It is no secret that FromSoftware is a master at its craft when it comes to creating genuinely wondrous worlds with great combat, bosses, and rich lore. Those reasons explain why fans are over the moon for their new open-world epic, Elden Ring. It also explains why the industry shifted pretty substantially when FromSoftware found its stride. With the Souls series selling over 27 million copies, there is no shortage of fans voicing their opinions on specific aspects of these titles.
It has been almost twelve years since FromSoftware released Demon's Souls and seemingly changed the industry forever. They released six significant titles in those twelve years, all filled to the brim with superb bosses that will have fans thinking about them until the end of time. It is why the incredibly passionate community occasionally has debates on who, or what, the best of the best are.
Updated May 31, 2022, by Seth Parmer: With Elden Ring being out for several months at this point, we decided it was time to include some of the best late-game bosses it offers on the list. Additionally, we also made a couple of cuts since the last update, but we feel the new additions are stronger encounters in every way. There will be late-game spoilers for Elden Ring ahead, so please be cautious when browsing!
Spoilers for some mid to late-game Elden Ring Bosses ahead. View at your own risk!
15 Darklurker - Dark Souls II
In a game with thirty-two bosses, Dark Souls II only has a handful of them jump off the page at you, and even those barely compete with many of the other bosses across FromSoftware's catalog.
However, the Darklurker fight is an exception to that rule and is an incredible boss fight from the moment you enter its arena until you eventually land the final blow. What makes this fight particularly good is its fair arena, well-telegraphed abilities, and a fun sense of rhythm. Darklurker poses a fun challenge and is as mysterious as they come. This fight will consistently keep players on their toes with multiple change-ups in its magic and physical abilities. The Darklurker is one of many optional bosses in Dark Souls II but is absolutely worth seeking out.
14 Old King Allant - Demon's Souls
Being the first game in what would become a tentpole genre for FromSoftware, Demon's Souls offers many interesting bosses and an incredible challenge. However, many of those bosses can be a tad gimmicky, relatively painless, or not all that interesting. At least, in the grand scheme of the Souls genre.
Old King Allant, or the False King, is an exceptional fight from beginning to end and is the boss that everything was building up to throughout your journey. Taking place in his dilapidated throne room, located at the top of Boletaria Castle, the arena is fair and gives you a lot of space to move about in. King Allant's attacks are quick and deadly but are well telegraphed to the player. He has many devastating attacks in his arsenal, including a Soul level drain and magic, and it requires your full attention. Learning his pattern is a fun challenge that is rewarding rather than annoying.
13 Regal Ancestor Spirit - Elden Ring
In terms of offering a challenge, the Regal Ancestor Spirit boss fight in Elden Ring won't be unbearable, especially to genre veterans. However, what the Regal Ancestor Spirit brings to the table in terms of visuals, score, and scale is undeniably gorgeous and worth mentioning.
The Regal Ancestor Spirit has a wide range of attacks ranging from spreading a beautiful bluish-white flame slowly across the arena to doing an eloquent hop through the air before crash landing on the player. This boss battle takes place in Nokron, Eternal City, which is one of the most striking regions in the entire game.
12 Nameless King - Dark Souls III
The Nameless King and his trusty wyvern companion are home to one of the most epic encounters in the base game of Dark Souls 3, checking every box a Soulsborne fan could ever ask for. This battle is challenging, striking, has a tremendous score, and the area is fair to the player. When excluding the game's multiple expansions, the Nameless King is clearly the best boss in the game.
After you ring the bell found in Archdragon Peak, you will be transported to the stormy arena, where the Nameless King appears before you atop his wyvern. This encounter is grueling but fair, allowing you to get a solid rhythm down after learning his attack patterns. But, shortly after thinking you have him all figured out, he kicks things into second gear with an unrelenting phase two, where the fight escalates from 11 to 11,000. The challenge of this fight doesn't feel cheap or unearned, which is all you can ask for in these titles.
11 Dragon Slayer Ornstein And Executioner Smough - Dark Souls
Dark Souls offers an absurd amount of intense boss fights, but the vast majority of them pale compared to what Ornstein and Smough bring to the table. It isn't because those fights are terrible; it's just that this battle is that good. Ornstein and Smough are typically considered one of the most demanding Soulsborne bosses ever, and that is with good reason.
This fight is the ultimate test in Dark Souls, and if you can conquer these two, nothing is standing in your way. Set in the beautiful cathedral ballroom of Anor Londo, players will be pushed to their limit by the dynamic duo. With Ornstein's quick movement and attacks contrasted by Smough's slow and heavy attacks, it is relatively easy to see why it would be challenging to take them on simultaneously. There's also a dubious twist in this battle that will make players wish they never stepped foot inside that stunning cathedral.
10 Starscourge Radahn - Elden Ring
If you frequent social media, have friends that are deep into Elden Ring, or have experienced it yourself, you probably have the name Starscourge Radahn seared into your brain. While this encounter is easily one of the more frustrating encounters in the game, it's also one of the most epic scaled battles seen in a FromSoftware title, full stop.
Riding your horse and calling in hoards of allies to help topple the Demi-God Starscourge Radahn is badass and one of the most insane things to witness in any game. Seeing NPCs you've met throughout your journey storm the battle-worn fields of Caelid is truly a sight to behold. The encounter itself feels near impossible at first, as Radahn possesses many heavy-hitting yet swift attacks and can close the gap on you in a heartbeat. But, as with most Soulsborne battles, once you get a rhythm and understanding of the boss, you will emerge victoriously. And the feeling of slaying this beast is pure ecstasy.
9 Guardian Ape - Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
Speaking of dubious twists, the Guardian Ape battle in Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is one that will stick with players until the end of time. Partially due to the actual fight itself and the totally insane twist in the battle, we dare not spoil here. However, what we can tell you is this encounter is one of the best FromSoftware bosses in their entire catalog.
Found deep within the Sunken Valley, the Guardian Ape can be found sitting guard of the Palace's Lotus. This encounter is remarkable in practically every way and is easily one of the best boss fights in the game. The arena is a shallow pond with many trees you can use as grappling points. It is a rather large area and allows you to move around freely as you learn the ape's attacks and patterns. The Guardian Ape encourages you to try out different Shinobi Tools and abilities and is one of the first few "skill checks" in the game. If you can take down this godforsaken ape, you are mentally prepared for anything that comes after.
8 Maliketh, The Black Blade - Elden Ring
Maliketh, the Black Blade is the second phase of the Beast Clergyman boss fight towards the end of your long journey in Elden Ring but is an encounter that will more than likely last stick with everyone who experiences it firsthand. Not only is this moment a significant turning point in the story, but it's a shocking and powerful one, adding lots of weight and momentum to the final stretch of the game.
Furthermore, fighting Maliketh in the Crumbling Farum Azula gives you a phenomenal backdrop of swirling tornadoes and dragons flying around them. This encounter is also one of the hardest ones in the game and almost feels like a Bloodborne boss fight with Maliketh's agile movements and sinister atmosphere.
7 Lady Maria of the Astral Clocktower - Bloodborne
Bloodborne is home to some of the absolute best bosses in FromSoftware's catalog, and when the Old Hunter DLC was released, we got even more of that. Enter Lady Maria, an incredibly high-action, challenging boss fight soaked in lore.
Located in the Astral Clocktower, within the Nightmare Realm, sits Lady Maria with blood-stained clothes and twin blades. Lady Maria offers a genuinely unforgettable battle. She is capable of delivering devastating combos and is incredibly fast and agile. She even has a mid-battle shift that adds even more chaos into the mix. Learning her parry windows is crucial to the fight, just as well as knowing her moves and patterns. This battle never lets up, and you have to be committed to it if you want any chance of conquering her.
6 Knight Artorias - Dark Souls
What often makes FromSoftware's bosses excellent outside of the fight itself is the lore surrounding the boss and how the arena plays into both of those. The Knight Artorias boss fight in Dark Souls executes on all of those with ease and makes for one of the best FromSoftware bosses out there.
What makes this fight particularly special is everything leading up to it, everything surrounding it, and of course, the battle itself. Throughout your adventure, you only hear of stories of the legendary Abyss Walker, Knight Artorias. But it isn't until the DLC that you get to face off with him. When you find him, he has succumbed to the abyss and was driven mad and will not let you pass effortlessly. With only one arm and in a pretty bad state, he still poses a deadly threat and makes you wonder what he was like at his full potential. Knight Artorias has many nasty attacks that will annihilate anyone on the receiving end. This battle is excruciatingly challenging, but luckily the arena is big enough where it allows you to catch a breath and survey his attacks and patterns.
5 Malenia, Blade Of Miquella - Elden Ring
Despite being an optional boss, hidden away in an excruciatingly hard-to-reach Legacy Dungeon, Malenia has become one of the main attractions of Elden Ring and is the best encounter in the game by a mile. Everything from her rich, devastating lore to the surrounding areas and the unrelenting challenge she poses is unrivaled by anything else in the game.
This boss fight is beautiful, daunting, and exhilarating all at once, making the moment you finally defeat her almost bittersweet in many ways. Furthermore, the communities and mythos that built around this particular encounter have been incredible to see playout, showcasing just how challenging and awestriking this truly is.
4 Orphan Of Kos - Bloodborne
There are challenging boss fights, and then there is the Orphan of Kos. Aside from maybe a few other bosses in FromSoftware's catalog, the Orphan of Kos is one of the most challenging bosses out there and definitely among the top of the list in Bloodborne. If Sekiro didn't exist, Kos might be the most formidable FromSoftware boss ever created.
Located on the Fishing Hamlet coast, the Orphan of Kos is ready to ruin your day. The atmosphere, music, boss design, and fight itself blend to create a unique challenge worth seeing through to the end. It's an almost beautiful arena, with storm clouds brewing in the background as you stand staring out into the ocean. But what lies on the coast ahead of you is the exact opposite of that, the Orphan of Kos, placenta in hand, ready to destroy anyone that dares come close. Seriously, he's gross. Orphan of Kos' attacks can be fast, punishing, and unforgiving. On top of that, his handful of ranged attacks can mess up your flow and put you into a tight spot, allowing him to close in on you for devastating attacks. This fight is no joke, but it is definitely among the best of the best, not purely because of the challenge but also because of everything surrounding it.
3 Sister Friede - Dark Souls III
Fans of the series often criticize Dark Souls III for having far too easy, or even gimmicky, bosses and very few bosses on par with its predecessors. However, whenever FromSoftware put together their DLC, they made sure to crank the challenge up to eleven and make some genuinely remarkable boss battles.
Within the Painted World of Ariandel, within a church, lies Sister Friede. Who, early on in your adventures, warned you to turn back and leave her be. Throughout your time in the Painted World, you learn of her motivations and why she is adamant about you going. But, one thing leads to another, and you press on further into the cold church where chaos ensues. Sister Friede has three phases, high damage output, and genuinely feels like a Bloodborne boss. She is remarkably fast and never seems to let up. The arena is stunning and decently big. As the church's windows break and the walls start falling apart, all you see are flurries of snow contrasted by copious amounts of fire. All three phases are phenomenal and require the player to dig in and learn each stage to emerge victoriously.
2 Ludwig, The Accursed/Holy Blade - Bloodborne
Very few FromSoftware bosses have story beats intertwined within the boss fights themselves, so it is always a welcomed surprise whenever they sprinkle them in whenever they seem fit. Ludwig checks every box when it comes to what makes a Soulsborne boss special and is one of the hardest FromSoftware bosses out there.
This repugnant, seven-limbed beast is the best boss in Bloodborne, and it's not even close. Much like Knight Artorias in Dark Souls, Ludwig is referenced many times in item descriptions and dialogue throughout the base game, and you never cross his path until later in the Old Hunters DLC. Ludwig is located deep within the cathedral, waiting on a pile of blood and corpses, anticipating his next victim. He is extremely violent and practically never ceases to attack, making learning his patterns and moves nearly impossible. Unfortunately, when you think you have him figured out, Ludwig goes into his second phase, where he dawns his legendary Moonlight Greatsword and becomes more aware and stable. He is even more aggressive in this phase and a lot more composed as well. Ludwig is one of the most formidable foes you will encounter not only in Bloodborne but in any FromSoftware title.
1 Isshin, The Sword Saint - Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is a game about refining the combat system FromSoftware meticulously crafted, opposed to the Soulsborne titles, where you can use many different weapons and builds. Thus, the game's final battle is the best in FromSoftware's career.
Ashina Reservoir, a sprawling rice field with a beautiful backdrop, is where the game ultimately comes to an end with one last showdown with Isshin. Here, players are put to the final test and must use everything they have learned throughout their journey to put an end to Isshin once and for all. This battle is of epic proportions and takes a large chunk of time to complete. Many will tackle this challenge a good dozen times, which is perfectly acceptable as it is quite challenging, and one wrong move can end your life. With an unimaginable amount of attacks, all in various ranges and speeds, it is seemingly impossible the first few goes. There are four total phases in this fight, the first battle being Genichiro, all of which are much different and challenging in separate ways. Everything has led to this moment on the story side of things, and this is what you have been preparing tirelessly for throughout Sekiro's journey. With the swell of the music, the stunning setting, and the near-impossible challenge, Isshin is an exceptional boss from start to finish, and easily the hardest FromSoftware boss created thus far.