10 Hidden Video Game Bosses You Weren't Supposed To See

When Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain was first released, many players complained about the conspicuous and disappointing lack of a boss battle against antagonist Skull Face.

Though MGS V generally lacked the series' signature tricksy boss fights, it was reasonable to expect a showdown with the game's human villain, rather than for him to be unceremoniously killed off in a cutscene as was the case.

And indeed, players who datamined the game uncovered extremely persuasive evidence that Hideo Kojima originally intended to have players battle Skull Face as expected.

The game's sound files contain samples of what resemble Skull Face engaging in combat with the player, with the implication being that players were at one point given the option of either killing him or taking him back to Mother Base.

This is further exemplified by the fact that Skull Face's custom lever-action rifle, the Skull Custom, also appears in the game data as a usable weapon, and modders have even imported it for use in-game, though it can't be reloaded.

Quite what a Skull Face boss fight would've entailed is anyone's guess, but knowing that it was at one stage going to happen only makes its absence that much more frustrating.

For Kojima's part, he decided that a boss encounter with Skull Face would've been inappropriate given the game's themes. Right...