Boss fights have become centerpieces of certain video game franchises today. With FromSoftware creating multiple franchises centered around immensely difficult boss battles in the form of Elden Ring or Dark Souls, some boss fights have stood out for their newer angle on how to defeat a boss instead of just going head-on with your chosen weapon.

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Sometimes an innovative strategy is required to defeat an enemy that is far larger and stronger than you, one that entails using the surrounding environment. From fighting more than one boss to bosses with multiple phases, these boss fights leave you no option but to play a game of hide-and-seek.

8 Ghostwire: Tokyo - Ko-omote

Ghostwire: Tokyo Ko-omote boss

As the second boss of the main storyline, Ghostwire: Tokyo's Ko-omote cuts a creepy figure with the body of a hairless cat and the face of a teenage Japanese girl. But unlike the first boss fight and subsequent boss fights to come, defeating Ko-omote requires you to be sneaky.

Akito must sneak up behind this human-feline hybrid to target its life source, which is its tail. The boss arena is specifically set up so that Akito has spots to hide in as Ko-omote makes its rounds around the ring. With a vast repertoire of scary bosses, Ghostwire: Tokyo ups the ante by having you play hide-and-seek with Ko-omote as it wails and screeches inhumanly for its prey.

7 Demon's Souls - Dragon God

Demon's Souls Dragon God's boss arena

One of the most badass and iconic bosses FromSoftware has ever created, Demon's Souls Dragon God has gone far and beyond, ascending to what you would expect from a deity. Although The Slayer of Demons has vanquished plenty of enemies far larger than themselves, it takes a bit of sneaking around to defeat the Dragon God.

The Slayer of Demons has to hide behind pillars as the Dragon God sniffs around to reach the ballista at the far end of the hallway, fleeing to the lower level to get to the next ballista. Having a beast over 20-feet tall breathing down your neck as you creep around definitely sets the heart racing.

6 The Evil Within - The Sadist

The Evil Within Sebastian hides from The Sadist

Right out the gate, from the moment Sebastian wakes up in a hellish realm, The Evil Within's The Sadist is there waiting for him. Armed with his trusty chainsaw and drenched in blood, this burly butcher pursues the protagonist throughout the game, with Sebastian having to hide most of the time.

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From concealing himself behind walls to hiding in lockers, Sebastian occasionally has a sliver of a chance to sneak up and stab The Sadist with a knife. But after multiple bouts of hide-and-seek, he is finally able to get rid of The Sadist, putting an end to the pesky thorn in his side.

5 Dark Souls 3 - Ancient Wyvern

Dark Souls 3 Ancient Wyvern is a hide-and-seek boss fight

One of FromSoftware's gimmicky boss battles, the Ancient Wyvern's health bar may seem daunting at first, but this merely forces The Chosen Undead to go a different route to defeat it. Littered with deadly enemies along the way, The Chosen Undead hides in the surrounding ruins, dodging dragon fire like a pro.

Taking a roundabout route, The Chosen Undead climbs up a rickety construction site, hopping down onto a platform right above the dragon's head. They hide in plain sight, before leaping down, taking a page out of Assassin's Creed for the final blow.

4 Resident Evil Village - Donna Beneviento & Angie Doll

Donna and her doll stand ready to fight.

In the case of this hide-and-seek boss fight, you are actually the one tasked with seeking out the boss. The dolls around the room cackle threateningly, poised to attack if you don't find Angie in time. Angie's own snide cackles reverberate around the boss arena as she chooses her hiding spot in an attempt to thwart Ethan.

As a receptacle and mouthpiece for Donna, taking Angie out allows Ethan to kill two birds with one stone. Angie has shown herself to be a force to be reckoned with in the horror scene, maybe even more so than the Annabelle doll.

3 Alien: Isolation - Xenomorph

Ridley hiding from the Xenomorph in Alien Isolation

A cult icon in every sense of the word, Alien: Isolation's Xenomorph continues to further the legend of this deadly, near-impossible-to-beat monster. One of the scariest monsters in horror games, this silent villain creeps about more effectively than you.

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As Ripley, the game places you between rock and a hard place. If you whip out your motion tracker and use it too much, it only makes it easier for the Xenomorph to track you down. And with lockers and tunnels to hide in, Ripley has her work cut out for her in an attempt to escape the ship with an intergalactic, near-invincible beast on her tail.

2 Little Nightmares - The Janitor

Little Nightmares Six hiding from The Janitor

As one of the eeriest creatures in Little Nightmares, The Janitor's appearance in and of itself will motivate you to run for your life. But the key to escaping from this creature is, of course, to be as quiet as possible and to hide in plain sight.

Making sure not to alert The Janitor as you pass by is crucial, as well as setting off loud noises to stop the Janitor in his place. With his disproportionate body, mummy-like face, abominably long arms, and itty-bitty legs, his appearance would certainly set you running.

1 Outlast - Chris Walker

Outlast Hiding from Chris Walker in the sewers

Yet another antagonist that has gone straight up to legendary status, Outlast's Chris Walker has become firmly lodged in the gaming public's imagination — especially for horror fans. From the moment he growled out "little pig" and tossed you from the balcony, Chris Walker cemented his place as a horror cult icon.

With his beady eyes, giant physique, and terrifying power, Chris Walker rips heads off of shoulders just because he can, and he does it all with a smile on his face.

NEXT: Gaming Villains Who Never Fight You Directly