10 Bosses That Stopped Games Being 5 Stars

5. Godskin Duo - Elden Ring

Uncharted Lazarevic
FromSoftware

As with FromSoftware’s prior Soulslike/Soulsborne adventures (Demon’s Souls, Dark Souls, Bloodborne, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice), 2022’s Elden Ring is widely loved for its mythology/world-building and gratifyingly punishing larger-than-life boss battles.

In fact, it’s already viewed as one of the greatest video games of all time. 

While that’s certainly a valid opinion, it’d be even more valid if not for the questionably designed (to say the least) section in which your silent member of the Tarnished goes toe to toe with the Godskin duo in the Crumbling Farum Azula near the end of his expedition.

Godskin Noble and Godskin Apostle were irritating on their own, so it’s only fair that they’re twice as annoying together. Not only do they resurrect each other (so knocking one off before the other doesn’t work), but their combination of speed, deadly rapier force, and toxic magic makes them relentlessly exhausting.

From the player’s perspective, being pressed to constantly hide and use Spirit Summons (or other ranged attacks) adds to the frustration, ensuring that the Godskins' fight is unenjoyable for anyone who’s not an Edlen Ring expert or a complete masochist.

 
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Hey there! Outside of WhatCulture, I'm a former editor at PopMatters and a contributor to Kerrang!, Consequence, PROG, Metal Injection, Loudwire, and more. I've written books about Jethro Tull, Opeth, and Dream Theater and I run a creative arts journal called The Bookends Review. Oh, and I live in Philadelphia and teach academic/creative writing courses at a few colleges/universities.