10 Video Games With The Most Epic Boss Line-Ups Of All Time

8. ​Shadow Of The Colossus

metal gear solid
Team ICO

For a long time across many of gaming's greatest franchises, killing bosses was the big pay-off that we all couldn't wait to get to. Then along came Shadow of the Colossus and turned all that on its head, suddenly making us feel guilty over every majestic boss-creature we took down, just to soak up the poor thing's spirit. Heartless...

But these battles weren't just great for the unprecedented emotions they evoked in players. Each encounter feels like a vast, sentient puzzle that needs to be solved, forcing you to rewire your brain every time.

Right from that first battle with Valus, you're blown away by the otherworldly beauty of your foes, before taking them on and working out their weak points. Many of the battles, such as the Dirge and the Delta Phoenix, force you to fight the creatures while fleeing them on horseback, or mount them when they swoop in to attack you, making for exhilarating showdowns that don't need QTEs to tick off those 'epic' and 'cinematic' boxes.

The Phalanx (biggest boss in game history?) is particularly impressive, as you chase it around a vast desert in your bittersweet bid to take it down.

Just be prepared to feel like quite the evil chap when you eventually bring them down...

Contributor
Contributor

Gamer, Researcher of strange things. I'm a writer-editor hybrid whose writings on video games, technology and movies can be found across the internet. I've even ventured into the realm of current affairs on occasion but, unable to face reality, have retreated into expatiating on things on screens instead.