It would impossible to talk about the greatest games released for the original PlayStation without mentioning the absolute masterpiece that is Final Fantasy VII. This title is single-handedly responsible for ushering in the new wave of JRPGs on the PlayStation, turning the console into a hub of sorts for this increasingly popular genre. One might argue that modern JRPGs like Persona 5 would've never even seen a Western release had it not been for the successful release of Final Fantasy VII.
Part of what made Final Fantasy VII such a special RPG was a slew of incredible boss fights, each of which challenged the player and compelled them to bring all their tools to the table in a memorable climactic showdown. However, not all of these bosses left players with a sense of relief post their defeat — some of these bosses were either boring, frustrating, or a mix of both, leading to these encounters being largely forgettable in the grand scheme of things.
10 AMAZING: Hojo
Hojo is one of the best villains in the series, and is credited as the figure that pretty much kickstarted the events of Final Fantasy VII as we know it. He sent Vincent into a coma, performed experiments on Lucrecia that were ultimately fatal, genetically engineered Sephiroth, and pretty much did every horrible thing possible in the Final Fantasy VII universe.
The fight against him is a three-part boss fight that is easily one of the more memorable moments in the game and provides a massive degree of satisfaction as this horrible human being finally breathes his last.
9 WORST: Palmer
Palmer is another figure from Shinra who generally functions as a thorn in AVALANCHE's side, even though his transgressions aren't nearly as serious as Hojo's — if anything, he's more of a bumbling fool and serves as nothing more than comic relief.
So, it was only a given that a boss fight against him would be nothing more than a joke... but it's still quite surprising to see just how laughably weak and stupid Palmer really is nevertheless.
8 AMAZING: Diamond Weapon
Trying to stop a massive towering figure from destroying Midgar is a surprisingly fun endeavor to take, with perhaps the only boring moment of the fight being actually waiting for Diamond Weapon to walk onto the shore so that the party can interact with him.
The resulting fight is an absolute blast, with the player giving this behemoth a beating until he succumbs to his injuries once and for all. It's a moment that finally shows the player how much progress they've made over the course of the game — after all, they were able to single-handedly take down a threat that would've wiped the entire city of Midgar out!
7 WORST: Materia Keeper
The Materia Keeper is the boss of what is easily one of the worst dungeons in the entire game. Climbing Mount Nibel is a pain in itself, and what makes this journey even worse is the boss that lies at the end.
The Materia Keeper is a surprisingly powerful boss that can make quick work of the player and ruin all their progress if they're not careful enough. Keeping a good stock of materia and bolstering defenses is highly recommended so that this boss doesn't pose too much of a problem.
6 AMAZING: Jenova LIFE
Aerith's death hits the player like a ton of bricks... and yet the game never gives any time for this death to sink in. Rather, Sephiroth forces the player into an encounter with another form of Jenova, while Aerith's theme plays in the background.
This boss fight is amazing for reasons other than the mechanics, the enemy, or anything else along the same lines — it serves as a jarring extended conclusion to Disc 1 and is easily one of the most impactful moments in the entire game.
5 WORST: Lost Number
A boss that constantly switches between physical and magical stats is bound to be extremely annoying, and the Lost Number certainly doesn't fail in this particular department.
While this boss is optional, players who wish to unlock the complete Final Fantasy VII experience would certainly want to defeat the Lost Number. After all, this boss gives players the Odin Materia, the Cosmo Memory item to unlock Red XIII's Ultimate Limit Break, and a key that unlocks the area where one can unlock Vincent.
4 AMAZING: Bizarro Sephiroth
The final encounter against Sephiroth was always bound to be memorable, and Squaresoft definitely didn't disappoint in this regard. Bizarro Sephiroth is the second boss in the final boss rush, coming right after Jenova SYNTHESIS. It's a great boss fight that puts the player's skills to the test... and yet, it's not even the last form of Sephiroth that needs to be fought.
3 WORST: Dyne
Barret's storyline is heart-wrenching for a number of reasons, but there's no denying that the finale to his story could've been handled way better. The return of Dyne was marred heavily by what is easily one of the worst bosses in the entire game. Both Barret and Dyne just share potshots, with Barret being forced to use healing items or spells in the middle of this confrontation. This finally ends with Dyne jumping off the edge, which is exactly what most players felt while going through the motions in this boss fight.
2 AMAZING: Safer Sephiroth
The final version of Sephiroth has the appearance of a god-like entity, which is a perfect way to describe what Sephiroth thought of himself after learning about his true roots.
It's a great encounter, further enhanced by what is easily one of the best final boss scores in Final Fantasy history — a statement that, given the amazing OSTs of Nobuo Uematsu, is not made lightly. Ending the game with this encounter would've been the perfect cap off to an amazing game... but Squaresoft just couldn't stop themselves from marring the experience somewhat.
1 WORST: Sephiroth
From a story standpoint, the final duel between Cloud and Sephiroth at the end of the game makes perfect sense. Cloud, having been fighting Sephiroth's influence on his mind all this time, finally ends this debilitating connection in the most resounding manner possible.
However, in execution, this moment completely falls apart. Cloud cannot die in this encounter no matter what, and it serves as nothing more than giving players the illusion of control as they free the protagonist's mind once and for all.