The video game boss fight is one of those rewarding end-of-level prizes that gamers have held sacred over the long history of the hobby. Some games treat bosses with kid’s gloves while others revolve the entire experience around these climactic duals. 2024 gave us no shortage of interesting and intense boss fights, so let’s reminisce about the truly exceptional ones. Here are the 10 hardest boss fights of 2024.
10. Final Boss – Contra: Operation Galuga
Say what you will regarding the quality and length of Contra: Operation Galuga, but it’s definitely not lacking in difficulty. The bosses in particular are as hard-hitting as they come in the side-scrolling shoot-em-up genre. At the top of the food chain is the final boss. This antagonist appears in various incarnations throughout the Contra series, though it’s within Operation Galuga where its most horrific version yet surfaces with a design resembling a Xenomorph from the Alien films. And a giant it is, with its moving hands constituting the platforms you must shoot it from. Once you crack its skull, you must face its exposed brain whilst dodging a flurry of orbs. The battle has players frantically dodging and spraying in a truly Contra-like way, but no amount of co-op or Konami Code will ease you through this fight.
9. Sanctum Zealot – Enotria: The Last Song
Enotria was a surprisingly fun Italian soulslike this year that ended up giving us a lot of tough bosses. Boss fights within Enotria rely upon parrying skill and mastery over the clever mask switching system. Sanctum Zealot is an optional boss fight that requires all that and them some. Found near the end of the Sicilian-themed level, Falesia Magna, this helmed giant wields an ultra greatsword capable of killing characters in two to three hits. The first phase of the fight can be overcome by dodging or parrying its slow and devastating swings, but the second phase ups the ante with extra speed, elemental buffs, and ranged flurries. If you want to overcome Sanctum Zealot, it may be prudent to return later after finishing most other sections of the game first, as this masked warrior packs a punch.
8. Daigo, Saejima, And Majima – Like A Dragon Infinite Wealth
Even best friends fight sometimes, but they probably didn’t have to go as hard as they did in Like A Dragon Infinite Wealth. Chapter 12 starts with Kiryu and his old-time buddies hanging out, but of course, Yakuza have a different concept of having fun than you or I. After some of the coolest scenes in the game, a fight ensues between the group of friends. What really makes this turn-based bout difficult is managing the elemental resistances and weaknesses between the three opponents. Yes, this is technically a four on three fight, but unless you specifically hit each opponent with their weakness, there’s not much damage that can be done against the infamous trio.
7. Hive Tyrant – Space Marine 2
As the battlefield commander of the Tyranids, the Hive Tyrant isn’t one to be underestimated. Equipped with a long whip in one hand and a devastating cleaver in the other, this colossal Tyranid bioform absolutely punishes whether you keep your distance or decide to tank it up close. If you have a particularly good team, you may whittle down its health bar pretty quick…and then be shocked (literally) by the second phase and its constant wave of psychic attacks. Grenades are about the only surefire offense guaranteed to stagger the Hive Tyrant … if you haven’t already used them all on the waves of Tyranids during the fight, that is.
6. Dullahan – Dragon’s Dogma 2
Dragon’s Dogma 2’s Headless Horseman is among the coolest encounters that can be had in the game, even if there’s no horse to accompany the Dullahan in this case. Wandering around at night can be costly enough in this series, but doing so in certain areas while fog is out can be downright deadly. Dullahan comes out on foggy nights and is about as hard to hit as it is to see through DD2‘s dense fog. The spectral teleportation that Dullahan employs is tough to anticipate, and worse yet, it slices at players immediately after vanishing. And you don’t want to let a Dullahan catch you on the ground since its life-draining ability damages both life and loss bars to a devastating degree.
5. Kiana The Forest Queen – Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown
Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown has my favorite side-scrolling boss fights of any game since the release of Hollow Knight. Chief among those fights is the forest queen, Kiana. The fight comprises an impressive array of phases, attacks, and interesting animations, making it one of the most impressive in the game. Kiana’s three phases necessitate constant vigilance and concentration to overcome, yet never manages to feel unfair or cheap thanks to clear visual attack cues. The wolf/spear-wielder duo throws some clever combo moves at the player, such as the one-two punch of the spear throw followed by the wolf sweeping across the ground. Like other fights in The Lost Crown, Kiana makes sure players master every tool in their repertoire in order to come out on top.
4. Gallanza and Maglielle – Granblue Fantasy Relink
As one of this year’s best co-op action RPGs, Granblue Fantasy Relink is no stranger to tough boss encounters. Some of the most difficult battles occur within the many optional missions of the game – such is the case with the Gallanza/Maglielle duo fight. Players will encounter each of these commanders through the story, and individually they aren’t so tough to beat. But once you fight them in the ‘Wolf and the Veil’ Proud Quest, things get out of hand. Gallanza serves as the brutish tank with quick attacks, while Maglielle performs ranged AOE attacks from afar. The duo will occasional assail you together with devastating combo attacks as well, so it’s best to come as prepared as humanly possible before attempting to best them together.
3. Gilgamesh – Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth
Final Fantasy’s returning eccentric swordsman constitutes not only the most difficult fight in Rebirth, but the most rewarding and involved to unlock. Cloud and company must first obtain every Protorelic in each of the game’s six massive regions. After doing this, a new landmass opens up, aptly called Gilgamesh Island. The final dual with Gilgamesh is quite the spectacle indeed, requiring post-game leveling and a whole lot of strategy to win. If the newly arranged ‘Battle on the Big Bridge’ theme didn’t convince you that old Gilgy means business, his dozens of unique (and often hilarious) attacks and huge HP will.
2. Hundred-Eyed Daoist Master – Black Myth Wukong
In a game as focused on boss fights as Black Myth Wukong, the Hundred-Eyed Daoist Master reigns supreme as the toughest. This centipede human hybrid monstrosity is incredibly hard to dodge and deflect due to its awkward attack positions and strange hit boxes. Every movement it makes seems just a tad bit delayed, and they’re all rather unpredictable. And then there’s the second phase which adds a lightning buff to its attacks for extra measure. There is one item that makes this fight a bit easier though, and that’s the stun-inducing Weaver’s Needle. But whether or not you choose to use the special item, Hundred-Eyed Daoist Master is one of those boss fights that warrants a celebration upon defeat due to its difficulty.
1. Promised Consort Radahn – Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree
You didn’t think Shadow of the Erdtree wouldn’t make it on a boss fight list, did you? Well, to no one’s surprise, Elden Ring’s challenging DLC features more than a few tough-as-nails battles, and none are more difficult than the final boss awaiting players at the end. Promised Consort Radahn uses some familiar attacks from the original Radahn fight, but a majority are enhanced by Miquella. The first phase challenges the player against a bevy of gravity-based attacks that ripple multiple times in succession. The second phase is perhaps one of the few boss moments to rival the Malenia fight in the base game. Miquella controls Radahn directly during this second phase, infusing him with deadly Holy elemental buffs and occasionally inflicting an instant death move should the player get caught. Promised Consort Radahn serves as the ultimate conclusion to the DLC, distilling Shadow of the Erdtree’s philosophy on difficulty in one crazy boss fight. No matter the build or level, you’re going to have to fight tooth and nail to even stand an ounce of a chance this Miquella/Radahn duo.
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