Dark Souls has many memorable bosses. Slave Knight Gael, for instance, is an outstanding boss due to the lore setup, boss arena, and the boss fight itself. Bosses like Gael are spread throughout the whole series, but there are also hated bosses with the first Dark Souls being a mixed bag.
Long time fans of the series can point to boss fights they loved and hated. While the ideas of loved and hated boss fights clash, some stand out as widely hated or loved.
10 Hated: Asylum Demon
Starting with the boss that has turned so many players away, the Asylum Demon is the first boss players encounter. There are many bosses that can be a nightmare to deal with, but Fromsoftware pulled no punches with the first boss.
The first time players encounter this boss, they can either fight it with a broken sword or run away and find weapons. Some players don't even know where they should go, so they fight this demon with one of the weakest weapons in the game. For players that do grab their weapons, they enter the fog gate above the Asylum Demon. For some, it's obvious to take the plunge and do a falling attack, but others take too long and are smacked down by the Asylum Demon's hammer.
9 Loved: Pinwheel
If there was a survey for what boss fans thought were the easiest, Pinwheel would win, or at least be in the top 3. This boss is a pushover for any player, making him loved by many fans of the series.
Pinwheel's boss fight is forgiving to players because it doesn't deal much damage, and its boss arena is big enough to evade attacks easily.
8 Hated: Capra Demon
Capra Demon is a boss who's difficulty is based solely on his environment. Players that entered this fog gate were stunned by how tiny and claustrophobic the boss arena was. It was equivalent to a broom closet. On top of the lack of room, there are two undead attack dogs that ate at players' stamina with their relentless attacks.
Couple all of that with the chunks of health Capra Demon could take, and there's a boss that's widely hated. Capra Demon can be cheesed with falling attacks, but this cheese strategy will requires a lot of patience.
7 Loved: Ceaseless Discharge
Ceaseless Discharge is one of the most intimidating bosses. Based on looks, players assumed he would be difficult to defeat, and he was tough for players that fought him the legit way. He throws lava and slams his tendrils on players that aren't quick enough to dodge.
But, this hulking monster can be cheesed, making him loved by fans. To cheese Ceaseless Discharge, run over to the corpse and take the clothes, then run to the fog gate at the entrance. The boss will jump over and hang on the cliff. Attack him a couple of times, and he'll plummet into the lava below, securing the player an easy victory.
6 Hated: Great Grey Wolf Sif
The Great Grey Wolf Sif is a hard boss fight. Compared to other bosses in the Darkroot area, Sif stands out as the hardest. This awesome looking wolf faces off with the player wielding Artorias's giant sword.
Sif's demeanor may give the impression that the sword is heavy and slow to move, but it's not by any means. Players that underestimate this boss fight will find themselves cleaved and sent back to the bonfire. Fans hate the way Great Grey Wolf Sif fights because the lore, players can discover in the DLC, shows that Sif is not an evil creature that must be slain. Players can even feel the sadness right before they finish him off as Sif limps toward the player slowly to attack.
5 Loved: Artorias of The Abyss
Artotrias of The Abyss left fans speechless. He wields a great sword with one arm while the other is broken, hanging limp. While his appearance makes him look like he's at deaths door, he still puts up an incredible fight.
Artorias unleashes front flips, crushing any player that's not fast enough. He's a boss that still challenges even the best of players to this day. There's no gimmicks in this boss fight, making it a fan favorite.
4 Hated: Four Kings
The Four Kings are infamous for being a broken annoying boss. The basis of this fight is that the player must defeat kings until the boss health bar is depleted. This would be easy, but if players don't defeat a king quick enough, then another king can spawn.
The kings themselves aren't hard. But, when players aren't quick enough and more kings spawn, it can make players feel helpless. Sometimes these kings keep their distance, making the player chase them, while the timer of the next king spawn ticks down.
3 Loved: Ornstein and Smough
Ornstein and Smough may start off as bosses players hate, but after dying enough players often warm up to this fun challenge. This fight requires players to balance kiting, attacking, and evasion. Once one of the bosses is defeated, the living boss takes the power of the dead.
Ornstein drains Smough and becomes a giant with some weird hitboxes, while Smough smashes Ornstein into oblivion and gets lighting charged attacks. Additionally, boss fights with phases aren't looked down upon in the souls community, unless it's the Sister Friede and Father Ariandel boss fight.
2 Hated: Bed of Chaos
Bed of Chaos has to be one of the most broken and unfair boss fights in the series. It's a gimmick boss that is almost impossible to beat without dying at least 2 times. Players must destroy the rings on both the left and right side, but the Bed of Chaos uses sweeping attacks that can one shot the player.
After a player defeats one ring, parts of the boss arena collapse, creating pits of death. Couple the death pits with sweeping arms that drag players across the arena, and that's a boss fight even the developers wouldn't enjoy. The only part fans love about this boss fight is when it ends.
1 Loved: Gwyn Lord of Cinder
Gwyn Lord of Cinder is a great boss for many reasons. The biggest reason is that he's the last boss, and players that reach him can be proud of their grand achievement. Gwyn can also be a cake walk for players that have perfected the art of parrying.
Gwyn also has one of the most memorable boss soundtracks in the series. The epic piano plays as the player faces off with the king of Lordran. The song is so memorable, that Fromsoftware even used it in the final boss fight with the Soul of Cinder. After defeating Gwyn, players get access to new game plus, where they can complete the game all over again.