The feeling of satisfaction that players get when taking down a seemingly unstoppable enemy is one of the many joys of gaming. It can make players feel ten feet tall and serve as justification for the hours (or in some cases, days) that they've sunk into the game. Unfortunately, however, they're sometimes robbed of this experience by unwinnable battles.
Often used for storytelling purposes, these scripted losses can be incredibly frustrating for players. Sometimes it's not immediately clear that defeat is inevitable, which in turn can lead to countless futile attempts or precious resources being wasted. Developers usually provide players with a second chance to defeat the bosses later on in the game, but that doesn't make these unbeatable encounters any less infuriating.
10 Dark Souls - Seath The Scaleless
The first fight with Seath the Scaleless is perhaps one of the worst examples of an unwinnable battle, as it's one of those where it's not entirely obvious that the player is supposed to lose. Given Dark Souls' unforgiving difficulty, it's easy to understand why many players retried the fight multiple times - only to finally realize that their efforts had all been in vain.
Players are eventually given another chance to defeat Seath later on in the Crystal Caves, although they must first destroy his heart if they want to stand any chance of winning. Like all dragons in the series, he is weak to lightning, so, with the right setup, he isn't too difficult to defeat. Well, at least not when compared to some of the series' other enemies, that is.
9 Halo Reach - The Final Battle
Strictly speaking, the final battle in Halo Reach isn't a 'boss', but it does serve as a great example of how scripted losses can sometimes be used to good effect. Spartan-312's valiant attempt to overcome the endless waves of enemies plays out fantastically, with players slowly but surely arriving at the realization that this is one battle that the Spartan simply cannot win.
It's far from a happy ending, but it does make for an incredibly emotional one. Most importantly though, at no point do players feel like they have been robbed or cheated by the scripted loss. This wasn't some cheap attempt at padding out the length of the game or lazy storytelling, but instead a fitting conclusion to an excellent game.
8 Shenmue 3 - Lan Di
On the subject of lazy storytelling, Shenmue 3 actually features not one, but FIVE unwinnable battles. During the Bailu section of the game, there are two fights with Yanlang that end with Ryo getting whipped out no matter what the player does. The exact same thing happens twice more later on in Niaowu with Ge. Both enemies can eventually be beaten, but not until Ryo has learned special moves to counter their styles.
The final unwinnable encounter arrives right at the game's climax as Ryo finally comes face to face with Lan Di again. Of the five encounters, losing this one makes the most sense given Lan Di's adeptness as a martial artist. The previous two bosses do raise the question though as to whether the key to eventually defeating the Chi You Men leader will be learning another special technique.
7 Mega Man X - Vile
The first battle with Vile in Mega Man X takes place at the end of the introduction stage and is one that is fairly obviously impossible to beat. For one thing, Vile doesn't have a health bar but, his constant barrage of attacks also makes it nearly impossible to land any blows on him. Just as X looks like he's done for, Zero arrives and blows Vile's arm off and the boss flees.
A similar battle takes place later on in the game, with X again unable to deal any damage to Vile until he's close to death. This time, Zero breaks free from his imprisonment and uses the last of his energy to completely destroy Vile's Ride Armor. With the boss now vulnerable, X is finally able to defeat him once and for all. Well, at least until he returns in Mega Man X3, that is.
6 Uncharted 4 - Nadine
There are several unwinnable tussles with Nadine scattered throughout Uncharted 4, but it's perhaps the final one that stands out most. Unlike other unwinnable battles, there's actually something kind of enjoyable about watching her kick both Nate and Sam's asses all over the wooden shack.
Eventually, Sam is able to pull a gun on her which results in a tense standoff with Rafe - who just happens to arrive at this exact moment. The whole thing ends with Sam taking a bullet and Nate tumbling down into the river below. It's here that he's reunited with Elena, who again, just happens to be in the right place at the right time.
5 Suikoden - Neclord
The recurring Suikoden villain Neclord is a 400-year-old vampire that is able to turn into a hoard of bats at will. With this in mind, it's perhaps no surprise that a rag-tag group of adventurers is unable to defeat him. Thankfully, this is something that becomes apparent almost immediately after the battle begins and so most players should take the hint and just let him do his thing.
After the party has been wiped out, they head off in search of a weapon that's able to damage the evil vampire. They eventually acquire the Star Dragon Sword and are then able to defeat Neclord following a fairly straightforward rematch. He does return in Suikoden 2 though.
4 Final Fantasy VI - Guardian
The JRPG genre is renowned for its use of unwinnable battles for narrative progression and the Final Fantasy series is no different. Several can be found in Final Fantasy VI, but the most prevalent is the Guardian boss. It can be fought on multiple occasions, but it's impossible to deal even a single digit of damage during any of the first three encounters.
Upon arriving at Kefka's Tower in the World of Ruin towards the end of the game, players once again square off with the Guardian. This time, however, it's actually possible to inflict damage and, ultimately, defeat it. It actually ends up being a fairly easy fight for a well-leveled party, although it does have a few powerful attacks.
3 Star Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast - Desann
When scripting an unwinnable battle into a game, it's perhaps not the best idea to also program in cheat codes that can make players invincible. Sadly, that's exactly what Raven Software did in Star Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast. Due to Desann also being invulnerable to damage in his first battle with Kyle on the topside of Artus, anybody using the cheat is forced to restart the level in order to progress.
Kyle encounters Desann a few more times throughout the game, but it's not until the very end that he gets the chance to defeat him. The final battle takes place on Yavin and, with the help of some force lightning and some temporary invincibility, Kyle is able to emerge victorious.
2 Mass Effect 3 - Kai Leng
For a series that focuses so much on choice and player control, the decision to include an unwinnable boss battle in Mass Effect 3 was quite a strange one. It occurs during the Priority: Thessia mission and pits players against the cyborg assassin Kai Leng. No matter how hard the player tries though, they are destined to lose.
Kai Leng may live to fight another day, but Shepard does get a chance at revenge later on in the game. The resulting rematch at the Cerberus Base is incredibly difficult. Unlike the previous encounter though, with the right strategy players can actually defeat him this time around.
1 God Of War: Chains Of Olympus - Charon
The God of War series has its fair share of difficult battles, but while they can at times seem impossible, they're usually beatable. That is not the case, however, when it comes to the first encounter with Charon in God of War: Chains of Olympus. While it is possible to damage him, he'll regenerate health at a much faster rate, making victory impossible.
Eventually, he will summon a huge tidal wave that washes over the boat and then tosses Kratos' lifeless body into the River Styx. Not to be deterred, Kratos returns later in the game and uses his newly acquired Gauntlet of Zeus to destroy the pillars that Charon uses to replenish his health. It's a difficult fight, but, without those pillars, Charon can finally be defeated.