It’s said that a hero is only as good as their villain, and video games have plenty of those. Antagonists form a key part of gaming as a whole, serving as narrative and gameplay challenges for protagonists and players alike to overcome. The best enemies and bosses rise from among these ever-swelling ranks to stick in players’ minds and capture their imaginations, whether due to how they fight or because their narrative importance makes their downfall all the sweeter. Just looking cool can be enough to turn some fights into highlights for many challengers.
2022 was no slouch when it came to presenting strong enemies. Considering that a major FromSoftware title was released early in the year, that should come as no surprise, but there were plenty of other strong contenders as well. In no particular order, here are ten of the best-designed enemies and bosses players have fought throughout this year.
Please note that this article contains SPOILERS for multiple games released in 2022.
Dreadwing (Horizon Forbidden West)
Some enemies perfectly combine gameplay and aesthetic into a package players can’t help but love, and Horizon Forbidden West’s Dreadwing is undoubtedly one of these. First encountered as the boss of the Seeds of the Past mission, Dreadwings and Apex Dreadwings are rare bat-like machines that don’t play by Horizon’s rules. They may be huge, but they’re able to detect and sneak up on players without them realizing thanks to their camouflage, jamming abilities, and sonar.
Like many of Horizon’s giant monsters, these metal beasts have plenty of weak points to break and special interactions to find. Unfortunately for the player, this includes the Dreadwing’s ability to hide itself not only from the player’s HUD, but Aloy’s Focus. That means learning to fight it the hard way, and that won’t be easy thanks to a huge repertoire of bombs, acid, flashbangs, and devastating melee strikes split between grounded and flying states. Dreadwings still have an air of gothic beauty to them, however, and players may stop to admire one hanging in their roost — or recoil in horror upon the rare sight of one drinking another machine’s fluids.
Heimdall (God of War Ragnarok)
Everybody loves a jerk, and putting a bully in their place can make for a really satisfying struggle. This is the thesis statement of God of War Ragnarok’s Heimdall fight, and it worked wonders. Heimdall is the Norse God of Foresight, guardian of the Bifrost, and many other things, as he's quick to remind Kratos. After hours of listening to him belittle everyone around him, players will no doubt be eager to use their shiny new Draupnir Spear to poke some holes in his ego. Eventually, they get their chance, and what follows is one of God of War’s classic god-versus-god brawls.
However, it wouldn't be memorable without a twist. Heimdall's prophetic powers manifest in Ragnarok by reading the minds and actions of his opponents, enabling him to dodge all their attacks. After a quick warm-up against Heimdall's steed Gulltopr, Kratos and the player find themselves unable to hit the cocky Norse god. They can eventually distract him with the Spear enough for Kratos to start landing hits on him, causing him to lower his guard in favor of aggression. Once Heimdall is pushed to his limit, he finally proves that he's not all talk. With a combination of hard-hitting blows, running grabs, projectiles, extra bars of armor, and even slowing down time, the battle is a hard-fought one by both sides. Kratos may not feel proud of finally putting down Heimdall, but players probably will.
Malenia, Blade of Miquella (Elden Ring)
To the surprise of no one, Elden Ring's bonus boss Malenia was one of the best fights of 2022. The latest in the line of FromSoftware super bosses, the undefeated Blade of Miquella rises from her slumber to face the Tarnished at the end of the brutally difficult Haligtree. Malenia quickly gets to work with swift and precise sword swings, testing the player's reflexes as well as their ability to find openings. The main event comes when Malenia uses her signature Waterfowl Dance, a brutal flurry that has decimated many a player. Even bringing allies into the fight may not be advisory, as Malenia steals health with every hit she lands.
Persistent Tarnished will eventually knock her down, likely from exploiting her weakness to staggering attacks. However, Malenia has one last trick up her sleeves. Having been dueled to a draw by General Radahn, Malenia repelled him and turned Caelid into the hellscape it is by tapping into her latent powers as the Goddess of Rot. The player has forced her to do so again, and with wings made of autumn-colored butterflies, Malenia dives at the player to create an enormous flower that can quickly inflict the deadly Scarlet Rot. With a couple of new moves, this form of Malenia is even more deadly than before, and every player who's taking her down can say with confidence that they have overcome the best Elden Ring has to offer.
Midnite (Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope)
Not all bosses need to be such overwhelming challenges, though good ones are often tricky. That word perfectly describes the first Spark Hunter fought in Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope, the ghostly Midnite. Made from Cursa combining a Rabbid with the chill evening mist, this giggling ghoul was an instant hit with fans. Her ethereal and cute design is significantly different from every Rabbid seen so far and goes to show just how far the species has come from their screaming, mangy roots.
As the first Spark Hunter and non-repeating boss of the game, Midnite has a lot to prove, and she does so with style. Serving as a sort of upgraded version of the Peek-a-Boos from the first Mario + Rabbids game, Midnite has no movement limit and can instantly teleport past any traps the player has set up. She and her minions can hit hard, and Midnite herself focuses on buffing her allies while weakening her enemies. Combined with the terrain and backup enemies shuffling with each phase of the fight, the whole affair is a hectic yet strategic bout from start to finish.
Starscourge Radahn (Elden Ring)
There's no way this list can end with just one Elden Ring entry, and the second slot goes to the only warrior who gave Malenia pause before the player: Starscourge Radahn. Reduced to a maddened, cannibalistic shell of his former self by the Scarlet Rot, Radahn still proves too powerful for his mournful army to put to rest themselves. Instead, they call a ceasefire at Redmane Castle to hold the Radahn Festival, inviting warriors to bring down the commander. With an enormous battlefield featuring summon signs for a variety of named NPCs, it seems the odds are weighted in the player's favor.
Anyone who has experienced Radahn, especially at Elden Ring's launch, knows they are not. Even at his lowest point, Radahn is still more than capable of taking on an army of champions. With mastery of gravity magic, a giant bow, and two equally massive swords, Radahn proves to be an uphill battle fitting for the province of Caelid. Players who whittled him down to half health will no doubt remember the first time they saw him leap out of the battlefield and re-enter as a flaming meteor. And after all that, it's revealed that he was expending magic all along to support his tiny, beloved horse and holding back a destructive star shower. Every new detail endeared Radahn more to the Souls community, and it's not hard to see why.
The Jailer (Call of Duty: Warzone 2.0)
Unlike many action games, Call of Duty does not put emphasis on boss fights. It has had them on occasion, but it's mostly focused on setpieces and firefights. However, there’s a surprise waiting in the recent Warzone 2.0 update for anyone expecting the typical PvP experience. Within the battle royale genre, Call of Duty: Warzone stands out both for featuring the franchise's iconic gameplay, and for how it handles death. The Gulag is a second-chance mechanic where players who died before the final circle get one chance to earn a revival in a special arena. This used to just be a duel, but Warzone 2.0 expanded it to a 2v2 team deathmatch.
At least, that's how it appears. Players who take too long fighting each other will have to deal with the arrival of a third party, that being the Jailer. This heavily-armored soldier is equipped with a minigun and a health pool far eclipsing what's normal in Call of Duty. Defeating the aggressive Jailer will allow all four combatants to rejoin the regular match, but they'll have to cooperate to do so. This changes everything about the Gulag, and can potentially make for tense moments where a powerful enemy is at the player's front and a potentially treacherous ally is just out of view. The Jailer is a brilliant change to Warzone's Gulag and should make plenty of exciting memories.
Thor (God of War Ragnarok)
Rivals are a popular type of antagonist in action games. The God of War franchise has had a few of its own, with the first rival of the Norse saga being God of War (2018)’s Baldur. A great rival can enhance a game immensely, and God of War Ragnarok's Thor makes Baldur look like a chump.
The Norse God of Thunder needs no introduction, being a recognizable figure in both mythology and popular culture. With his signature hammer Mjolnir, Thor clashes with Kratos multiple times over their individual adventures — though unlike Baldur, with a growing sense of reluctance. Thor is undoubtedly one of the strongest warriors fighting for the Norse side, but he's suffering from his own family issues, and they color each encounter differently on top of his evolving moveset. The two fights also play with the player's own mechanics, skills, and equipment evolving over time. With God of War Ragnarok acting as Thor's journey just as much as Kratos and Atreus', players will find themselves looking forward to each and every time they clash with their equal in strength and tragedy.
Two Head (The Callisto Protocol)
Sometimes, a fight doesn't need to be complicated to work. A common purpose for a boss is to test the player's skills, and sometimes those skills can just be their fundamentals. This is the domain of Two Head, a recurring boss in The Callisto Protocol. First encountered on a moving platform at the end of the sixth chapter, Two Head arrives after four waves of biophages. If the player is low on health or resources, then they'll be in the right state of mind to survive a horror that could end their run in an instant.
While a lot of the enemies in The Callisto Protocol are various kinds of twisted and combined humans, Two Head is a very simple concept. Appearing as a giant, mostly humanoid brute, its lower half is composed of two legs and two feet (with each foot actually looking like two feet). The same is true for its arms and hands, but making up its top half are two upper torsos with strands of flesh holding them together. It's a simple but effective design, and the same is true for the ensuing fight. All players have to do is strafe around the arena, taking cover and dodging where appropriate. If they fail, then they'll be dead in a couple of hits, and Two Head will gain speed by removing one of its heads partway through. As a grim judge of the player's skill, Two Head is perfect the first time players encounter it.
Volo (Pokemon Legends: Arceus)
Elements of a good boss fight include intimidation, enjoyment, and surprise. A lot of games can muster the first two, but the third isn't something that just any boss can inspire. Fights that break the mold are rare, and they're even rarer in the Pokemon franchise. The largely identical battle system between games and low average difficulty means a seasoned trainer will have seen most of what Pokemon has to throw at them. Ideal spots to find thrills tend to be Elite Four and Champion gauntlets, legendary Pokemon battles, and post-game content. Pokemon Legends: Arceus took elements from each of these and mixed them into something the Pokemon franchise has never seen before.
At the end of the postgame questline, the Merchant Guild member Volo reveals his wish to meet Arceus at any cost. Sporting a wild new design, Volo meets the player at Spear Pillar. It's then that a familiar piano piece plays, clueing Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum players that they're in trouble. Volo is implied to be Champion Cynthia's ancestor and has a Hisuisian version of her team for players to face. On top of benefiting from Pokemon Legends' altered damage calculations, Volo also calls in the legendary Pokemon Giratina immediately after his fight, which then assumes its Origin form after another loss. It may be the most difficult and climactic fight in the entire Pokemon franchise, and everyone who reached it was left thirsting for more.
Yang the Leader (Sifu)
Enemies can throw plenty of tricks at the player, but at the end of the day, the mastery of a game's mechanics will pave the way to victory. This is the ethos that went into designing Yang, the principal antagonist and final boss of the modern mystical martial arts brawler Sifu. Throughout the game, players have to contend with bosses who don't play by the rules. Each of them has elemental powers as well as a signature weapon. The player can counter this with their own magical resurrections and weapon perks to keep their run going, but all of that is for naught when they reach Yang.
In essence, Yang is the titular Sifu, or master. Players control him in the prologue as he rampages through his old master’s school, ultimately killing and replacing him as the undisputed master of their style. The only way for the player to defeat Yang is to depose him as Sifu, and that means contending with the very techniques they've been learning throughout the game. Yang is a harsh climb that must be adapted to and overcome and is undoubtedly the pinnacle of difficulty in Sifu. Once players have defeated Yang physically, mentally, and potentially emotionally, they have earned the right to call themselves Sifu.