Boss battles are almost as old as video games themselves. Sometimes it’s just you, a room, and a monstrosity with glowing weak points against the word. However, at some point, an interesting idea turned into a popular trope, the unwinnable boss battle. These are the encounters that for some reason or another, you just can’t win. And it’s often not a case of the game being so difficult that it’s almost impossible to beat the boss.
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No, this is a case where the game has been specifically designed so that you are supposed to lose. Sometimes it’s done to demonstrate how terrifying an antagonist is, other times it’s done for some storytelling reason. Either way, there are some great unwinnable boss battles out there, so here are some fights that you’re able to’t help but love to lose.
8The Final Stand
Halo: Reach’s Ending Is The Franchise Most Intense Finale
Although it may not really fit the typical idea of a boss fight (which is usually against one character of sorts and perhaps some minions that they summon), the final mission inHalo: Reachis just as iconic and terrifying for many reasons. After a brutal campaign that sees crew member after crew member get picked out one by one, Halo: Reach gives the player one last objective, survive.
Wave after wave of Covenant enemies are coming towards Noble Six, and eventually, they will get overwhelmed and be killed. This starts the ending of the game which shows Noble Six’s broken helmet on the planet. It’s a somber fight to end a dark campaign.
7Nadine
An Unexpected Encounter In Uncharted 4: Thief’s End
In theUnchartedseries, it’srare for Nathan Drake to ever lose, which makes this boss fight a lot more interesting. During the events of Uncharted 4, both Sam and Nathan are jumped by Nadine Ross, who says that she doesn’t even have to win the fight, she just has to delay the brothers until her forces arrive.
The fight plays out more like a movie than your average boss fight with some scripted moments happening (such as Nathan being kicked out a window, leaving Sam alone), but the fight ultimately ends with no victors when main antagonist Rafe and bodyguards interrupt them. It’s a great cinematic boss fight that you lose in style.
6Darth Vader
You Can Only Run In The Last Section Of Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order
It’s rare for a character to be so iconic that just their breathing alone can get you hyped up. But that’s exactly who Darth Vader is. At the climax ofStar Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, Darth Vader enters the scene with his breathing alone. After murdering the Second Sister and dispatching Cere, Cal is left to fight Darth Vader alone which goes just about as well as you think.
Cutting his losses, he’s forced to run away as Darth Vader chases close behind, before eventually cutting Cal off and stabbing him. This is a boss battle that everyone knows they could never win and so it’s really just a terrifying but great climactic battle.
5Pyramid Head
The Iconic Enemy In Silent Hill 2 Is Always Hunting You
When you first encounter Pyramid Head, much like any creature fromSilent Hill, it leaves you both scared and confused. The mystery of what kind of creature this is only serves to make them more horrifying. But imagine now having to fight them.
Well, that’s what happens in Silent Hill 2 when James is forced to fend off Pyramid Head, although it’s less of a battle and more of a desperate scramble for survival as you have to shoot at Pyramid Head, not to do damage, but just to slow them down so you can escape. It really solidifies just how horrifying this enemy is and helps make them just that much more intimidating.
4Albert Wesker
The Classic Villain In The Series Is Initially Unbeatable In Resident Evil 5
Wesker has beenone of the most recognisable antagonistsof theResident Evil seriesandResident Evil 5was a nice way to reintroduce the villain. When you have your first boss battle with him, you’re not only fighting against Wesker but a brainwashed Jill Valentine.
The main purpose of the fight is to hold out long enough to free Jill from the device that has made her subservient to Wesker, not actually ever defeat Wesker himself (who beats you regardless). Either way, it’s a great way to get a proper first fight with this menacing villain and have a unique boss battle that’s about saving an enemy rather than defeating one.
3John’s Last Duel
Red Dead Redemptionis known for its tragic moments and one of those is John Marson’s final duel. His last mission will have you in a similiar situation to the one in Halo: Reach where you must fight wave after wave of army and BOI agents. However, it’s when John has to make a last stand against a line of agents while his family flees, that he meets his end.
No matter how many of them you kill, there’s just no way to kill them all and John Marston meets a very grim end in this hopeless battle.
2Prison Fight
Auto-dodging Is Brian O’Neills' Cheat In Mafia 2
InMafia 2, Vito ends up being imprisoned for a short duration of the game, and it pulls no punches with just how awful prison life really is when Vito has to face Brian O’Neill, a minor antagonist from earlier in the game. No matter what you do for this minor boss fight, Vito can’t beat them as Brian will auto-dodge attacks.
Thankfully all you have to do is last long enough for the guards to come and separate you. It’s an interesting way of reintroducing an enemy from earlier in the game and helps set up the rest of the prison arc.
1Giganto
The First Titan Encounter In Sonic Frontiers Doesn’t Go As Expected
When Sonic first encounters the Titan known as GIGANTO inSonic Frontiers, the boss fight goes along naturally until suddenly the boss will grab Sonic and throw him through a mountain. It seems that something like this happens during the first encounter you have with each of the Titans with some of them resulting in Sonic needing to run away to escape.
It really shows how powerful the Titans are and is a great way of showcasing just how menacing these villains are and that Sonic may have finally met his match.
