The Best Boss Fights That Only Happened In A Cutscene

Boss fights are the ultimate test of a gamer’s prowess. These encounters often showcase intense strategy, precision, and a deep understanding of the game mechanics. However, some boss battles flip this convention on its head, taking the action out of the player’s hands.

Instead of an interactive fight, these bosses are defeated purely through cutscenes or quick-time events (QTE), leaving you as a spectator in what could have been a climactic showdown. This approach can be a surprising twist, but it often leaves you longing for the thrill of a real fight.

Beware of story spoilers.

10 The Mecha

Alice: Madness Returns

The whimsical world of Wonderland takes a dark turn in Madness Returns, where familiar faces like the March Hare and Dormouse become sinister foes. When Alice encounters them in an industrial factory, they capture the Mad Hatter and unleash a massive, menacing mecha to face her. The tension builds, suggesting a climactic fight… but instead, the game shifts to a cutscene where the Mad Hatter swiftly turns the tables.

Alice was originally supposed to fight The Mecha as a boss battle, but the encounter was cut.

With dramatic flair, he ends the confrontation by escaping and promptly drops a giant, iron teapot on the robot, crushing it along with the Hare and Dormouse. This sudden twist leaves you without the chance to experience the battle yourself, missing out on what could have been a dynamic showdown.

9 General Scales

Star Fox Adventures

Star Fox Adventures breaks away from the franchise’s traditional space combat formula, setting Fox McCloud on a quest across Dinosaur Planet. Rather than focusing solely on aerial dogfights, this adventure also sees Fox engaging in ground battles and facing off against the fierce SharpClaw Tribe, led by their menacing ruler, General Scales.

Scales serves as the main antagonist throughout most of the game, and players are primed to face off against him. However, when the moment finally arrives, it takes an unexpected turn. As Fox prepares to engage in battle, drawing his weapon initiates a cutscene. As the long-anticipated showdown begins, the true villain of the Star Fox series, Andross, reveals himself. In a twist, he dismisses General Scales as a pawn, abruptly ending the battle and seizing control of the narrative.

8 Lucian Fairfax

Fable 2

Lucien stands as the main antagonist of Fable 2, driven to the brink by grief and an obsessive desire to resurrect his lost family. Throughout the story, you work tirelessly to stop his lust for power, priming for an epic final confrontation at the end of the game.

But instead, you face an anticlimax: Lucien’s defeat is triggered by a single QTE mid-speech. If you hesitate, Reaver steps in, finishing Lucien with a smug quip. Ultimately, the entire confrontation is reduced to a choice of timing rather than the skill and struggle you might expect.

7 Scarecrow

Batman: Arkham Knight

The Scarecrow is one of Batman’s most chilling adversaries in Batman: Arkham Knight. Obsessed with vengeance, he unleashes his unique brand of terror on Gotham, traumatizing Batman and threatening everyone the hero holds dear. By the end, we were primed for an intense final confrontation.

However, instead of delivering justice through gameplay, we’re presented with a cutscene in which Scarecrow succumbs to his own Fear Toxin. In a turn of events, Commissioner Gordon delivers the final blow, knocking Scarecrow out with a single punch. While it is satisfying to see Gordon exact justice for his daughter, it would have been nice to experience a full boss battle before the cutscene.

6 Rafe Adler

Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End

In Uncharted 4, Nathan Drake is coaxed out of his quiet life for one final treasure hunt. After navigating perilous environments and outwitting rivals, he ultimately finds himself in a climactic showdown with Rafe, the former ally who turned on him. This confrontation is intense, yet it unfolds almost entirely in a cutscene peppered with quick-time events, where players control some of Nathan’s reactions.

While it’s satisfying to watch Rafe get his comeuppance, the sequence lacks the full interactivity. A chance to actively battle Rafe could have heightened the drama, with a cutscene mid-fight to tie in the story’s final beats.

5 Sargeras

World Of Warcraft

In World of Warcraft, Sargeras is a mighty titan who unleashes the Burning Legion upon the universe, intent on eradicating all life. After countless battles, his tyranny ends when he’s finally imprisoned at the Seat of the Pantheon. However, he manages one last devastating act: plunging his sword deep into Azeroth.

This climactic event, however, unfolds entirely in a cutscene. True, Sargeras is the size of a planet, but that hasn’t stopped video game heroes from fighting their antagonists in the past (I’m looking at you, Asura’s Wrath). It could have been a boss fight of epic proportions if only given the chance.

4 Mehrunes Dagon

The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion

In The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion, Mehrunes Dagon, the fearsome Daedric Prince of Destruction, leads a final assault on Tamriel, threatening the realm’s very existence. The climactic encounter sees you rushing with Martin Septim, the last heir to the throne, through the palace to the Temple of the One. However, when the original plan to defeat Dagon falls apart, Martin devises a desperate solution.

Your role in this final confrontation? Escort Martin through the palace and to the Temple of the One. Once you reach the Temple, the game hands the reins to Martin in a cutscene as he uses the Amulet of Kings to merge with Akatosh. In his new form, Martin battles Dagon in an epic confrontation before banishing him and his forces back to Oblivion. You might have been a spectator to the boss fight, but at least you could provide Martin with moral support.

3 Skull Kid

The Legend Of Zelda: Majora’s Mask

The events of Majora’s Mask, the direct sequel to Ocarina of Time, are kick-started by Skull Kid, a mischievous imp possessed by the dark power of Majora’s Mask. Towards the end of the game, Link climbs to the top of the Clock Tower to confront him, only to trigger a cutscene after playing the Oath to Order song on his ocarina. This turn of events causes Majora’s Mask to detach itself from Skull Kid, escaping to the moon and setting the stage for the final showdown.

Skull kids are recurring characters in the Legend of Zelda series. The Skull Kid who appears in Majora’s Mask is likely the same Skull Kid who appeared by the tree stump in the Lost Woods in Ocarina of Time.

While the narrative choice to absolve Skull Kid without a fight fits with the story’s themes, it would have been therapeutic to engage him in some sort of battle. After all, it was Skull Kid’s actions, under Majora’s influence, that set the catastrophic events in motion. But immediately freeing him from the influence of dark magic via a cutscene works, too.

2 Chaos

Sonic Forces

Sonic Forces, released as the 25th-anniversary game for Sonic the Hedgehog, celebrates the franchise by bringing back characters from across its history to take on the ever-scheming Doctor Eggman. Among these returning faces is Chaos, the original guardian of the Chaos Emeralds until it was corrupted by rage. In Forces, Chaos aligns with Eggman, helping him take control of nearly the entire planet.

There are mods out there that let you fight Chaos as Classic Sonic.

When Chaos ambushes Tails, it seems Tails is outmatched… until Classic Sonic suddenly emerges through a wormhole to save the day. With one swift move, he overcomes Chaos, but the encounter is over before you can even jump into the action. Rather than giving you a chance to battle Chaos as Classic Sonic, the entire confrontation is confined to a cutscene.

1 Mavuika Vs. Capitano

Genshin Impact

Mavuika, the Fire Archon and leader of Natlan, is a powerful force in Genshin Impact, fearlessly waging war against The Abyss as Teyvat’s first line of defense. In the latest Archon Quest, you witness an epic clash when Mavuika is ambushed by Il Capitano, the First of the Eleven Fatui Harbingers. This intense encounter showcases both characters’ formidable powers, pushing the stakes to a new high in the storyline. The cutscene captures the grand scale of their battle with dynamic, cinematic flair, making it one of the most memorable moments in the game so far.

However, this breathtaking showdown is only a spectator event; you don’t get a chance to experience the fight firsthand. Instead, the entire confrontation unfolds in a cutscene, leaving you both captivated and craving the opportunity to directly engage in battles of this scale in future updates.