Summary
FromSoftwareis already well-known for their boss fights, but sometimes the numerous large, hulking monsters can actually maskhow great their villains are.Not just because they’re fearsome, but because they’re often complex characters with a lot of moral ambiguity depending on the individual player.
Whether it’s tired Gods attempting to keep the world going or world-famous swordsmen,FromSoftware has a wealth of great villainsto choose from. This list is ranked by how memorable and compelling each villain is.
The world ofSekiro: Shadows Die Twicemay look like normal Sengoku-era Japan, but it’s a mythical version of history full of divine magic and ancient prophecies, and, pointedly, old men who can be reborn as their prime selves through their descendants. It’s… weird.
Isshin, the Sword Saint,in lore, is considered the finest swordsman to ever exist, and Wolf must take him down to finally end the curse of the Dragon Heritage. It’s an incredibly dramatic andchallenging fight that requires everything a player has learned to overcome, and is possiblythe toughest final boss fight in video games.
Bloodbornetakes place in a world that is in the process of dying, but it can be reborn if the right choices are made. Some hunters willingly accept that new day, while others guard against it.Gehrman, the First Hunter, is the master of the Hunter’s Dream and will do anything to keep it going.
The fight with Gehrman is stunningly dramatic, taking place in a field of white flowers as he chases the player down with a massive scythe. The fight is memorable, Gehrman’s fate as a thrall of the Moon Presence is tragic, and fighting him feels likethe apex ofBloodborne’sfrenzied combat system.
By this point, FromSoftware has become well known for creating consistently tragic characters who fall from grace through no fault of their own.Artorias the AbysswalkerfromDark Soulsis the template for these tragic figures, andhe’s a fan favorite to this day.
Artorias opposes the player as they venture into Oolacile, but only because he has gone insane from fighting the Abyss for too long. He was a brave knight who became consumed by his enemy, and it’s up to the player to put him down for good. He’s a villain against his own will, and it makes for a surprisingly emotional boss fight.
5Owl
The Absent Father
The Shinobi,Owl,picked Wolf out of a battlefield and raised him as his son. While players might think that Owl would take on a paternal role, that couldn’t be further from the truth. In fact, Owl is probably one of the worst dads in all of gaming, and likelyone of the hardest optional bosses in gaming, too.
Instead of being a father, Owl consistently uses Wolf for his own ends, never hesitating to throw his surrogate son under the bus if it means getting what he wants. He’s a devilishly evil character who feels incredibly satisfying to conquer for his betrayal.
4The Moon Presence
The Lovecraftian God
The nature of Lovecraftian entities is that their motivations are very often obscure. In fact, almost by definition, it is impossible for human minds to comprehend their true intentions, meaning that, as a villain to conquer, they are full of mystery and intrigue.
That’s never been truer than with theMoon Presence, the true final boss ofBloodborne,who seems to be fueling the Hunter’s Dream and is ostensibly responsible for the collapsing realities in Yarnham. Players have long theorized about the Moon Presence’s motivations, yet its stunning and otherworldly appearance makes it an eerie and compelling villain to conquer.
Dark Souls 2has always been the black sheep of the FromSoftware catalog, with many fans dismissing it out of hand. However, with the release of its three DLCs,Dark Souls 2has enjoyed a rehabilitation in popular opinion, particularly due to the inclusion ofAldia, Scholar of the First Sin.
Aldia, the brother of King Vendrick, is a philosopher gone mad in his pursuit of figuring out how to break the cycle of rebirth that haunts the worlds of theDark Soulsseries. More than any other character, Aldia challenges the player to really think about what they’re doing and why, seeding similar discussions that would emerge inDark Souls 3. He’s an intellectual powerhouse and a source of debate among fans to this day.
When the originalElden Ringarrived, none of the many demigods inspiredmore mystery and debate thanMiquella, the absent brother of Malenia, who was seemingly kidnapped and killed by Mohg. However, with the release of theShadow of the ErdtreeDLC, everything changed.
It turned out that Miquella was a master manipulator who had concocted a plan to ascend to Godhood himself by manipulating other people to do his bidding. While his manipulation and control of others is clearly villainous, he does it with good intentions, making him one of the most morally ambiguous and complex characters inElden Ring.
1Gwyn
The Lord Of Cinders
More than any other villain in the FromSoftware catalog,Gwynis an endlessly compelling, morally complex, and tragic figure who defines how players perceive FromSoftware bosses and lore. Gwyn undoubtedly did many morally dubious things during his life, but he ultimately wants to save the world even if it means that the world becomes sick and corrupted.
Gwyn’s refusal to link the fire and bring about a new version of reality is core to the series' meditation on rebirth, resurrection, and renewal. Many players still think that Gwyn was doing the right thing, as the possibility of future realities could be worse than the one he was preserving. He’s a compelling antagonist due to his relatable desire to hold onto what he has, making him one of the best villains FromSoftware has ever created.
