Revolutionary Boss Fight in Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel DLC

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Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel may not have lived up to the expectations set by its predecessor, but it still had its strengths that continue to be discussed among the community. The game's grinder and the mysterious warning from The Watcher are just a few of the elements that keep fans engaged. Despite its initial struggles, the Claptastic Voyage DLC gave players a satisfying conclusion and introduced some exciting features. The glitched weapons and unique environments of Claptrap's mind were enjoyable to explore, while the Cortex arena provided a challenging, replayable mode. However, the true highlight of the DLC was the incredibly difficult final boss, which sets a high standard for the rest of the Borderlands series to follow.

Unfortunately, many of the final bosses in the Borderlands series have been disappointingly easy to defeat. This lack of challenge can be a letdown for players who have invested time and effort into their characters. Moving forward, the series should take inspiration from the Claptastic Voyage DLC's final boss and provide more formidable opponents for players to overcome.

Shadowtrap’s Eclipse mech is a formidable opponent, surpassing even some of the toughest Borderlands raid bosses. Its massive health pool and strategically placed turrets make it a challenge to take down, and its second form, EOS, only adds to the difficulty. The towering size of the boss, which transforms into a version of the Helios space station in its second form, creates an unforgettable visual experience. Players will likely have to face death multiple times before finally defeating this ultimate final boss.

The difficulty in defeating Shadowtrap feels justified, as it serves as the true final boss of Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel’s Claptastic Voyage DLC and the game as a whole. However, the franchise has struggled to make its final boss fights equally challenging, often feeling like a walk in the park. With players completing side quests, leveling up, and gathering valuable loot before facing the last major enemy of the story, Gearbox should consider delivering more final boss fights on par with Eclipse and EOS.

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Final boss fights in Borderlands games have often been disappointingly easy. For instance, the Destroyer in the original game was a giant alien eye with only a few attacks and an obvious weak spot. The Warrior from Borderlands 2 was another flashy battle that lacked real challenge, and even Lilith's warnings about rising lava failed to add excitement. Borderlands 3's Tyreen, powered by the Destroyer, was also a letdown, while the boss fight against Troy Calypso offered a more memorable and satisfying conclusion.

Unfortunately, the same problem extends to the Borderlands expansions. With rare exceptions like the Seer from Borderlands 3's Director's Cut or General Knoxx from the first game's Secret Armory, the final boss fights in Borderlands DLCs are often too easy. Captain Scarlett and Handsome Sorcerer in Borderlands 2 and Guns, Love, and Tentacles's heart in Borderlands 3 all had interesting premises but ended up being too simple. Even charismatic characters like Butcher Rose in Bounty of Blood were ultimately unsatisfying to fight. The issue is further compounded by weak DLC boss fights like Jack and the Psychoreaver.

While it's not necessary for every boss fight to be a raid-level challenge like Shadowtrap, it's crucial for the main villain of a DLC or campaign to be a formidable opponent. Gearbox needs to address this problem and deliver more satisfying boss encounters in the upcoming Borderlands 4.

Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel is available now on PC, PS3, PS4, Switch, Xbox 360, and Xbox One.