The best boss fights that only happened in one Ctscene

Boss fights are the ultimate test of a gamer's mettle. These encounters often show intense strategy, precision, and a deep understanding of game mechanics. However, some boss battles flip this convention on its head, taking the action out of the player's hands.

Instead of interactive combat, these bosses are defeated purely through cutscenes or quick-time events (QTE), leaving you as a spectator to what could be a climactic showdown. This approach can be a surprising twist, but it often leaves you with the thrill of a real fight.

Beware of story spoilers.

10 Mecha

Alice: Madness Returns

The whimsical world of Wonderland takes a dark turn in Madness Returns, where familiar faces like the March Hare and Dormouse become sinister foes. When Alice meets them in an industrial factory, they capture the Mad Hatter and unleash a large, dangerous mecha to confront him. The tension builds, suggesting a climactic battle… but instead, the game moves to a cutscene where the Mad Hatter quickly turns the tables.

Alice was originally supposed to fight The Mecha as a boss battle, but the encounter was cut.

With dramatic flair, he ends the confrontation by running away and promptly drops a giant, iron teapot on the robot, crushing it along with the hare and dormouse. This sudden twist leaves you without a chance to experience the fight yourself, missing out on what could have been a dynamic showdown.

9 Common scales

Star Fox Adventures

Star Fox Adventures departs from the franchise's traditional space combat formula, setting Fox McCloud in search of a dinosaur planet. Rather than focusing solely on aerial dogfights, this adventure also sees Fox engage in ground battles and face off against the fierce Sharpclaw tribe led by their dangerous ruler, General Scales.

Scales often serves as the main antagonist in the game, and players prepare to face off against him. However, when the moment finally arrives, it takes an unexpected turn. A cutscene begins as Fox prepares to engage in battle, drawing his weapon. As the long-anticipated showdown begins, The the truth Andros, the villain of the Star Fox series, reveals himself. In a twist, he dismisses General Scales as a pawn, abruptly ending the war and seizing control of the story.

8 Lucian Fairfax

Fable 2

Lucian stands as the main antagonist of Fable 2, driven to the brink by grief and an obsessive desire to resurrect his lost family. Throughout the story, you work tirelessly to curb his lust for power, priming for an epic final confrontation at the end of the game.

But instead, you encounter an anticlimax: Lucian's defeat is triggered by a single QTE mid-speech. If you hesitate, River steps in, finishing Lucian with a smug quip. Ultimately, the entire confrontation boils down to a choice of timing rather than the skill and struggle you might expect.

7 Scarecrow

Batman: Arkham Knight

The Scarecrow is one of Batman's coldest enemies in Batman: Arkham Knight. Fueled by a sense of revenge, he unleashes his unique brand of terror on Gotham, traumatizing Batman and threatening everyone who loves the hero. Finally, we were primed for an intense final showdown.

However, instead of judging through the gameplay, we are presented with a cutscene in which the Scarecrow hunts down his own fear toxin. In a turn of events, Commissioner Gordon delivers the final blow, knocking out the Scarecrow with a single punch. While it's satisfying to see Gordon exact justice for his daughter, it would have been nice to experience the full boss battle before the cutscene.

6 Rafe Adler

Unknown 4: A Thief's End

In Uncharted 4, Nathan Drake is pulled out of his quiet life for the ultimate treasure hunt. After navigating dangerous environments and defeating rivals, he eventually finds himself in a climactic showdown with Rafe, a returning former ally. The confrontation is intense, yet it unfolds almost entirely in cutscenes with quick-time events, where players control some of Nathan's reactions.

While it's satisfying to see Rafe get his comeuppance, the sequence lacks complete interactivity. A chance to actively fight Rafe can heighten the drama with a mid-fight cutscene to tie in the final beats of the story.

5 Sargeras

World of Warcraft

In World of Warcraft, Sargeras is a powerful titan who unleashes the Burning Legion on the universe, intent on eradicating all life. After countless battles, his tyranny ends when he is finally imprisoned at the seat of the Pantheon. However, he manages one last devastating act: plunging his sword deep into Azeroth.

This climactic event, however, is fully revealed in a cutscene. True, Sargeras is the size of a planet, but that hasn't stopped video game heroes from battling their adversaries in the past (I'm looking at you, Asura's Wrath). This could be a boss fight of epic proportions if only given the chance.

4 Mehrunes Dagan

Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion

In The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion, the fearsome Daedric Prince of Destruction Mehrunes Dagon leads a final assault on Tamriel, threatening the very existence of the realm. The climactic encounter sees you run from the palace to the Temple of One with Martin Septim, the last heir to the throne. However, when the original plan to defeat Dagon falls apart, Martin looks for a desperate solution.

Your role in this final confrontation? Escort Martin's palace and through the temple of one. Once you reach the temple, the game hands over the reins to Martin in a cutscene as he uses the Amulet of Kings to merge with Akatosh. In his new form, Martin battles Dagon in an epic confrontation before sending him and his army back to Oblivion. You may be a spectator to the boss fight, but at least you can provide moral support to Martin.

3 skull baby

The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask

The events of Majora's Mask, a direct sequel to Ocarina of Time, are kick-started by Skull Kid, a mischievous influence possessed by the dark powers of Majora's Mask. Towards the end of the game, Link climbs to the top of the clock tower to confront him, only to trigger a cutscene by playing the song Oath to Order on his ocarina. This turn of events causes Majora's Mask to separate from Skull Kid, fleeing to the moon and setting the stage for the final showdown.

Skull children are recurring characters in the Legend of Zelda series. The Skull Kid that appears in Majora's Mask is likely the same Skull Kid that appeared from a tree stump in The Lost Woods in Ocarina of Time.

While the story choice to free Skull Kid without a fight fits the theme of the story, having him engage in some kind of battle would have been therapeutic. After all, it was Skull Kid's actions under Majora's influence, that set the catastrophic events in motion. But immediately freeing him from the effects of black magic through a cutscene works.

2 anarchy

Sound forces

Sonic Forces, released as the 25th-anniversary game for Sonic the Hedgehog, celebrates the franchise by bringing back characters throughout its history to take on the ever-scheming Doctor Eggman. Among these returning faces is Chaos, the original guardian of the Chaos Emeralds until it was corrupted by rage. In the Force, Chaos aligns with Eggman, helping him take control of nearly the entire planet.

There are modes out there that let you fight chaos like classic Sonic.

When Chaos attacks Tails, it looks like Tails is no match… until Classic Sonic suddenly bursts out of the wormhole to save the day. With one swift move, he overcomes Chaos, but the encounter is over before you can jump into action. Instead of giving you the chance to fight chaos like classic Sonic, the entire confrontation is limited to one cutscene.

1 Mavuika Vs Capitano

Genshin effect

Mavuika, the Fire Archon and leader of Natlan, is a powerful force under the Genshin influence, fearlessly fighting against the Abyss as Teyvat's first line of defense. In the latest Archon Quest, you see an epic fight when Mavuika is attacked by Il Capitano, the first of the Eleven Fatui Harbingers. This intense encounter showcases the powerful powers of both characters, pushing the stakes to new heights in the story. The cutscene captures the grand scale of their battle with a dynamic, cinematic flair, making it one of the game's most memorable moments to date.

However, this breathtaking showdown is only a spectator event; You don't get a chance to experience combat firsthand. Instead, the entire encounter unfolds in one cutscene, leaving you both enthralled and longing for the opportunity to directly engage in battles of this scale in future updates.