Summary
FromSoftware has no shortage of renowned strengths, but its vast collection of tough-as-nails bosses is by far one of the studio’s most iconic traits. FromDark SoulstoBloodborneto evenArmored Core, FromSoftware has proven time and time again that it knows how to make excellent boss fights, and that’s especially evident inElden Ring. WhileElden Ring’s open-world bossesmay have been a tad repetitive due to reused assets and movesets, the game’s main story bosses are generally some of the best FromSoftware has ever created, both in terms of their visual design and gameplay.
From the momentElden Ring’s Shadow of the Erdtree DLC was first announced at the start of 2023, one of its most anticipated features was its array of new bosses, and based on February’s gameplay trailer, it seems as though FromSoft is going to knock it out of the park again in this department, with the DLC’s centerpiece boss Messmer looking like another all-time great. But Messmer’s got some tough competition, and a lot of it comes from outsideElden Ring.
Elden Ring’s Messmer Has Some Big Shoes to Fill
Dark Souls and Bloodborne’s DLC Have Some of the Best FromSoft Bosses of All Time
The vast majority of FromSoftware’s previous DLC bosses have taken the best bits from the base game, and refined them, creating some of the most satisfying, visually-impressive bosses in FromSoftware’s now-extensive catalog. This trend began all the way back in 2012 with the release ofDark Souls' Artorias of the Abyss DLC, which was home to not only the titular fallen knight, but the eldritch horror Manus, and the dark dragon Kalameet, three of the most beloved bosses inSoulshistory.
Dark Souls 2doubled down on this, delivering objectively the best bosses in the entire game with its DLC selection. Even those who still seeDark Souls 2as the black sheep of the FromSoft library frequently admit that its DLC bosses are some of the best around, from the brutal Fume Knight to the incredibly memorable Sir Alonne.Bloodbornefollowed suit just a year later, delivering Lady Maria, Ludwig, and of course, The Orphan of Kos, boss fights that remain gold standards for FromSoftware’s future outings. And finally, there’sDark Souls 3’s DLC. Though its first DLC only really had one major boss fight, Sister Friede was worth it, and the second DLC’s Midir, Demon Prince, and Slave Knight Gael fights all acted as the perfect final challenges for the entireDark Soulsseries.
What Shadow of the Erdtree’s Messmer Can Learn From Past DLC Bosses
All of that’s to say when it comes to FromSoftware DLC bosses,Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree’s Messmerhas quite the legacy to live up to. Thankfully, even based on just those few brief glimpses of gameplay in Shadow of the Erdtree’s trailer, Messmer looks as though he has the potential to be one of FromSoftware’s best creations, though there are still some things he can learn from past DLC bosses.
Visual design-wise,Elden Ring’s Messmer the Impalercertainly looks the part, with his pale face, billowing red tunic, and gigantic flame-imbued spear already doing a great job of intimidating players. Messmer even has a pet snake or two, coiling around his entire body. But that’s only half of Messmer’s battle. Messmer also needs to have a standout moveset, one that not only offers spectacle but something genuinely new, some new form of attack that players have never seen before. If Messmer achieves that, then he could easily be in the running for best FromSoftware DLC boss of all time, which would be a staggering feat.
Elden Ring
WHERE TO PLAY
ELDEN RING, developed by FromSoftware, Inc. and BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment Inc., is a fantasy action-RPG adventure set within a world created by Hidetaka Miyazaki and George R.R. Martin. Danger and discovery lurk around every corner in FromSoftware’s largest game to date. Hidetaka Miyazaki - President and Game Director of FromSoftware Inc. Known for directing critically-acclaimed games in beloved franchises including Armored Core and Dark Souls.George R.R. Martin is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of many novels, including the acclaimed series A Song of Ice and Fire - A Game of Thrones, A Clash of Kings, A Storm of Swords, A Feast For Crows, and A Dance with Dragons. As a writer-producer, he has worked on The Twilight Zone, Beauty and the Beast, and various feature films and pilots that were never made. He lives with the lovely Parris in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
