u/JhosepIsTheWriter

Inspired by u/Iriusoblivion's post

The last image comes from the first RAGE; it's the original design of the Shrouded. They're a fascinating faction in many ways, and the reason for this post is one of them: their radical design evolution. The original Shrouded were much more in line with classic post-apocalyptic mercenary aesthetics – bare torsos, wrapped limbs, leather straps, and goggles. Meanwhile, the Immortal Shrouded, their descendants who 30 years later in RAGE 2 transformed into a violent, expansionist, ultra-religious warrior cult, sport a far more elaborate design that showcases their radical transformation in full.

Their armor is a striking fusion of heavy industrial plating and ritualistic ornamentation: thick yellow-gold knee guards and shoulder pieces bolted over dark tactical underlayers, worn and battle-scarred but unmistakably deliberate in their construction. Glowing yellow eyes peer from beneath helmets and gas masks that feel less like protective gear and more like ceremonial visages, stripping individuality away and replacing it with something colder and more devoted. Cables, tubes, and jury-rigged electronics run across their bodies like veins, blurring the line between soldier and machine.

Even their vehicles carry the same language: massive, heavily armored, and adorned with their emblem, a symbol that reads simultaneously as a warlord's brand and a religious icon.

They are a religious cult, a post-apocalyptic faction, and a futuristic military force all rolled into one.

One of my favourite character archetypes in gaming is what I call "You, but stronger".

I find it fascinating because of the unique challenge it presents to the player. The enemy becomes a reflection of yourself: a rival, an evil counterpart, a parallel, or simply someone who possesses the same abilities and uses them just as effectively—or even better.

Unlike traditional bosses, these characters don't challenge you with overwhelming power or unique mechanics. They challenge you by mastering the same tools you've spent the entire game learning.

• V2 (ULTRAKILL)

For most of ULTRAKILL, you're the fastest and most aggressive thing in the room.

Then V2 shows up.

V2 moves like you, uses many of the same mechanics, and turns the game's mobility-focused combat back against you. Instead of fighting a boss, it feels like you're fighting another player who simply understands the game better than you do.

• Vergil (Devil May Cry)

Vergil is probably one of the most iconic examples of this trope.

While Dante is flashy and improvisational, Vergil is precision incarnate. He possesses many of the same abilities as Dante but uses them with ruthless efficiency. Every encounter with him feels like fighting a perfected version of the game's combat system.

The challenge is so infamous that Vergil is often the reason players first see Devil May Cry 3's Easy Mode prompt, which appears after dying three times on the same mission.

• Jetstream Sam (Metal Gear Rising)

What makes Sam interesting is that he's arguably less enhanced than Raiden.

Raiden is a cyborg packed with military-grade technology, while Sam is mostly just an incredibly skilled human wielding a high-frequency blade.

The fight works because Sam demonstrates a level of mastery that makes all of Raiden's technological advantages feel irrelevant. He's not stronger because of better equipment.

He's stronger because he's better.

• Iris (RAGE 2: Rise of the Ghosts)

Throughout RAGE 2, the player becomes an absurdly powerful super-soldier capable of tearing through entire armies.

Most enemies exist only to support that power fantasy.

Iris is one of the few opponents who feels like she belongs on the same level as the player. She possesses similar supernatural abilities, mobility, and combat options, turning the encounter into something much more personal than a typical boss fight.

Rather than overcoming an obstacle, the player is forced to prove they are better at using the game's own mechanics than someone with a comparable arsenal.

I love this trope because of everything it represents: It's often the ultimate test of mastery, forcing the player to fully understand the mechanics they've been using throughout the game. At the same time, these encounters frequently carry a strong narrative weight, turning gameplay into a clash of ideals, philosophies, or competing visions of what the protagonist could become.

What are your favourite examples?

In my last post, I mentioned that I never made another team. I lied; I did make one more, this one. I even posted it on Reddit, but I wasn't happy with it, and after some revisions, I released it on Steam, but I never bothered to share it anywhere else.

It's probably my favorite team in the entire game, even more so than my other custom Capoeira team. As I said, it's a refinement of the first team I ever used, and it's simply smooth-brained; the strategy is super basic but incredibly satisfying. I believe I never had a combat longer than 5 rounds with this team outside the Cowardice boss.

This is a repost of a team I created over a year ago, updated in several aspects both technically and visually based on various suggestions.

Funny enough, a year ago after how well the first guide was received, I said I would do more, but no team managed to convince me enough; at least I was able to take notes to improve the overall presentation; it should be easier to read in general.