Dragons serve as many different characters in games. Sometimes they’re cute like Spyro, and sometimes they give priceless wisdom. Most of the time, they’re devilish fiends that must be slain. Plenty of games chose the latter because dragons make epic bosses. A lot of the time, encounters with dragons are tough and fun, but other times they’re a chore to deal with.
While players wish all dragons could be fun to fight, not all games have the combat mechanics that support epic dragon boss fights. For players that find themselves craving a dragon boss fight, here are games worth checking out and some not so much.
10 Bad: Spyro: Year of The Dragon
Spyro Reignited Trilogy was a remaster fans loved. It stayed true to the original in terms of story and gameplay, but it was graphically enhanced like no other remaster. The Reignited Trilogy brought back fans fond memories of playing as a cute purple dragon, but it also brought back bad ones too. Flight levels were a menace to fans back when they were first introduced, and even today in the remaster. Players have to fly with their controllers to be accurate enough to hit targets and complete the levels within the time limit.
The Twin Dragon boss fight was akin to a flight level, except there was no timer. Fans would assume that would make it easier, but it didn’t. The Twin Dragons fly in a path with some variations and dip and dive in tunnels. The players’ objective is to destroy the dragons piece by piece. With each hit, the dragons’ hitbox becomes tinier, making them harder to hit. If the player doesn’t destroy a piece of the dragons in time, they grow parts back.
9 Great: Dragons Dogma: Dark Arisen (Grigori)
If there has ever been a game with underrated boss fights, then Dragon’s Dogma would be in the top five. Dragon’s Dogma has stellar combat that allows players to climb on gargantuan enemies and hack at their weak points. The classes and freedom the game gives the player to switch up their class is something that should also be noted. Players that are tired of firing meteors at goblins can change their class to wield a two-handed sword and cleave enemies instead.
Grigori is the main antagonist, and he is no pushover. Grigori leads the player on a path of vengeance after destroying their entire village. This all culminates into a boss battle that can take up to 30 minutes. Dragon’s Dogma created a fight that really feels like a battle against a giant dragon.
8 Bad: Skyrim (Alduin)
Skyrim is a great game, and it’s one that’s stood the test of time. Fans of the series still visit the game for new playthroughs and exploration. It does a fine job at allowing players to build their Dragonborn the way they want, but there’s not a big difference in the combat, which made Alduin an underwhelming boss fight.
The build up to Alduin is perfect. It’s so great that the player is even sent to the Nordic Afterlife (Sovngard) to finish off the Alduin. In Sovngarde players team up with old Nords and take on the dragon. The only issue with the fight is that players only use two mechanics: shout and the attack button. Players either stand close to Alduin and slice, or they’ll use spells to deplete his health bar. It’s not an engaging fight.
7 Great: Shadow of The Col0ssus (Phalanx)
Shadow of The Colossus is a game based around boss encounters. A game based around bosses must have engaging combat mechanics, and Shadow of The Colossus doesn’t disappoint. Players must grab on to huge colossi and climb their way to the weak spot, all while balancing their stamina so they aren’t flung to the hard ground. A game with engaging combat is a recipe for replayabilty.
Phalanx is the thirteenth colossi, and it’s the largest in the game. To initiate the fight, players have to shoot Phalanx’s gas bladder until it lowers to the floor of the desert, scraping against the sand. Players must then ride Agro along Phalanx’s side and jump on. Phalanx stops being timid after the player stabs its weak spot. The battle ramps up as the stakes are just as high as Phalanx flies.
6 Bad: Dark Souls 3 (Midir)
The Dark Souls series has many Dragons to slay, and though they’re all difficult, not all are challenging in ways that are fun or rewarding. In all of these fights, players must attack and evade at the right time, making combat attention intensive.
While the combat and movement in Dark Souls 3 is good, it doesn’t make up for Midir being a tank that’s not fun to fight. The Midir boss fight can take up to 7 minutes, and in Dark Souls time, that’s 30 minutes. Most of Midir’s attacks will do 1/3 of the players’ health, or it will leave them in one shot range. Players that plan to face off against Midir should have at least 2 hours free.
5 Great: Monster Hunter: World (Any Elder Dragon)
Monster Hunter: World was a game that was highly requested for a long time. The Monster Hunter series was mostly on handhelds, and they had bad console ports. Monster Hunter: World bridged the gap by bringing a Monster Hunter game to both PC and newer consoles (PS4 and Xbox One).
Players hunt, craft, build, and repeat. It’s a formula that has players excited to play every day, and not a single gathering is without its excitement. This is especially true when grinding an Elder Dragon, and there are plenty. Each Elder Dragon has a cutscene before the fight begins, and the scenes really work at setting the stakes.
4 Bad: The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings (Dragon)
The Witcher series is known for its storytelling, exploration, and world-building. Anyone could enjoy the story of games so long as they could deal with the clunky combat of the first two. The Witcher 2’s controls are bad when compared to other RPGs released around that time. Geralt slides around in combat, and enemies are damage sponges that rarely stagger. The boss fights with this unresponsive movement and controls lead players to level up Quen, just to make the fights manageable.
The Witcher 2 begins with the players fending off a Dragon. Players face off against this Dragon again at the end of the game, and unless they’ve invested into Quen, the fight will be arduous. The Dragon would’ve made a good boss fight if the fight wasn’t mostly with the players’ controls.
3 Great: Dark Souls (Kalameet)
Black Dragon Kalameet is in Dark Souls DLC Artorias of The Abyss. In this DLC, players encountered some of the hardest yet most fun bosses featured in the Souls series. Manus, Sanctuary Guardian, and Artorias all make for incredible encounters that make players think fast or die trying.
Kalameet is a hidden boss. To start the boss fight, players must find the Crest Key to speak with Hawkeye Gough and ask him to shoot Kalameet down. After that’s done, Kalameet can be engaged, creating one of the best dragon fights in the Souls series.
2 Bad: Dark Souls 2 (Ancient Dragon)
There are plenty of gems as far as boss fights go in Dark Souls, but the bad ones stick out too, and Ancient Dragon is terrible. Players that thought Midir was tedious will find The Ancient Dragon even more tedious. Players should keep in mind that this is an optional boss that is best kept optional.
The Ancient Dragon is found at the top of the Dragon Shrine, whereupon speaking with it, players receive an Ashen Mist Heart (an item needed to complete the game). To fight it, players only need to strike it a few times. The Ancient Dragon has a larger health pool than Midir, and he’s near impossible to beat without Gower’s Ring of Protection. This boss’s hitboxes are so inconsistent they still confuse veteran players. It’s also one of the least rewarding boss fights since it only gives the player a single Petrified Dragon Bone and the Soul of a Giant.
1 Great: God of War (Hræzlyr)
God of War is an adventure that every gamer should play at least once. The story is incredible, and the cinematography is unreal. For example, the whole game is done one shot, meaning if you play without stopping, there’s not a single cut for loading environments or cut scenes. Players should consider how a game so great-looking can manage to pull something off like that.
The combat is also precise, engaging, and leaves players wanting more. Hræzlyr is just one of the many bosses players meet on their journey. It’s a lighting dragon that threatens to end Kratos and Atreus’s journey when the end seems so close. Players will be determined to put the dragon out of its misery so that Faye’s soul can be put to rest.
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