Boss battles have become a rarity in modern games. Most titles completely remove these encounters or, in Halo 5's case, repeat the same battles with slight variations. This year we saw some incredible single-player games and epic boss fights. With so many to choose from which were the best of the best?  This article contains spoilers of the boss encounters for some of the biggest games of 2017, proceed at your own risk!

Nier: Automata - Emil

Emil is an optional boss with Nier: Automata but is the most difficult fight in the entire game. Before you even consider fighting this deadly machine you'll need to beat the game at least once, but even then you're stretching your luck. Separated into 2 parts the first fight is manageable with proper evading and offensive attacks, however, his final form is much more menacing. Taking the form of a series of severed heads of Emil who fly, shoot lasers, and fires little projectiles of his head. This final form requires you to be level 99 and have completely maxed out weapons to stand a chance.

Horizon Zero Dawn - Fireclaws

Introduced in The Frozen Wilds expansion the Fireclaws are the deadliest machines in the entire game, even more, powerful than the final boss. Fashion in the image of a grizzly bear these massive constructs are equipped with powerful claws, heavy armor, and are dangerously fast. You fight them multiple times during the expansion with each encounter just as challenging as the last. Even when fully upgraded defeating one of these fiery beasts requires a combination of armor, weapons, and skill.

Cuphead - King Dice

Cuphead is full of inventive boss battles that not only test your reaction speed but are a joy to look at. Each one provides unique encounters complete with an original soundtrack, pattern, and setting. However, out of all the Cuphead head bosses, King Dice stands out as the best. Not only is his main theme one of the best of the game but his entire boss fight consist of a series of mini-fights leading up to the final encounter with the King himself. It's a grueling challenging that takes skill and lucky rolls to come out on top.

The Evil Within 2 - The Matriarch

Getting to the end of The Evil Within 2 isn't easy. Not only are you contending with deadly monsters and dangerous psychopaths but trying to maintain a steady supply of bullets, recovery items, and scrap. The events leading up to your final encounter are made more intense due to the fact you're facing Sebastian's wife Myra.

Turned into a Lost she's full of fanatical desire to keep her daughter safe within STEM at all costs. This multiform boss battle is the hardest in the game with Myra able to spawn spiders, perform deadly strikes, and keep her weak points far from Sebastian's reach. Coupled with the emotional weight of having to fight your wife, who's gone above and beyond to save her daughter, and this boss encounter was an excellent conclusion to this incredible game.

Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice - Fenir

Guardian of Helheim's halls the first appearance of this beast is unnerving. Using the darkness Fenir keeps himself hidden and uses powerful strikes and surprise attacks to keep Senua down. With Focus being the only way to break through the darkness and inflict damage you have to keep alert at all times for opportune moments to attack. It's one of the most memorable moments of the entire journey because of the extreme events leading up to the boss battle as the beast hunts for Senua the second she leaves to sanctuary of any light source.

South Park: The Fractured But Whole - The King

South Park: The Fractured But Whole starts off in the fantasy world setup of The Stick of Truth before transiting to the superhero-themed realm. However, towards the end of the game, the player sent back to the beginning of the game to fight themselves in an epic battle. This includes not only The New Kid but Kyle, Clyde, Stan, and Butters complete with their fantasy-themed abilities. Characters not included in the first game also make note of how this battle gave them the chance to play in the world of the previous game.

What were your favorite boss battles of 2017? Let us know in the comments below!

Adam Siddiqui, NoobFeed
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