10 Most Satisfying Final Boss Kills In Gaming History

3. Baldur - God Of War (2018)

Yes, the final blow comes in a cutscene, but it's more about what this final fight represents and how far Kratos has come as a character across the game, that means I'm including it anyway.

Coming after we've spent a good 20 hours trying to be a better dad to Atreus, ruminating on the role of violence in Kratos' past and seeing Baldur and mother Freya tear themselves apart over the former's immortality, Kratos tries desperately to "let the cycle end".

He's referring to his past life; the need for endless revenge and bloodlust, and how even his own son gave in to that same self-righteous mentality, once he discovered he was a god.

Baldur attempts to choke the life out of Freya, only for Atreus to cry out and Kratos to eventually step in.

Grabbing a now-mortal Baldur and choking him into submission, Kratos simply states that "we need to be better", before cracking Baldur's neck and leaving him to die in the snow.

An encapsulation of everything the new God of War was going for, and how mature the writing team that's grown with him over the years has become, these final moments are just as powerful as any limb-ripping finisher.