Top 20 WTF Video Game Moments

“Resident Evil: Village” (2021)
When Resident Evil Village introduced vampires and werewolves to the classic zombie franchise, few could have predicted it would also feature a massive, deformed baby fetus that chases you through narrow corridors, intent on devouring you whole... Actually, you know what? We probably could have predicted that. Encountered early in the game within House Beneviento, many players were left speechless at this nightmarish creature. Brilliantly designed to make our skin crawl, yet utterly bizarre, its scream ringing through our ears like a nightmarish foghorn. As strange as the concept of a giant baby might sound for a horror antagonist, Village manages to make it one of the game’s most unsettling and terrifying moments.

“God of War: Ragnarok” (2022)
In God of War: Ragnarok, Kratos and his son, Atreus, find themselves at war with the Norse gods once again. As they journey through the Nine Realms, they face formidable enemies, and the most terrifying foe of all is Thor, the heir to the throne of Asgard. Despite his beer belly and disheveled appearance, Thor proves his might in the first battle, quickly overwhelming Kratos with his immense strength. After a brutal encounter, Kratos faces certain death, only for Thor to shock him back to life, so he can kill him again! While the final showdown with Thor is far more epic, this unexpected twist remains one of Ragnarok's biggest WTF moments. For someone to be simply strong enough to kill Kratos once is wild. For them to be so strong they bring him back just for a laugh, that’s terrifying.

“It Takes Two” (2021)
In It Takes Two, when married couple May and Cody believe the way to break the curse placed upon them is to make their daughter cry, they take a shocking and brutal step. They murder her beloved elephant doll, Cutie. In this unexpectedly harrowing interactive scene, both players must collaborate to drag Cutie toward a ledge, tear off one of her ears, and ultimately push her off to her death, all while she pleads for mercy. We did not expect this moment of savagery that could rival the opening of “Saving Private Ryan”, but this painful and prolonged sequence will likely leave players momentarily stunned.

“The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt” (2015)


The Witcher 3 offers the opportunity to meet and interact with a wide variety of weird and interesting characters, but at the top of our WTF list is Aeramas’ the Tyromancer. Never heard of Tyromancy? Let me explain. While Geralt explores Aeramas' estate and uncovers that the mage had been an avid practitioner of tyromancy, the player learns that this is the art of predicting the future through cheese... Yep, cheese. This rare and unusual form of magic is typically practiced by mages who prefer solitude, as the cheese used in divination has a stench so foul it could rival a drowner's scent. It’s no surprise, then, that Aeramas' home remained untouched. No one would dare loot a place so foul-smelling… Except me, because I love cheese.

“Bionic Commando” (2009)
In Bionic Commando, the protagonist Nathan "Rad" Spencer’s bionic arm takes center stage. Much like Joel Miller’s revolver, or Rick Grimes’ trusty hatchet, it's not just a gameplay tool, but a shocking narrative twist. Late in the story, it’s revealed that the arm isn’t just a mechanical attachment, it’s infused with the consciousness of his deceased wife, Emily. This revelation explains the mysterious connection Spencer feels to the arm and adds a bizarre emotional layer to the game. The twist is as unexpected as it is controversial, polarizing players and critics alike. I for one, think it’s f***ing stupid… But that’s just me.

“Elden Ring” (2022)


Remember taking on Radahn in Elden Ring? He was easily one of the most intense, massive, and built up boss fights in the whole series. His sheer size, combined with his epic maneuvering of the massive fight arena, makes him easily one of the most memorable bosses in the game. Beating him feels like an achievement, with most players celebrating by jumping on their furniture and sharing their accomplishment with their friends. This is why in the Elden Ring DLC Shadow of the Erdtree, Radahn’s return as the formidable final boss made every single player’s jaw drop. Enhanced speed, Enhanced brutality, Enhanced ball-ache.

“Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty” (2002)
In Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty, Colonel Campbell experiences strange glitches during the final moments of the game, which is later revealed to be part of the game’s deeper narrative and themes. As the protagonist, Raiden, progresses through the story, the Colonel's communication becomes increasingly erratic, his voice sometimes warps, his dialogue feels disjointed, and he behaves unnaturally. The actual moment of communication breaking down became synonymouss with horror themes outside of horror games, with his dialogue breaking the fourth wall and making the player feel almost as if their console had been hacked.

“Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice” (2019)
Brutal, unforgiving boss battles are a hallmark of From Software games, and Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice's Guardian Ape is no exception. However, this boss stands out not just for its challenge, but for its uniquely primitive attacks. The massive white ape tries to poison the player with a cloud of its own flatulence, and if that doesn’t succeed, it hurls its feces at you. I truly believe to this day, these would be my special attacks as well. Once you manage to decapitate the creature, relief sets in, only for the ape to reanimate, holding its severed head, and launch into a terrifying second phase of the fight. Poop. Severed Heads. WTF?

“Final Fantasy VII Remake” (2020)
While the Honeybee Inn in the 1997 original Final Fantasy VII had its fair share of odd and unsettling moments, the scene that stands out in the 2020 remake is the unexpectedly sensual rhythm dance between Andrea and Cloud. The game is filled with quirky mini-games, and the storyline surrounding the Honeybee Inn is already bizarre. This new addition in the Final Fantasy VII Remake perfectly captures the absurdity and unique tone of this particular subplot, blending humor, surprise, and a touch of surreal eroticism. Is it a bit of a hard left turn for Cloud? Sure. Did it attract a new genre of Cloud thirst for some gamers? Clearly.

“Death Stranding” (2019)
In Death Stranding, there is a segment where the player encounters a World War II-themed area, which stands out for its eerie and surreal atmosphere. This section involves a flashback to a battle during WWII, where the player navigates through a ghostly, abandoned environment. The area is filled with military equipment and remnants of the war, but it’s also shrouded in a supernatural atmosphere, with cryptic symbols and strange occurrences. At this point in the game, for any moment to stand out and make us go “WTF?”, means some serious weirdness was going on.

“Portal 2” (2011)
In Portal 2, a pivotal and admittedly humorous moment occurs when GLaDOS is reduced to a potato. Do I need to explain who GLaDOS is for this entry? Just play the game, it’s very funny. She's a potato. After a series of events, the player and GLaDOS are forced to escape Aperture Science's facility. In the process, a turret sabotages GLaDOS’s core, resulting in her being physically disconnected from her mainframe and placed inside said potato battery. In this new form, GLaDOS becomes a more vulnerable, sarcastic, and ironically more sympathetic character, still maintaining her sharp wit. It’s comical, it’s unexpected, it’s Portal 2.

“Deadly Premonition” (2010)
The Sinner's Sandwich in Deadly Premonition became infamous for its out of pocket charm. A unique restaurant request, it’s a bizarre combination of turkey, strawberry jam, and cereal, which protagonist York describes as a way to "cleanse" one's sins. The weirdness of the recipe fits the quirky tone of the game and it has since become a meme among fans. Players often highlight it as a symbol of Deadly Premonition's offbeat humor, amongst the plethora of examples this incredibly weird game brings… Sorry I said plethora.

“Red Dead Redemption 2” (2018)
Red Dead Redemption 2 delivers one of the most heartbreaking narratives in gaming, yet Rockstar still injected humor and eccentricity into its side quests and random encounters, such as the stranger mission "A Bright Bouncing Boy." What starts as a remote-controlled boat demonstration soon spirals into a Frankenstein-esque attempt to bring a robot to life, an experiment that briefly succeeds, much to our surprise, considering tonally it didn’t match the rest of the game. After completing the quest, revisiting the location reveals the inventor dead and the robot atop a snowy mountain, mournfully repeating the word "Papa." Screw it, this deserves the full line. What the f***?

“Twelve Minutes” (2021)
Taboo subjects can create a shocking twist, especially when they appear unexpectedly, as seen in Twelve Minutes. In this game, the protagonist and his pregnant wife are trapped in a time loop where they are repeatedly killed by an intruder. The gimmick of the game is that you live the same 12 minute cycle, allowing different choices to create different outcomes, much in the same vein as Outer Wilds, and Deathloop. The story takes a disturbing turn with an end-game twist that reveals the couple are actually half-siblings. The revelation that the protagonist is not only married to his half-sister but also expecting a child with her adds an additional layer of EWWWWW. This decision sparked significant backlash from players and critics, but seriously guys, watch Game of Thrones, I found myself rooting for siblings to kiss by the end of that show.

“Batman: Arkham Asylum” (2009)
In Batman: Arkham Asylum, one of the weirder moments occurs during a sequence where players experience a fake "glitch" mimicking a game crash, and it’s pretty spot on too, as it lasts just long enough for players to get up and reset their console… Trust me. This happens as Batman confronts Scarecrow, who unleashes his fear toxin, warping reality. The screen suddenly freezes, then resets to an earlier part of the game, creating the illusion of a malfunction. Instead of replaying the earlier section as normal, roles are reversed, with Joker seemingly capturing Batman. Game and reality become blurred, roles are reversed, everything feels off, and it takes a minute to realise it’s meant to be.

“Bioshock Infinite” (2013)
In BioShock Infinite, players get introduced to the mysterious power of Elizabeth. As Booker and Elizabeth explore Columbia, she reveals her ability to open "tears," or windows to alternate realities. Now, TECHNICALLY the first demonstration occurs where Elizabeth opens a tear to a modern street with a movie theater showing Revenge of the Jedi. But the true WTF moment is when you are actually with each other as a team, and she opens the tear to an open window, revealing that they are doors to alternate realities, with Elizabeth being able to bring things back and forth between worlds. The moment ends with a mysterious pterodactyl-like creature about to attack before Elizabeth closes the tear at the last second.

“Spec Ops: The Line” (2012)


You ask ANYONE the most WTF moment in gaming, it’s likely you’ll see this on the list. This was the first time playing a video game has made me feel guilty, except when I played Barbie and the Three Musketeers on the 3DS and enjoyed myself. I will warn you, this scene is harrowing. Walker stumbles upon what seems like an entire platoon of enemies, and must decide whether or not to use the white phosphorus mortar. The game then forces you to commit a war crime to keep going. It turns out that the targets were actually civilians seeking shelter. It’s as harrowing and dark as it gets, especially considering the results of white phosphorus are so awful, you’d feel bad even if they turned out to be Nazis.

“Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus” (2017)


Have you ever heard of someone making a full recovery from decapitation? Yeah, me neither. In Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus, one of the most WTF moments occurs when protagonist Billy is captured by the Nazis and publicly executed by decapitation. The scene is visceral and unexpected, leaving players mourning the end of his story. However, Billy’s allies recover his severed head and surgically attach it to a powerful, genetically enhanced body. This moment blends horror with dark humor, exemplifying the game’s over-the-top storytelling, and Billy’s resilience. He truly can’t be stopped.

“Fallout: New Vegas” (2010)
The Think Tank in Fallout: New Vegas’s Old World Blues DLC is a bizarre and comedic highlight that is also DEEPLY disturbing. There seems to be a common theme with WTF entries, combining comedy with darkness This group of eccentric pre-war scientists transferred their brains into robotic shells to escape mortality, but centuries of isolation have left them hilariously dysfunctional. Each member has a wildly unique personality, ranging from narcissistic to paranoid, and their interactions are filled with absurd banter. Despite their vast intelligence, they’re often clueless, mistaking simple concepts for advanced science. The knowledge that one of the scientists erased the memories of the others adds a layer of disturbance that is hard to escape.

“The Last of Us Part II” (2020)
This is it, this is the one, this is the only moment in gaming that left every single player’s jaw on the floor whilst exhaling a shocked “What the f***”. Joel’s story in The Last of Us Part II delivers one of gaming’s most shocking twists. The buildup, the tension, and the chilling inevitability make it a masterclass in storytelling. The Last of Us was celebrated as one of the most beloved narratives in gaming history, with fans spending seven years speculating about Joel and Ellie’s future. Few, if any, could have predicted this outcome. With a death only half as brutal as some of the deaths he himself enacted, we shouldn’t have been shocked that Joel met a gruesome end. We didn't however expect it to happen so soon, and so unceremoniously.