Fierce_LiNk Posted January 26, 2013 Posted January 26, 2013 I hate them. Fucking hate them in games. They were shite in Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz and they're shite in Xenoblade, which is where I am now, tearing my face off trying to beat Xord in the Ether Mines. I remember hating parts of Metroid Prime due to the final boss and Meta Ridley. There's nothing fun or rewarding about having to do the same shit over and over again before dying, then having to repeat the same process. I've done this boss about 20 or so times THIS EVENING and it seems to be down to luck. I've checked youtube videos and am doing exactly the same thing, yet the fucker won't die. Just kill me, please. Game is excellent up until moments like this.
Retro_Link Posted January 27, 2013 Posted January 27, 2013 (edited) You're just shit! I agree that often boss battle aren't overly fun, or add a bit of unnecessary stress or frustration to a game, but damn are there some great ones out there! Some boss battle can be fun or straight up cool and often it's the incredible intro's they have that make them great and memorable! Zelda has some incredible bosses, as do the Resident Evil games, especially Resi 4!! How about Diddy Kong Racing's! Some of my favs include... Thaw him out and let the chase begin! Often it's the slightly less difficult ones that you get to enjoy more Intense and a real challenge yes, but too cool! Edited January 27, 2013 by Retro_Link
Magnus Posted January 27, 2013 Posted January 27, 2013 This is what happens when you skip sidequests! Serves you right.
Cube Posted January 27, 2013 Posted January 27, 2013 You should play Shadow of the Colossus. That game only has bosses.
Fierce_LiNk Posted January 27, 2013 Author Posted January 27, 2013 Ahh, done it now. Now can advance with the story! @Magnus, stfuuuuuuuuuuu. [/Rage]
Retro_Link Posted January 27, 2013 Posted January 27, 2013 You should play Shadow of the Colossus. That game only has bosses.Must get around to doing so one time!
Rummy Posted January 27, 2013 Posted January 27, 2013 Xenoblade did get me stuck in places with boss battles, but on the whole wasn't too bad. Also unless I'm mistaken it's fairly forgiving, and will let you get xp/level up even if you suck? Thus can, with a minor grind, eventually beat a boss? Xord did bitch me up pretty hard though, along with the lady in a mask and her friend(not sure if that's later, kinda think you're well past that maybe). Anyhow, I quite like boss battles. They're a moment of challenge to be overcome, and often allow for something creative to be done. They quite satisfy me!
Ville Posted January 27, 2013 Posted January 27, 2013 I hate them. Fucking hate them in games. Yet you like Monster Hunter, which is nothing but boss battles? Did you ever fight Super Alatreon? Fun times indeed... o_O
Josh64 Posted January 27, 2013 Posted January 27, 2013 I hate them. Fucking hate them in games. They were shite in Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz and they're shite in Xenoblade, which is where I am now, tearing my face off trying to beat Xord in the Ether Mines.. Whilst it wasn't as good as the GameCube games, I actually thought Banana Blitz was awesome... apart from the awful boss battles. Honestly, WHAT were they thinking? And The Magnificent Five in Viewtiful Joe pissed me right off! Them bosses were hard enough as it is, but I have to play them all again, one after another!?
Retro_Link Posted January 27, 2013 Posted January 27, 2013 (edited) Actually even though I'm quite bored of Mario at the moment, I have to say one of the best bosses of recent games has been... The approach is fantastic and atmospheric, felt more like you were off to fight Ganondorf! :p There's some great Mario humour, and the final battle was actually something new, creative, highly enjoyable, and even offered a bit of a challenge! but I have to play them all again, one after another!?Actually yeah those types of boss battles are the worst whatever the game. Edited January 27, 2013 by Retro_Link Automerged Doublepost
Fierce_LiNk Posted January 27, 2013 Author Posted January 27, 2013 This is what happens when you skip sidequests! Serves you right. In fairness, I've done a few. I was a level 26 when I came to the battle. Not exactly terrible. :p Xenoblade did get me stuck in places with boss battles, but on the whole wasn't too bad. Also unless I'm mistaken it's fairly forgiving, and will let you get xp/level up even if you suck? Thus can, with a minor grind, eventually beat a boss? Xord did bitch me up pretty hard though, along with the lady in a mask and her friend(not sure if that's later, kinda think you're well past that maybe). Anyhow, I quite like boss battles. They're a moment of challenge to be overcome, and often allow for something creative to be done. They quite satisfy me! I'm not a fan of them in general. Mainly because of the "formula" which seems to exist where the bosses are given more health than other enemies and are almost a grind-fest. Where you have to do certain things 3 or 4 times and gradually chip away at its health. That's not really fun. I'd rather have a cinematic and a creative battle that didn't mean you had to basically do the same thing multiple times to defeat it. It's not really just Xenoblade, tbf. It's the majority of boss battles out there. Yet you like Monster Hunter, which is nothing but boss battles? Did you ever fight Super Alatreon? Fun times indeed... o_O Actually, I loved Monster Hunter for the social aspect and the ability to upgrade your weapons/armour and so on. Taking down a monster together is fun, only for the humour during battle. Actually doing it in single-player is boring. Whilst it wasn't as good as the GameCube games, I actually thought Banana Blitz was awesome... apart from the awful boss battles. Honestly, WHAT were they thinking? That's what I mean. Sometimes the battles are out of place and don't actually serve much of a purpose. I'd rather have a good puzzle in a game than a boss battle where you have to do what I said above. (nope, I don't count the majority of bosses as puzzles) As great a game as Muramasa is, it is completely guilty of the things that I mentioned. A massive health bar for bosses, having to spend lots and lots of time just wearing it down. It's not really fun.
bryanee Posted January 27, 2013 Posted January 27, 2013 I love a good boss providing they are well made. Theres a shitload in Zelda that I like, a bunch in the Metroid games, some fantastic ones in that PS2 Transformers game and Mr Freeze in AC on hard was brilliant.
Jonnas Posted January 27, 2013 Posted January 27, 2013 Surprised at the opening post. I love boss battles! They're the motherfuckers who test your skills! And even if they're easy, the battle itself can still feel climactic and/or grand. Also, I actually really like boss gauntlets. The Viewtiful Joe one would be better as a bonus challenge, as not everyone is that good at the game. And the fact that you're met with the worst and hardest boss in the game right afterwards is the worst part. Meta-Ridley is awesome. It's like it does everything right. Dark Samus and Rundas are my favourites in the sequels, but I'm also quite fond of Quadraxis Balore in Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow is another one I have a soft spot for. It's him and "The Creature" from Portrait of Ruin, because of that bonus room where you fight two of them. (Boss battles in Castlevania are generally really good) Zelda-wise, there's the sheer fun of Goht, the great battle with the Helmaroc King, the duels with Ghirahim, the challenge of Morpha and the best of them all, Stallord And I must mention Shadow of the Colossus, of course. Especially this guy here. I should stop, now, otherwise I'll be here all night.
Fused King Posted January 27, 2013 Posted January 27, 2013 (edited) Ah yeah, some bosses in the portable Castlevania games were so fucking difficult. Order of Eccelsia was my first Castlevania game ever and I can't recall the last time I died so often during boss battles. Edited January 27, 2013 by Fused King
M_rock Posted January 27, 2013 Posted January 27, 2013 I really did enjoy the last battle with Bowser in Super Mario 3D land, it was awesome! But the fight against Ganondorf in The Wind Waker remains my favorite one The final boss fights in Kingdom hearts 3D were really over the top in my opinion. I found them way too hard and I mean there were 4 bosses right after each other. So if you died, you had to do them all over again and again. I did enjoy the game alot though.
Guy Posted January 27, 2013 Posted January 27, 2013 I'm definitely in favour of final bosses being epic set pieces rather than difficult these days. In fact, the bosses in most Zelda games fall really nicely into that category. Keep in mind that I'm pretty poop at most games and crumble under even the most basic challenges. That said, there's nothing more rewarding than that moment you beat a tricky boss and they go down HARD.
Fierce_LiNk Posted January 27, 2013 Author Posted January 27, 2013 Zelda-wise, there's Ghirahim The Zelda games have some of the best boss fights. But, Ghirahim is not one of them (or three). In fact, you should be ashamed for suggesting that. Skyward Sword is utterly dreadful for its bosses. Majority are unimaginative and they are too repetitive. Case in point, The Imprisoned. Three Times. Nothing fun about that, considering the actual battle itself is pretty darn bland. Like you mentioned, Stallord: Much, much better. Fun, imaginative, different, unique. What bosses should be. Not just simply an enemy with an oversized health bar with a fight that is too repetitive. I'm definitely in favour of final bosses being epic set pieces rather than difficult these days. In fact, the bosses in most Zelda games fall really nicely into that category. Keep in mind that I'm pretty poop at most games and crumble under even the most basic challenges. That said, there's nothing more rewarding than that moment you beat a tricky boss and they go down HARD. The Zelda games have that balance right. They are creative enough that they never really seem like a chore. Twilight Princess, as much as its hated, contains some of the best bosses in the franchise. What I didn't like about that Xenoblade boss fight was the execution of it. It wasn't really imaginative, it was almost a grind fest. Keep doing this until this happens, then do this, then do that all again. All the while, your party can get destroyed and all you can do is try to heal them in vain. There are times when it gets ridiculous.
Hamishmash Posted January 27, 2013 Posted January 27, 2013 I generally don't think Boss Battles are requuuuired all the time. A boss battle becomes pretty stale if you know they're coming all the time and you essentially know how to kill them because you've been given the item to do it earlier on. My favourite boss battles were the mini-bosses in Twilight Princess: the Dark Nut battles. They were so tense. I really don't understand why Skyward Sword didn't actually have more sword fights... seeing as it perfected sword fighting controls.
Jonnas Posted January 27, 2013 Posted January 27, 2013 New example: Most bosses from Little King's Story! The mini-boss song never gets old! Audio The Zelda games have some of the best boss fights. But, Ghirahim is not one of them (or three). In fact, you should be ashamed for suggesting that. Skyward Sword is utterly dreadful for its bosses. Majority are unimaginative and they are too repetitive. Case in point, The Imprisoned. Three Times. Nothing fun about that, considering the actual battle itself is pretty darn bland. Ghirahim is still one the few Zelda bosses that doesn't need a set strategy to beat. He's basically the boss I've wanted since the Stalfos battles in Ocarina of Time. A proper swordfight. On a side-note, I think The Imprisoned is a step in the right direction, like Morpheel, but the "colossus" formula still needs some work. I like the alternative way of defeating the Imprisoned, though, it's always cool to see that in bosses.
Fierce_LiNk Posted January 27, 2013 Author Posted January 27, 2013 New example: Most bosses from Little King's Story! The mini-boss song never gets old! Audio Ghirahim is still one the few Zelda bosses that doesn't need a set strategy to beat. He's basically the boss I've wanted since the Stalfos battles in Ocarina of Time. A proper swordfight. On a side-note, I think The Imprisoned is a step in the right direction, like Morpheel, but the "colossus" formula still needs some work. I like the alternative way of defeating the Imprisoned, though, it's always cool to see that in bosses. I don't agree with that at all. I have a feeling that if you went back and tried him again, especially the first two battles, you'll feel the same way. It's almost prescribed the way you can only truly hurt him at certain points. The actual final battle against Demise was better, imo. A duel of the Titans. Surprised we didn't have more moments like that during the game. I can't watch that video against Ghirahim without getting annoyed. Not necessarily because it's "hard" or anything along those lines, just the fact that it's just rather annoying and surprisingly tedious. Being made to do it multiple times isn't creative.
Jonnas Posted January 27, 2013 Posted January 27, 2013 We'll just have to agree to disagree, then I actually think Demise was a bit more on the repetitive side, while Ghirahim at least varied his offence quite a bit (though he could've been a bit harder, more relentless)
Guy Posted January 27, 2013 Posted January 27, 2013 I really need to play through Twilight Princess and Skyward Sword again. I can barely remember anything about either except feeling the plot was very poorly explained in Twilight Princess and the endless padding in Skyward Sword destroyed an otherwise decent game.
Dcubed Posted January 27, 2013 Posted January 27, 2013 No way! Boss battles are often the best part of a good game! RPGs are often guilty of terrible bosses though. Be it ridiculous difficulty spikes that suddenly require you to grind the hell out of your party (hi Final Fantasy 4 DS!), BS unavoidable attacks that kill your entire party in one hit (hi Final Fantasy 2!) or bosses with huge unavoidable cutscenes or long segments that you have to power through that take over an hour where you can't save and you only get one shot at beating the boss before having to do it all over again (hi Final Fantasy 3!) Actually, just screw you Square-Enix in general! (FF4 and Chrono Trigger have awesome bosses though, so we cool for those )
Retro_Link Posted January 27, 2013 Posted January 27, 2013 From what I can remember I much preferred the Bosses throughout Skyward Sword than Twilight Princess. I felt the only thing that ruined The Imprisoned boss battle was the imposed time limit making it more stressful than otherwise. It was actually quite fun otherwise I thought bringing him down, sailing up and landing on his head, or getting catapulted on to him etc... All the Boss arena's were fun, the hill you fought the spider Scaldera on, the sandpit for the scorpion Moldarach. Koloctus was a genuinely brilliant use of motion controls! And my favourite was probably the one against Levias/Bilocyte, because of it's epic scale and glorious cutscenes etc... Whilst the swordfights against Ghirahim could be frustrating at times, I really enjoyed the arena of the final fight on the floating platforms, and on the whole Ghirahim's character/personality throughout the game made the fights quite enjoyable because you were gradually wearing Ghirahim down and becoming the stronger man/hero as the game progressed until you finally defeating him once and for all. Enter Demise... which was visually stunning and felt quite epic, but the whole thing/character was over too quickly to leave any real impression.
Grazza Posted January 27, 2013 Posted January 27, 2013 I love them. If you find one too difficult, then maybe that particular boss is just not that well-designed? I agree about the Metroid Prime - it sort of ruined the game for me, but then I came back years later and beat it. To me, though, Spider Guardian on GameCube is the worst/hardest Metroid boss. At the risk of mentioning Super Mario Galaxy's Star 242 again, that's my least favourite moment in a game. The difficulty was too high and yet it wasn't a boss fight. It's all to do with how the developers balance a section, whether it's a boss fight or not. To me, Skyward Sword's bosses were a line-up of two halves. I disliked the swordfighting ones, but Koloktos was so good it even made me like motion control for a moment! And 2D Metroid wouldn't be the same without dodging a massive boss, choosing your moment and firing off loads of missiles. So yeah, sorry, but boss fights are great and should be here to stay, as long as they're well-designed!
Recommended Posts