Resident Evil Bosses That Are Only Difficult The First Time You Fight Them

Key Takeaways

• Resident Evil bosses often appear tough at first but have exploitable weaknesses for easier repeated kills.
• Learning boss fight tricks can make subsequent encounters much easier for experienced players.
• Understanding gimmicks, weak points, and environmental factors can turn intimidating bosses into manageable foes.

Resident Evil has a long history, stretching back to March 1996 – nearly 30 years. Over that time, the series has seen plenty of boss fights. They’ve evolved over time, from simple “run in a circle and shoot” affairs to full-blown action spectacles. One feature that has remained constant throughout the series is the tendency to feature bosses that seem intimidating at first but often have weaknesses or environmental aspects to the fight that can give players the advantage. Many of the games are designed with challenge runs in mind, and players often have to learn these tricks to beat the tough time restrictions and no-retry runs.

Whether it’s hidden weak points, specific dodging and attack patterns, or environmental gimmicks that can give players an easy win, these particular Resident Evil bosses stand out as hard to beat the first time but easy to kill on subsequent runs.

10 William Birkin – Resident Evil 2 Remake

A Recurring Nightmare That Can Be Taken Down Quite Easily Once Players Know What To Do

Despite Mr. X getting the star billing, William Birkin is an equally potent and even more deadly threat in Resident Evil 2 Remake. He keeps on coming back in various forms, leading to a number of tough boss fights. The first two of these encounters, though, are made much easier with a bit of experience going in.

Birkin’s first incarnation is the first big boss that players will face, and it’s easy for newcomers to focus on shooting the large eye on his mutated arm, a seemingly obvious weak spot. However, speedrunners soon discovered that it’s actually possible to beat the fight using a couple of knives, repeatedly slashing the boss to death. The second fight uses an environmental gimmick, and players just have to time hitting the boss with the large crate using the crane. It takes some experience to learn how to position the boss correctly, but once players know the fight, it’s another easy kill.

9 Jack Baker – Resident Evil 7: Biohazard

A Threat Who Becomes Much Less Threatening On A Second Run

Jack Baker is a mixed bag as an enemy. When players first explore the house in Resident Evil 7, he’s a terrifying, ever-present threat. His various boss fights are all intimidating in different ways, but each has a unique resolution that makes him much less threatening on a second run. New players likely won’t understand the first encounter right away, as it’s more like a series of puzzle steps leading to Jack actually defeating himself to intimidate Ethan and demonstrate his “immortality.” That makes it an easy solve for repeated playthroughs, though.

The second fight is tougher but eventually gives the players the chainsaw, which lets them go toe-to-toe with Jack. The last fight sees Jack in his most monstrous form, but the glowing weak spots make for an obvious solution, and avoiding or blocking his attacks isn’t too hard. Even getting rid of him for good just involves a simple injection.

8 Nemesis – Resident Evil 3: Nemesis

Requires Players To Wait Until The Railgun Charges

The Nemesis was Resident Evil 3‘s answer to Mr. X, a relentless pursuer that would bust through walls and corner Jill Valentine at all the worst possible moments. He’s an ever present threat and has a number of set encounters, differing depending on the ending the player goes for.

His eventual end is always roughly the same, though, either taken down with a military railgun or dissolved in biochemicals, then taken down with an Umbrella railgun. The fights essentially just involve surviving until the railgun can be charged either way, making repeated runs very manageable.

7 Moreau – Resident Evil Village

A Fishy Character Who Is Much Less Dangerous Once Players Know How The Fight Works

Moreau can seem like a very difficult boss when first encountered. He can easily chase down the player, throw up barricades, cover the whole arena in acid rain, and his main body takes limited damage. Yet, once players learn to deal with each of these factors, he can be taken out relatively quickly.

Players will soon learn where to take shelter from the acid rain, how to take down the mucus barriers, and even where hidden explosives dot the arena that can be used to knock him down and expose his vulnerable inner self. He’s much less of a threat when players know his tricks.

6 Ramon Salazar – Resident Evil 4

A Cartoon Villain Whose Attacks Can Easily Be Dodged Once Players Know Where To Stand

The diminutive duke Ramon Salazar is a recurring villain in Resident Evil 4 and one of the main antagonists that is directly getting in the way of Leon’s progress. He’s seen several times directing minions to attack Leon and Ashley before the player finally gets to confront him.

Once they do, his monstrous form seems tough to deal with at first. Once players have learned to stand in the right spot to avoid most attacks and worked out how to expose his weak point, the fight becomes easy. It’s even easier since experienced players will grab the rocket launcher prior to the fight, letting them end the boss with one hit to the weak point.

5 Bitores Mendez – Resident Evil 4 Remake

Intimidating At First But Predictable On Subsequent Runs

The imposing figure of Bitores Mendez stalks Leon throughout Resident Evil 4‘s opening. When he corners Leon in a burning barn, the fight that ensues is a memorable close quarters battle. Despite the boss’s size and the cramped space, it’s actually not too hard to completely avoid his attacks. Players can use the first floor to out-range the boss’s first phase attacks, dodging the larger sweeps with the action prompt. The shotgun will move him to his second phase without too many blasts. Moving to the second floor, phase two is even easier. Players just need to run back and forth to avoid his attacks and remember to shoot the red barrels whenever he picks them up.

The whole setup of the burning barn and Mendez transforming from large man to even larger monster is enough to throw new players off their game. That said, Mendez is a mere speed bump to players who know the fight.

4 Donna Beneviento – Resident Evil Village

Shockingly Easy For Those Who Know Which Doll To Stab

While her mansion presents a lengthy puzzle, the actual fight against Donna Beneviento is a one-trick affair, and once players know that trick, it’s just a case of walking up and stabbing a doll that can’t fight back.

The encounter can throw off new players who aren’t familiar with how to locate the right doll, though, and it will kill any player who lingers too long. So, the puppet master isn’t truly defenseless, but against players who’ve seen it before, she has no chance.

3 Nemesis – Resident Evil 3 Remake

Certain Gimmicks Can Make This Boss Fight Much Easier

Resident Evil 3‘s Remake ditched the alternate paths of the original, condensing the story of the game into a single, Nemesis-filled run through the games’ events. He certainly fills the role of major antagonist, with a bunch of mutations leading to some distinct and interesting boss fights.

Apart from Jill’s first encounter with him, which is more of a straight one on one fight on a rooftop, the rest of the larger scale boss fights against his mutations feature some trick or gimmick that can make players’ time a little easier. Like tripping him with mines or Carlos’s call-outs. Even his final encounter still involves charging up a mega-powerful railgun to take him out in a scripted manner. Though, it has to be said, that fight does have more to do than simply charge the railgun, so it’s not always easy to get through, even for seasoned players.

2 Garradors – Resident Evil 4 Remake

An Enemy That Can Be Controlled If Players Are Aware Of Its Weakness

The Garrador is a terrifying enemy when first encountered, with its giant metal claws being capable of making short work of Leon. Patient players will quickly learn that the enemy is blind, though, and can be led around by sound, exposing its weak spot.

But this early fight is just a precursor to a much tougher later encounter, when two of these monsters are unleashed in a room full of enemies. Players that learned to lead the Garradors around earlier on will have an easier time here, as they can be baited to attack other enemies and even each other. The better a player gets to know these bosses, the easier they are to beat.

1 Lisa Trevor – Resident Evil

A Straightforward Encounter That Returning Players Will Finish With Ease

Even though she was only added to the game in the 2002 Gamecube remake, Lisa Trevor is an iconic Resident Evil enemy. Lisa appears a couple of times in the remake, originally forcing the player to run due to her immunity to all kinds of damage.

Despite being an unkillable monster, the solution to Lisa Trevor’s boss fight is shockingly simple. The player just needs to push a few stone slabs off a ledge while avoiding her. This exposes Lisa’s dead mother in her tomb, causing Lisa to jump into the abyss of her own accord. It’s easy to replicate, once players know the trick.