hit by his unique grab attack, you'll not only become cursed but he'll also gain a whole new array of magical attacks that make the encounter considerably more difficult. Once you take him down, it certainly won't be the last time you'll see him, at least in the Scholar of the First Sin edition. True to his name, the Pursuer pursues you across the rest of the game appearing several times to challenge you again. While I usually don' t like games reusing bosses as regular enemies, this is the first time that I can remember where it felt appropriate and frightening when he spawned. Good all around battle.
58. Fool's Idol
Gameplay - 5.6 * Lore - 8.3 * Originality - 9.2 * Challenge - 6.2 * Entertainment - 6.0
Total - 35.3/50.0
The original copy-spawning monster from Demon's Souls still reigns as the best iteration of that gimmick. A four-armed woman descends slowly on a beam of light to the altar of a forgotten church. Soon, you're battling past her magic to get a few good hits on her before she starts spawning copies. Fortunately, there are pillars along the walls to guard from her sorcery. But they've got a few tricks up their sleeves. Such as the ability to launch traps on the ground that paralyze you for a few seconds if triggered, allowing every copy to pummel you while you're immobilized. Finally, you strike the last hit on the real Fool's Idol and she falls. But wait. What's happening? She descends again?! That's right folks, it's a double gimmick fight as you cannot actually kill the boss until you kill her puppeteer outside of the boss room. It's a pretty savage mechanic for those who don't obsessively explore each area but it's a good one-off. Once you kill her master, she becomes little more than a distraction but it's a fun distraction at that.
57. Guardian Dragon
Gameplay - 8.2 * Lore - 6.6 * Originality - 5.8 * Challenge - 7.6 * Entertainment - 7.8
Total - 35.8/50.0
Clinging to the immense birdcage's wall, the Guardian Dragon spews a fireball down upon me, requiring me to dodge away immediately. It lands with a smash and launches into a sweeping fire breath attack, one that I was waiting for. I sprint to the side of its head and start slashing its neck while it completes the animation. As soon as it completes, it takes to the air blowing fire down in an AoE that I narrowly avoid. Honestly, while this fight really has no lore background, it's a good bit of fun all the way through, requiring precise timing and patience to bring down. Again, this creature returns later in the game but it doesn't have the same environment or moveset, dampening the negative effect this can have on a boss fight.
56. Penetrator
Gameplay - 7.6 * Lore - 6.9 * Originality - 5.3 * Challenge - 8.1 * Entertainment - 8.0
Total - 35.9/50.0
The Penetrator, along with Ceaseless Discharge, really have the most... controversial names in the Souls series and I love it. Either way, this boss really feels like duel between two expert swordsmen. It's the first fight in the series that has shades of the gameplay that Bloodborne would later perfect with each participant swiftly navigating the arena, striking quickly with just enough time to avoid the attacks, and rewarding aggression. Getting pinioned by the Penetrator's stab attack is ruthless and deals incredible damage but that only makes the fight more desperate, knowing that you could get shikebabed at any moment. While I thoroughly enjoy this fight and certainly love the entrance of watching a Fat Minister getting skewered, The Penetrator doesn't really do enough to stand out among his contemporaries.
55. Aldrich, Devourer of Gods
Gameplay - 6.7 * Lore - 9.1 * Originality - 7.2 * Challenge - 6.2 * Entertainment - 7.6
Total - 36.8/50.0
Oh how Aldrich, Devourer of Gods has fallen in my estimation. Don't get me wrong, I still think it's a grandiose battle against a mythical creature but I do have to recognize the flaws that there are in this battle. First off the arrow attack in the second phase of the attack is a real dick move, From Software. Not only does it follow you forever but during the last portion of the attack it speeds up and goes straight, obliterating anybody running from it in a single line. Secondly, where exactly does Aldrich start and Gwyndolin end? And how does it have Nito's skirt. Too many unanswered questions for my taste. With all of that said, it's a fitting battle that goes against the typical mage boss fights in the series, requiring you to be ever-aware of where your character is in relation to the boss. The fact that you can judge where he spawns after he teleports (he'll always spawn in the corner farthest from you) helps negate alot of the guesswork in the fight as you basically just need to get up in his business, dodge his awkwardly timed melee attacks, and avoid his arrow storms. Also, he's called 'Devourer of Gods'. I mean, c'mon. That's badass.
54. Seath the Scaleless
Gameplay - 5.5 * Lore - 9.6 * Originality - 9.1 * Challenge - 6.2 * Entertainment - 6.5
Total - 36.9/50.0
After featuring prominently in the opening cutscene and the written lore of the series, Seath the Scaleless is a figure that you can't wait to engage with by the end of the story. And then, you face him in an arena where you literally can't win. You are forced to lose to him at least once. So, when you finally get the chance to face off again, you're good and ready to kill his tentacled ass. Invulnerable until you break his crystal heart at the back of the arena, Seath spews a crystal spray that will curse you, making him the only boss that utilizes this terrorizing mechanic from the original game. Once you are able to counter your fear of getting cursed, defeating him is not that difficult... Unless you're trying to get that elusive Moonlight Greatsword in which case you're in for an exponentially more difficult encounter. Also, it must be noted that Seath does not look like your typical, fantasy dragon. Milky white with a set of dragonfly wings and a trio of tentacles as his hindquarters, Seath certainly gains points for a unique design.
53. The Duke's Dear Freja
Gameplay - 7.4 * Lore - 7.8 * Originality - 6.9 * Challenge - 7.5 * Entertainment - 7.4
Total - 37.0/50.0
Next up is the Duke's Dear Freja, one of my favorite encounters from the original Dark Souls II release. Completely immune to damage unless struck in the head, the fight required the player to continuously remain in motion, particularly with the chance that she'll fire off a 180 degree, heavily damaging laser attack. And, despite the fact that she utilizes one of my least favorite mechanics from any fight (endlessly spawning minions), she was a real challenge to take down, testing your patience and timing. However, yet again, From Software nerfed a boss, decreasing the damage of the laser attack, which was easily the most dangerous part of the fight. So, while the fight is still fun and not nearly as pathetic as the Lost Sinner, it's just disappointing. Lorewise, she's the result of the obsession and experimentation of the Duke whom we meet in the room after her boss arena. Fairly cool but underdeveloped, storywise.
52. Aava, the King's Pet
Gameplay - 7.7 * Lore - 7.2 * Originality - 7.5 * Challenge - 7.5 * Entertainment - 7.2
Total - 37.1/50.0
The first boss of the Crown of the Ivory King DLC, Aava initially appears to the player as completely invisible making him essentially unbeatable. However, once you illuminate him, you discover that Aava is an overgrown sabertooth tiger capable of spawning crystal magic. Attacking swiftly with moves that are designed to punish dodge spammers, he puts up a solid fight, dealing heavy damage and performing a leaping grab attack that is quite lethal. Just a very solid, basic fight with good mechanics all the way through and no part of it that felt cheap or odd or easy. Honestly, the bosses from the Dark Souls II DLC Crown packs were easily some of the best bosses in the entire game.
51. The Rotten
Gameplay - 7.1 * Lore - 8.5 * Originality - 7.9 * Challenge - 7.0 * Entertainment - 6.7
Total - 37.2/50.0
This thing is one revolting piece of sludge, a mass of decaying, writhing bodies wielding a butcher knife that it's keen to use on you. As you cross the fog gate, you see the monster attempting in vain to reassemble one of the poison spewing statues that have plagued you across the previous area and you are immediately invested in destroying this terror. The arena where you battle this monster is an underground lair with patches of damaging burning tar that you need to be conscious to avoid. Balancing the need to avoid the dangerous groud, bating out attacks and strategically retreating from The Rotten's constant advance makes the mechanics for this fight engaging for all melee builds. A quick note though that if you're a magic or faith user, you'll probably have a much easier time of it. See, most of the tension in the fight comes from getting close enough to strike after his attacks. If you can just sling magic at it as he's recovering, all you need to do is bate an attack, back up, sling a spell, rinse and repeat, making this boss a cakewalk.
50. Dark Sun Gwyndolin
Gameplay - 6.3 * Lore - 9.6 * Originality - 8.2 * Challenge - 6.1 * Entertainment - 7.2
Total - 37.4/50.0
Probably the most influential, living, unhollowed character in the entirety of Dark Souls, Dark Sun Gwyndolin maintains the illusion of not only of his buxom sister Gwyndolin but also of the shining sun itself. Creating these mirages is no easy feat and he does so to convince the world that the Gods have not abandoned their thrones, that the Age of Fire is still burning bright. All of this doesn't even touch on Gwyndolin's bizarre upbringing and evolving gender identity or even the Darkmoon knights of whom he is captain. Suffice it to say, he's a remarkably well-rounded, interesting character within the universe of Lordran. With that being said, it's pleasant to say that I actually enjoy the fight as well. It's a gimmick fight but unlike any other one I've seen. Gwyndolin has three, ranged attacks and will continuously fire them at you while teleporting when you get too close down an endless hallway. The nice thing about this is that his difficulty, unlike many other bosses, it not based on your level but your skill and understanding of the fight. Additionally, the hallway is designed to offer limited protection as you rush towards him, giving you a breather between attacks.
49. Sanctuary Guardian
Gameplay - 8.3 * Lore - 4.4 * Originality - 7.8 * Challenge - 8.6 * Entertainment - 8.4
Total - 37.5/50.0
Diametrically opposite to the allure of the Dark Sun Gwyndolin encounter where you finally meet a mythical character and learn the mechanics of a gimmick fight to win, the Sanctuary Guardian instead offers a rock-solid, fast-paced, dangerous and thoroughly engaging boss fight with literally zero significance in the lore. Managing your stamina against the Sanctuary Guardian's onslaught of attacks in no easy feat and his aerial swoops and ranged, lightning attacks really spice up the action. In essence, the Guardian is a chimera ripped straight out of Greek mythology with the body and one head of lion, a second head of a goat, and a tail of snake (scorpion in this case) but it fits perfectly within the twisted world of Dark Souls. The varied and vicious attacks really help escalate the tension and make this fight great. Truly, we are really beginning to see how deep the roster from the Souls series really runs when such a quality fight ranks all the way down at the 49th slot.
48. Smelter Demon
Gameplay - 8.5 * Lore - 6.6 * Originality - 5.0 * Challenge - 9.3 * Entertainment - 8.3
Total - 37.7/50.0
As one of the only four bosses from the base game of Dark Souls II to crack the top 50, Smelter Demon fires on all the right cylinders. From a story perspective, he gets some interesting tidbits about being the demon that rose out of the lava when the Iron Keep sank into the earth. For his actual encounter, he's a real tough cookie to crack on a first playthrough. Staggered attack animations combined with a constant drizzle of damage from his fiery core make this demon a serious challenge, especially considering the ease of the bosses prior to him. Smelter doesn't get a lot of bonus points for originality as he is just a horned demon with a big sword but his surprising agility and heavy damage are a real treat to fight through because he always feels fair. Never do I blame the game for my deaths against him since I know that if I had only dodged a moment earlier, brought up my shield a second faster then I would still be alive.
47. Dragonslayer Armor
Gameplay - 7.5 * Lore - 8.3 * Originality - 6.8 * Challenge - 7.5 * Entertainment - 7.9
Total - 38.0/50.0
Given life by the enigmatic Pilgrim Butterflies, the Dragonslayer Armor guards the entrance to the Grand Archives, viciously attacking you with surprising speed and devastating power. His electric axe and massive shield dole out serious damage as he dashes around the bridge. While the Dragonslayer Armor is just that, a large suit of armor with a big weapon, he's a bit above the curve when it comes to originality since he's resurrected by the butterflies and that they will sometimes aid him with explosive dark magic. Speaking of magical butterflies, they have a peculiar audio cue to let you know when they've attacked that's just quiet enough to miss, even if you're listening for it. This sort of misstep is small though, considering you'll spend most of your time duking it out with a versatile, cunning opponent who is joy to battle.
46. Laurence, The First Vicar
Gameplay - 7.6 * Lore - 8.8 * Originality - 4.8 * Challenge - 9.2 * Entertainment - 8.3
Total - 38.7/50.0
As the only optional boss in the Old Hunters DLC, Laurence, The First Vicar is quite a bruiser. A malformed version of the Cleric Beast, Laurence has somehow gained the power of fire and many of his attacks now produce AoE effects that are deadly against the overly aggressive. Then, just when you think you've got a handle on this fight, Laurence splits in half, ditching his legs and spewing out lava from his torn torso. You'd think losing your legs would be a detriment to you lethality but in Laurence's case, exactly the opposite is true. Now, he propels himself forward with his front arms, madly smashing anything in his way and if you try and circle around him, the pool of lava that emits from him will burn you. It's an enjoyable if indistinct fight, retreading a powered-up old boss with a terrific, late-game twist that ratchets up the difficulty considerably.
45. Amygdala
Gameplay - 7.2 * Lore - 7.5 * Originality - 8.7 * Challenge - 7.7 * Entertainment - 7.7
Total - 38.8/50.0
Literally, Amygdala is the stuff of nightmares. Describing their bodily structure to a layman feels utterly pointless but here we go: A gigantic, pale, spider-like monster with a bulbous, flesh-latticed head and a thin abdomen with several, elongated arms protruding from it. So, if that makes any sense, then you get an idea of how thoroughly otherwordly and terrifying these monsters are, particularly when they're clinging to buildings and shooting lasers at you. So, when you fight the one at the end of the Nightmare Frontier, you are already familiar with this abomination. It utilizes all of its limbs in attempting to flatten you, swinging wildly and smashing violently across the enormous battlefield. Eventually, it'll transition to it's second phase with blood geysering out of its back and it's head spraying the ground with erupting laser attacks. Not an overwhelmingly difficult boss for those with an iota of patience but it's a thrilling, memorable encounter nonetheless.
44. Storm King
Gameplay - 5.0 * Lore - 9.3 * Originality - 9.5 * Challenge - 6.2 * Entertainment - 9.1
Total - 39.1/50.0
At the end of the Shrine of Storms, you come across the broodmother of all the flying manta beasts that have been tormenting you through out this area. Utterly massive and eternally airborne, new players will certainly be scratching their heads at how such a beast can even be taken down, especially when it spewing out tides of spears that can easily one-shot you. It's an exciting and appropriately epic confrontation that you must end with a sword that you find with in the boss room. Actually getting to the sword is the real trick here as you move from cover to cover, trying not to get obliterated by the boss's devastating attacks. So while cover based combat is not really where the Souls series shines, it works reasonably well in this case. Once Storm Ruler has been retrieved, the raw power that it unleashes is stunning, and gives you a real rush as you tear the Storm King from the sky. This gimmick is one that From Software would try in subsequent titles, most notable with Yhorm the Giant, but never to as much success as they had with this excellent fight.
43. Old Hero
Gameplay - 7.7 * Lore - 7.0 * Originality - 9.5 * Challenge - 7.4 * Entertainment - 7.9
Total - 39.5/50.0
In another brilliantly original twist from Demon's Souls, the Old Hero boss is blind, only able to locate you if you move too fast or attack him. Forcing yourself to slow down against a boss that has wild and dangerous combos if you mess up really ratchets up the tension as you know that one false movement may trigger his vicious attacks. Once the player understands the idea of the battle, it's not terribly difficult but the Old Hero's ingenious design that makes you fight against your own nature elevates this fight. Furthermore, the sheer violence with which he pursues you is startling and makes every engagement with him a nerve-wracking spectacle.
42. Darklurker
Gameplay - 8.5 * Lore - 5.5 * Originality - 8.3 * Challenge - 9.4 * Entertainment - 8.1
Total - 39.8/50.0
As one of the hidden bosses in Dark Souls II, a game I had completed before finding and battling the Darklurker, my expectations were fairly low heading into this fight. However, my shallow expectations were quickly shattered when I was greeted by the macabre yet beautiful dark angel that is the Darklurker. The attacks were clearly telegraphed but highly damaging forcing you to focus and learn the patterns. Then, just when you think that you have a grasp on the fight, she splits in to two entities, each equally damaging. The real fight begins here as you try and adapt what you learned in the first phase to work with two bosses. The fact that the game gets you used to the patterns in the first phase before challenging you with a second boss is simply great game desigin: Exciting, invigorating, and engrossing. It's just a shame that heading back into this fight takes such an annoyingly long time because it's one of the best boss encounters in Dark Souls II.
41. Moon Presence
Gameplay - 6.7 * Lore - 10.0 * Originality - 8.8 * Challenge - 7.1 * Entertainment - 7.6
Total - 40.2/50.0
The secret (and what some consider to be the 'true') ending of Bloodborne comes with an encounter with the eponymous Moon Presence, the architect of the Hunter's Dream and jailer of Gehrman. Descending from the red moon, tentacles writheing behind it, it lands gently on the field of flowers and attempts to force you into the same bondage that held Gehrman. However, if you've consumed three third umbilical cords, then you can resist enslavement and instead battle the Moon Presence for dominance of the Hunter's Dream. Okay, so hows that for story importance? As the literal catalyst for the Hunter's Dream, the Moon Presence actively seems to be undermining the work of Mensis and Mergo, indicating some sort of feud among the Great Ones. Either way the battle is entertaining if not all that challenging. The scariest move that the Moon presence is a loud, piercing shriek that instantly brings you HP down to 1. However, since that move has a rather long recovery time, the Moon Presence can rarely take advantage of the decrease in health that you recieve. Regardless, the battle is fun, fast-paced, and incredibly thematic.
40. Maiden Astrea
Gameplay - 5.0 * Lore - 10.0 * Originality - 9.5 * Challenge - 6.8 * Entertainment - 9.2
Total - 40.5/50.0
Standing as yet another stunning example of ingenuity and originality from From Software's first breakout, Demon's Souls, Maiden Astrea is about as non-traditional as bosses come. Throughout the fifth archstone, you are descending through a slimy bog infested with disgusting monsters and putrid beasts with nary a friend in sight. Finally, you reach the final area and begin preparing yourself for whatever twisted monstrosity awaits you after such a dour slog. But, yet again, Demon's Souls surprises you with its humanity and before you sits a young woman, a cleric and maiden who has travelled all the way through the swamp, a demon soul within her, determined to aid all those trapped in the swamp. With her stands her steadfast companion, Garl Vinland, a knight of unparalleled honor who protects and serves Maiden Astrea with no thought for himself. Yet you are here and you must kill her to acquire her soul and so you face off against him, a stalwart defender. But even after you strike him down, Maiden Astrea makes no move against you, peaceful to the last. It's a stirring reminder of From Software's excellent, non-linear storytelling. Anyway, the fight with Garl Vinland is challenging at first as he can dole out serious damage and hitting him can be a pain but the real highlight here is the situation that that game puts you in. Just a great moment in a game filled with them.
Thanks for reading
Comments
Post a Comment