![]() While not every boss needs to be a raid-level fight like Shadowtrap, that would still be preferable to the main villain of the DLC or campaign being weak. More often than not, though, Borderlands’ main campaigns and expansions are capped off by a fight that most players can finish in seconds. Obviously, there are a few exceptions, such as the Seer from Borderlands 3’s Director’s Cut and General Knoxx from the Secret Armory in the first game. ![]() These are hardly the only examples, as the versions of Jack seen in the DLCs and the Psychoreaver are more evidence of the problem. In Borderlands 3, the fight against the heart in Guns, Love, and Tentacles was too simple despite an interesting premise, and even though she was charismatic throughout Bounty of Blood, Butcher Rose was ultimately just another cakewalk. Captain Scarlett was extremely easy in Borderlands 2, as was the Handsome Sorcerer. Outside the first game’s expansions, tough final bosses in Borderlands DLCs are few and far between. Unfortunately, easy final bosses have been seen across the Borderlands expansions as well. The Destroyer-powered Tyreen was a pushover, too, with Borderlands 3's Troy Calypso boss fight being far more memorable and feeling like an actual finale. Borderlands 2's Warrior was another spectacle fight without much challenge, and Lilith constantly warning that the lava was rising did not add much intensity to the experience. In the original game, there was the Destroyer, a giant alien eye with minimal attacks and a clear weak spot. It is not hard to find scenarios where final bosses in Borderlands were too easy. ![]() With many players completing side quests, leveling up, and gathering good loot before they battle the last major enemy of the story, Gearbox should consider delivering more final boss fights on par with Eclipse and EOS. Unfortunately, the franchise has struggled to make its final boss fights difficult, as more often than not they feel like a cakewalk. Shadowtrap being so difficult to defeat just felt right, as he served as the true final boss of Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel’s Claptastic Voyage DLC and the game as a whole. A giant boss as tall as a building with a second form that sees it becoming a version of the Helios space station makes for an unforgettable visual as well, and players will likely die several times before they fell the boss. With a massive health pool, turrets to draw attention from the player and add some attacks, and a second form in EOS, there is a lot to overcome. Shadowtrap’s Eclipse mech is more threatening than some of Borderlands’ raid bosses, and that is a good thing. RELATED: One Surprising Genre Would Allow For an Interesting Borderlands Spin-Off Borderlands’ Final Bosses Are Often Far Too Easy However, it is the brutally difficult final boss that stands out the most, and it is something that the rest of the Borderlands series should look toward for inspiration. Glitched weapons were fun to use, the environments in Clatrap’s mind were interesting to explore, and the Cortex offered a replayable arena mode for those looking to challenge themselves. Great writing and a tragic ending for Claptrap helped set up his role in Borderlands 2, but they were far from the only upsides of the DLC. Further, though the game struggled at launch, the Claptastic Voyage DLC ensured it ended on a high note. Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel’s grinder is brought up often, while many are still hoping that there will eventually be a payoff to whatever The Watcher was warning the Vault Hunters about. While it is viewed by nearly everyone as a significant step-down from Borderlands 2, it had its share of strengths, some of which the community continues to bring up years later. ![]() Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel was an interesting game to say the least.
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