Stories in gaming have evolved from simple setups to mind-blowing stories that will keep players on the edge of their seats until the very end. It’s a testament to how much the video game industry has evolved that countless titles now feature well-crafted stories that are an absolute treat to get through, including in the Indies.
Obviously expectations are through the roof in story-heavy games, where a plot twist is a pretty risky way to get people to invest in the story. Fortunately, the following games knew exactly how to make a great plot twist that would wow most players and turn these titles into some of the most unforgettable video game experiences of all time.
10 Jack was mind-controlled the whole time (BioShock)
It would be hard to think of great plot twists in video games without mentioning the first one BioShock title. For a game with a silent protagonist, it’s amazing how the story made players really care about Jack.
Most of this was partly a big twist in the middle of the game, where it was revealed that Atlas was actually Frank Fontaine and manipulated Jack with the phrase “Would you be kind?” It’s a great twist that makes the Fontaine hunt even more captivating.
9 Introducing Chara (Undertale)
Chara is one of the worst characters in the whole of undertale. Players turn into this demonic character towards the end of the Genocide run after it is revealed that the player is turning into an evil creature.
The genocide run is pretty creepy as it is, and seeing Chara at the end makes for a truly nightmarish sight. To this day, most players still writhe in their seats during his iconic jumpscare.
8 Conrad was dead, Walker was just using him as a coping mechanism (Spec Ops: The Line)
Spec Ops: The Line is a brilliant third-person shooter that brilliantly undercuts expectations. A game that resembles an everyday military shooter snowballing into something completely different and hugely engaging.
Throughout the game, Walker follows Conrad’s instructions and performs some truly gruesome actions. He tries to track down Conrad to make him pay for his crimes… only to realize that Conrad was dead all along. Every murder committed in the game was done by Walker himself, as his mental state struggled to keep him afloat.
7 Viktor Reznov died a long time ago (Call Of Duty: Black Ops)
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Speaking of military shooters with awesome plots, there’s another title that deserves to be mentioned here. The Duty series may have a bit of a bad rap, but there’s no denying that some of their games take it out of the park when it comes to the story campaign.
That is the case with Call of Duty Black Ops, a favorite of many players who love the great story of this series. The main character, Mason, recalls many adventures with Viktor Reznov during an interrogation… only to reveal that Reznov had died after their first meeting, with Mason being brainwashed several times during his incarceration.
6 The player was always Darth Revan (Star Wars: Knights Of The Old Republic)
Knights of the Old Republic considered by many to be one of the best Star Wars games ever made. The astonishing plot of this title showed why BioWare was at the top during this period.
Throughout the game, players will hear about the legend of Darth Revan and how he was one of the most diabolical Sith Masters. Well, it is later revealed that the main character is actually the legendary Darth Revan himself, who was captured and restored in an attempt to make them leave the Dark Side once and for all.
5 The Death of Aerith (Final Fantasy 7)
JRPGs never really played with the permanent death of party members. This is exactly what the death of Aerith in Final Fantasy 7 one of the most shocking and surprising deaths in gaming history.
There was no celebration or anything along those lines – Aerith simply dies after being stabbed out of nowhere by Sephiroth. It’s a shocking moment and players don’t even get time to breathe as Sephiroth fires up a boss fight right after them too!
4 Wander Followed The Bad Guy’s Instructions (Shadow Of The Colossus)
Shadow of the Colossus is a pretty cryptic game that never gives its players the full picture. For the most part, players feel they are doing the right thing by taking down these massive behemoths in an attempt to rekindle the love of their lives.
However, it turns out that Wander was actually the villain and was taking down innocent behemoths that existed to curb a great evil in this holy land. Although this evil, Dormin, manages to get out by completely inhabiting Wander’s body, he is quickly resealed before he can do any harm.
3 Tidus was a dream of faith (Final Fantasy 10)
Final Fantasy games may have very complicated stories, but the emotional payouts are almost always worth it. That is the case with Final Fantasy 10which is one of the best games in the series.
Tidus, the protagonist, is revealed as a dream of the Fayth after players have progressed quite a bit in the story. He was brought back to face Sin’s threat and tearfully bid Yuna farewell before departing for the Farplane.
2 Isaac saw and heard his wife Nicole in hallucinations (dead space)
Empty space is one of the best horror titles ever made. Fans can’t wait to see how the remake will fare, especially given the great quality of the original title.
The game had a brilliant plot twist that revolved around the main character’s wife, Nicole. As Isaac sees and interacts with her over the course of the game, it turns out that this was nothing more than his ghost fooling him – in reality Nicole was dead from the moment Isaac boarded the USG Ishimura.
1 Booker and Comstock Were the Same Person (BioShock Infinite)
BioShock Infinite is one of the best video games ever made, bringing an end to the BioShock trilogy at a high level. This game did everything to make the plot as immersive as possible.
The final twist is the most stunning of them all, revealing that Booker and the antagonist, Comstock, are both the same characters from different dimensions who at some point made a crucial decision to become the person they are in their respective reality. The only way to end this cycle of torment is to kill Booker at his baptism before he can become a horrific villain in the first place.
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