Summary
Ever sinceits debut in 1987,Metal Gearhas been keen on building up a flashy roster of bosses for Snake to take down. Hideo Kojima’s grand stealth opus came out of the gate swinging with bosses like Fire Trooper and Machinegun Kid, expanding into later titles with iconic fights against the likes of Psycho Mantis and The End.
True to the artistic vision of Kojima,Metal Gearoften positions its bosses as people whom you may sympathize with. Though you are tasked with ending their lives, the bosses inMetal Gearusually end up being the most compelling characters in any given game. When you consider how each boss in each entry tends to feel unique, you have a franchise that can usually lay claim to having the best boss galleries in the entire industry.
Despite being the first entry in a new IP,Metal Gearcame out guns blazing in the first entry with insane lore and complex, multi-faceted bosses in a game that revolutionized the industry. In Snake’s long journey through Outer Heaven, he’s tasked with taking down some ofthe mercenary organization’s toughest.
Featuring tilts against well-armed humans, a Hind helicopter that would become a recurring nemesis of Snake in later games, and the eponymous Metal Gear itself. This initial entry in the series made great strides in boss variety, as each subsequent boss tasked the player with some sort of new mountain to climb.
In what became Hideo Kojima’s last game with Konami prior to his publicsplit with the company, the long-running origin story of Big Boss came to a close. Along the way, Kojima crafted a collection of fights that belong in the upper echelon of the series.
Standouts include the fights against the Man on Fire, the re-animated corpse of Colonel Volgin, and Quiet. As with mostMetal Geargames, it also features a battle against a fearsome mech, the scale of which is much larger than any of the previous fights against the mechanical monster.
Despite it being doomed to the PlayStation Portable before getting re-released on home consoles, it can’t be understatedhow crucialPeace Walkeris to the franchise. This Cold War spy thriller pits Big Boss up against a collection of bosses that is unique compared to other entries. While fighting mobilized mechs is common in the series, it’s paramount toPeace Walker.
Where mostMetal Geargames pit you against humans with some sort of gimmick, a trail of conflict that tends to culminate with a fight against some sort of huge robot,Peace Walkertosses that aside. It trades in the theatrical rogues' gallery for multiple armored behemoths and an emotionally charged final fight against Metal Gear Zeke with Paz piloting.
The return of Solid Snake to the franchise due to the ongoing Big Boss origin titles created a game that still feels unique to the series. InMetal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots,an aging Solid Snakeis forced to deal with the sins of his past as he faces a brand-new collection of foes to battle.
The Beauty and the Beast unit consists of four female soldiers that evoke classic Metal Gear bosses, including Laughing Octopus, Screaming Mantis, Raging Raven, and Crying Wolf. Following theMetal Geartradition, these tragic figures are peppered throughout the game and are some of the most engaging and challenging fights in the franchise.
Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Libertycarries all ofMetal Gear Solid’sgeopolitical drama and a gallery of theatrical bosses. It creates ongoing conflict betweenSnake and newcomer Raidenwith a group known as the Sons of Liberty led by Solidus Snake.
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Battles with Fatman and Vamp are standouts, tasking the player with using the environment to achieve victory. As the challenge continues to rise, a battle against a new Metal Gear named Ray throws multiple mechs at the player, increasing the number of higher difficulties.
Setting the clock back to 1964, Snake Eater was the first in Kojima’s long and complex Big Boss origin story. In theyoung soldier’s first PS2 adventure, he is betrayed by his mentor and sent on a quest for revenge against The Boss and her vicious Cobra Unit.
Consisting of a squad of soldiers with unique methods of attack, the Cobra Unit is a force to be reckoned with. While they come at Snake with fire or swarm him with bees, the battle against The Boss is the true star of the show. It’s packed with emotion, drama, and a powerful message about loyalty.
The DNA of the franchise from the original game extended even further into the first 3D entry, which saw Snake battle against a complicated squad of soldiers fronted by a charismatic commander. Led by the wonderfully charming Liquid Snake,Solid’s villainous clone brother, the FOXHOUND unit takes control of Shadow Moses.
Each boss has its own unique sense of place, whether it’s swapping controller ports so Psycho Mantis can’t read your inputs or engaging Sniper Wolf in two protracted long-range battles. Add in a harrowing hide-and-seek game against Vulcan Raven with a minigun inside a small warehouse and an epic fistfight against Liquid on top of Metal Gear Rex, it all adds up to a boss gallery that still instills fear to this day.
