5 Secret Bosses That Made Us Question Our Abilities

Okay, so there's a reason why developers tuck away a hidden boss or two in video games — and it isn't just to fill the space either. It's to keep the player engaged in the open-world even when the credits have come and gone. It leaves us feeling empty as we take a gander at all of the unfinished business that still lurks between levels. Side-missions, additional dialogue options, alternative endings, and, of course — secret bosses. That's what makes a good game great — and it can flesh-out an experience with dozens of extra hours even after the curtain has been closed.

With all of this in mind, there is a reason why certain bosses don't make appearances throughout the main bulk of the story. The fact is — they're just too hard, and often take a miracle to defeat without the additional grinding post-credits. And yet, they keep us powering on even when there is nothing left to see or do. They keep us focused and determined to see the fight through to its conclusion — no matter the outcome. Even still, some bosses are questionable at best, and, more often than not, fill us with self-doubt over their own abilities. Just take these five, for example.

5. Morgan Freeman (South Park: The Fractured but Whole)

It's fair to say that when you picture a terrifying boss battle, you don't immediately imagine Morgan Freeman as the opponent. That's something only Trey Parker and Matt Stone can rustle up, to be fair. Thanks to their humorous approach to video games, the standard boss cliches were quickly thrown out and replaced with laughable icons that made us question, well — everything. However, the one hidden boss that stood above all was, of course, Freeman himself.

Chances are, you thought going behind the counter at the taco store and striking Morgan Freeman in the groin was a good idea? Well, it wasn't. And, what players aren't aware of before picking a fight with God himself, is that the loveable freckled-face legend is actually an immensely overpowered character. Who'd have thought, right? Of course, challenging a health bar with quadruple figures isn't ever going to end well, is it? Still, how often can you say that you've stared Morgan Freeman down and lived to tell the tale? That's not an opportunity that passes you by on a daily basis, that's for sure.

4. Adamantoise (Final Fantasy 15)

Empty your head and wipe your calendar clean, my friends; you're in for one of the longest battles of your gaming career. Thanks to one of the many secret bosses in Final Fantasy 15, our time has been stolen yet again in order to kill a giant tortoise. That's right, a tortoise. An incredibly overpowered, no nonsense kind of tortoise that has nothing to take from you other than an hour of your time. That's what you're gearing up to annihalte — one baby step at a time.

Although Adamantoise is slated as a level 99 creature with a whopping five million-plus health, that doesn't for a second mean it's undefeatable by lower levelled players. In fact, despite the size of the beast and the collosal strikes that alter the terrain every four seconds, bringing down the superboss isn't actually that challenging. Sure, taking damage can be a problem if you get sloppy with your strategy, but overall, time truly is your only enemy here. Persist long enough and you'll be gifted with a sweet little achievement or trophy. Although, it's up to you to decide whether or not that's even remotely worth your time.

3. The Nameless King (Dark Souls 3)

We get it — Dark Souls is supposed to be hard. What it shouldn't be, on the other hand, is almost impossible. At least that's what we brand a few of the fights as anyway. Just take this one, for example. The Nameless King, or “The King of Storms” as he is initially known, is one of the many reasons why Dark Souls is considered to be one of the toughest series of video games in the industry. Plus, let's not forget that most of the battles outside of this one are just as overwhelmingly bitter. Even still, this one truly does take the cake when it comes to secret bosses.

Between lightning strikes and uncontrollable lunges, The Nameless King is known to lash out with unpredictable actions. Play it safe, dodge his counters with perfect precision, and you might just live to slay another day. Just don't expect to power through both rounds without suffering any major trauma in the process. Though, should you dethrone the king and reap its rewards, you'll be pleased to know that a cluster of secret cutscenes will unravel on the horizon. It's getting there that's the hard part.

2. Sigrun (God of War)

Oh boy, thank the Gods this one is optional and in no way a key ingredient to completing the actual story. Chances are, if you were brave enough to venture deep into the Valkyrie lair, you too would've faced death at least a dozen times. That's okay — because you definitely aren't alone on that one. In fact, studies have shown that only one in a hundred players have been able to defeat Sigrun on the first attempt. I mean, you can take those figures with a grain of salt — but you get the point.

So, what makes this valkyrie so difficult? Well, if you picture eight of them and ultimately compress them into one creature — then you've essentially got yourself Sigrun. Her movements are swift and unpredictable, her attacks hit like freight trains against a paper mache wall, and almost every action she takes will leave you sweating bullets. That's not to say she's an impossible target, though. It's just that, well, she's a one of a kind boss that might just trigger a few rage quits if you're not careful.

1. Sephiroth (Kingdom Hearts)

When you put Disney and open-world gaming together, you'd expect a relatively simple concept with fights that a six-year-old could annihilate. And yet, in both cases, we could never be more wrong. In fact, both the story and the featured boss fights in the Kingdom Hearts universe are incredibly complex and shallow. Of course, that brings us to the secret boss that practically every fan of the franchise fears; Sephiroth, the ridiculously overpowered dude with a sword that takes up sixty per cent of the arena. Yep — that one.

Sadly, unless you've maxed out all of your characters and stocked up on a dozen Mega-Elixers and abilities, you'll be as good as dead within the first five seconds. Thanks to Sephiroth and his enormous blade that can slice butter through aura alone, the majority of your health can be lost with one flick of the wrist. So, frustratingly, that means you'll have to use strategy, time and a whole lot of patience in order to dismantle his five health bars. Just don't expect to do it on the first attempt. Or, you know, the twentieth.