10 Bosses That Stopped Games Being 5 Stars
1. Human Reaper - Mass Effect 2
The greatest chapter of the Mass Effect saga, 2010’s Mass Effect 2 is deservedly considered one of the greatest RPGs ever.
Picking up shortly after where its 2007 precursor left off, BioWare’s sci-fi odyssey sequel centers on Commander Shepard’s mission to stop the Collectors and Reapers. Expectedly, the developer made enhancements to nearly every aspect imaginable (combat, graphics, dialogue/morality, characterizations, interactions, and the list goes on).
On that note, Mass Effect 2’s finale includes a suicide mission that makes it possible for virtually everyone you’ve bonded with to perish if things go awry. It’s a remarkably sophisticated and potentially heartbreaking scenario that – unfortunately – is tainted by the Collectors’ latest oppositional creation: the Human Reaper (which is constructed from countless human bodies).
Beyond messing with the lore of the Reapers, the slowly moving robotic titan looks and acts like dozens of other prior bosses in the medium. It shoots easily avoidable bursts of energy and growls a lot; meanwhile, Shepard and their squad simply need to take cover in-between firing their weapons at the Human Reaper’s overt hitboxes and recurring minions.
It’s barely better than a typical arcade shooter, and it’s a significant blemish on an otherwise exceptional experience.