The 10 Most BRUTAL Tutorial Bosses

Scorpion Sentinel

“Final Fantasy VII Remake” (2020)

The opening of “Final Fantasy VII Remake” sees Cloud and members of the eco-terrorist group, Avalanche, sabotage a Mako reactor of the evil Shinra corporation. Only, you don’t get to be a world-powerful organization without amassing a few resources, the first of which greets you at the end of the tutorial section. Even if you played the original and knew it was coming, the Scorpion Sentinel has still been beefed up. Surprisingly, it comes in four phases, packing heavy artillery, sharp claws, and a gigantic tail. And during the final phase, it can even heal. It feels like an uphill battle as Barret and Cloud chip away and try to survive. It’s definitely more of an endurance test than we were expecting.

Engels

“NieR: Automata” (2017)

From one giant machine to another, the opening level of “NieR: Automata” puts you up against one of the Engels, a multi-story tall behemoth with an entire army’s worth of firepower. Whether it’s the terrifying saw blades of the first phase, the minions of the second, or the overwhelming assault of rockets in the third, this boss clearly has a lot to throw at you, meaning the fight can last a while. It serves to get players used to the multiple mechanics and blend of gameplay styles found in the rest of the game. But it’s understandably taxing. One of the more frustrating aspects is that the level has no checkpoints, so you start the whole thing over if, or when, the boss kills you.

Father Gascoigne

“Bloodborne” (2015)

While it’s possible to come across the Cleric Beast first, Father Gascoigne is the first real boss of “Bloodborne,” coming towards the end of the opening area. And if some players thought it best to put the controller down and back away here, you’ll get no shame from us. He first fights with an ax and pistol, making sure you’ve gotten used to dealing with both long and short-range enemies. Naturally, if you haven’t, you’ll feel the sting of your mistakes much more here. His second phase sees him transformed into a beast, where his attacks are even quicker and deadlier. FromSoftware’s bosses are infamously tough, though, even the tutorial ones. So, don’t be surprised to see the studio a few times on the list.

Vepar

“Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night” (2019)

As you fight your way through an enemy-infested ship, caught in the middle of a mighty storm, it’s natural to expect the opening level of “Bloodstained” to end with a boss fight. The atmosphere just feels right, you know? You just might not be expecting something so…grand, in size. Vepar’s body is made of swirling ocean, clumps of seaweed, chunks of reef, and pure evil. She uses a lot of different projectiles, varied in range and damage, can summon minions, and sweeps giant tentacles across the deck. This size of boss, and this level of damage output, would be expected in a mid-game fight. But at the very start, Vepar brings significant heat.

Yamagata Masakage

“Nioh 3” (2026)

The “Nioh” series has long followed in the footsteps of FromSoftware’s Soulslikes, from the biggest bads keeping you from reaching the ending to the opening fights that teach you core mechanics. The newest game on our list, “Nioh 3’s” tutorial boss is another in a long legacy of making us suffer to prove ourselves worthy. The beginning section ends with the introduction of open world aspects. But before that, there’s nowhere to go to get stronger. And so, Yamagata pummels you again and again, before lessons learned through trial and error finally take form. It isn’t as if his moves or tactics are all that complex; he just has a lot of health, and hits extremely hard, to the point where someone still learning will easily be taken out.

Murai

“Ninja Gaiden” (2004)

Seemingly in an attempt to prove the newer style could be just as challenging as the old school, 2004’s “Ninja Gaiden” is pretty damn hard. That’s clear from the get go, when you’re essentially swarmed by a village’s worth of ninjas during the tutorial. And that’s nothing compared to the boss. One might think you could rush in, hacking and slashing, just like other enemies, but Murai can swiftly show you how bad of an idea that is. Murai is an expert at the Nunchaku, easily blocking your blows and unleashing devastatingly quick combos. And there’s a particularly annoying grab to look out for, too. It’s best if Ryu keeps his distance. But even then, Murai doesn’t go down easily.

Genichiro Ashina

“Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice” (2019)

You fight Genichiro several times across “Sekiro,” including at the end of the tutorial. And while you could argue that each fight gets harder, that doesn’t mean this first encounter won’t absolutely mess you up. Genichiro demands perfect deflection timing and forces you to recognize and counter different perilous attacks with split-second precision. Coming with a variety of moves across the two phases, it’s such an overwhelming show of force that it feels like you’re meant to lose…and you actually are. Losing the fight means losing your arm, setting the rest of the game’s events in motion. But if you manage to do the near-impossible and win…well, you still lose your arm, but the circumstances are slightly different.

Zhang Liang, General of Man

“Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty” (2023)

It may be completely unsurprising to find that a list of tough bosses has a lot of games from the Soulslike genre. But anyone familiar with them knows they deserve to be here, even when talking about bosses that are supposed to be easy. In “Wo Long,” Zhang Liang acts as a huge hurdle to seeing the rest of the game. Both phases make up a gauntlet, defined by his sheer aggression, wide-reaching attacks, and ability to punish even slight mistimings. It forces you to immediately grasp the core deflection system, which is crucial for building Spirit and unleashing stronger attacks. It’s essentially a trial by fire, as Zhang Liang’s tactics will repeatedly humble you.

Urizen

“Devil May Cry 5” (2019)

“Devil May Cry 5” opens during a pretty climactic moment, and eventually leads to you facing the big bad as a tutorial boss. Given that Urizen is meant to be the main villain, it shouldn’t come as a shock to learn that he hits like a truck. He doesn’t do much in terms of movement, since he can’t be bothered to even get off his throne. But between freezing you in place, the massive fireballs he hurls, and the arena-spanning lasers, you’re going to go down quickly. In fact, just like Genichiro in “Sekiro,” you’re supposed to. Narratively speaking, it’s a good way to show you what you’re up against. But there’s also a secret ending you can unlock if you manage to beat him here.

Vanguard Demon

“Demon’s Souls” (2009)

For the sake of iconicism, and for it more than fitting the criteria, we have to include the Vanguard Demon in FromSoftware's groundbreaking “Demon’s Souls.” Like others, this is a tutorial fight you’re meant to lose, with that loss leading to the rest of the game. Only having one shot at any boss is stressful. But with the brutality that has served as FromSoftware’s foundation, that’s especially the case. The Vanguard Demon may be slow, but as you have little room to maneuver in and it has a giant ax, that slow speed makes little difference. You’re still getting used to dodging, and have little to no resources. So, beating this tutorial boss became a major accomplishment for those that achieved it.

What tutorial boss were you surprised to see put up a fight? Share your thoughts in the comments, and we’ll see you next time!