Metroidvanias often feature some of the most difficult boss fights players can experience. While some of them can be tricky and require players to try unconventional tactics, other difficult bosses make players rely on their skills and experience in the game's mechanics. These boss fights are typically present at the end of most games as well, making these encounters much more significant to the overall journey
As such, completing boss fights in metroidvanias often serves as a hallmark of skill expression for players of the genre. Successfully clearing the more difficult boss fights listed below should definitely make players feel satisfied and rightly allow them to show off their achievements.
6 Galamoth (Castlevania: Symphony of the Night)
The Demon Lord keeps his weak point out of reach
Galamoth is one of the most difficult bosses Castlevania: Symphony of the night — and the entire franchise, too. The seeker of the throne of the underworld appears Symphony of the night as a huge monster that strikes Alucard with powerful thunder attacks.
Galamoth's enormous height helps him mask his weak point, which is his head. This increases the overall difficulty of the fight, as his attacks are incredibly difficult to circumnavigate unless players have the right equipment, such as the Beryl Circlet or the Shield Rod and Alucard Shield as a combination. Galamoth's gigantic presence in the arena and his powerful attacks will surely take most players by surprise, unless they are well prepared before this tough boss fight.
5 Eviterno (Blasphemous 2)
The first of the penitents
I avoid it is the penultimate head of Blasphemous 2 and easily the hardest in the game. The First of the Penitents has two phases to overcome. The first phase is quite simple and should pose few problems for players. The second phase, however, is where the difficulty increases significantly.
Eviterno gains access to Crisanta's sword in the second phase, which transforms him into a teleportable monstrosity. His attacks are very fast and require precise reactions to parry and dodge. This phase is one of the rare occasions where Veredicto is not viable.
Getting caught in any of Eviterno's barrages of attacks in this phase can lead to immediate failure. Even at this stage the space to use the flasks is very limited. Towards the end of the second phase, Eviterno will summon the Archbrotherhood, leading all previous Penitents in the game to unleash their signature attacks. Eviterno is one of the most exciting yet difficult boss fights in the entire franchise.
4 Nightmare King Grimm (Empty Knight)
The leader of the Grimm company
Nightmare King Grimm is one of the most difficult bosses Hollow Knight. It is a stronger version of the Troupe Master Grimm and deals double damage. His attacks are also much faster, leaving very little room to maneuver, with some of his attacks leaving fiery trails that can even deal double damage.
He also gains access to a new ability with which he can summon pillars of flame from the ground. This is one of the few opportunities to damage him a lot. Healing in this boss fight is completely out the window, considering the intense pace of the entire fight. The Grimm King of Nightmares always forces players to play at their own pace, which is what makes him one of the most difficult yet funniest bosses in the game.
3 Absolute Radiance (Empty Knight)
The final boss of the Hallownest Pantheon
Absolute radiance is the forty-third and final boss of the gruesome Pantheon of Hallownest. It's the pinnacle of difficulty when it comes to combat Hollow Knight. Absolute Radiance is an improved version of the regular Radiance fought as part of the true ending.
If players wish to obtain the Home of the Gods ending, they will need to defeat the Absolute Radiance and 42 other bosses in the Hallownest Pantheon to obtain it. The ending of this Pantheon is a nightmare destined to infuriate players.
His attacks appear at a much faster rate and he also has a larger health pool. It also has an additional phase to normal combat, which can definitely catch players off guard. The sheer number of abilities players must dodge, along with the double damage and ridiculous health pool, make Absolute Radiance one of the hardest bosses in gaming.
2 Eigong (Nine Sol)
The leader of the ten sol
Eigong is the final boss of Nine Sol. It's one of the most difficult Metroidvania bosses, rivaling the likes of Absolute Radiance. Eigong features three challenging phases that will test the mettle of the best. In each stage, he gains new attacks that can give players momentum.
The biggest element that makes this boss fight so exhaustingly difficult is the excruciating amount of time players will have to spend dodging and finding the perfect opportunity to strike Eigong. Therefore, much of the challenge comes from the player's ability to maintain focus and calm in this frenetic fight. Combined with his deadly attacks, Eigong definitely deserves a place on this list as the Big Bad of Nine Sol.
1 The Emperor (Aeterna Noctis)
The God Slayer shows how he earned his title
If players manage to defeat the Emperor in Aeterna Noctisthey are worthy of calling themselves hardened veterans of the metroidvania genre. That's the amount of difficulty anyone can expect going into this madness of a boss fight. From the first stage, players will be able to realize the difficult situation they find themselves in.
Most of the Emperor's attacks take up half the screen and deal immense damage, leaving little room for maneuver. There's almost no room to breathe in this boss fight, and it just keeps getting harder with each stage.
The third phase is the height of absurdity as the Emperor continues to teleport every second while unleashing a barrage of attacks that players must dodge to stay healthy. The Emperor is quite a challenge for even the best players around, which is quite appropriate considering that Aeterna Noctis is considered one of the most difficult metroidvanias to complete.
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