The concept of boss fights has been around since the very inception of video gaming itself. The idea of using this mechanic to simulate a bombastic finale of sorts for a video game level has never failed, and it’s easy to see why this is the case. So it was a given that the mechanic of bosses would only evolve over time. Fast forward to the modern era of gaming and no other company has managed to reach the heights of FromSoftware when it comes to crafting bosses that actually feel like surmountable challenges, as opposed to done-to-death gimmicks. A great game to display this mettle when it comes to designing challenging boss fights is definitely Bloodborne.
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However, while most of these challenging boss fights can prove to be quite an entertaining affair, there are others that feel so ridiculously hard or disappointing that defeating them feels more like a task than an accomplishment. To add further weight to this statement, here are five of the most satisfying boss fights in Bloodborne, coupled with five truly frustrating ones that are no fun at all.
10 SATISFYING: Father Gascoigne
Father Gascoigne is a player’s proper introduction to Bloodborne‘s fast-paced brutal combat. While it’s possible to go through Central Yharnam while erroneously following the Dark Souls style of combat, Gascoigne will waste no time in giving a harsh and much-needed lesson to these players.
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The first — and only — step to defeating Father Gascoigne is to be as aggressive as him, if not more. Staying on the backfoot will pretty much ensure a player’s demise, and conquering this boss won’t just leave players whooping with joy — it’ll also condition them to the entirety of Bloodborne.
9 FRUSTRATING: Rom, The Vacuous Spider
For all the awesome lore that might center around Rom, his boss fight displays nothing when it comes to his perceived epicness.
Rather, the fight with Rom is a test of attrition as players slowly take care of waves upon waves of his spider minions and finally attack him when the coast is clear… only for the spider to teleport somewhere else and summon even more minions in the process. It’s a battle of attrition, especially since the spiders he summons hit for a ton of damage as well.
8 SATISFYING: Martyr Logarius
Cainhurst Castle is easily one of the best locations to explore in Bloodborne, and it only makes sense for an awesome area to cap off with a memorable boss.
Martyr Logarius might be a tricky boss to get used to, but getting used to his rhythm will lead to a truly amazing duel that will keep players on the edge of their seats as they fight this aging leader of the Executioners.
7 FRUSTRATING: Ebrietas, Daughter Of The Cosmos
There’s no doubting the fact that Ebrietas is the hardest boss in the base game of Bloodborne. However, it’s the fabricated nature of this difficulty that makes Ebrietas such a hated boss among the fandom.
Her attacks hit like a truck and she’s got way too many hit points, turning the whole fight into a boring slugfest of sorts. If that wasn’t bad enough as is, Ebrietas can also pull out the A Call Beyond attack, which is incredibly hard to dodge and is guaranteed to one-shot the player if they get tagged with this attack. Suffice to say, beating this boss will elicit feelings of relief, as opposed to jubilation.
6 SATISFYING: Lady Maria Of The Astral Clocktower
The Old Hunters DLC is easily one of the greatest expansions ever released for any game ever, and the bosses present in this DLC are a major reason for why this is the case.
A great example to illustrate this point would be Lady Maria of the Astral Clocktower, with whom players can engage in a duel for the ages. Fighting the three phases of this boss can prove to be quite nerve-wracking… but one can’t deny that it’s easily one of the best moments in The Old Hunters.
5 FRUSTRATING: Orphan Of Kos
While it might be unfair to put the Orphan of Kos in the frustrating category, one can’t deny that this boss can be brutally hard in its second phase.
The Orphan is fairly manageable in the first phase, but it’s his second phase that is truly mind-boggling when it comes to forming a strategy. The boss becomes incredibly fast, gains a ton of AOE attacks, and can easily decimate the player with a few swings. While defeating this boss is definitely quite satisfying, one can’t deny that dying to him over and over and over again can prove to be a major pain.
4 SATISFYING: Ludwig, The Accursed/Ludwig, The Holy Blade
Seeing Ludwig for the first time is certainly an awe-inspiring experience for anyone who has been up-to-date with the lore of the series… even though he might’ve become mad in his hunt for blood and turned into a hideous beast.
However, in the second phase of this fight, Ludwig looks at the iconic Holy Moonlight Sword and regains his senses, turning the battle into a faceoff between two Hunters, like it rightfully should be. It’s easily one of the most epic moments in the game and enhances the awesomeness of fighting Ludwig ever further.
3 FRUSTRATING: Laurence, The First Vicar
Laurence is another important figure in the lore of Bloodborne… but The Old Hunters DLC doesn’t really do justice when it comes to a boss fight against his beast form.
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For starters, Laurence is just a reskin of the Cleric Beast that has been set on fire. His attacks have unfairly large AOEs, his health pool is ridiculously massive, and his third phase is easily one of the most annoying boss phases in any From Software game by a country mile.
2 SATISFYING: Gerhman, The First Hunter
The final boss fight — or second-to-last, depending on the player’s choices — of the game is easily one of the most memorable battles, and rightfully so. The boss arena itself is quite beautiful, and Gerhman pulls no punches in making the player give up in his quest to seek an answer to the dream.
It’s truly an epic showdown… but if players are seeking out the true ending, then this experience is bound to be soured by the secret final boss.
1 FRUSTRATING: Moon Presence
By no accounts is the Moon Presence frustrating from a mechanical standpoint — in fact, it’s one of the easiest bosses in the game and an absolute cakewalk, especially when compared to the awesome-yet-tough fight that preceded it.
What makes the Moon Presence such a frustrating fight is the fact that it serves as the true final showdown in the entire game… but barely poses any challenge, especially when compared to the other bosses in the game. It’s a rather poor way to cap off what is easily one of the best games ever released.
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