The Best Second Phases In Gaming Boss Fights

Key Takeaways

• Boss fights with multiple phases are increasingly popular, adding layers of challenge.
• The Demon Prince in Dark Souls 3, Rykard in Elden Ring, and Godfrey in Elden Ring have standout second phases.
• From Ludwig in Bloodborne to Ganon in Breath of the Wild, boss fights with unexpected twists keep players on their toes.

Video games often have to find new ways to challenge the player, and one way they’ve done so since the beginning is with a good old boss fight. Whether it’s just a larger or re-skinned version of enemies you’ve already fought, or the classic JRPG tradition of fighting god itself, there are plenty of ways for developers to throw a boss at you.

As if they weren’t hard enough, more and more games have hopped on the trend of having you fight a boss with multiple phases. Horrifying mutants, self-repairing robots, and once again, god itself fall into this category. But only the best bosses with second phases can hit hard enough to earn a title on this list.

10 Demon Prince – Dark Souls 3

Not Just Any Demon

The Dark Souls series is all about its deadly bosses, some of which have power levels far greater than your own respected character. But, few bosses took it to the level of fighting the Demon Prince in Dark Souls 3.

A part of the Ringed City DLC, the Demon Prince is actually the second phase of a fight that pitted you against the Demon From Below and Demon In Pain. Whichever you kill last is then transformed into this fiery and winged icon of evil. A dramatic moment in any game to be sure.

9 Rykard – Elden Ring

Devour The Very Gods

He may not be the boss that most think about first when Elden Ring comes up, but Rykard, Lord of Blasphemy definitely earns his spot for his weird and uneasy second phase. One that people still quote to this day.

Fighting a giant snake in an underground volcano full of corpses is already pretty over the top, but halfway through the fight there is the infamous Elden Ring cutscene. Rykard himself is a part of the snake, complete with weird little arms and a sword made of tentacles. Truly, a phase two that will have you puzzled and scared at the same time.

8 Saren – Mass Effect

A Reaper Puppet?

The turian Specter member gone rogue. He was the first major boss in the Mass Effect series, apart from the ominous Reapers themselves, of course. Fighting another special agent in the galaxy wasn’t meant to be an easy fight, but few considered what phase two would bring them in this fight.

Right when you think the fight is over, the Reaper and geth forces have another thing to say, changing Saren to a metallic zombie keen on finishing its fight with you. It was a moment that really solidified how far the Reapers were willing to use other beings in their fight against the galaxy.

7 Laxasia (Lies Of P)

The Armor Is For Your Benefit

Lies Of P has its fair share of good lore, and deadly bosses to fight that make it a well-recieved Soulslike. One such deadly boss takes the game to electrifying new heights.

It is easy to see why the spike-armored figure of Laxasia The Complete is the sword-wielding right hand of Manus. But, after dodging her attacks and doing some damage, the fight takes a turn. You know you’re not in for a good time when the boss gets stronger by taking off their armor.

6 Guardian Ape – Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice

No Monkey Business Here

Fighting a giant, sword-wielding ape feels pretty on-par for Sekiro and most of the other soulsborne games, but this was one boss fight that took nearly everyone by surprise. The first phase is pretty wild, with the Ape moving around the ravine pretty erratically.

But, the real surprise is after you behead the creature. As you start to walk away, the monster’s corpse begins twitching, only for it to grab its own severed head and renew its attack with even more wild attacks. A boss that fights even after its head gets cut off definitely deserves a spot on this list.

5 Godfrey – Elden Ring

He Doesn’t Need Weapons

With its wild arrangement of bosses and the sheer amount of players Elden Ring brought into the soulsborne fold, Elden RIng has more than a few fantastic two-stage fights, like Godfrey, the first elden lord.

The first part of the fight is hard enough, with Godfrey’s giant axe swinging about and his impressive speed for a large character. The second is something else entirely as he kills his spectral lion companion Sarosh, unleashing his rage and taking you on with his bare hands.

4 Ganon – The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild

Not Your Grandpa’s Ganon

The Legend Of Zelda games have been around for decades. With as many changes as they’ve made since the first games, one thing they’ve never shied away from is throwing a boss at Link to test his abilities.

Ganon being the usual villain in question. However, Breath Of The Wild took the classic Ganon fight to new heights. After being thouroughly beaten, Ganon makes a rather dramatic change, turning into Calamity Ganon, with plenty of weapon-wielding arms, and creepy glowing eyes. Which feels more like something out of a horror game than a Zelda one.

3 Karl Heisenberg – Resident Evil Village

Not Groovy

Resident Evil: Village took a rather wacky approach at times to the Resident Evil series, which are a group of games that aren’t above being over the top, especially where bosses are concerned. In this game of evil dolls and dracula-like castles, it takes a lot for one enemy to stand out.

Heisenberg does just that. The fact that he can move metallic objects with his mind is something that makes his fight hard enough, but, once injured, he fuses with various military supplies, becoming a large metallic monster. It’s quite the change, and one that honestly fits in quite well with the themes of Resident Evil as a whole.

2 Dragon Slayer Ornstein And Executioner Smough – Dark Souls

Two Knights Is Better Than One

As if one boss fight wasn’t enough, some games have started adding two bosses for you to fight at the same time. Dark Souls was one of the first to pull this off, and to great appeal, and great ire at the same time.

The fight against Ornstein and Smough was tough from the get-go, with both knights having their own unique moveset to keep an eye on. Once one of them is killed though, the other reacts accordingly, getting tougher and doubling his efforts. Just in case you thought you’d get off easy.

1 Ludwig – Bloodborne

No Horsing Around

There have been few games that have taken the concept of boss fights to the levels that Bloodborne has. A go-to for fans in and out of the soulsborne series. Fans have varying opinions of their favorite bosses.

But when it comes to phase two bosses, Ludwig definitely earns his spot on this list. Fighting the rotting equine monster that was once Ludwig is tough enough, but a mid-fight cutscene has him gain some semblance of who he once was. Wielding his moonlight sword, his entire demeanor changes, and you realize how much of a fight you have on your hands.