It's currently been 8-9 months since I've been exposed to FromSoftware and, in turn, all their games, starting from the Demon's Souls remake (I can't play the original at the moment), all the way to Elden Ring's DLC.

In that time, I've tended to notice a certain trend in bosses starting all the way from Demon's Souls to Elden Ring, and I want to try to extrapolate my thoughts all in this document here to really drive home how I feel.

Souls Bosses typically fall into 4 categories for the most part:

1. Traditional

This is typically a one-on-one duel where the boss's moveset is the ONLY variable. With such fights, there are no environmental or moveset gimmicks, no scripted set pieces, no invulnerability phases that require outside tools, and no additional enemy spawns. The boss's arena is your playground as you essentially dodge/block/parry and punnish. The challenge here is pattern memorization and reactive punishment. You win by out-skilling the boss in a fair environment.

2. Gimmick

This typically involves fighting a boss that is, for the most part, either invulnerable, unreachable, or difficult to beat through standard combat until you interact with a specific external mechanic. Think of fights like the Storm King, Yhorm, and Rykard, where you need a designated weapon to make said bosses beatable or easy to beat.

Naturally, this isn't the only type of gimmick fight there is, as such fights mainly require you to use observational awareness and environmental problem-solving to figure out "the trick" of the fight, like with bosses like Bed of Chaos, Executioner's Chariot, Curse Rotted Greatwood, Ancient Wyvern, and Rennala Queen of the Full Moon.

3. Gank

The core essence of this category involves fighting multiple distinct enemy entities simultaneously. This naturally ranges from a 2v2 onward, as the main challenge here is how to handle the threat with appropriate spatial management, threat-priority assessment, and camera control, as without learning how to do those, you lose, as you easily get surrounded and overwhelmed.

N/B: This is not a boss that summons adds as I feel like they fall under category four.

4. Mixed/Hybrid

This boss fight combines two or more of the above to create a memorable experience. For example, a boss fight starts as a traditional fight before it transforms into a gank fight as it summons adds, or a traditional fight may have a central gimmick that spices up the experience, and so on. These fights are typically among my favorites, as they spice up the experience.

Think of bosses like Sister Frieda that start off as a traditional fight with a gimmick incorporated into it as you, the player, try to figure out her position as she goes invisible. Then, as you beat her first phase, her second phase switches into a gank fight with Father Ariandel, which naturally separates you and Frieda, and as you prolong the fight, you realise that Frieda doesn't just stand there as a dummy; she attacks and even heals Father Ariandel.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Finally, for anyone curious about what my soul's journey looked like, I started off with Bloodborne, then DS1, then DS2, then Elden Ring, then DS3, then DS, and finally Sekiro. It may look wonky, but I was just getting games that were on sale.

Otherwise what are your thoughts on this?