10 Saddest Boss Fights In Gaming

Fighting a boss... or fighting back tears?

By Josh Staples /

The enemies thin out and the area opens. You see a powerful opponent ahead ready to give a hell of a fight.

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Boss battles are some of the most memorable parts of gaming, getting your blood boiling and your face sweating as you face off against an enemy beyond your skillset. Finally triumphing over the boss as you feel rewarded and on this high, you step forward ready to face what's next.

However, there is the rare occasion where you dread a fight, not for difficulty, but for who it is. Maybe beating a boss can have a negative effect and make you feel bad for beating them, maybe to the point of giving up.

A close ally, an animal going off instinct or just a loveable villain, these fights didn’t make you feel good after.

In a medium increasingly delving into grey territory when it comes to morality, choice and consequence, it could be "wrong" to face this lot, and they really get in your head because of it.

Hold back those tears, because although this lot had to go down, they certainly left a mark.

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Note: Spoilers within for the games mentioned.

10. Bloodwing (Borderlands 2)

Mindlessly exterminating aliens and bad guys is fine to most, especially in the Borderlands games. However, a boss fight mid-way into the second installment puts you against Mordecai’s companion, Bloodwing.

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Handsome Jack experiments on her and infuses her with several elements making her giant and hostile to the player. This is made even harder if you played Mordecai in the first game, as you have to put down one of your closest allies.

This plays out with Bloodwing attacking you with different elements as Jack taunts you in the background as he's known to do. All the while, the player characters and Mordecai trying to weaken her enough to try and tranquilize her.

You eventually do, but just as she seems to be coming to her senses, Jack detonates an explosive collar he had on her, killing her. Despite being close to fixing Bloodwing, Mordecai is forced to watch his close friend die.

Another reason for you to hate Handsome Jack is when he makes you fight an ally, only to kill her himself. Dick move Jack, but then again everything you do is a dick move.

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