Every Final Souls Boss Ranked

#7: King Allant

“Demon’s Souls” (2009)

While the idea of a False King ruling over the frightened populace while the true one lurked inside the belly of an eldritch entity, reduced to a slathering mass of demon entrails is a great twist…the execution is sorely lacking. Old King Allant was arguably the game’s hardest boss, while his true form is about as weak as they come. Casually swing your sword down and after a minute of hacking – that’s it. We get what they were going for here, but we still can’t help but feel there was a better way to end both Allant’s deception as well as the game as a whole.

#6: Nashandra

“Dark Souls II” (2014)

An echo of the Father of the Abyss, a manifestation of his wretched desire, a Queen who poisoned her king with honeyed words as his kingdom fell to ruin. On paper, Nashadra has the makings of a top tier villain and exquisite final fight. Alas, even with such a terrifying true form, her battle barely reaches beyond the mediocre level. Her scythe swings and lasers are easy enough to avoid, and while her constantly casting curse might sound like a problem, as long as you have enough purging stones it shouldn’t be an issue. Hell, there’s every chance if you’ve got the right build that you should be able to just cut her to pieces before the curse status builds up too much. Nashandra may be more of a lover than a fighter, but we expected something more from Manus’s deathly daughter.

#5: Elden Beast

“Elden Ring” (2022)

Summoned immediately after the brief, brutal and brilliant battle with Radagon, this embodiment of the Greater Will makes quite the first impression. Unfortunately, what could have been an incredible end to our Tarnished’s journey is one of frustration. All for a single reason – the arena is too damn big. We have no problem with its onslaught of gilded attacks, they pose quite the challenge and overcoming them feels like a test worthy of an Elden Lord. The issue is that the damn thing keeps swimming away to the other side of what feels like the entirety of the Lands Between, and by the time to rush on over, it’s getting ready to flee again. We give the Elden Beast all the credit for style, but its substance could have used a little work.

#4: Moon Presence

“Bloodborne” (2015)

While still not exactly reaching the heights of the previous battle against the likes of Gehrman, the Moon Presence is still a worthy finale for any Hunter worth their salt. For one thing, its entrance is pure cinema. As the creator of the Hunter’s Dream, this Great One worked behind the scenes in order to have Hunters alike kill off others of its kind. For what purpose? No idea, because as long as you’ve got a set number of Umbilical Cords on hand, you’re free to fight it and end its machinations for good. In battle, it's akin to a beast with huge range, lashing out with insane speed. Though as long as you’re quick on your feet and stay clear of its Doom Gaze – a burst of magic that can reduce your HP to 1 instantly – then this lunar monstrosity is far from the worst thing you’ll have tangoed with in Yharnam.

#3: Soul of Cinder

“Dark Souls III” (2016)

An end to the Age of Fire demanded a foe who could live up to the legacy of the Dark Souls trilogy’s body of excellence, and in that regard the Soul of Cinder did not disappoint. An amalgamation of all who have linked the First Flame, this towering knight is a jack of all trades, constantly switching between various weapon loadouts – from swords to staffs and even bursts of lightning. Things come full circle during its final phase, where it channels the move-set, and soundtrack of Gwyn, truly painting it as the end of all things. You are but one speck of ash among legions, but nonetheless are enough to conquer those that have come before. While it pales in comparison to the DLC bosses, as far as final challenges go – this walking inferno is a winner!

#2: Gwyn, Lord of Cinder

“Dark Souls” (2011)

The one who started it all. The war, the linking of the flame, now just a burning husk in dire need of being replaced. Despite being a shadow of his former dragon-hunting splendour, Gwyn’s introduction and subsequent battle is a melody of flames and fury. Along with his iconic theme, the battle feels grandiose in every way, especially given this old man does not give you any room to breathe, continually mounting on the pressure with blazing sword swings aplenty, until he’s finally put out of his misery. What you choose to do with the First Flame is up to you, but there’s no denying how epic the confrontation to reach it was.

#1: Isshin, the Sword Saint

“Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice” (2019)

The peak of difficulty as well as the peak of quality, everything about Isshin, from his reveal to the duel against him is masterfully done. Born from his grandson’s dying wish to return the Ashina Clan to glory via the Mortal Blade, Isshin is restored to life, now in his prime, emerging from Genichiro’s gaping neck wound, before announcing how he’ll destroy us. That’s just metal. From there, it’s an uphill battle as Isshin showcases why he’s the strongest sword-wielder in the land. Between the strength of his swings, to his spear that can catch lightning, to him randomly busting out a gun – there are no shortcuts here – only SoulsBorne excellence and the ultimate invitation to get gud.
Which final Souls fight do you think acted as the perfect conclusion? Let us know in the comments!