By Etienne on 20 Aug, 2009 at 10:15 AM

GOLDEN OLDIES SPECIAL: Top 5 Bosses

The final chapter’s end draws close. Time had dissolved into mere vanity. With lethargic fingers and exiguous attentiveness you push forward when apprehension suddenly grips, and the realization settles: ‘This is the final boss…’

Unequivocally, the apogee of any game is its boss. It is the single most significant factor that will invariably determine how you, as player, will experience the overall journey, in that not only does it conclude the story, but assembles all the components (from story to music, from tone to visual elements) into harmony. It is, for the sake of lucidity, the ending. It is the conclusion.

To determine the most memorable bosses, one takes the process of recalling those virtual delights that had an impression on oneself; that resonated with your idea of what constitutes a solid gaming experience. Meaning, that while the list is completely relative and based on opinion, I want to invite you to be become indulged in the respective worlds from which so many more have sprung and prospered, and, even if only for a minute, just reminisce…

5. FLIGHT SIMULATOR 2000

Not quite.

5. MDK 2

Zizzy

*Special mention: the first installment was intrepidly close to supercede the second for this article, however MDK 1 suffered from the lack of a decent final battle, and although the game as a whole is fantastic, for the purposes of this article it just cannot be articulated.

Any fan of the first MDK would surely boast that the sequel had more of the ethereal adventure one would expect, and that it was established as a notoriously difficult game. MDK 2 was riddled with vacuous puzzles that made even the most composed player react with a sense of ire. It is that factor, in turn, that made the experience even more memorable and to a subtle degree fun.

All the events leading up to the final boss, Zizzy Ballooba, is quite linear and does not verily compliment or entice the expectation of his confrontation. However, succeeding in defeating every enemy and solving all those tedious mini-games made the average player form some slight image of or opinion of what the end chapter might look like. It does not disappoint.

To fiend off the vile Zizzy Ballooba, you have the option of attempting it with one of the three characters namely, Dr. Hawkins, Max the dog or Kurt (in actuality the main character). What ensues is one of the more original battles and downright difficult in comparison to most games. After you made your way to Zizzy (the path varies depending on who you play) you are greeted with various attacks from him, which makes constant movement of highest preference. Not the most intense of battles, that is until you finally defeat him. Defeat, in this scenario, is defined by the fact his abdomen will rip open and will suck you inside his physique (yes folks, uncle Zizzy wants you). Delightful. In all perplexity you would probably infer that shooting things would provide result, which is the case. Your goals are that of destroying Zizzy’s organs in quick succession while being shot by inexplicable green beasties, who will prove to be most unpleasant. The whole instance is made more complicated by the fact that you will be extruded and left to fight his exterior until you are, again, sucked back in. Destroying him from within, and moving upward towards his head, resulting in disposing of his eyeballs and ultimately his brain.

In entirety the final boss is equal in difficulty with regards to the rest of the game, be it creatures or puzzles. And with those having a large dose of hard-to-overcome, the adventure is just overall well rounded making the player feel that he deserved the ¾ tablespoon of conceit. Which is a nice feeling when one considers that those who have played MDK 2 will claim that it is one the most difficult games to finish.

4. UNREAL TOURNAMENT CLASSIC

UNREALs Xan

‘Flesh is a design flaw’.

UT classic is possibly the only exception to the above-mentioned rule simply for the lack of story. There is no coherent or complicated (for that matter not even rudimentary) plot. Its linear gameplay comprised of the player successfully winning each event that he/she attempts, and at the very end of the gauntlet, defeat some arbitrary person named Xan. The concept is simple and concise. However, although these insipid ingredients should convince the common gamer to steer clear of such a title, it had sufficient style and expedient playability to seduce one into its world, and give it a try.

Stumbling through the various game modes that included Deathmatch, Capture the Flag, Domination and Assault you would eventually conclude your ordeal dueling against Xan on a map aptly named Hyperblast. The map itself had a rather provocative feature, namely that it included both normal gravity and low gravity in respective parts of the map. The most paramount instance to mention is that of the difficulty curve. No matter on what skill level you instigated, Xan would always, prominently exhibit a higher difficulty, which is completely acceptable when one is reminded that he is after all the final boss.

At first spawn one scurries to the nearest available weapon, determined to find something worthy of firing (or just anything but the Enforcer for confidence’s sake). And while you mission towards those immediate goals, one can hear Xan roaming, sometimes taunting (look above for an example), you would hear him acquiring weapons, ammo and the highly disconcerting armor pick-up. It is a welcome tickle to the senses, especially when the truth is that one has no idea of what to expect. Inevitably, so much fun will ensue. If you happen to roam the interior of the ship, after you feel safe to attempt a kill, you would be greeted by Xan, with either Mini-gun or Flak-Cannon, depending on your range from him. Either way your screen will samba with a constant crimson glow. If you are unfortunate enough to grace his personal space with your presence a one-hit Flak Cannon shot would perforate your bodily pixels with instant result. If, however, you are slightly further in distance, you will be greeted by a Mini-gun delight. But wait, there’s more! Order the exterior duel and feel the shove of a Shock Rifle, and inevitably be smeared into space.

The battle will always be a constant strafin’-and-jump-a-thon. It tests your ability to predict Xan, or employing frivolous tactics that will hopefully put you into a slightly more advantageous position, engaging or retreating for med-packs or ammo, whichever choice you make, it should have gone through some process of contemplation or you will die, or worse, Xan will become stronger. All these attributes, from weapon balance to map, makes the fight commendable, enjoyable, even when at the time it seems too difficult. And when the dust settles and the last clip is expelled, exhausted hands succumb to numbness, and with concentration levels so astute you can accurately predict the pH level of love, a sudden exult and triumph will settle in, and amend any void one may have had that the experience wasn’t worth it.

3. MECHWARRIOR 4: VENGEANCE

MECHWARRIOR 4’s Daishi

A mutated aberration of elements made the most intriguing and genuinely tangible Sci-Fi simulation that hailed the title MechWarrior, possible. Though the fourth installment’s reputation was questionable to that of its predecessors, special reference to MechWarrior 3, it was nonetheless a pure thrill to play. With an acceptable plot, characters that had sufficient purpose and enough background story, vast worlds, but more importantly, scrupulous sculpted Mechs. The way the title made one engrossed with the notion that you are commandeering a machine of profound strength, was a trait that most games could not capture. And that might explain the following:

E3 2000 Game Critics Awards: Best Simulation Game

After traversing through 25 missions, you are left with one more, to face the antagonist of Vengeance namely William Dresari, your cousin (give it a gasp). The build-up to the climatic battle is not particularly a memorable one, it is however how the mission itself is constructed and produced, using a clever ‘defeat-his-henchmen-first’ method that makes the event venerable. Following the drop near Dresari’s Palace, you would throttle forward only a short distance to be instantaneously welcomed by the Mechs guarding his palace. Docile LRMs will obstinately wave toward you and your lancemates, rendering any wandering mind to concentrate on the task at hand. Lasers embrace any insipid parts of the map in bellowing symphonic fashion while Gauss Guns ripple through armor. Each Mech you engage, or for every one that engages you, you must remain conscious of the damage that incurs on your own Mech, which aggravates the need to make use of your lancemates. So while trying to vehemently command your own Mech and exhibit a lucid disposition to your surrounding enemies, you are required to order your lancemates to ensure that each foe’s demise is as swiftly as possible, so that ultimately, you are left with as much armor as you can muster.

Taking this into consideration, the mission is designed so that when William Dresari appears (which is after you killed ALL his henchmen) you do not have the luxury of aid of your lancemates. They will perish. The most significant factor is how you deal with the remaining enemy Mechs. And accompanying any damage taken by you, you will highly have likely lost weapons, ammo and even more devastating, the lost a ‘limb’ (a pulverized leg leaves you with very little maneuverability, which makes an unhappy face). Based on the layout of your Mech, the way you will duel with William will vary. Whether it’s launching LRM’s form afar and obtaining refuge between structures, or attempting a more close range assault with lasers, gauss guns and whatever projectile that has more restricted range, you will need to determine what will suite best, and hope to be prepared.

The conclusion is that most (if not all) who attempt the final mission for the first time, will not receive the benefit of victory, simply because the mission was built so that it is nearly impossible. The fusion of the idea of piloting a machine of vast complexity and the general concept of incurring massive damage without any means of escape but to kill every machine that poses a threat, confirms MechWarrior 4 to have one of the most extraordinarily superb executed final mission bosses in the history of gaming.

2. DIABLO 2

El Diablo

With abundant journeys, Diablo 2 obstinately injected its immersion into anyone who dared to undertake the adventure it contained. From humble Tristam to the inevitable morbid gates of The Monastery, one cannot help but be excessively infatuated with the way Diablo 2 unfolds and thusly elaborates, which in turn exacerbates the need and covetousness for a spectacular ending of epic proportions. Hence the warm feelings felt when one returns after completing the second quest of ‘Act 4′ and be confronted by Tyreal with his following statement:

‘The time has come to face Diablo himself…’

Thus, promptly defines ‘warm feelings’ with: ‘Hell yeah mofo lets get it on’.

After slaying the last demon that has spawned when the final seal is released, Diablo is summoned in the Monastery, and depending where you dispatched with the last unfortunate creature, his presence might be rather subtle at first. However, this soon changes when you decide to endeavor toward Diablo, or more accurately to the center of the Monastery.

His appearance might not resemble the prevalent idea of ‘final boss’, a specific reference to his stature, but one is not graced with the opportunity to marvel or gawk at the beast, since you will most likely be bathed in flame. His damage is unequivocal, testing your knowledge regarding your class and the use of its abilities, your reflex and timing in attack or evading, and finally, whether you remembered to stack up on health potions. Taking the latter into account and assuming you have a belt stuffed to its pinnacle capacity with mana and health potions, does not make you immune nor prepared when one is completely oblivious to summon a ‘town portal’ (although Diablo can ‘counter’ it, it is worth doing to save those precious minutes running the entire way back if you happen to succumb to a demise).

The damage that you as hero will do to the crimson beast is entirely dependant on spells, auras, items and character build, however it is quite safe to assume that the initial damage is intensely small. This makes the battle a rather tedious and arduous task, and is the basic formula for a solid final boss feud, but a significant one nonetheless. This coupled with the entire journey that brought you to him and all the ancillary elements, makes Diablo one of the most memorable bosses. Not simply because of his appearance (which, as stated, is not that profound), but rather how everything you were required to do and learn is a build-up to Diablo and how you will eventually face him. Even though all aspects of the game, at its core, resembles the fact that you need to ‘kill a thing’, when the final blow or spell sears through Diablo, and the cacophony of his death is sung, you will without a doubt feel a sense of euphoria and relief, and more importantly, one is left with a strong satisfaction, a satisfaction that the entire ordeal was unquestionably worth every minute spent playing.

1. QUAKE 2

Jorg/Makron - Note Makron’s legs dangling from the battlesuit

Forged purposefully and meticulously, to such a degree it was incomprehensible. The phenomenon that was dubbed Quake 2 will perpetually exist as the game that solidified a revelation in FPSseseses and imbued itself into history as one the grand classics. It most certainly did not have a cogent and revered storyline, in fact it resembled downright Hollywoodified attributes, but it was far to a delectable and tangible of a game to decry its reputability regarding plot dynamics. It was profound. Ineffable. Godly.

When you, a solitary marine, are encumbered by various missions and objectives and set forth in the world of the Strogg, you cannot help but be infatuated and overwhelmed by the atmosphere and tone. While the effect was obscured by the soundtrack (which is terrific, just not quite suitable), it nevertheless found a way into your conscience self and propagated like deranged fungi. It was how the world and monsters were depicted, how the auditory alerts and reactions of the creatures and environment interacted, that found a complete equilibrium. To reiterate, the tone of Quake is demented and unsettling until the very end.

Your pursuit of the alien-mastermind leads you through a plethora of locations and goals, until you meet up with him, namely Makron, however before you duel him, you are transported to another arena. This is where you become aware of the existence of something completely different.

Jorg.

When you spawn at your final destination, one can hear the Jorg idly awaiting your presence. You hear his mechanical disposition, alien-organic thunderous roars, that tremble through the corridors into your brittle psyche. Quite marvelous, and succeeds in making you anxious. Relative to the spawn point you can deduce that he is a level directly above you. You set forth retrieving some ammo-packs and picking up any obligatory medi-packs, and enter a lift to ascend and meet the mighty abomination.

His physical stature is not preposterous in relation to you however the demented depiction of him is eccentrically exquisite. Mauling dread into your skull and wielding weapons that contribute to its insane appearance, it is simply a relentless beast. There is however a fair degree of fallibility in the battle itself, in that he is not difficult to defeat. If you have been selfish with your use of Quad Damage, his awesome grandeur will be dented quite severely. Thus activating it and using the various pillars for cover you should probably endure the minimum of damages. However once defeating Jorg, the creature takes a more obvious appearance in that, the Jorg itself is a battlesuit in which the Makron resides. So once dispatched with Jorgie, Markon will eject and engage you with blaster, railgun and ala-BFG. Although employing the previous tactics will almost definitely have the same efficiency, the Makron itself is slightly more difficult than Jorg, but still easy to defeat.

Once the final bullet, cell, rail or shell propels through Makron, he promptly activates a self-destruction sequence, leaving you little time to bathe in some self-indulging glory. However after you find the ejection pod, witness the epilogue FMV, and the journey negates to an end, everything of the adventure, ironically, seems iridescent. It is not that the final boss of Quake 2 proved to be inadequate, but more how it resembled the end to an ingenious game that consisted of such splendor and well crafted elements to which one could relate. How the process of being introduced to a devious world and remarkable aliens, brought an infallible title into existence. Be it that time consumes the greats and will incessantly be endeavored to be copied or better, one simply cannot deny the brilliant play that Quake brought to the gaming world.

QUICKIES:

MOST ANTI-CLIMATIC BOSSES

Half-Life:

For a terrific, captivating and perfectly composed game, it had one major disappointing endgame boss, the lovable and pointless jellybean-fetus. Leaving the player cemented in a position facing upward to gawk at the unborn baby-dairycake and confused whether to think: “ZOMG WTF IS THAT” or “OMG YOU CUTE BUGGER YOU”.

Quake 3:

A complete mockery of what it could have offered. A half-heartedly designed map, for a final showdown no less, was just inexcusable. Xearo prancing around railing you where you THOUGHT of spawning made the game conclude on a rather B-flat-ulance note (SEE WHAT I DID THERE). Not that Xearo was impossible to defeat, even on Nightmare. The cherry on top was of course the thrilling end sequence. Xearo walks towards you, unleashing his powers of being able to bow, and then letting you REALLY have it by making your screen fade to grey and rolling the game’s credits.

Diablo 2: Lord of Destruction

After much contemplation, the contriving little lollards at Blizzard finally agreed on a formula to build Baal’s physical appearance on. Herewith the equation:

Baal = (Human-head + Coffee-table) x Tentacles

Though this would probably upset a rather large portion of the gaming community, it remains true. Not a entirely disappointing battle, however one is left exhausted when pounding his minions (it is relentless) and trying to dispose of them, just before you teleport to Baal. It is just unnerving and unnecessary.