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00:00Look over there, it's an AC.
00:11Welcome to Mojo Plays, and today we're celebrating boss encounters that originated on the PlayStation 2 that's still in press.
00:19Thanks to their mechanics, spectacle, characters, narrative payoff, or some glorious combination of all four.
00:25It pretty much means you're on a tight leash.
00:29Before we begin, we publish new content all week long, so be sure to subscribe and ring the bell to
00:35get notified about our latest videos.
00:38Metal Gear Raze, Metal Gear Solid 2, Sons of Liberty.
00:42What happens when you pit a production line of mechs against a twink with a bazooka?
00:46The best kind of mayhem.
00:57Towards the climax of Sons of Liberty, Raiden enters an arena surrounded by mass-produced ray units, and has to
01:03systematically snipe them using the Stinger missile launcher.
01:06Targeting their legs forces them to expose their vulnerable heads, turning what initially looks like an impossible fight into a
01:12frantic test of positioning and precision.
01:15Narratively, it's also the moment Raiden stops feeling like Snake's unfortunate replacement, and starts to become the leading man we'd
01:22all come to love.
01:28The Forgotten One.
01:30Lament of Innocence.
01:32Some optional bosses reward exploration.
01:35The Forgotten One fanishes you for ever becoming curious.
01:46Hidden beneath Walter's Castle, this gigantic decaying monstrosity is arguably Lament of Innocence's nastiest challenge.
01:53Spanning three phases as Leon destroys portions of its grotesque body while avoiding poisonous attacks, parasites, and sweeping limbs.
02:00Even with the less than polished jump to 3D, this fight is pure Castlevania.
02:04And by that we mean, it's revolting.
02:07Like something the Belmont family should have boarded up underground and agreed never to discuss again.
02:16Nyx Avatar Persona 3.
02:19The Arcana is the means by which all is revealed.
02:22Get comfortable, you'll be hearing that a lot.
02:25The time has come.
02:29Nyx Avatar cycles through representations of the major arcana during its extensive final battle,
02:34effectively turning the social link structure that defined Persona 3 into an endurance test.
02:39Every phase brings different affinities and attacks, forcing players to continually adapt while the apocalyptic atmosphere becomes increasingly aggressive.
02:47But that's pretty appropriate for a game whose entire narrative has been building towards humanity confronting the inevitability of death.
02:53As exhausting as dealing with the fatigue system and 14 phases can be, the end result is still stellar,
02:59and remained a JRPG landmark until the remake smoothed its edges.
03:13Abyss, Soul Calibur III.
03:15Zassel Amel was already a hassle to deal with as a sub-boss.
03:18Then he let his inner demon out of the bag.
03:27Serving as one of Soul Calibur III's major final opponents,
03:31Abyss takes Zassel Amel's enormous scythe and adds a heaping helping of supernatural attacks.
03:35And an eerie makeover that makes Inferno look like a matchstick by comparison.
03:40Abyss has imposing reach, nasty juggling potential, and enough visual flair to immediately communicate that normal tournament rules have officially
03:48left the building.
03:49Even if some of his specials feel unfair at times, the spectacle more than makes up for it.
03:59Zenaida, Armored Core, Last Raven.
04:02If Last Raven hasn't broken you by the endgame, Zenaida would like a quick chat.
04:07You, I forgot that you're different from the rest.
04:11Her final confrontation is notorious among classic Armored Core fans, as she pilots a tremendously aggressive AC, capable of maintaining
04:19extraordinary mobility, while unloading firepower with frightening efficiency.
04:24Last she arrives at the end of a meaty gauntlet that will no doubt have put a dent in your
04:28robot.
04:29If your specs aren't on point, then you're in for a world of hurt.
04:32Bad energy management, poor mobility, wrong weapon setup, you're essentially scrap metal.
04:37But coming from one of the franchise's most punishing entries, that should be expected.
04:42Making her a bitter treat for those who were already AC ride or dies long before Fires of Rubicon converted
04:47the mainstream.
04:48Raven, it's you who deserves the title.
05:01Yerning for the games of yesteryear?
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05:09We're done here, let's head out.
05:13Pixie, Ace Combat Zero, The Belkin War.
05:16Dogfighting doesn't get more epic than this.
05:19Pixie begins the game as your trusted wingman, before ideological differences transform him into your final opponent.
05:30His ADFX-02 Morgan comes equipped with ridiculous weaponry, including a tactical laser system.
05:37Turning the battle into one of Ace Combat's greatest aerial spectacles.
05:41Then comes the final phase.
05:43Pixie can only be damaged from the front, forcing both pilots into repeated high speed joust,
05:48while the phenomenal track Zero erupts in the background.
05:51No matter how many times we hear it, that final buddy still hits harder than a missile.
05:56Yo buddy, still alive?
05:59Anubis, Zone of the Enders, the second runner.
06:03Two mechs battling it out at such speed that gravity itself becomes a mere suggestion.
06:08Sign us up.
06:10Auman chose me.
06:12By fusing Anubis, Auman can become real.
06:16Anubis spends most of the second runner establishing one uncomfortable fact.
06:21Your orbital frame just can't measure up.
06:24Anubis is faster, stronger, and seemingly capable of teleporting wherever it pleases.
06:28Eventually, the player receives the upgrades necessary to finally compete.
06:32Leading to a mecha anime finale of a fight guarantees to knock your socks off.
06:37Both machines zip around the battlefield, clash at close range, and move with such speed
06:41that it makes many modern mech games look positively sedentary by comparison.
06:45Because Anubis is effectively Jehuti's terrifying counterpart, the battle feels like a duel between
06:50equals rather than another oversized damage sponge.
06:54What can we say?
06:55Kojima knows his mechs.
06:57Those scum died so ungracefully.
06:59I wanted to see it with my own eyes.
07:03They're waiting for you now.
07:06Van Grants, Tales of the Abyss.
07:08Final bosses always hit differently when they're the ones who taught you everything you know.
07:12Van begins as Luke's respected mentor before eventually revealing his willingness to destroy
07:17and replicate the world to escape the predetermined score.
07:21So naturally, it falls to the student to bring down the master.
07:24Which is easier said than done.
07:26Draw your weapons.
07:28I'll take you all on at once.
07:31Van!
07:32Prepare!
07:33Van can unleash powerful arcane and mystic arts,
07:36becomes increasingly aggressive as the battle progresses,
07:39while Tyr's involvement adds another emotional layer.
07:41Van has shaped Luke's identity from the beginning,
07:44and defeating him feels like Luke finally rejecting both his mentor's ideology,
07:48and the person he used to be.
07:50Just the kind of narrative richness you want from a Tales game.
07:53The seventh melody.
07:55You've learned it, Tyr.
07:58Pigsy.
07:59Manhunt.
08:00Punching out gods and demolishing giant robots had become standard fare for gaming connoisseurs back in the day,
08:05to the point where it felt like nothing could spook us.
08:08Then, Rockstar stuck us in an attic with a naked psychopath wearing a pig's head, armed with a chainsaw.
08:14Needless to say, we were left profoundly spooked.
08:18No more!
08:20What makes Pigsy so terrifying, aside from the chainsaw-pick combo,
08:24is how the game renders us basically helpless.
08:27Rather than standing your ground, you have to hide, create distractions, sneak behind him,
08:31and gradually turn the environment against him.
08:33The chainsaw's roar makes being discovered genuinely panic-inducing,
08:38creating an overt sense of sickening dread that the gaming landscape at the time was not prepared for.
08:53Abstract Daddy.
08:54Silent Hill 2.
08:55What's more terrifying than a monster with a gruesome appearance?
08:59How about one bathed in so much horrifying subtext that it leaves you deeply uncomfortable long after the fight is
09:05concluded?
09:12James encounters the eponymous creature during Angela's storyline.
09:16Its disturbing design reflecting the horrific abuse she suffered as a child.
09:20The cramped room, oppressive imagery, and deliberately grotesque design
09:24transforms the fight into something far more psychologically upsetting.
09:28And that's exactly why it works.
09:31Silent Hill 2 uses its enemies as manifestations of trauma.
09:34Rather than merely obstacles requiring ammunition.
09:37And Abstract Daddy remains perhaps the clearest example.
09:48Jack Krauser. Resident Evil 4.
09:52The rivalry between this bloodthirsty soldier and gaming's sexiest super cop
09:56first explodes into one of gaming's greatest quick-time knife fights,
10:00before eventually becoming a full-on boss encounter.
10:10Krauser hunts Leon through ruins using mines, grenades, a bow, firearms, and an increasingly mutated arm.
10:16Forcing players to constantly reposition while dealing with a threat far more capable than just another mindless infected.
10:22It's a bizarre, contorted reflection of your typical mano-e-mano showdown.
10:27Making for a thrilling brawl that perfectly compliments Ari Ford's exquisite brand of genuine thrills and cheesy goodness.
10:43You spend an entire game learning about Jack through the eyes of his son.
10:48The resentment, the longing for some kind of connection, all these unresolved matters.
10:53And then you have to kill him.
10:55Well then...
10:57Let's go!
11:02Braska's final Aeon is a monstrous version of Tidus' father.
11:06Complete with two phases, devastating attacks, and a heavy metal boss theme that immediately announces subtlety as departed Spira.
11:13But what truly elevates the encounter is the tragedy surrounding it.
11:18Jack knows what he's become.
11:19Tidus knows what has to be done.
11:21Neither want this fight, but it's inescapable.
11:24Players can even use Tidus' dialogue to reduce Jack's overdrive gauge,
11:28mechanically incorporating their relationship into the battle.
11:31Jack won't be winning any Father of the Year awards,
11:34but he sure as hell left a lingering impact as one of Final Fantasy's greatest bosses.
11:45Doctor Nefarious.
11:46Ratchet and Clank, up your arsenal.
11:48The good Doctor's hatred of organic life already made him a galactic threat.
11:52But it's his screaming matches with Lawrence and tendency to malfunction into soap opera broadcasts that turned him into a
11:58franchise icon.
11:59Thankfully, his boss fight delivers too.
12:01Fine! I'll do it myself!
12:04Ratchet has to dodge projectiles, take down robotic reinforcements, chase Nefarious across the battlefield,
12:10all the while give an ample opportunity to empty an arsenal of increasingly absurd weaponry.
12:15The whole affair embodies everything great about up your arsenal.
12:18Speed, humor, spectacle, and outrageous gadgets.
12:29Azel. God hand.
12:31Beat em ups come and go, but few have the staying power that matches the ridiculousness of Jean and his
12:36five fingers of godly power.
12:38So it makes sense the only one to rival him would be an equally eccentric martial artist.
12:42She is simply bait. Bait for Angra's resurrection!
12:51Bait huh?
12:52Beware of what you hook!
12:54Azel is fast, aggressive, and fully capable of punishing players who haven't mastered God hand's unique dodging and custom combo
13:01systems.
13:01Madele the trickier since he too can unleash heavenly fisticuffs on the fly.
13:06Mucho beyond measure, taking on Devil May Sly and claiming victory is a tall order.
13:11But one you will revel in from the opening haymaker.
13:24Ninetales. Okami.
13:26Acting as an insidious mirror to Amaterasu, Ninetales upends all of Okami's other bosses by copying and interfering with your
13:33brush techniques.
13:34All of a sudden what had been a heavenly cheat code is now fair game.
13:45Wittling down Ninetales' demonic visage until all that's left is a single tailed beast showcases the best of Okami's beautiful
13:52ink painted aesthetic as well as its unique approach to combat.
13:56Even to this day, nothing has truly come close to capturing the distinct visual wonderments of Ami clashing brushes with
14:02this equally artistic and equally furry theme.
14:12When you've got a sequel that combines the whimsy of Disney and spectacle of Final Fantasy, an excessive final boss
14:19was inevitable.
14:20And they don't get more grandiose than Zenmus.
14:30The Ultimate Nobody pulls Sora and Riku through a spectacular gauntlet involving shadowy constructs, ballistic keyblade combat,
14:37and enough energy beams to render you blind.
14:40All capped off by one of the coolest reaction command sequences ever as Sora and Riku frantically deflect a seemingly
14:46endless barrage of projectiles together.
14:49Beneath the spectacle, you've got the payoff to Roxas, Organization XIII, and Sora's struggle to return home.
14:55Honestly, if the franchise had ended here, we'd be satisfied, as there's really no topping this.
15:09Colossus of Rhodes, God of War 2.
15:12What could possibly be more outlandish than taking down a Hydra as the first boss in a mythologically inspired hack
15:18and slash game?
15:19How about tussling with an animated wonder of the world?
15:32As Zeus tricks Kratos into draining his godly power into the Blade of Olympus, the now living and very angry
15:39Colossus of Rhodes becomes an enormous multi-stage opening boss.
15:43The sheer scale was incredible on PS2.
15:46Having to take it apart piece by piece, both inside and out, the relentless back and forth as it tosses
15:51Kratos across the city,
15:53it all amounted to one of the greatest sequences in gaming, regardless of generation.
16:08Malice, Shadow of the Colossus.
16:10By the time you reach the 16th and final Colossus, any sense of triumph you might have felt has been
16:16replaced by melancholy and emptiness.
16:18Your horse is gone, Wanda looks increasingly corrupted, and you're unsure if your actions in slaying the Colossi are even
16:26justified.
16:26And then there's Malice.
16:34Towering over the landscape during a violent storm, forcing Wanda to move between cover while its meteoric energy blasts tear
16:41through the terrain.
16:42Reaching the Colossus is practically a boss battle by itself.
16:46Then comes the climb.
16:47The encounter isn't the game's most mechanically complex, but the scale, weather and narrative context make everything feel so monumental.
16:55Not to mention the God-tier soundtrack.
16:58Victory has rarely felt so ominous.
17:08Virgil, Devil May Cry 3, Dante's Awakening.
17:11It's a final clash between brothers, and unfortunately for Dante, Virgil is feeling pretty motivated.
17:18Unfortunately, our souls are at odds, brother. I need more power.
17:26What follows is one of Devil May Cry's most demanding duels to date, with Virgil giving no quarter as he
17:32punishes and counters every sloppy mistake he makes.
17:36There truly is no room for error here.
17:38Reading attacks, exploiting openings, controlling space, and competing for style points will test you more than any in Dante's Rogue's
17:45Gallery.
17:46And that's all before everyone starts busting out devil triggers.
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18:24The boss. Metal Gear Solid 3, Snake Eater.
18:28From the moment she seemingly betrayed Snake and turned her back on her country, we all knew it was going
18:33to come down to these two duking it out.
18:35We just weren't prepared for the outcome.
18:38Finish your mission.
18:40Prove your loyalty.
18:46Face me.
18:47With the last confrontation taking place in a breathtaking field of white flowers,
18:52Snake is forced to use camouflage, firearms and CQC against the one who taught him everything.
18:58Mechanically, it's the ultimate expression of Snake Eater's assistance.
19:02Narratively, it's just devastating.
19:05For the majority of this prequel, Snake has been tasked with taking out the boss,
19:09unaware that the entire time she had been orchestrating her own downfall,
19:13all in service and sacrifice for her country.
19:15Beautiful, brilliant and crushing.
19:18The boss raised the bar across the board in just about every conceivable aspect.
19:23There's only room for one boss.
19:26And one snake.
19:35Which classic PS2 boss still lives rent free in your memory?
19:38Let us know in the comments below.
19:40Let us know in the comments below.
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