When we're only hours into a game, we can tell who the final boss is going to be, unless there's some insane twist in the end that causes someone you never expected to be fighting to be the final boss. But usually, the last boss is usually pretty obvious. In Zelda, you know you'll probably be facing Ganon. In Mario, you know you'll probably be facing Bowser. In Sonic, it'll probably be Robotnik.
But I've found that there's only 2 types of final boss battles. Ones where you get the shit kicked out of you a few times before you think of a strategy and finally get closer and closer to beating him until you finally beat him. And then there's the boss battles where it's mildly challenging but you beat him the first time or, at most, the second time.
Now, let me give you an example of both.
At the moment I'm playing my way through Dragon Age. As anyone who's played even a few hours of the game knows the last boss is the ArchDemon, a big dragon fucker who offs your party in the space of two minutes during your first fight with him. I've spent about 3 combined hours trying to defeat him, using various strategies and even consulting a walkthrough guide for help (yes, I'm ashamed). But he is one tough fucker and I'm not sure if I'll ever beat him.
But on the other end of the spectrum is Ganon from Ocarina of Time. The battle takes maybe a couple of minutes where you roll around and slash his tail for a bit before shoving your sword in his face. It's all very quick and 99% of people finish him the first time they fight him.
So which is better? Should the final boss be the toughest enemy in the whole game, or does that cause an anti climax? Does it matter how difficult the final boss it as long as it's exciting and keeps you interested until the very end?
The answer, for me, is the latter every time. I've used the Dragon Age example, and because of that boss I'm kind of turned off the game. Maybe I'll return and finish it someday, but at the moment I'm completely burned out over it.
But when there's been not difficult but exciting bosses, it's been such a better experience. Ganon in OoT, Malek in KOTOR, Seren in Mass Effect, none of them were difficult, but they kept me hooked. Here's the thing, people usually get totally addicted and immersed in a game the closer it gets to the end. The story sucks you in and you want to know what happens. With those games I mentioned above, when I got to the end I'd been playing a 4 or 5 hour session because I knew I was near the end and I just couldn't turn it off. But with Dragon Age, I had my long session where I got more and more excited as I got to the end only to get my ass handed to me by the ArchDemon. It was like running face first into a brick wall and it pissed me off. So I'll say it now; Final bosses should never be very difficult.
What do you guys think?
But I've found that there's only 2 types of final boss battles. Ones where you get the shit kicked out of you a few times before you think of a strategy and finally get closer and closer to beating him until you finally beat him. And then there's the boss battles where it's mildly challenging but you beat him the first time or, at most, the second time.
Now, let me give you an example of both.
At the moment I'm playing my way through Dragon Age. As anyone who's played even a few hours of the game knows the last boss is the ArchDemon, a big dragon fucker who offs your party in the space of two minutes during your first fight with him. I've spent about 3 combined hours trying to defeat him, using various strategies and even consulting a walkthrough guide for help (yes, I'm ashamed). But he is one tough fucker and I'm not sure if I'll ever beat him.
But on the other end of the spectrum is Ganon from Ocarina of Time. The battle takes maybe a couple of minutes where you roll around and slash his tail for a bit before shoving your sword in his face. It's all very quick and 99% of people finish him the first time they fight him.
So which is better? Should the final boss be the toughest enemy in the whole game, or does that cause an anti climax? Does it matter how difficult the final boss it as long as it's exciting and keeps you interested until the very end?
The answer, for me, is the latter every time. I've used the Dragon Age example, and because of that boss I'm kind of turned off the game. Maybe I'll return and finish it someday, but at the moment I'm completely burned out over it.
But when there's been not difficult but exciting bosses, it's been such a better experience. Ganon in OoT, Malek in KOTOR, Seren in Mass Effect, none of them were difficult, but they kept me hooked. Here's the thing, people usually get totally addicted and immersed in a game the closer it gets to the end. The story sucks you in and you want to know what happens. With those games I mentioned above, when I got to the end I'd been playing a 4 or 5 hour session because I knew I was near the end and I just couldn't turn it off. But with Dragon Age, I had my long session where I got more and more excited as I got to the end only to get my ass handed to me by the ArchDemon. It was like running face first into a brick wall and it pissed me off. So I'll say it now; Final bosses should never be very difficult.
What do you guys think?