Vergil (Devil May Cry 5)
The final boss of Devil May Cry 5, Vergil, is everything we want in a boss fight. It’s an epic battle with heart, as Dante and his devilish brother Vergil fight it out for the last time. These two are the ultimate rivals — and their clash is the best fight in an already incredible action game. It isn’t the hardest fight on our list (it’s still pretty dang touch) but it is one of the most effective. It’s a fight filled with drama, and even ends with a little character redemption.
The DMC community has rallied behind this battle as one of the best of the entire decade. Probably because we finally get some resolution on the Dante / Vergil rivalry — even if it’s something we’ve seen a few times already. Like the previous fights on this list, it pulls just the right strings to push the hype level past the limits. This might be the best boss fight of the entire Devil May Cry series.
Higgs (Death Stranding)
Death Stranding isn’t Metal Gear Solid, but the battle against the terrorist leader Higgs is 100%, unfiltered Metal Gear Solid. In my personal favorite fight of the year, our hero Sam Porter Bridges faces the evil Higgs on a spectral beach in the after-life. Higgs has his trusty machine gun, while Sam is completely unarmed — forcing you to sneak and use your wits to defeat an impossible foe.
It all ends with a Super Punch-Out fist-fight, with both characters stuck in thick mud, beating each other down with burly meat-punches. It’s completely unlike anything else in the game, and an exciting surprise for patient fans that managed to reach the (almost) end of the 50+ hour story. For forcing you to think creatively at a disadvantage, this is one of the best boss fights of the year.
Check out even more of the best boss battles on the next page.