Final Levels That Missed the Mark
Tying up a game with a satisfying final level is no mean feat, and the fact that it can all go so wrong is a testament to how difficult it is to get right. Final levels are an important way to cap off a game’s narrative and can even provide a satisfying conclusion for the entire experience, but there are plenty of examples of games that failed to achieve this and left us feeling pretty unsatisfied.
We’ve all played that game where your level of enjoyment is determined by your proximity to the game’s conclusion. If you’re still enjoying the game when the final level rolls around, chances are you’ll be satisfied with the ending. But if you’re about to finish the game, and you’re met with underwhelming final levels in games, then you’re left feeling unsatisfied. Here are some particularly bad examples of final levels in PC games.
Fable 2
Fable 2 had a lot going for it. The combat was satisfying and engaging, the world was vast, and there were so many things to do. The problem was that the main story was over just as you were getting into it. While the first game had you fighting off the Beast, the second throws you into a warring conflict between two kingdoms. This urgency is quickly deflated, however, by the fact that you have no shortage of side quests to complete.
This disconnect between the main story and the availability of side quests was so jarring that it fundamentally undid the urgency of the main quest line. I remember finishing off the side quests before going to confront Logan, and I barely even cared because there was so much more to do before I’d even get to the final battle. The final boss fight was so anticlimactic and so easy that I won the battle without even using my special attacks. It was a disappointing end to what had started as a promising game.
Skyrim
Skyrim’s final boss fight was also pretty easy and anticlimactic. I remember fighting against Alduin right in the heart of the Empire, and I was just spamming the attack button. I didn’t even need to use my special attacks because he was so underpowered. This was a huge contrast to the rest of the game, where your character had to struggle against numerous dragons and even the mighty Dragonborn himself. The fact that this final battle was so underwhelming only served to highlight the fact that the game had given you so much more to worry about in the form of dragons, giants, and a civil war.
Guild Wars 2
Guild Wars 2 had an underwhelming final boss fight that involved shooting cannons. I know that it’s not the final boss fight that matters, it’s the experience of playing through the game, but the finale of this MMO game just left me feeling a bit flat. It was a rather unmemorable fight against an unmemorable villain.
Dying Light 1
Dying Light’s first game also had an underwhelming final boss fight. You’re up against Rais, the leader of the Night Hunters, but the final battle against him is underwhelming, featuring QTEs and a lacklustre villain. While the final level is unsatisfying, the rest of the game is fantastic, making its final boss fight a real letdown.
Far Cry 3
Far Cry 5’s sniper boss fight was a fantastic change of pace to the typical Far Cry boss fight, and it was a welcome change to see a game commit to a change of pace in its final level. The fact that you’re fighting against a helicopter is also more exciting than it is disappointing, as it doesn’t feel like you’re fighting against a vehicle rather than a person. The fact that you’re fighting against a literal helicopter makes it feel like you’re really up against Big Boss – the game’s antagonist.
The helicopter sequence in Far Cry 3 was also really fun, and I remember the sheer exhilaration of being in a firefight in an open-world game, only to look up and see a helicopter hovering above me. It felt great to be able to shoot the helicopter down and face the final boss as a human being.
QTEs
While QTEs can be enjoyable if they’re challenging and integrated well into the gameplay, they often feel too easy in final boss fights. Vass from Far Cry 3 is a prime example of a beloved character who was underutilised in the game’s overall narrative, but even though she only appeared a handful of times, she was still given a final battle that featured QTEs. It felt like the writers couldn’t be bothered to come up with a more inventive ending for her, so they just shoehorned in a quick-time event.
Underwhelming bosses
Not all final boss fights are bad, though, and there are plenty of examples of games that got it right. While we’re still waiting on a satisfying battle against Talon in Far Cry 5, the game’s ending was still satisfying despite lacking a satisfying fight against an antagonist.
