The last post I did on this site left a bad taste in my mouth because of how awful it was to respond to a yellow journalist, I thought that I would do a top 10 post as a palate cleanser. One of the best things in gaming is when you face the first boss. It sets the tone for how the rest of the game’s boss fights are going to work, and is a fantastic first challenge for the player. Some games do them better than others, and I thought we would look at ten of them that are my personal favorites.
10. Gohma
Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
Something to know about me – I hate spiders. I fucking hate spiders. I also hate math, even though I’m pretty darn good at it. Easily my favorite Legend of Zelda game is Ocarina of Time. I starts off on such a great note, with a dungeon that is unique and colorful and has a nice little challenge for the kids that it was aimed for. But then you get to the boss room, and you’re thinking to yourself – what’s that noise? You hear a noise all around you, but you can’t localize it. Then you realize – it’s above you. So you look up, and what do you see? A giant fucking spider hanging from the ceiling, with a big eye that has the division symbol for an iris. This fight sets the tone so well, and is a fantastic ending to the first dungeon of the game. It’s great stuff.
9. Del Lago
Resident Evil 4
This game is a classic. Sure, I’m told the remake did it so much justice, but for me, you can’t beat the original. Maybe it’s the Virgin Effect, but this was the first boss in the first Resident Evil game I played. And what makes this boss fun is that you go through the game being so careful with your ammo conservation, and none of that matters! Instead, you are dealing with a monster in the lake and your only weapons are spears. It’s great stuff. You gotta maneuver the boat you are in, throw spears fast enough, and then in the end do a QTE to make sure that the monster doesn’t take you down with it. If you decided to be a dick and shoot the fish earlier, you meet the monster much sooner. Great way to scare the players.
8. Valus
Shadow of the Colossus
This game had such a unique concept – only boss fights. There are no smaller enemies in this game. Every battle is a boss battle. And the one that you are first introduced to is fantastic. It’s a towering golem who wields a massive club. This introduces you to how these fights go, as you have to find where you can climb up on it, exploit weak spots, and then get to the top where its ultimate weak spot is. This is a fantastic fight, made even better by this game’s AMAZING soundtrack.
7. Sinspawn Ammes
Final Fantasy X
The Final Fantasy franchise has a LOT of really good opening act bosses, but to my money, this is the one that really hooked me. This fight is hard. You have to attack not only the boss, but also his little minions. While keeping a steady eye on your health, because the enemy uses Demi every time it attacks, which hits both party members for 1/2 of their total HP. Sure, he can’t kill you with it, but the minions can do that for him. So it’s a game of attacking, defending, and then using potions at the right time. A great setup for a great game.
6. King Kamoshida
Persona 5
The boss of the first Palace of the game, this is a fight that has so much build-up and excitement behind it. Especially when it is your first time playing the game. Kamoshida is a piece of shit, and the chance to kick his ass is all the more tempting. But this boss fight introduces you to how bosses in this game work, and the reality is that bosses in Persona 5 don’t behave like normal bosses. If you try the straight-forward approach, you lose. You gotta be strategic, and take advantage of opportunities. Gotta bide your time and be careful with your strategies. It’s a fantastic first boss that sets the tone for those who come after.
5. Cleric Beast
Bloodborne
There is a lot of debate about whether or not this is the first boss. After all, it’s just as likely that the first boss you faced is Father Gascoigne. But I would argue that he is the second boss, because you don’t know at first how to get to Cathedral Ward. You find him when you have that as your destination. The Cleric Beast, on the other hands, is just some dude that you run into as you are walking down this bridge. He drops in like “surprise, motherfucker!” and then it’s on. He is a boss where you have to watch and see his weaknesses to win. The side with the small arm is the one you gotta stick to, dodging his attacks and then slicing him up when he’s vulnerable. It is a great introduction to this game’s boss fights. Comes with that kickass soundtrack for all the bosses in this game.
4. Poseidon
God of War 3
This boss fight is all about spectacle, and holy shit is it fun! Riding on the shoulder of Gaia, Kratos makes his challenge to Olympus. The first one to answer the call is Poseidon, taking on an armor of the ocean in the form of three horses of water to attack. The fight is insane, vicious, absurd, and awesome! The fight is basically the introduction scene to the entire game, where you learn about the controls and how battles work, so the game really throws you into the deep end right out of the gate. It’s great stuff. Plus, how Kratos finally dispatches the god of the sea is absolutely fantastic. You can’t help but love the violence of this asshole.
3. The Darkside
Kingdom Hearts
Few bosses can set the tone for the true scale of the enemy you are facing quite like the Darkside from the original Kingdom Hearts. As your world is falling apart and about to vanish, you end up facing this massive personification of the darkness that is swallowing your world. It isn’t the hardest fight, but it really does get your attention that whatever is going on, it’s serious business. It sets the tone for the rest of the game, and what to expect from boss level Heartless.
2. The Royal Griffin
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
This fight is unique in that there is so much build-up for it, and that build-up is actually the thing that is meant to set your expectations for the fight. After all, this is a hunt for Geralt. This battle sets you up for what your investigations will be, going forward, and how Geralt learns about his enemies. The lead-up to the battle is almost as engaging as the battle itself. But once you have to fight this behemoth, you feel completely outmatched pretty damn quick. It’s hardcore. But fight it you must, to get the Nilfgaardian Captain to tell you what he knews about Yennefer.
And my favorite first boss in gaming is…
1. Bloater
The Last of Us
This fight is just fantastic. After evading a massive onslaught of infected, you get trapped in a school gym. It looks like all is lost, but then there’s a window. However, before you can go through it, a massive, disgusting, fungal infected monster comes spilling out of the storage closet. It’s an infected who has been so for many years. Joel calls them bloaters. Totally get where this term comes from. This enemy is nuts! For starters, you have to consistently keep your distance. Let this thing close in and that’s it. There are no second chances with this monster. You’d think that would make things easier, but nope! It will fling globules of spores at you that can wipe out your health if you don’t run outside their range when they spread. Plus, this thing can take a LOT of punishment. It’s nerve-wracking, difficult, and grotesque. A perfect pinnacle of fungal infected evolution.
What are your favorite first bosses in gaming? Let me know down below. My palate now feels cleansed.
Until next time, a quote,
“What the fuck is that?”
“It’s a goddamn bloater!” – Joel, The Last of Us
Peace out,
Maverick
Lucien Maverick's Den 