What FromSoftware Boss Fights Taught Me About Game Design and Grit

What FromSoftware Boss Fights Taught Me About Game Design and Grit

From the moment I faced my first FromSoftware boss, I knew this wasn’t just a game. It was a challenge, a philosophy and oddly enough a kind of teacher. Whether it was the punishing grace of Lady Maria, the relentless pressure of Genichiro Ashina, or the quiet terror of Maliketh, these fights were more than mechanics and health bars. They were emotional milestones that shaped how I approach not just game design, but life itself.

Design with Intent, Not Excess

FromSoftware doesn’t fill its worlds with clutter. Every move a boss makes is deliberate, every arena echoes with atmosphere. Take Artorias from Dark Souls, his aggression tells a story of madness and lost honour, conveyed entirely through combat animation and pacing.

As a designer, I learned that less can be more. A well placed sound cue, a single change in phase behaviour, or a small animation detail can speak volumes. I now approach design not by asking “What can I add?” but “What can I refine?”

Emotion Can Be Embedded in Mechanics

The best boss fights make you feel something. Not just fear or frustration, but grief, awe, regret. I’ll never forget the moment I realised who I was truly fighting in the Radahn festival. The lore, the sky shattering meteor phase, the mournful setup, it turned a power fantasy into something tragic.

That moment taught me something vital, mechanics don’t just serve gameplay; they can carry emotion. The stagger of a tired boss, the brief hesitation before a final strike, or a unique theme can anchor a player’s emotions in the experience. That’s how I want to design my stories, with gameplay and narrative flowing together.

Players Should Struggle, for a Reason

FromSoftware games are famous for difficulty, but they’re not hard for the sake of it. They’re earned. They reward effort. And most of all, they respect the player.

When you finally beat a boss after twenty tries, it’s not just relief. It’s transformation. You’ve grown. You’ve adapted. That’s powerful. In life and game design, that showed me the value of struggle. That progress that feels good only matter if it’s earned.

In my own game ideas, I want the players growth to matter. Not just through numbers, but through rhythm, timing, and mastery.

Silence and Stillness Can Speak Louder Than Words

FromSoftware bosses are often quiet. There’s no trash talk. No cutscenes screaming “I’m evil!” There’s only the haunting silence before a duel, or a slow rise from the shadows. That stillness builds dread, reverence, curiosity.

It taught me something spiritual, that silence carries weight. And in my own writing and game planning, I want to leave space for mystery, for wonder, and for the player’s imagination.

Conclusion

FromSoftware didn’t just shape my taste in games; they helped shape my vision. They taught me that bosses can tell stories without dialogue, that design should be deliberate, and that struggle when meaningful becomes transformation. I carry these lessons with me into every creative decision I make.

Because to me, a good boss fight isn’t just something to beat.

It’s something to become.