The Best Video Game Battle Ever

Last Sunday’s Game of Thrones episode featuring the titular Battle of the Bastards was thrilling, nerve-wracking (albeit predictable), and bizarrely satisfying which seems foreign to this series. Many critics are raving about the technical mastery of the show’s direct, Miguel Sapochnik, who orchestrated one of the best battle sequences ever captured on camera (including big budget theatrical films). This got us thinking about video game equivalents.

What is the best battle sequence ever captured in a game?

Allows us a moment to clarify. We’re not saying the best last boss fight. Those, we’d argue, should have a narrative impact, capture lessons learned from playing the game, and not introduce random gameplay mechanics or cutscenes to reach the conclusion. We’re talking epic battle scenes where many lives are at stake, victory hangs in the balance at any moment in time, and is a compelling moment to play (i.e. not a mindless exercise of killing countless bullet sponges in so many Call of Duty games). In recent memory, the one major battle that stands out to us has to be the final fight on the airships in Bioshock Infinite.

Sure, it beat us to a pulp, but it was an incredible experience

Bioshock Infinite had lofty ambitions from the start. Developer Ken Levine has an impressive resume with System Shock 2 and the original Bioshock that circumvented FPS norms to immersed games into dark, corrupted worlds full of ideological quandaries with some rather stunning narrative twists and turns. Those that have played through Infinite know that Ken Levine did not disappoint. Once again you’re presented with a wholly original and visually-striking world of the floating country of Columbia corrupted by institutional racism and an ongoing civil war. Once again the game is riddled with theological commentary and some insane plot reveals with multi-verses, anachronisms, and time travel.

The final battle of Bioshock Infinite sees your character, Booker DeWitt, on Columbia’s ex-leader’s airship charging towards a device called the “Siphon” in hopes that its destruction will restore the powers of Elizabeth, the woman with inexplicable abilities you were sent to rescue in the first place. In pursuit is an army of Vox Populi, the rebel uprising fighting against Columbia’s institutions who are certain you’re an imposter that must be killed as their Booker DeWitt was a martyr for their cause long ago – again, multi-verse so it can get confusing. At your disposal you of course have the armory of weaponry you’ve unlocked during the game as well as Booker’s powers (aka Vigors) you’ve found in your journey. Last but not least you’ve also managed to reign in some control on Elizabeth’s robotic aerial protector, the Songbird, who can be called in to fight off forces at times.

Somehow cooler than the Big Daddys – we didn’t think it was possible

Unlike most final fights, this is an unscripted battle sequence. The battle arena is contained to two-levels of the airship encircled by a skyrail available for quick navigation (or more likely a quick escape). What follows is extremely challenging. Initially you’re up against a handful of enemies that board your ship eager to shoot down its power source. Considering the tools at your disposal, the early enemies don’t stand much of chance.

Then the game challenges you to take down the enemy airships that are now hovering around yours.

You have the option of boarding them directly to destroy their core or, if he’s ready, Songbird is available to help you out in a pinch.

As close to Drogon as we can get.

You can actually get into a pretty good rhythm, hopping around your ship to lay waste to any unwanted stowaways and sending Songbird after pursuant ships until those damn patriots show up.

The game may be a blur now but odds are you haven’t forgotten them.

If you haven’t played the game in a while, you still likely have not forgotten these guys. They hit hard and take a ton of firepower to put down. Towards the back half of this fight they come out in droves which can really task the nerves which makes those sweet small victories all the better.

Always satisfying

There are many strategies for this fight you can find online but no real method to cheese this experience. It’s just going to take luck and skill to survive against impossible odds. The tide can shift easily as overwhelming forces can be cut down quickly if Songbird is suddenly ready for another attack or Elizabeth tosses you another set of salts to repower your vigors.

This is how a major battle should play out in a game. You’re not hitting a boss in the head three times, you’re not watching a cutscene play out through QTE, it can play out differently every time you try, and it’s challenging but never unfair. The fact that this occurs at the end of an otherwise incredible game makes it all the better.