If a game has bosses in the first place, there has to be a final one. It’s one of the most common video game tropes, and certain series are knownfor quality final bosses, likeYakuza/Like a Dragon.
Now, most games will offer a final boss, but there are those rare eggs that don’t have one at all despite having plenty of bosses. While it could be disappointing to some, these games are often so good that they just don’t need one. A final boss isn’t required to make a good game, and while it can be odd, you definitely won’t be complaining.
Remedy’s narrative masterpiece,Alan Wake 2, breaks the mold in many ways. Its story is the most bizarrely told in a long time, with many odd moments, but another weird thing is the lack of a final boss. You fight many in the game, but Alan Wake 2’s final chapter consists of Saga’s venture into the Dark Place.
It’s one of the most odd ending sections of a video game, only rivaled by the likes ofMetal Gear Solid 2. However, it nicely wraps up the game witha thought-provoking ending, which leads well into the DLC. With its critical acclaim, Alan Wake 2 simply didn’t need a final boss here to make it a legendary title.
Metal Gear is a series known for its excellent boss fights, butMGS5cut back on that. There’s only a handful, and while they’re good, it left fans wanting more. The fact that there wasn’t a final boss also disappointed many hardcore fans. MGS5’s final moments involve you replaying the prologue, minus the ending chase sequence.
It’s not very exciting, but you do get the ultimate Kojima twist here. This whole time, you were actually playing as Big Boss’s double and not the real thing. It adds a lot to the established lore, but you may understand why certain people are disappointed. Regardless, MGS5 is one of the greatest stealth games ever, with so much to do and so many options. It’s one of the few games youwouldn’t mind completing 100 percent, not once, but twice.
One of the most acclaimed games ever made isHalf-Life 2. It was groundbreaking for the industry like the original, but some differences were made here. The classic game had several bosses, including a final one against a monstrous entity. Half-Life 2 is a bit different.
With the ending taking place in the massive Citadel tower, it’s an action-packed finale complete with a superpowered blue Gravity Gun. It’s a lot of fun but with no final boss. Half-Life 2 shows that even if you’re going the action route with a finale, you still don’t need a final boss to make it effective. This would continue into future Valve titles likeLeft 4 Dead.
2015
PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, PC
The conclusion of the Batman Arkham Trilogy or Quadrilogy, if you count Arkham Origins, isArkham Knight. It’s a fantastic superhero game that still looks impressive and is a total blast to play. Now, the Arkham series is well-knownfor its great bosseslike Mr. Freeze and Deathstroke, so many would assume a final boss here.
In the end, Scarecrow’s the final baddie that needs to be taken down, but how you do so is totally unexpected. After taking in his fear toxins, you suddenly play as the Joker. It’s wild, but Batman ultimately wins his inner battle, and Scarecrow gets dispatched. It’s one bizarre finale that will definitely get you thinking.
Inscryptionis one of the most acclaimed indie games in recent memory, with constantly twisting gameplay and narrative. The only consistent aspect is the card game you play, and even that changes slightly throughout the title. There are four major sections, and despite the game already being off-the-walls, the ending is something you would never expect.
After defeating the last boss of section three, several big plot points are revealed, and a full deletion of Inscryption begins. As deletion progresses, you face off against several Scrybes, even though there’s no risk. It doesn’t matter if you win, lose, or wait out the clock; they just want to have a final battle before they’re gone forever. This ending is wild, even for a game like this, and leaves one hell of an impression.
An underrated gem from 2022 isScorn. With beautiful graphics and a tragic narrative, it’ll stay with you long after playing. The main plot point of Scorn is this parasite that gets attached to you very early on, and it’s a really nasty thing. Sometimes, you’ll just take unavoidable damage due to the parasite, and by the end, it covers so much of you that you must get rid of it.
In the finale, you do remove the parasite, but you’re just delaying the inevitable as it attaches to you again, this time for good. It’s quite fresh to see a downer ending for a horror game, and not just the usual one where the protagonist defeats the great evil being in a final battle.
Mass Effect 3is the finale of the trilogy, and as such, wraps up all the loose ends so far. Many parts are satisfying,especially the Citadel DLC, but the actual ending was pretty divisive. Before the real meat of the ending, you do go through one last battle venture on Earth. You’ll face countless Brutes, and it’s overwhelming, but no final boss in sight.
Once you get up on the Citadel, it’s all story from here on out. The big plot reveals drop, and you pick your ending here. While controversial at release, the extended cut ending is drastically improved and helps the overall quality of Mass Effect 3. When all is said and done, you don’t mind a missing final boss, even though there was one in the first two instalments.
Platforms
2005
PlayStation 2, PSP, Xbox, Xbox 360 (Series X|S Backwards Compatible), GameCube, GBA, DS, PC
While a missing final boss is often unexpected, for this game, it ain’t. King Kong is based on the Peter Jackson remake, and if you’re familiar with the source material, you should know what’s coming at the end. Kong breaks out into New York City, climbs the Empire State Building, and ultimately gets killed by several biplanes.
This is simply a movie game doing its job, and King Kong pulls it off amazingly. A great movie tie-in back when those were rare, King Kong offers an impressive and thrilling experience as both Jack Driscoll and the titular beast. Even if you’re not familiar with the movie, it’s still a great time.
2001
Dreamcast, Xbox, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC
The second instalment in theShenmueseries is much bigger than its predecessor. Instead of one area, you get three: Hong Kong, Kowloon, and Guilin. It’s also much more action-packed, particularly in the Kowloon section. Setpiece sequences in video games were pushed forward here with the likes of the ridiculously long Yellow Head Building portion.
Weirdly, though, after this section, the action stops. The Guilin section, which consists of the final hour and a half of the title, is a mostly smooth jog through the wilderness. You talk to several important figures until you reach a cave, which ends Shenmue 2 with another new plot reveal. It really feels odd, but makes sense considering the chapter narrative of the series.
