5 Biggest Plot Twists in Video Game History

One of the things that makes a game memorable is its plot twists. The best narrative-driven stories have a way of reeling you in. Once they accomplish that, they drop a bombshell on you. Whether that’s the death of the character or an unforeseen betrayal, an out-of-the-blue change is what cements a game in your memory.

Almost all narrative-focused games feature a plot twist. Some aren’t all that surprising compared to others, while some are totally forgettable. Having said that, this list brings you the opposite by exploring only those games where the plot took the most unexpected turns. So, if you don’t care for spoilers, here are some of the biggest plot twists ever featured in video games.

5) James Finds The Truth About Mary – Silent Hill 2

In Silent Hill 2, James receives a letter from his wife, Mary. It tells him that she’s waiting in the town of Silent Hill for him. But that’s the thing: James’ wife has been dead for many years, and she possibly couldn’t have sent that letter. But since her writing was the same, and because James wanted to find out, he went to Silent Hill. This is where the game starts as James then navigates through this haunted town. He’s attacked by monsters and horrifying creatures, and constantly thinks to himself about how Mary could be here.

It keeps going like that until near the end of the game when James learns the truth about everything. In a surprising plot twist, it is revealed that Mary has been dead all along and that James killed her. Mary was suffering from a disease and dying slowly. James, because of being tired of dealing with her, and also as an act of mercy, killed Mary. But then the overwhelming guilt left him with repressed memories that only later resurfaced when he came to the town. 

The monsters are all a manifestation of James’ subconsciousness, and once he confronts the final boss at the end, his story finally comes to a close. Silent Hill 2 definitely has some of the darkest twists and turns in its story. You could say it’s the perfect representation of how to use plot twists to build a strong foundation for a narrative.

4) Odin Impersonating Tyr – God of War: Ragnarok

God of War has had its fair share of plot twists, but none were as big as what happened in Ragnarok. After the events of Ragnarok are set into motion, Kratos and Atreus search for and subsequently rescue Tyr. Rumor had it that Odin had Tyr imprisoned in Svartalfheim. When Kratos and Atreus rescued him, they took him back to Sindri’s house and asked for his help in stopping Odin.

At first, everything seemed all right. But as time went by, Tyr acted as if to hinder Kratos and Atreus in their journey. However, nobody could have foreseen what came next. After getting desperate, the Tyr at Sindri’s house turns out to be an impersonator. It was actually Odin all along who was acting as Tyr. Odin then stabs Brok, which results in his death, and escapes. This scene left most fans stunned and will go down in history as arguably the biggest plot twist in the God of War series.

3) Joel’s Death – The Last of Us Part 2

Imagine waiting seven years for the sequel to your favorite game to come out, only to see the protagonist get beaten to death at the start. Joel, the protagonist of The Last of Us, is one of the best-written characters. His and Ellie’s story in the first game was heartwarming. The father-daughter dynamic, the way Joel protected Ellie, and the way he selflessly helped others made him the star of The Last of Us. So imagine the shock when he was killed in the first act of The Last of Us Part 2.

In the early hours of The Last of Us Part 2, Joel encounters a group of survivors. One among them, Abby, was actually tracking down Joel to avenge her father’s murder. When both characters come face to face, Abby ends up beating Joel to death with a club. This was one of the most unexpected plot twists in a video game ever. Nobody anticipated that Naughty Dog would kill off such a beloved character as Joel. 

The shock was so great, in fact, that many took their disdain or love of the plot twist in The Last of Us Part 2 to Metacritic. Some people absolutely hated the plot, while others loved Naughty Dog for having the stomach to kill off its sweetheart. Words can’t describe how much this plot twist affected fans. Funnily enough, some likely hold a grudge against Naughty Dog to this day, too. 

2) The Origami Killer’s Identity – Heavy Rain

The big mystery in Heavy Rain is the identity of the Origami Killer. They’ve been leaving bodies with a unique modus operandi of trapping the victims in a confined space and letting rainfall gather and submerge them to their death. Throughout the entire game, you play as several characters, and all are pursuing leads about the killer’s identity. But when the secret is finally revealed, it ends up being Heavy Rain’s most unforgettable plot twist.

The Origami Killer turns out to be Scott Shelby, one of the playable characters. What’s surprising about this reveal is that Shelby was a detective turned private investigator. When players first play as him, he introduces himself as a private investigator hired by the families of the Origami Killer’s victims. 

Once players hear that at the start of the game, they automatically assume he’s a good guy. But it is later revealed that Shelby was lying about that. He was just pretending to be hired by the victims’ families because he wanted to get close to them and erase any evidence. It goes to show you how assumptions do indeed kill.

1) Gustave’s Death – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 starts off with players taking control of Gustave as he looks off into the distance. Gustave then interacts with more characters in his own jolly way before Expedition 33 sets off to defeat The Paintress. The player is slowly given control of more and more characters. But as good as they are, it’s always Gustave that’s guiding the group forward and being selfless. At a certain point, you’ll definitely get attached to him, and that’s when the biggest plot twist of Clair Obscur happens.

Out of nowhere, Gustave is killed by a villain. His death comes at an unexpected point, just as the team is about to depart for a new island. At that moment, Gustave and Maelle are ambushed by the enemy. While Maelle successfully retreats, Gustave is left stabbed, fighting for his life. Gustave isn’t able to do much and ultimately dies. Clair Obscur has many major plot twists, but this one definitely hit closest to home.

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