10 Best First Bosses In Video Games
Old God of War peaked with Poseidon.
Since the dawn of gaming, bosses have been designed to test us. While approaching a screen-filling enemy or the final antagonist, the player needs to call upon every skill they've learned to emerge victorious.
However, things are different when encountering the first enemy, since the player is still trying to get a handle on the controls and mechanics. Instead of offering a challenge, the introductory boss usually serves as a tutorial to learn the basics. As such, the opening adversary rarely leaves much of an impact.
But there are certain games that kick things off with a showstopping battle. Whether it's due to the villain's creative attacks, staggering size, or charismatic persona, the player is left in awe from the very beginning.
Rather than taking things easy, the first opponent may prove a surprising challenge, forcing the player to master attacks and mechanics they didn't know existed. Sometimes, this foe isn't just memorable, but the highlight of the whole playthrough.
Although gamers rarely expect much from the first boss, the ten entries on this list won't be forgotten for a long time.
10. Asylum Demon - Dark Souls
To a Soulsborne veteran, Dark Souls' first enemy, The Asylum Demon, is child's play. But when the game launched back in 2011, this draconic behemoth was deemed a serious obstacle. Due to his long reach and devastating attacks, it didn't seem feasible to beat this nasty piece of work.
After being killed for the umpteenth time, some players realised they could defeat this boss instantly by performing a plunge attack on his head from the above ledge.
The Asylum Demon may not be as memorable as other enemies, but he's extremely important for two reasons. Firstly, he establishes Dark Souls will not go easy on noobs, not even during the beginning. If a gamer finds this assault unbearably unfair, that indicates Dark Souls mightn't be for them, since it only gets tougher.
This bout is also pivotal, since our hero receives a special reward if the bloated beast is thwarted fair and square. This highlights to the player that there isn't a set way to vanquish enemies, and those that don't take the easy option will reap the benefits.
The Asylum Demon seems simple, but he teaches the player far more than they realise.