10 Gimmick Bosses In Dark Souls
A new and novel approach to a Dark Souls boss experience? Or just weirdness for its own sake?
Throughout the Dark Souls series, there is a relatively straightforward pattern that is repeated for normal enemies, areas and bosses. You encounter them for the first time, you get utterly destroyed by them and then you gradually learn from your mistakes until you've recognised enough of their patterns and tells to emerge victorious.
While this holds true for most boss encounters, there are a few outliers. There are some that whether it be by luck, by chance, or just from previous skillset and game knowledge you can beat them the first time you lay eyes on them.
For other encounters, none of that will matter. These are referred to as "gimmick" bosses. Not an exact definition by any means, but generally some boss that relies on a mechanic or a scenario that is specific to them or to their arena to conquer.
The players of this series are generally divided on these encounters, with some enjoying the break from the norm and others viewing it as lazy, confusing or just plain unfair. Choosing from Dark Souls 1, 2 and 3, what are the gimmicky bosses that we encountered? And did it make them better or worse?
10. Ancient Wyvern - Dark Souls 3
Found in Archdragon Peak, when you open a huge portcullis and enter the fog the player is greeted by the sight of this enormous enemy landing in front of you.
Whether you get taken out by its fire breath immediately or dodge and roll your way in, the first time that your weapon lands against its scaly hide and you see the pitiful amount of health that comes off its health bar, you should realise something is up.
Unlike most other boss areas, the player should notice that there is a path to your left that lets you run past the boss and fight your way through mobs of enemies. By working your way through them and climbing ever upwards, you'll find yourself directly above the Ancient Wyvern's head. All that is left now is to drop down and perform a plunging attack for a one hit kill.
It could be argued that the gimmick here is the arena itself and the mobs being the real enemy, but while taking out such a monster in one hit is rewarding (provided you don't glitch straight through it) it can feel cheap and almost as though the real fight has been missed.