What does constitute a good boss fight ?

[kommando367]

After reading numerous complaints regarding boss fights being too easy, too hard, etc...
So I ask this to you, What, in your opinion makes a good bossfight good, is it challenge, is it epicness, is it unexpectedness. You can provide examples if you wish, but that doesn't make this a "list favorite bossfights" thread.

 

[Ben Legend]

A boss made completely of quick time events,
or failing that... something similar to the end boss of fable 2

all kidding aside, A boss has to push a player to his limits. Making you use everything bit of skill and knowledge you have aquired in the game.

I think too many games simply make boss fights that can be beaten by mashing the buttons.

 

[Abedeus]

No QTEs. Innovative boss is the best, so it can't be the same fight as other enemies + more health.

It also should require a specific way to be killed.

 

[Vanguard_Ex]

A good boss fight, in my opinion, is one that jumps out of nowhere, and is against a boss that is at least bigger than your average house. One that pops up out of a tense cutscene, that makes you hastily fumble your controller whilst picking it up muttering 'oh shit'. Again, this is purely my opinion so pick as many holes in as you wish.

 

[kaiser_what]

Well, in my opinion, the boss fights in The Typing of the Dead is pretty good or at least, interesting. Each of them requires a specific method to defeat. For example, the boss Strength requires you to type long sentences in a short amount of time. Fail to do that, and you will lose your life.

 

[teisjm]

Fighting your boss is a bad idea. Even if you win the fight you still loose your job.

...so it can't be the same figth as other enemies + more health....

This.

A boss has to be something special, not just a tougher grind-mob.

 

[theSovietConnection]

It also should require a specific way to be killed.

The new Godfather game does that, you have to kill the other family's made men in specific ways or else they don't die.

I do think, though, that if a boss has any blatantly vulnerable spots (no helmet or protective headgear for example), those should result in instant death, just make those really hard to get. I find it a bit of an immersion breaker if I'm fighting another human being and he's taken about 4 or 5 sniper shots to the face and hasn't died yet.

 

[Abedeus]

It also should require a specific way to be killed.

The new Godfather game does that, you have to kill the other family's made men in specific ways or else they don't die.

I do think, though, that if a boss has any blatantly vulnerable spots (no helmet or protective headgear for example), those should result in instant death, just make those really hard to get. I find it a bit of an immersion breaker if I'm fighting another human being and he's taken about 4 or 5 sniper shots to the face and hasn't died yet.

Okay, it doesn't count when a game should be realistic. Ninja Gaiden is a good example of awesome bosses. Even if some of them have cheap moves.

 

[Gormers1]

Well it cant be over in a few seconds, it has to have varied (preferably original too) attacks, surprise you, and not be easier than a segment of the game earlier before the boss. And there should be a good atmosphere to it too, music that changes etc. You should also know something is up before the boss arrives.

To name a few I like:
The bosses in Resident evil 4 were superb.
Like this one: It was both challenging and very cinematic.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eNkLFWG9lXI

Also liked this one from rayman 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5jh3E3l16g

 

[ace_of_something]

I like boss battles where you have to do a series of events to kill them. Shoot the monster in his eye, he'll turn around and than you can brain him, he will fall over and you drag him by his arm under the spike trap then turn it on.

Shouldn't this be in gaming discussion?

 

[cuddly_tomato]

Something epic. Kinda like the boss fight of GoW or something. Something that gets your attention and makes it all seem a lot harder than it is.

 

[Mockingjay]

A boss which doesn't have a glowing orb for a weak point. Or any other glowing anything for a weak point.

 

[Avatar Roku]

Epic, definitely. One reason I love Zelda is the epic boss fights.

 

[Gormers1]

Epic, definitely. One reason I love Zelda is the epic boss fights.

Yes, they score high on epicness, but I remember them being a little to easy. At least in zelda twiligh princess. But the epicness weighs up for it.

 

[Avatar Roku]

Epic, definitely. One reason I love Zelda is the epic boss fights.

Yes, they score high on epicness, but I remember them being a little to easy. At least in zelda twiligh princess. But the epicness weighs up for it.

I know what you mean, but to me, a boss fight has to do one thing: make me feel like a badass. It can do that two ways: difficulty and epicness. I'm more than willing to give up one for the other.

 

[Draxonicar]

A boss that, like in that ray man video, you have to go through multiple stages to fight them, also, a time limit like in portal makes it seem much funner and harder than it normally is

 

[Glerken]

I think Portal hit it with GlaDos.
You use all the knowledge you gained leading up to the fight, and you had to use it all to win.
That was a good boss fight.

 

[aleczm]

I like bosses that are difficult, but not UNREALISTICALLY difficult. Many RPGs (such as final fantasy or FUCKING XENOSAGA) have bosses that are really difficult to the point of un-ending frustration. Also, some fighting games (King of fighters...) have unbelievably hard final boss fights.

Some of my personal favorite boss fights are the first fight with krauser in RE4 (quicktime) and my absolute favorite boss fight was in DMC3 when you fight virgil for the last time. In my opinion, it was really fun, especially on harder difficulties, as it made you think quick because of how fast he is.

 

[GruntOwner]

Must have a method which is not obvious, but can be worked out without either consulting the net or dying 500 times. From what I've seen of Shadow of the Collosus, it did a good job with most of its creatures (Haven't played it but it LOOKED fun). Annoying routines that it follows are bad. They may have worked in the Sonic era but we're in a new age now, the hardware can handle something beefier than "up, up, down, attack, rinse, lather, repeat". Anything featuring the environment is a start, a few of the missions in the Jedi Knight games springing to mind. Anything which looks like the devs did something other than "Pump up the HP" or "Give him a pattern" is good for me really.

 

[Gormers1]

A boss that, like in that ray man video, you have to go through multiple stages to fight them

Well in that case, this takes it all^^ (This is the last boss in rayman 3)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XpEHZPZt6KE&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lo5Ara0eYuw&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FA_ndxKmXko&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ffq5siHnBrE&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HiyJelXixms&feature=related