Summary
With each subsequent game under its belt, FromSoftware continues to improve upon its now-beloved action-RPG formula. From more experimental boss designs inDark Souls 2, to the introduction oftrick weapons inBloodborne, to the grander scale and scope ofDark Souls 3’s story, each and every FromSoftware game has tried to take the formula at least one step further, and that’s certainly the case withElden Ring.
By far FromSoftware’s most ambitious title to date,Elden Ringbrings the developer’s action-RPG formula to a gigantic open-world setting and packs that world with exciting bosses, mysterious dungeons, and rewarding loot. By all accounts,Elden Ringis a massive step forward for FromSoftware’s formula, but there are one or two things past games do slightly better, andSekiro’s approach to dragon bosses could arguably be one of those.
Future FromSoftware Games Should Use Sekiro’s Dragon Boss Blueprint Over Elden Ring’s
Elden Ring’s Dragon Bosses Are Epic But Repetitive
The first time players run into one ofElden Ring’s dragonsis a pretty momentous occasion. More often than not, players' first dragon encounter will be withElden Ring’s Flying Dragon Agheel, located near the starting area of Limgrave. This boss fight is suitably epic, with the dragon’s moveset containing a variety of impressive sweeping attacks and flying maneuvers. But while Flying Dragon Agheel is a memorable boss fight, it quickly becomes just one of many.
Elden Ringfeatures well over 10 dragons, with a handful more appearing inthe Shadow of the Erdtree DLC. Though all of these dragons have different names and slightly different visual designs, many boast very similar movesets, albeit with a different elemental attack. These similar movesets eventually lead to some fairly repetitive fights, and after rolling credits onElden Ring, some players will find that many of the game’s dragon bosses have blended into one.
That being said, there are a handful of dragon boss fights inElden Ringthat stand ahead of the rest of the pack. Dragonlord Placidusax, Lichdragon Fortissax, and the most recent and impressive addition,Bayle the Dreadall offer some of the best dragon boss fights in FromSoftware’s catalog, with each one delivering impressive visuals, a bombastic score, and a distinct moveset.
Sekiro’s Dragon Boss Feels Truly Special
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twicemay only feature one dragon boss fight, but it’s one of the most memorable in FromSoftware history. Located at the end of Fountainhead Palace,Sekiro’s Divine Dragonsits at the end of an enormous, otherworldly arena. After taking out some tree-like dragon minions, the Divine Dragon reveals itself in all its ethereal glory, wielding a large blue sword unlike any from the real world. Players need to avoid the dragon’s sweeping attacks, ride its conjured winds high into the sky, and rain lightning down upon its head. It may be an easy fight, but it’s a truly epic one that manages to capture the majesty and scale of a dragon fight in a way unlike any of FromSoft’s games before it.
An Ideal FromSoftware Dragon Boss Fight Lies Somewhere In The Middle
Ifthe next FromSoftware action-RPGis going to include a dragon boss fight, it should take a page out of bothElden RingandSekiro’s respective playbooks. The ideal FromSoftware dragon boss fight would capture the scale and elegance of such a fantastical creature, just asSekiro’s Divine Dragon did, but it would also borrow the faster-paced gameplay ofElden Ring’s Bayle and Placidusax.
