10 UN-WINNABLE Video Game Fights (You Can Actually Win)

The trope of scripted, unwinnable fights is definitely one of the more infuriating gaming traditions. Every now and then, you come across a title that decides to stack the odds against you so that it can prove to you that their big baddie is way too strong or your character is pathetically weak.

However, as it turns out, not every unwinnable scenario is actually as dire as the developers make it out to be. Sometimes, the unwinnable can be won!

It either takes a great deal of skill or a good grasp on an exploit or two, but some of the scripted losses in games can actually be prevented. Not only that, the game will sometimes take note of your unexpected victory and reward you for it with a secret in the form of an alternative ending or a special complimentary item.

Don’t let the hopelessness of the following fights discourage you. There’s actually a way to win them! You just have to learn how to make the odds work in your favor.

Genichiro Ashina is Sekiro's greatest swordsman and your character’s main rival, whom you fight multiple times throughout the game.

Your first fight against Genichiro in the intro is what sets off Sekiro's story, as this is when Genichiro cuts off your hand and kidnaps the prince you have sworn to protect. The fight is incredibly difficult, which is why the developers expect you to lose it and build the plot around your defeat.

This said, from a gameplay perspective, the duel can actually be won. It isn’t scripted and works like a regular boss fight, so if you're skilled enough to go up against Genichiro without any items or upgrades, Ashina's general can be brought to his knees.

Unfortunately, this doesn’t alter the course of the story in any way. When Genichiro is defeated, the game will fade to black and trigger a cutscene where a hidden ninja slices off your hand anyway, altering Genichiro's dialogue ever so slightly.

Well, no one said your efforts and skills were going to be appreciated. We are talking about a FromSoftware game, after all, and those aren’t really known for treating their player base fairly.