Sylux is the main boss of Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, but he actually has two fake encounters before the real showdown. The first one was fairly easy, but the second was considerably more difficult, which is exactly how it should be.

I forgot exactly where this fight takes place in the game, but it is pretty much impossible to miss. The battle happens in a dark, futuristic indoor setting. Just like the previous encounter, Sylux is about the same size as Samus Aran, which is unusual in a series where most bosses are gigantic monsters.

Ironically, that makes him harder to defeat rather than easier. Like the first battle, this fight gave me a lot of deja vu from the game where Sylux originally debuted, Metroid Prime Hunters on the Nintendo DS. It makes me feel old knowing that game is technically considered retro now. I still remember playing it in high school not long after my family finally got high-speed internet.

The most memorable part of this battle was the electrified floor. There is almost nowhere safe to stand, so luckily for Samus, grappling hooks are scattered throughout the arena. The funny thing is that if Sylux had simply gotten rid of the grappling hooks, he probably could have made her fall to her doom. Such is the logic of video game bosses.

I do not think I died during this fight, although I could be remembering wrong. Either way, I do not recall struggling too much once I realized the grappling hooks were there to help. Like the previous encounter, defeating Sylux reveals that the body you fought was actually a robot. His true robotic form is surprisingly plain compared to the intimidating armor he projects during the battle. Even better, you receive an Energy Tank after the fight. That is a particularly valuable reward because Metroid Prime 4: Beyond hides its Energy Tanks far more aggressively than most of the other Metroid games I remember playing.