Ten Absolute Nightmare Boss Battles - Prepare for the Ultimate Challenge!

Highlights

Lies of P features incredibly well-designed bosses that are challenging and require patience and skill to defeat.

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Defeating The Door Guardian requires players to target a specific weak spot, making it a unique boss fight.

Simon Manus, the final boss, presents a formidable challenge with two demanding phases. However, with careful attention and perseverance, players can prevail.

Lies of P is the latest addition to the extensive collection of Soulslike games that have been released in the past decade. However, unlike many other games of this genre, Lies of P stands out as one of the rare few that is widely recognized for its exceptional quality, rivaling that of From Software's games.

One of the key factors contributing to its acclaim is the remarkable design of its boss battles. The majority of these bosses are exceptionally well-crafted. However, it should be noted that their superb design does not equate to an easy challenge. On the contrary, these boss battles serve as a true test of both patience and determination.

Now, let's delve into the roster of boss battles offered by Lies of P and discuss the ones that are considered the most formidable.

10 Door Guardian

Firstly, surprisingly, we have a boss that doesn't quite fit into the traditional boss category. The Door Guardian can be classified as a mini-boss or an area boss, as it guards the entrance to the Alchemist Tower on the Alchemist's Isle where Simon Manus is situated. After traversing the Black Seaside Stargazer area and overcoming obstacles such as cannons and giant Carcass scorpions, players will encounter the Door Guardian, the only boss fight in Lies of P that incorporates a unique 'gimmick'.

Due to its gimmick nature, many players dedicate hours to defeating the Door Guardian in a legitimate manner, enduring the unavoidable Shock damage it inflicts and patiently waiting for opportunities to deal damage. However, this effort is in vain, as players actually need to target the leg of the Door Guardian that is not supported by the metal structure (the same side as its 'normal' arm). By inflicting enough Stagger damage to this specific spot, the Door Guardian will collapse, allowing players to execute a Fatal Attack that will deplete at least half of its health. Repeat this process and victory will be achieved. Nevertheless, achieving the knockdown is a challenging task, prompting players to equip items such as the Aegis Legion Arm, Shot Put throwable items, and a substantial amount of Pulse Cells.

9 Scrapped Watchman & Scrapped Parade Master

The final portion of Lies of P draws striking parallels to Bloodborne, as both feature a significant atmospheric shift and the need for players to revisit previously explored areas, now infused with new elements of horror. In Bloodborne, this manifests as the presence of Brainsuckers or Amygdalas, while Lies of P introduces a peculiar and sentient "ooze" called the Carcass, which has taken control of nearby puppets alongside revealing the truth about the Ergo.

However, where Lies of P distinguishes itself is through their handling of boss encounters. Unlike From Software games like Bloodborne, which often repurpose bosses as elite enemies, Lies of P offers a fresh experience by reintroducing earlier bosses, such as the Watchman and Parade Master, with entirely revamped visuals, attacks, and patterns. Players can anticipate confronting these bosses in a novel and surprising manner, unlike encountering familiar foes transformed into formidable adversaries as seen in FromSoft games like Bloodstarved Beasts or Smelter Demons.

8 Fallen Archbishop Andreus

Fallen Archbishop Andreus is likely to be the first major obstacle players will encounter in Lies of P. Up until this point, the bosses have been challenging, but most players manage to overcome them within an hour or two. However, when it comes to Archbishop Andreus, players may feel the need to take a break and come back to it later.

One word to describe this fight is oppressive. Andreus doesn't give the player much breathing room or opportunities to attack in either of its two forms. Players will need to excel at dodging or Perfect Guarding to create their own chances to strike. Fortunately, players can easily bypass Andreus' one-winged angel form by running around to its backside after the cutscene between phases. This way, they will be fighting against the same side of the boss as in phase 1, only having to get used to a few new attacks.

7 Green Monster Of The Swamp

This boss in Lies of P introduces the concept of 'world change.' It is the first time players witness puppets being completely overtaken by the Alchemist's concocted ooze created by Simon Manus and his order. The Green Monster of the Swamp is also one of the first bosses to have an attack that removes it from the screen entirely, which can be challenging for players to avoid.

Although it doesn't possess many unique attacks, once players become familiar with the timing, they can easily navigate through phase 1. It is worth noting that this boss has some overlap with the Scrapped Watchman entry. In the second phase of the fight, players face the new Scrapped Watchman, but it seemed more appropriate to include the Watchman with the Parade Master instead.

6 Champion Victor

Not many bosses in Lies of P are vocal, and that applies particularly to the zombie-like Carcass enemies. However, Champion Victor stands out as a talkative boss, resembling a WWE wrestler thrown into a Soulslike game, which surprisingly brings enjoyment. Mechanically, though, Victor can be quite overwhelming. He rarely takes breaks from attacking, especially during his second phase.

Players who strive to perfect their timing for guarded attacks will initially find this fight extremely challenging. However, as they become accustomed to the rhythm of Victor's swings, it becomes considerably easier. On the other hand, players who rely more on dodging rather than guarding will find the first phase of the battle more manageable. However, even a slight mistiming of a dodge in the second phase can quickly deplete their HP.

5 Black Rabbit Brotherhood

Let's face it, no one ever looks back fondly on the boss fights where you have to take on multiple enemies at once in the Souls or Soulslike games. This particular subgenre is much more enjoyable when it's a one-on-one battle or, at most, a one-on-two situation. Now, when players first face the Black Rabbit Brotherhood, it's not too terrible because the siblings retreat once their relatively low HP bars are depleted. This means a significant portion of the fight boils down to a showdown between Pinocchio and the Eldest of the Black Rabbit Brotherhood.

However, things take a turn for the worse during the second encounter in the Relic of Trismegistus Combat Field. In this battle, each of the younger siblings has their own health bar, wields a unique elemental power attached to their weapons, and launches annoying ranged attacks that constantly interrupt Pinocchio's combos on the other members of the Brotherhood.

4 Nameless Puppet

Ranking Soulslike bosses is subjective, but the final four Lies of P bosses are particularly difficult to place. Each boss poses a considerable challenge, but individual players may struggle more depending on their playstyle and the boss's moveset.

Take the Nameless Puppet, for instance, which serves as the game's ultimate boss but finds itself in fourth position. This doesn't mean the fight is a walk in the park, but it involves a more humanoid confrontation (or rather puppet vs. puppet) rather than battling a monstrous behemoth. While the second phase amps up the spectacle, the parry timings are fairly straightforward, resulting in a well-balanced encounter. Additionally, like most enemies of human scale in this game, the Nameless Puppet is susceptible to being staggered, making it a target for Motivity builds aiming to maintain a stun lock throughout the entire fight.

3 Laxasia The Complete

Laxasia the Complete bears such a clear resemblance to Malenia from Elden Ring that it borders on being comical. Both characters are masked 'Valkyrie' warriors and share the role of protecting a specific person or location. Additionally, they both stand out among their own kind and undergo a transformative second phase that elevates the intensity. It's worth noting that while Laxasia offers a unique battle experience, with distinct mechanics from Malenia, the similarities between the two are unmistakable.

Nevertheless, this fight strikes an impressive balance between enjoyable difficulty and harsh challenge. Initially, the first phase may seem overwhelming, but players quickly realize that Laxasia's attack patterns are more predictable compared to the game's other bosses. This consistency carries over into the second phase and introduces interesting new features, such as the ability to reflect lightning attacks by perfectly guarding projectiles. Furthermore, there exists a tactic to initiate phase 2 without causing any traditional "damage" to Laxasia; instead, players must expertly execute perfect guards to incapacitate her sword.

2 King of Puppets

The King of Puppets, encountered at a critical juncture in the game, is widely regarded as the most sadistic boss. At this stage, players have not yet acquired the immensely powerful end-game Amulets or Weapons, yet the boss fight is no longer simplistic. While the initial phase can be mastered with relative ease, it becomes increasingly exasperating as players are continuously pushed back while Perfect Guarding. However, the second phase is exceptionally challenging.

Romeo, perpetually aggressive, inflicts significant damage with each successful strike. Moreover, its Waterfowl Dance-inspired attack, reminiscent of Malenia from Elden Ring, proves fatal to the majority of players. Fortunately, some have discovered a useful technique for this phase: constantly maneuvering and evading towards Romeo's right side (the player's left). This approach proves effective as many of Romeo's attacks fail to connect in this area or leave it vulnerable to counterattacks.

1 Simon Manus Arm Of God & Awakened God

Lastly, let's discuss Simon Manus, the primary antagonist in Lies of P, who effortlessly embodies the role of the 'big bad'. As players uncover more disturbing truths about the Alchemists in Krat, they realize that Simon is the mastermind behind their monstrous actions. Surprisingly, despite his supposed intellect, players find his imposing appearance rather comical, thanks to the absurd physical changes caused by the Ergo. Nevertheless, this battle proves to be just as challenging as any final boss encounter should be.

The initial phase presents a formidable challenge, but the patterns and timings are relatively straightforward, allowing players to quickly grasp and adapt. However, the subsequent phase is astonishingly difficult. During this stage, the Ascended God Manus unleashes a barrage of ranged attacks, relentless Fury Attacks, intricate combo sequences, and various types of projectiles. Additionally, he heavily relies on disruptive attacks that afflict the player, intensifying the stress as the threat of instant death looms if the disruption meter fills up. Although the Simon Manus fight may initially appear unfair, players will gradually understand that with vigilance and patience in executing their own attacks, this boss can be conquered.

Lies of P is available for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.