The 20 Most Disappointing Final Boss Fights In Masterpiece Games

Video games often take a long time to teach players how to play and draw them into compelling stories. The final boss fight should be the biggest challenge, putting those skills to the test and providing a rewarding end to the story. Unfortunately, some highly-rated games fall short at this critical moment, offering boss battles that are either boring or disappointing. These games were amazing up until the very end, but didn’t quite deliver a satisfying conclusion.

‘Dead Space’ (2008)

Before leaving Aegis VII, Isaac Clarke confronts the enormous Hive Mind. Players defeat this stationary enemy by shooting its glowing yellow weak spots while constantly moving. However, this battle feels more like a simple arcade game than the scary, survival-focused experience the rest of the game delivers. It doesn’t capture the intense, close-quarters atmosphere or the unique limb-targeting combat that make the game so distinctive.

‘Resident Evil 4’ (2005)

Leon Kennedy faces off against Osmund Saddler, the cult leader, on a building platform. Saddler transforms into a monstrous spider-like creature, with large, vulnerable eyes. Players can quickly defeat him using the rocket launcher available in the area, or one they’ve purchased beforehand. Compared to the difficult fights against numerous enemies in the village, this battle is relatively easy.

‘Super Mario Sunshine’ (2002)

Okay, so the final battle with Bowser and his son takes place in this crazy hot tub… floating in the sky! You’re using Mario and FLUDD to take down the supports holding it up, all while dodging gross slime and fireballs. Honestly, the camera is a nightmare in this fight – it gets stuck all the time because you’re boxed in. It’s super frustrating because I was expecting a really precise platforming challenge, and instead, it felt more like a struggle against the controls and the camera than against Bowser himself.

‘Fallout 3’ (2008)

The protagonist in the game heads to the Jefferson Memorial to reclaim Project Purity from the Enclave. They’ll face Colonel Autumn, who can be defeated in combat or convinced to surrender if the player has strong persuasion skills. Surprisingly, the game’s true ending focuses on a difficult moral decision made inside a radioactive chamber, rather than a large-scale battle. Players expecting a fight against a heavily armored enemy were instead met with a short dialogue exchange.

‘Dying Light’ (2015)

In the climax of the game, Kyle Crane scales a skyscraper to face off against the villain, Rais, amidst a zombie apocalypse. However, all the parkour and fighting skills players have learned are useless during this final encounter. Instead, the battle unfolds as a series of button presses during a Quick Time Event. This design choice takes control away from the player at the most critical moment.

‘Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception’ (2011)

Nathan Drake embarks on a thrilling chase to the lost city of Ubar, determined to prevent a shadowy group from releasing a mind-altering substance. While the story hints at a supernatural danger, the final showdown is a fairly simple hand-to-hand fight with the villain, Talbot. Compared to past games, this ending feels smaller in scope and lacks the impressive gun battles or intricate puzzles fans have come to expect, making it a somewhat underwhelming conclusion to an otherwise epic adventure.

‘L.A. Noire’ (2011)

Cole Phelps chases the arsonist into the Los Angeles storm drains, leading to a final confrontation. However, the game abandons its clever interrogation and investigation gameplay, instead becoming a standard shooting sequence. Players are forced to fight waves of unimportant enemies before a predetermined event brings the story to a close. Ultimately, the ending doesn’t leverage the detective work that made the game so special.

‘Far Cry 3’ (2012)

Jason Brody faces off against the villain Hoyt Volker in a tense poker game. Their conflict then turns into a hallucinatory knife fight, controlled by quick reflexes and timed button presses. However, this fight feels separate from the rest of the game, which focuses on shooting and stealth. Because the more compelling villain, Vaas, was already defeated, this final showdown doesn’t feel as meaningful.

‘Borderlands’ (2009)

When the Vault Hunters finally open the alien Vault, they encounter a huge, tentacled creature known as The Destroyer. This boss barely moves but can take a lot of damage, making the fight last several minutes. Players can safely hide behind pillars to dodge most attacks and continuously shoot at it. However, the rewards dropped by The Destroyer often aren’t very impressive considering the length of the battle.

‘The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim’ (2011)

The hero, Dragonborn, journeys to Sovngarde, the afterlife, to defeat Alduin and prevent him from destroying the world. However, the final battle itself feels surprisingly similar to any other dragon fight you’d have while exploring Skyrim. Alduin simply flies around and uses his shouts, while the player attacks as usual. Despite the huge importance of the battle for the world, it doesn’t feel any different from a simple encounter on the road.

‘Half-Life’ (1998)

Gordon Freeman ventures into the alien world of Xen to end the invasion by targeting its origin. He confronts the Nihilanth, a massive, floating creature that sends players to challenging side areas teeming with enemies. Defeating it involves a frustratingly repetitive task: destroying crystals and shooting its exposed brain. Many fans agree that this chapter, with its platforming and combat, is the least polished part of an otherwise groundbreaking game.

‘Demon’s Souls’ (2009)

By the end of the story, King Allant has become a pitiful, weakened creature. Players find him helpless on the ground within the Old One area. He’s barely able to fight back and is defeated quickly with just a few attacks. While the fight has emotional weight, it doesn’t offer any real challenge, which is unusual for a series known for its difficulty.

‘Gears of War 2’ (2008)

Delta Squad hops onto a Brumak to wipe out the remaining Locust in the flooded city. This part of the game is an on-rails shooter, meaning players just need to hold the trigger to succeed – there’s no need to hide behind cover or give orders to their squad. The game ends with a simple Hammer of Dawn strike activated by pressing a single button.

‘Final Fantasy X’ (2001)

The party faces Yu Yevon within Sin, aiming to end the endless cycle of death. This battle features a unique mechanic where characters can’t be defeated, guaranteeing victory. Players essentially repeat attacks until the boss’s health is depleted. While narratively satisfying, it feels more like a celebratory finish than a truly challenging fight, falling short of what fans hoped for in terms of strategic gameplay.

‘The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild’ (2017)

After the castle battle, a huge, boar-like Dark Beast Ganon appears in Hyrule Field. Link defeats it by riding around the creature on horseback and shooting glowing points with the Bow of Light. The fight isn’t very challenging; it feels more like an extended cutscene than a true boss battle. This is a big difference from the tough fights against Lynels found throughout Hyrule.

‘Batman: Arkham Asylum’ (2009)

In the game’s final battle, the Joker uses a formula to transform into a huge, muscular monster. Batman is forced to evade the Joker’s attacks and fight off numerous common enemies, looking for a chance to strike. This change to a physical confrontation doesn’t fit the Joker’s usual role as an intelligent villain. The fight itself becomes predictable and doesn’t align with the game’s emphasis on stealth and strategic counterattacks.

‘BioShock’ (2007)

When Frank Fontaine overdoses on ADAM, he becomes a large, simple monster. This turns the game from a clever, strategic experience into a basic fight where you just have to wear down his health. Players spend the battle avoiding his easily telegraphed elemental attacks and dealing with waves of charging enemies. This encounter feels very different in tone from the thoughtful and atmospheric experience the game built up in the underwater city.

‘Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor’ (2014)

The Nemesis System creates constantly evolving and difficult battles throughout the game. Players anticipate a tough final fight with Sauron’s top lieutenant, but the showdown turns out to be a series of button presses instead of a true combat experience. Many players were disappointed they couldn’t use all the skills and upgrades they’d earned during the game’s climax.

‘Fable II’ (2008)

Lucien is the villain responsible for the hero’s family’s death, setting the story in motion. Throughout the game, players grow stronger and team up with others to prepare for a showdown with him. However, the final battle is surprisingly simple – players defeat him with a single button press, cutting off his speech and ending the fight immediately. This feels underwhelming after everything the player has gone through, as there’s no real challenge or complex gameplay in the final moments.

‘Mass Effect 2’ (2010)

Commander Shepard undertakes a dangerous, likely fatal, mission to the galactic center to defeat the Collectors. The ultimate enemy turns out to be a massive, mechanical skeleton called the Human Reaper. This imposing boss follows easily learned attack patterns and has clearly visible vulnerable areas. However, its strange design feels out of place compared to the more realistic science fiction style of the rest of the game.

Tell us which highly rated game let you down with its ending in the comments.

2025-11-23 07:16