Summary
JRPGs are no strangers totheir fair share of amazing boss fightsthat will force players to employ everything they’ve learned to defeat these imposing foes. The combat of these games requires that players use tactical thinking to overcome and defeat these climactic foes.
What makes some JRPG boss fights all the more memorable is when emotions are spiking during these battles. Rage, anger, and joy are just a few of the emotions that these games manipulate to get players invested in these incredible boss fights.
Spoiler Warning: due to the nature of these dramatic battles, each entry will delve into various narrative spoilers for their respective JRPGs.
Octopath Traveler 2’s music does a lot of the heavy lifting (along with its HD-2D visuals, of course) when getting players hyped up for its boss battles, which is why the fight against Dolcinaea is so memorable. In a bid to remind this singer about the beauty of the stage and how magical a performance can be, Agnes puts on a show for the ages as the music crescendoes with a beautiful vocal track.
It makes for what is possibly the best final chapter boss fight in terms of emotions and spectacle. After a hard-fought battle, Dolcinaea can’t help but be moved by Agnes' performance as she finally sees the light and concedes defeat.
Magus is built up as the major antagonist ofChrono Trigger, with Frog having a personal grudge against this foe for cursing him. After Crono’s “death,” players get to interact with Magus and are given the option of fighting him.
While players can refuse this battle, accepting will initiate a tough one-on-one battle between Magus and Frog. Victory will ensure that Frog will be freed from his curse, although he will only regain his human form at the end of the game after this emotional battle to get his life back.
Lady Yunalesca is supposed to be a revered deity looking out for humanity, but the party is well aware of her treachery by the time they encounter her in the Zanarkand ruins. She lied to the summoners and all of humanity about the teachings of Yevon, trapping Spira in a cycle of violence that has ravaged them for centuries.
Hearing Auron motivate the party to fight against fate and defeat Yunalesca for good is a rousing affair that heightens the emotions of this tough boss battle. It’s one ofthe best speeches before a boss battlethat proves once again why Auron is hailed by many as one of the greatestFinal Fantasycharacters of all time.
Goro Akechi is a genius detective who prefers working alone, which is why it’s odd to see him team up with the Phantom Thieves. However, it doesn’t take long for the group to figure out that he’s the one causing people to go psychotic, almost tanking the reputation of the Phantom Thieves in the process.
The boss battle against him in Shido’s Palace is one of the best moments inPersona 5. He laughs at the idea of friendship, projecting his insecurities onto Joker and his party as they engage in a hellacious battle. It’s an emotional fight that ends with Akechi sacrificing himself to save the party in a heartbreaking moment, even if this sacrifice is cheapened somewhat after his return inPersona 5 Royal’s final semester.
Ardyn Izunia is one of the most tragic JRPG villains of all time, although that’s no excuse for his atrocious actions inFinal Fantasy 15. He serves as a thorn in Noctis' side, made even worse by the fact that he’s related to Ardyn since they’re part of the same family.
Realizing that he needs to sacrifice his body and mind to eliminate Ardyn for good, Noctis bids farewell to his friends before defeating Ardyn and using the Ring of the Lucii to end the Starscourge for good. Seeing him one final time in the afterlife after this moment is emotional enough as is, but it’s the post-credits scene that will make fans bawl after they hear Noctis proclaim his love for his friends before he heads to Insomnia for the final time.
Yakuza: Like a Dragondid a great job of doing justice to Ichiban Kasuga, a new character who needed to hit the ground running and avoid the mistakes that turnedJudgment’s Yagami into such an unlikable protagonist. His earnestness and goofy nature made him a perfect main character for theYakuzaseries, but what made him all the more compelling was his ability to become emotional at the drop of a hatwhen the story required him to become serious.
Him forgiving Nanba is a great moment in its own right, but it’s the rousing speech he delivers to his former master, Masato Arakawa, at the end of the game that will make fans shed a tear. Instances like these are why many people considerYakuza: Like a Dragonto boast one of the best stories told in the series, which is a massive achievement.
Jenova Life is a boss fight that comes out of nowhere, barely letting players process Aerith’s death inFinal Fantasy 7. The sight of Sephiroth’s sword impaling their favorite healer is still fresh in their minds during this battle.
It doesn’t help that Aerith’s theme plays throughout this emotional boss fight, with the party members refusing to crack their victory pose after defeating Jenova Life. What follows is a touching moment as Cloud bids farewell to Aerith before the party is forced to move on.
Everyone knew howCrisis Corewould end, but that doesn’t prepare them for the manner in which Zack meets his end. After trying to escape with Cloud, his friend’s mako poisoning preventsthe spiky-haired blondefrom making this escape any easier.
As a result, the Shinra Troopers pursuing the duo eventually catch up, and Zack makes a heroic final stand as he takes on a wave of Shinra troopers, incurring a ton of damage in the process. Seeing the DMW break cements Zack’s fate, who’s left mortally wounded and passes on the Buster Sword to Cloud in a tragic moment as the protagonist ofFinal Fantasy 7inadvertently takes on the memories of his fallen comrade.
