By now it’s hard to escape the phenomenon that is the Dark Souls series. Despite being fairly well-known among just about anyone that has played a video game, it is still seen as something of an obscure game. This may be due to its seemingly impossible difficulty, the incredibly vague narrative and sense of direction, or even its admittedly abrasive fanbase. Whatever the reason might be, Dark Souls is the game everyone has heard of but hardly anyone has really played. Whether you’ve played these games or not, one thing is hard to dispute: the Souls series has a level of aesthetic that is unmatched. From Software takes the typical, and at this point almost generic fantasy theme, and puts its own spin on it. The result is a unique and dark fantasy world, an oppressive atmosphere rivaling that of Game of Thrones, but more of an emphasis on fantastic and horrific creatures.

The culmination of these designs and the environments they’re set in is easily the bosses. Bosses, despite having fairly standard placement and roles in these games, don’t feel like bosses in other games. They’re a test of all the skills you’ve gained as a player up to that point. These are usually relentless and many times seem unfair until you’ve banged your head against them several times and the satisfaction you get once you learn the patterns and take down these behemoths is something you won’t get from any other game. Not only is overcoming the challenge of a boss satisfying, but when you come back to a boss in new game plus after learning more about the world and story, the same fight can take on a whole new meaning. There’s new context and sometimes the fight might even change. Bosses are truly something special in Dark Souls games. These are the 10 Best Dark Souls Bosses.

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