Little Johnny (Surge 2)
The first major boss of Surge 2 pits you against a robotic hot tub on legs. No, really — Little Johhny is a portulent, cackling maniac in a water-filled sauna, stomping around and spilling super-heated water onto the player. There’s no real way to damage Little Johnny. Instead, you’ll have to target the heatsinks on his machinery. Destroy enough fans, and Little Johnny will cook in his own juices. It only sounds gross because it is.
It’s a completely insane fight against a massive, terrifying opponent. The Surge 2 didn’t get a lot of attention when it released earlier in 2019, but completely unique boss fights like Little Johnny help seal this game as a true sci-fi Dark Souls contender.
Pain & Terror & Agonizer 9000 (Borderlands 3)
One of the hardest bosses in Borderlands 3 is a giant spinning robo-skull armed with buzzsaws, flamethrowers, and armies of bandit minions. Oh, and the machine’s drivers are voiced by the magic act duo Penn & Teller — dubbed Pain & Terror in Borderlands 3.
They’re bandit leaders, commandeering a massive fortress on treads you’ll have to chase down, board, and fight to the very top. The entire sequence is one of the most unique in Borderlands 3, and one of the best that shows the potential when Borderlands steps outside its comfort zone.
The boss is the toughest, most unique challenge I faced in Borderlands 3. Some people might call it ‘unfair’ or ‘too annoying’ — when you’re getting blasted by spinning chainsaws and burning floor plates while getting shot by bandits at every angle, I can see where those people are coming form.
Check out even more of the best boss battles on the next page.