Top 20 EVIL Endings in Video Games

“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.

“Batman: Arkham City” (2011)

The central storyline of this acclaimed sequel stays noticeably rigid throughout, save for one instance of a branching choice after Batman is left unconscious by falling debris. After a brief segment involving Catwoman’s latest theft, players are 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.

“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 “GTA 5”, wherein 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.

“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. 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.

“Prey” (2017)

Humanity will prevail in the end…right? In this reboot, a recurring theme is testing of one’s moral fiber. 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.

“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 losing himself in the process. In a fittingly grotesque nod to the films, Palpatine rebuilds Starkiller as a cyborg intended to replace Vader, with no chance of redemption or freedom in sight.

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

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.

“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 side 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.

“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.

“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.

“Call of Duty: Black Ops 2” (2012)

While it’s far more revered for its online multiplayer, the single player narratives across the Call of Duty franchise do have the occasional gems. Case and point when things all go to hell should you screw up two possible variants. The first occurs if the player fails to save the hacker “Karma”, if that happens antagonist Raul Menendez ends up brutally killing her, and as such is unable to prevent a virus wiping out the US’s power stations. The second occurs should you decide to put Menendez down yourself, which leads to global anarchy, so you may want to watch that trigger finger.

“Spider-Man: Web of Shadows” (2008)

Be honest, we all think Spidey’s black suit is badass. Unfortunately it comes with the slight drawback of turning him into a narcissistic hellraiser. Should players decide to let him give into his inner darkness on every given occasion, the not-so friendly neighborhood Spider-Man becomes the ruler of a New York City infested with symbiotes. Yeah, you may have ended up isolating your friends, Mary Jane now hates you and you actually ended up killing Venom…but at least he got Black Cat for a queen!

“Far Cry 3” (2012)

As Jason Brody, players had gunned their way through Rook Island, bested both Vaas and Hoyt, and even earned the love of the beautifully exotic Citra. Why would anyone want to return to the outside world when she offers the chance to become a king? All she asks is you sever all ties to Jason’s old life…by slitting his girlfriend’s throat. If Jason goes through with it, then he does indeed get a hero’s welcome. As Citra rocks his world, she also plunges a dagger into his chest, giving what she believes to be a noble death worthy of a warrior. Ouch.

“Heavy Rain” (2010)

The Origami Killer has claimed the lives of many fathers and sons, and if players aren’t quick and their feet, it’s a very real possibility that he gets away with his crimes. If Ethan fails or refuses to take on the Origami Killer’s trials, then he and his kidnapped son Shaun end up losing their lives. The same can also apply to FBI Agent Norman Jayden and reporter Madison Paige if they fail in their hunt for the truth. Oh well, at least we aced all of the Scott Shelby levels… he’s the murderer? Ah damn it.

“Bioshock” (2007)

When you’re hunted down by Big Daddies and have the likes of Andrew Ryan whispering in your ear, you’d be forgiven for wanting to grab as much ADAM as possible in order to defend yourself. However, to do so you have to be willing to kill the Little Sisters. Turns out that ADAM high is so addictive, that even after they help the player kill Frank Fontaine, you’re so hooked on the stuff that he snuffs them out without question. From there, Rapture is nothing but a stepping stone as you and plenty of Splicers rise up from the ocean to begin an assault on the surface world.

“Fallout 3” (2008)

All throughout your journey across the Capital Wasteland, you may have heard the occasional pre-recorded messages by one John Henry Eden, a president who just so happens to be an artificial intelligence with the voice of Malcolm McDowell. Turns out this non-elect has a plan to cleanse the wasteland. Instead of letting loose the waters of life to restore prosperity, Eden asks the Lone Wanderer to insert a modified version of the Forced Evolutionary Virus into the Purifier in order to kill all Super Mutants. While it somewhat succeeds in that respect, it also ends up poisoning the world in the process. Way to go.

“Infamous 2” (2011)

After learning of the incoming threat of a creature known as the Beast, you wouldn’t have thought that Cole would have much time for turning into a megalomaniac. As it turns out, the one way to kill the Beast also happens to lead to the death of every Conduit on the planet. If your karma has led you down the path of infamy, then Cole decides that humanity can pretty much screw itself. Killing off his former friends one by one, Cole eventually takes the place of the Beast and leads all Conduits in a battle for supremacy on the evolutionary ladder.

“Undertale” (2015)

Did you perhaps fall in love with this revolutionary indie game’s cast of charming characters? Well, now you get to slaughter them all! Should you grind your way through killing every single monster in the underground, you eventually come face to face with Chara, that character you’re playing as. In a rather surreal exchange, they offer you the chance to erase the world. Regardless of whether you agree or not, you still end up meeting your maker, and in the process permanently taint your saved file. Chara sees all.

“Dishonored” (2012)

Just because you’re a masked master assassin blessed with powers from a less than benevolent deity, does that really give you the excuse to kill everyone? If players choose to let Corvo loose and kill his intended targets, and not care how many guardsmen or civilians lose their heads in the process, then the result is that all of Dunwall is thrown into High Chaos - a land of anarchy and death made infinitely worse if you didn’t manage to save Emily Kaldwin from plunging to her death. Sure, revenge might have felt oh so sweet, but was it really worth it in the end?

“Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic” (2003)

Wait, you mean we’re actually an all-powerful Sith Lord? That we can plunge the galaxy into a new era of darkness while also showing Darth Malak whose boss? Any friend or foe who steps in our way shall be utterly crushed by our mastery of the Force? Sign us up. As well as being one of the best twists in all of gaming, this alternate ending gives players the chance to indulge in their turn to the Dark Side, to the point where you feel like truly nothing can stand in your way. There’s no other conclusion that has made us feel that the role of a villain is way more fun than playing hero.