Nothing feels quite as satisfying as a well-executed plot twist where everything the players knew about the world is turned on its head. When video games first started out, complex narratives were a little thin on the ground, but as the medium has grown, so have the stories being told. Plot twists in video games are not a new concept nowadays, but sometimes a twist comes along so shocking it stays with fans long after they’ve completed the game.
Plot twists are not without risks, and a bad twist can be worse than a boring one. When using a twist at the end, it’s almost double the risk as that will be the last thing players will remember the game for. Luckily all of these games managed to pull off twists that blew players’ minds in the best possible way.
15 God Of War
Gorgeously designed, with great gameplay and a brilliant story, God of War has players battling their way through Norse mythology. The twist at the end of God of War comes after Kratos and Atreus have finally managed to scatter the ashes of Faye, Kratos’ wife and Atreus’ mother. Revealed on a set of murals, players learn that Faye was a giant also known as Laufey, and that the giants refer to Atreus by his Jötnar name Loki. The twist that the Norse god of mischief has secretly been traveling with them the whole time was a surprise to most players but a fitting one given Loki’s domain.
14 Heavy Rain
Quantic Dream’s Heavy Rain is a decent crime thriller following four protagonists as they try to solve the mystery of the Origami Killer. The game hints throughout that Ethan Mars, the first protagonist players encounter, is the killer, with his memory loss and blackouts providing strong evidence. However, it is one of the other player characters who is the real killer. Scott Shelby, a private investigator seemingly hunting for the Origami Killer, has been using his investigation, so he can collect and destroy evidence. This twist has divided fan opinion, with some loving it and some outright hating it, claiming it made no sense.
13 Infamous
Infamous sees the players take control of Cole, a bike messenger caught in a devastating explosion which gives him electricity superpowers. Working against Cole the entire time is Kessler, the leader of a gang called the First Sons. However, during the boss fight with him, players learn that Kessler is actually Cole from the future. As plot twists go, it’s an oldie but a goodie, setting up the sequel Infamous 2 in the process.
12 Fantasy Fantasy VI
Players spend the first half of Fantasy Fantasy VI thinking Emperor Gestahl was the main bad guy, only to have it revealed that his underling Kefka has murdered him and taken over. Kefka then goes on to be the final boss and one of the most devastating villains of the franchise. Kefka uses his powers to destroy the planet, ripping open the grounds and turning the world into an apocalyptic wasteland.
11 Metroid
Back in 1986, Metroid pulled one of the best twists in early gaming history, and it had nothing to do with the plot. Players control the bounty hunter Samus Aran as they battle space pirates and retrieve the parasitic Metroids they have stolen. After defeating the pirates and destroying the Mother Brain, Samus returns to their ship and takes off their helmet. The twist is Samus is female, something that was revolutionary in 80s gaming.
10 Red Dead Redemption
Players take on the role of John Marston in Red Dead Redemption and are recruited by the US government to deal with the last members of his old gang. Given that the government has taken his family and is holding them hostage, John obviously agrees. The story ends with John reuniting with his wife and son; however, that happily ever after is shattered when the government agents who struck the deal with John turn up at his ranch. What follows is the depressing twist of Red Dead Redemption as the government kills John in front of his ranch.
9 Spec Ops: The Line
Spec Ops: The Line is a solid shooter with a surprisingly ambitious story as players control Delta Force captain Martin Walker as he leads his team in dealing with insurgents in Dubai. However, as Walker goes to confront the manipulative Colonel Konrad, who Walker believes has been trying to take control of Dubai the player instead finds a corpse. This twist is that Konrad has been dead for weeks. Walker has been hallucinating Konrad, and Walker did all the terrible things of his own volition.
8 Undertale
In Undertale killing monsters grants the player EXP while letting them run away does not, and the player will stay at LV one. The choice seems simple, as players are expected to grant levels in video games. However, that’s how Undertale managed to pull one of its greatest twists. At the end, players learn that everything they have done has been judged and it turns out that LV doesn’t stand for level, and EXP isn’t experience points. Instead, they are acronyms for “level of violence” and “execution points,” meaning the more monsters players killed, the worse of a person they are.
7 The Last Of Us Part 1
The Last of Us blew everyone away when it was first released with its complex narrative and nuanced characters. After escorting Ellie across the apocalyptic United States, Joel finally delivers her to the Fireflies, who intend to use her immunity to the cordyceps infection to make a cure. However, Joel and the player soon learn that the revolutionary group has lied from the beginning, and in order to make the cure, Ellie will have to die. The twist that The Last of Us throws at players feels like a gut punch and serves to make Joel’s actions somewhat more justified in the eyes of the player.
6 Final Fantasy VII
Final Fantasy VII has perhaps the most well-known plot twists of the series. As the innocent Aerith prays at an altar, smiling up at Cloud, the superhuman Sephiroth strikes her down without mercy. Players don’t even have time to properly process this evil act as a boss battle immediately kicks off. Up until Final Fantasy VII JRPGs had never really explored the impact of permanently killing off party members. Aerith’s death changed all that and left players unsure of who would survive.
5 Braid
Indie puzzle-platformer Braid is a wonderful example of ending twists performed perfectly. Players spend the game as Tim as he attempts to navigate the world to save a princess. However, what makes Braid stand out is its ending when at the final level, players discover Tim isn’t trying to save the princess after all. With clever time manipulation, it’s revealed that players have actually been playing in reverse, and the princess is trying to escape Tim. Braid wonderfully flips the fantasy princess trope on its head with the twist that Tim is not the hero but actually a stalker.
4 Dead Space
Dead Space is one of the best horror games and one that set the standard for all those who followed. Players control Isaac, an engineer who travels to a ship called the Kellion to find out what happened to his girlfriend, Nicole. Throughout Dead Space, players will encounter Nicole as Isaac tries to fend off terrifying undead Necroporph creatures. However, the big twist comes close to the end when it is revealed that Nicole is actually a hallucination and was dead long before Isaac and the player ever arrived.
3 Knights Of The Old Republic
Knights of the Old Republic opens with the player taking on the role of an unnamed Republic soldier with no memory of anything that is happening around them. The rest of the game is spent gathering allies to help put a stop to the plans of the Sith and their leader Darth Malak. Throughout the game, players learn about a terrifying Sith Lord Darth Revan, who was once Malak’s master. The final showdown with Malak sets up one of the best twists in gaming takes place as players learn that they are Revan, blowing many minds in the process.
2 Silent Hill 2
Silent Hill 2 is a fantastic survival horror game in which players must navigate the monster-filled town of Silent Hill as James as he searches for answers about his dead wife, Mary. After battling monsters, encountering strange people, and witnessing events that defy logic, James finally finds a videotape that reveals all. It turns out James killed Mary, and all the monsters have just been manifestations of his own guilt and self-loathing. The twist of Silent Hill 2 is so clever and was something that hadn’t been seen before, catching everyone who played it by surprise.
1 Bioshock
Bioshock will go down in history for managing to pull off a twist that not only caught players by surprise but also played with gaming tropes. In the end, it is revealed that the player is the son of the game’s main antagonist, who has been brainwashed to respond to the command phrase “would you kindly”. If this weren’t enough, it soon becomes clear that the ‘friend’ who has been guiding you on the radio has been using this phrase to control your actions. Playing with the idea of free will in the video game is astonishingly clever and wonderfully subversive, and Bioshock executes it perfectly.