Another Top 10 Evil Endings in Video Games

Another Top 10 Evil Endings in Video Games

Evil can be a nice change of place for gamers, particularly when the payoff to a game’s worth of misdeeds is sufficiently excellent. Welcome to WatchMojo.com and today we’re counting down our list for Another Top 10 Evil Endings in Video Games.

Once again we’re examining those most malicious conclusions in the world of gaming that result from walking the path of villainy. We’re placing a firm limit of one game per franchise, and please note that there will be major spoilers ahead.

#10: Delsin’s Fall

“Infamous Second Son” (2014)

Sometimes the allure of revenge is too great to ignore. Case in point: Delsin Rowe, the power absorbing hero of “Second Son”, has the chance to use the villainous Brooke Augustine’s own concrete powers against her. What follows is a series of ending slides that illustrate how malevolent Delsin has become, as he leads his allies in conquering Seattle by force. However, the darkest moment is saved for last, as Delsin returns to his Akomish reservation but is turned away because of his actions. His spite and contempt are on full display here, closing out the game in spectacularly cruel fashion.

#9: Leave Batman

“Batman: Arkham City” (2011)

The central storyline in Rocksteady Games’ third game “Batman: Arkham City” stays noticeably rigid throughout, save for one instance of a branching choice. Yet it’s quite the significant moment, beginning when Batman is left unconscious by falling debris. After a brief segment involving Catwoman’s theft of valuables, we’re put in the position of choosing between rescuing Batman or leaving him to his fate. The expectation is that Catwoman helps Batman… but if she elects to abandon the Caped Crusader, an alternate credits sequence plays, revealing the heroes of Gotham to be devastated and beaten. Hell of a downer, if we say so ourselves.

#8: Kill Michael

“Grand Theft Auto V” (2013)

Despite the saying, there really isn’t any honor among thieves. At least, that’s the idea underlined in one potential ending of “Grand Theft Auto V”, wherein lead character Franklin must decide who of his two allies to betray. Going after Michael De Santa leads into a harrowing chase sequence to a water tower, with Michael expressing his anguish and fury at Franklin’s betrayal every step of the way. The tragedy at play here comes to a head as Michael falls to his death, leaving Franklin alone to ruminate on his actions. To make matters worse, this also leads to the third protagonist – Trevor – refusing to associate with Franklin beyond this point.

#7: Death of the Family

“The Suffering” (2004)

Over the course of “The Suffering”, death row inmate Torque is faced with many a dilemma regarding whether to help or hurt fellow inmates and survivors on Carnate Island. Provided Torque kills enough people and generally takes the Evil path, the reasoning for his imprisonment comes to light in the climax… and it’s not pretty. We get to witness the manner in which Torque slew his wife and two sons, hearing their screams and begging as their lives are cut short. The revelation that Torque is indeed an unrepentant killer lends greater menace to his actions, and makes his successful escape from the island all the more troubling.

#6: A Hidden Place

“Prey” (2017)

Humanity will prevail in the end… right? In the 2017 reboot of “Prey”, a recurring theme is testing of one’s moral fibre; your character, supposedly Morgan Yu, is put into situations where they must decide between empathy and clinical detachment. The point of this is only made clear at the game’s end, when it’s shown that we’ve really been controlling a Typhon creature which has been living through Morgan’s memories. With the trust of Morgan’s brother Alex and his robotic assistants, the Typhon can then proceed to kill everyone present and thus crush any hope for the survival of humankind.

#5: The Dark Side

“Star Wars: The Force Unleashed” (2008)

Like a certain Jedi master once said, always two there are, no more, no less. After a heated duel with his former master Darth Vader, the assassin-turned-revolutionary Starkiller is left torn between helping the Rebel leaders or exacting his vengeance. The latter path has Starkiller finally slay Vader, culminating in a chain of events that sees him become the Emperor's apprentice – but lose himself in the process. In a fittingly grotesque nod to the films, the Emperor rebuilds Starkiller as a cyborg intended to replace Vader, with no chance of redemption or freedom in sight. Terrible a fate as it is, it’s just the right kind of tragic conclusion for our liking.

#4: Becoming the God of Murder

“Baldur’s Gate II: Throne of Bhaal” (2001)

It’s a long road to get there, but the payoff is morbidly enthralling. Upon passing through various trials and overcoming the odds, the player’s character – a child of the God of Murder, Bhaal – reaches the plane where their father’s throne resides. There, the Bhaalspawn can return to the mortal world or take Bhaal’s place as a more benevolent deity… unless you’ve built an evil character, that is. In that case the ending takes on a more sinister tone, as the Bhaalspawn prepares to unleash great turmoil on the surrounding planes. The subsequent written epilogues for the player’s party members also match this last choice nicely, with disappointment, longing and despair being the general rule.

#3: Siding with Superman

“Injustice 2” (2017)

Absolute power corrupts absolutely. Late in the campaign of “Injustice 2”, the player is put in the position of deciding whether Batman or Superman’s sides in the conflict will triumph. Aligning with Superman leads into a series of brutal brawls that leave Batman and company at the mercy of their foes. The tangible dread only gets heightened in the final scene, where Superman has his cousin Kara – aka Supergirl – at his mercy. “Injustice 2” opting to show us what’s become of Batman and leaving off on a grim choice for Supergirl is masterful, as grim cliffhangers go.

#2: Welcome to Dubai

“Spec Ops: The Line” (2012)

Once the killing starts, there’s no end in sight. The final moments of “Spec Ops: The Line” have ostensible hero Captain Martin Walker facing off against a hallucination of his former commanding officer Colonel Konrad. Should Walker shoot the imagined Konrad, the game then presents an epilogue in which Walker is approached by U.S. soldiers on the outskirts of Dubai. The violence doesn’t cease there, though; Walker can then gun down the soldiers mercilessly, bringing the game to a close with a grim reprise of a familiar line. It all serves to hammer home that, for Walker, there will be no escape – just death and despair.

#1: Kane Wins

“Command & Conquer: Tiberian Sun” (1999)

This certainly took a turn for the worse. Choosing to follow the Brotherhood of Nod campaign in “Tiberian Sun” immediately demands a willingness on the player’s part to engage in villainy, given the Brotherhood’s cult-like nature. That said, it still doesn’t prepare you fully for how unrelentingly monstrous the endgame turns out to be. Once the Brotherhood finishes tearing down the GDI, we get to watch as the enigmatic Kane declares his victory… by launching missiles that spread the Tiberium substance across the Earth’s surface. In one fell swoop Kane and the Brotherhood have effectively wiped out the entire human race, thanks to us.