For a game to have a “damage-sponge,” it needs to have enemies that have a ridiculous amount of health. These health bars can be found on regular enemies, or just bosses, but feature a unique challenge to the player where they will have to stay consistent to survive and conquer those that they are fighting.
The name comes from how these enemies “soak” up damage, just like how sponges soak up water. Although some games might have this mechanic be rather tedious, some games utilize this mechanic well and make these damage-sponge enemies still feel fun and powerful to fight.
8 Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
Perhaps one of the few games to truly perfect the use of damage-sponge, and the parry mechanic is Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. This game is heavily reliant on players being aware that they should not try and kill their enemies by dealing immense amounts of damage, but instead build up their stagger meter for a swift and violent execution.
Players of Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice should be familiar with the many boss fights and regular enemies that seem to be unmovable with the many hacks and slashes of Sekiro’s sword, but instead, how they waver to the many deflections and parries of well-timed blocks.
7 DOOM: Eternal
If there are two things to know about DOOM: Eternal, it’s that there is plenty of ripping and plenty of tearing. The game wouldn’t feel right if players could just one-shot every demon that comes into sight. DOOM: Eternal brilliantly utilizes enemies with damage sponges, as it makes the player think more on their feet about what weapon to use.
There are many different and diabolic demons in DOOM: Eternal, and some are weaker than other weapons in the Doom Slayer’s arsenal. Players only see health bars in the intense and high-octane boss fights, but other enemies have their health determined by how much flesh is removed from their being.
6 God Of War: Ragnarok
With a mighty arsenal at his side, Kratos continues his path to redemption in God of War: Ragnarok. However, the Ghost of Sparta sees that war with Asgard is inevitable, and he must prepare not only himself, but his son, Atreus, as they further explore the mysteries of Tyr, and who Loki is. God of War: Ragnarok presents players with an emotional and violent story, one where they are at the center stage of its destruction.
Kratos will use the Leviathan Axe and the Blades of Chaos to strike at his foes. The fact that these enemies have a good amount of health means that Kratos can stagger them and juggle them for a beautiful display of well-crafted violence. Even the boss fights soak up the attacks of Kratos’ weaponry to great effect.
5 Elden Ring
It wouldn’t feel like a FromSoftware title if there weren’t enemies with ridiculously large health bars. Part of the charm with Elden Ring is how everything out there wants to kill the player, and they certainly have the power and the health to do so. Straight out of the gate in Elden Ring, players will be faced with uneven odds, until they level up and gain power themselves.
However, as the game progresses, more enemies will develop more health and strength to make the player feel like they have barely invested in levels, armor, and health at all. Elden Ring is a challenging experience, and the health bars make it so.
4 DC Universe Online
If players want to create their superheroes with their own story in DC Comics, then look no further than DC Universe Online. This free-to-play MMO allows players to be their hero or villain in the incredible roster of characters in the DC Universe. This isn’t the only selling point of DC Universe Online, but the opportunity for a great fight.
Within DC Universe Online, players will come across the might of villains like Bizarro, and the Batman Who Laughs. There are many characters to fight, in missions and the vast open world, and each may require great skills and many allies, as these characters will soak up damage without the appropriate gear to take them out.
3 Destiny 2
Powerful enemies in Destiny 2 will always seek to usurp the Light, and unluckily for them, the Guardians will always be there to stop them. Destiny 2 is a great game to utilize damage-sponge, as plenty of enemies will have strong yellow health bars, in which players can take advantage of their powerful weaponry to effectively take out these enemies. Destiny 2 also features plenty of mechanics with their boss fights.
In Destiny 2, players will encounter boss fights in Strikes, Nightfalls, and Raids. All of these have their own set of unique mechanics to truly defeat the bosses. By having these enemies with such high health bars, Destiny 2 players will have to work together to ensure victory for the Guardians.
2 Gears Of War
One of the earliest examples of damage-sponge enemies is Gears of War. This cover-based shooter made sure that players knew their overwhelming enemies were around them, as those chunky machine guns with a chainsaw attachment seemed to need bullets upon bullets to cut through the many Locust invasion forces that are bound to the game.
Players will encounter plenty of evils in Gears of War, and the enemies can be extremely tough, especially on hard difficulty. All Gears of War games have a sense of damage-sponge, but the first one on harder difficulties surely makes players feel at war.
1 Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune
Being a treasure hunter is no easy challenge, especially when an entire militia of pirates is hunting said treasure hunter. Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune presents players with an eager challenge, which pairs cover shooting, parkour, and fast gunplay for high-octane action. Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune features enemies that seem to require plenty of bullets to take out.
These enemies seem to have so much health, and headshots seem to be the only effective way to truly put an end to such a tough set of enemies. However, this does not become tedious, as Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune is unforgiving in the hardest difficulties, and players will need to be up for the challenge ahead.