Video game bosses that you meet more than once

In video games, it's about the journey, not the destination. This is why the trope of initially losing your powers and gradually regaining them was used for so long, and another similar trope is often associated with villains.

The Rocky 3 story archetype, where you're initially applauded by the bad guy, only to face him again later, is a satisfying full-circle moment. The games often change the exact details of the story archetype, but it's pretty much the same, and it works, because you always look forward to finally facing the bad guy who messed you up in the first place.

These bosses can first be encountered through actual fights or cutscenes in which the boss destroys the hero.

1

Genichiro Ashina – Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice

The fallen shinobi comes back better than ever

In the opening moments of Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, you'll come across your first boss battle, Genichiro Ashina. Taking place in a beautiful meadow, you will soon get lost. You can actually win the fight if you're experienced, but even then, Genichiro will squeeze W in the following cutscene. The same result happens regardless.

It's many, many hours later, during your trek through Ashina Castle, you'll encounter Genichiro again, and this time, you're ready. A tough boss consisting of several stages, you will eventually defeat him. This isn't the only time FromSoftware has used this boss trope in one of their games.

2

Vanguard – Demon's Souls

The first boss in the Soul series

One of the best tutorials in gaming has to be on Demon's Souls. Using a tried and true tutorial design that feels menacing but never actually in danger, you'll finally meet the Vanguard Demon. This boss hits like a truck, and unless you are an expert player, you will die here.

It's a scripted death, though, and you'll eventually face the Vanguard monster again in World 4-1. Unlike other rematch bosses, this second encounter is pretty easy because you can spam him with arrows from afar until he dies. It's still satisfying, regardless, that strategy was impossible in the tutorial.

3

Adam Smasher – Cyberpunk 2077

Johnny's Revenge

While V is the main character of Cyberpunk 2077, Johnny Silverhand is just as important. He's Yami Yugi to V's Yugi Muto, if you will. Johnny's backstory ends in train wreck fashion, with Adam Smasher completely destroying him before connecting with V in the events of the main story.

Since Cyberpunk's equivalent of Atem was the villain at the beginning, it makes sense that Adam is the final boss in all of Cyberpunk 2077's endings, which you'll find with Phantom Liberty. If you choose to take out Johnny, killing Adam after it's all done is especially satisfying.

4

Zeus – God of War 2

No one messes with Kratos

After being the God of War in the original, Kratos' new role in God of War 2 doesn't pan out so well. After the opening moments, Zeus betrays Kratos, kills him and sends the anti-hero back to Hades. Kratos is revived by the Titans on a quest to find and kill the Sisters of Destiny in order to go back in time to kill Zeus.

The final boss with God of God is incredible and, frankly, superior to the pair's actual final encounter in War 3. There are no weird first-person or 2D fighting game sections here. Upon release, such a cliffhanger ending was a huge bummer, but it made the hype for the final chapter, God of War 3, even greater.

5

Sanchez – Hitman: Salvation

A villain you really want dead

Hitman: Absolution has a lot to deliver to the bad guys' gallery, and the main three are introduced to you towards the end of the game's third mission, Terminus. You'll meet Dexter, Layla, and Sanchez, but before Agent 47 can do anything you'll be clapped.

All of the villains here are pretty annoying, and to boot, they frame you for murder, causing you to run from the police for a good portion of the rest of the game. Hitman characters have never been more desirable to kill, and you thankfully finish off Sanchez in a good mission, Fight Night. You can kill him in a variety of ways, but the best method is to dress up as his opponent and finish him off in a full-on boss fight.

6

Urigen – Devil May Cry 5

You can't get much bigger than the Demon King himself

Devil May Cry 5 jumps you right into the story, with Nero only moments away from facing the demon king, Urigen. You can win this battle with the likes of Sekiro and Demon's Souls, but nobody does it on the first playthrough.

Nero and Dante will applaud, but Nero returns to the Red Grave City and hopes to defeat the Demon King this time. You don't just get a rematch, as you'll face Urizen several times over the course of the game and learn a lot about the monster's true nature as well.

7

Singularity – Bayonetta 3

The most epic comeback fight ever

Instead of the usual fights during the prologue segment, Bayonetta 3 offers something different. You start playing as a Bayonetta who resembles the character from the original game, and she is destroyed by the main villain, Singularity. You're engaged in a boss fight here, but it's another no-win scenario that ends with Bayonetta being killed.

A few hours later, you finally face off against the singularity in the exact same location. In an epic and lengthy final boss with a ridiculous amount of stages, Bayonetta pulls out all the stops with a few surprises to take down the Singularity.

8

Shao Kahn – Mortal Kombat 9

“He must win”

When Mortal Kombat 9 was released in 2011, it had such an incredible story mode that it blew away the entire competition. The intro is fantastic, jumping right where Mortal Kombat: Armageddon left off with a pile of corpses at the very top of the pyramid, where Shao Kahn and Raiden are the last men standing. Shao Kahn finally kills Raiden with his trademark Wrath Hammer.

However, before Raiden dies, he sends a message back in time to where it all began: MK1. Once again the events of the original trilogy, Raiden and Shao Kahn play out until the last one standing. After learning the true purpose of the message, Shao Kahn and Raiden must engage in Mortal Kombat, which proves to be a very tough final boss.