Best Climax in a Video Game
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Come on! I got you going there, didn't I
Besides Mass Effect 3's ending, I would give two examples.
The Walking Dead
If you've played it, you know exactly what I'm talking about. If you haven't played it, go do it. Now. I'll wait here...
Did you play it yet? Just keep that hair short and you'll do fine.
The Last of Us
What wasn't perfect about this game? Nothing, that's what. Now specifically, the opening scene is one of the best scenes that has ever come out of a video game. I think it perfectly demonstrated exactly what we were getting ourselves into and shows us why Joel is the way he is. It was the best introduction of a zombie apocalypse I've ever witnessed in a game.
Red Dead Redemption. After helping John Marston's family escape certain death, John knows that in order to protect them, there is only one thing he can do. He knows it, you know it, there is no escape, no hope no real redemption for the crimes he has committed. All he can do is go out in a blaze of glory, stepping through that barn door to meet the fate that he knew he deserved. Try as you might, fire off as many shots as humanly possible, John goes down, secure in the knowledge that his family is safe for now, free to live their lives as they see fit, free from the mistakes John made so many years ago. Unfortunately, his son is just as fallible as his father, choosing the life of an outlaw in a concept of the wild west that no longer exists.
Captcha: shoot through
Captcha: shoot through
The original Mass Effect had an amazing ending. You've got that trek across a creepy alien planet, followed by a chat with an enlightening AI that sheds some fresh light on the story and ties up a few loose ends, then finally the climactic finale itself complete with epic space battle and a final confrontation with both the games main antagonists. There were even a few compelling moral decisions thrown in for good measure.
Warcraft 3 also had like, what, 5 or 6 awesome endings? One for each faction plus the expansions campaigns. Damn those cinematics were cool... speaking of which Diablo 2 also had an awesome ending, as did its expansion. Heck, Starcraft too. Blizzard games have had some very cool endings over the years.
Mind you Starcraft 2 I'm less sure on and Diablo 3 was crap. But hey, 10.5/12 ain't bad!
Warcraft 3 also had like, what, 5 or 6 awesome endings? One for each faction plus the expansions campaigns. Damn those cinematics were cool... speaking of which Diablo 2 also had an awesome ending, as did its expansion. Heck, Starcraft too. Blizzard games have had some very cool endings over the years.
Mind you Starcraft 2 I'm less sure on and Diablo 3 was crap. But hey, 10.5/12 ain't bad!
Metal Gear Solid 3 and the entire 3rd act chase sequence. That is a climax that never lets up, and whenever I play MGS3 I will find myself getting really caught up in it, even as much as I have played it. It's one of my favorites.
Happiness Assassin also called it for Red Dead Redemption. That one is just amazingly tense. I remember playing that game with a friend of mine, I passed the controller to him to make him experience that level. I think I got the reaction I wanted
Happiness Assassin also called it for Red Dead Redemption. That one is just amazingly tense. I remember playing that game with a friend of mine, I passed the controller to him to make him experience that level. I think I got the reaction I wanted
For both story and gameplay value, Chapter 8 in Paper Mario TTYD comes to mind. Not as long as Bowser's Castle in the previous game, but I'd actually consider that a good thing since I wasn't as worn out from so many normal battles. Five big bosses total, good puzzles and atmosphere in the underground city. When the final boss emerges, the world's lights go out, potentially forever.
Kingdom Hearts II had a similar game plan- cram most of the good plot twists and half the Organization XIII fights into the final dungeon (which I would have preferred to be a bit longer since most of the Nobodies there you haven't fought until now), including reuniting the long-lost friends. Then give the final boss four separate phases, each one fought in a different way, with the last one being both the toughest and the most graphically stunning.
Kingdom Hearts II had a similar game plan- cram most of the good plot twists and half the Organization XIII fights into the final dungeon (which I would have preferred to be a bit longer since most of the Nobodies there you haven't fought until now), including reuniting the long-lost friends. Then give the final boss four separate phases, each one fought in a different way, with the last one being both the toughest and the most graphically stunning.
A few for me:
Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones:
This one actually had two. The first was shortly before Farah and The Prince broke into the palace the Vizier was in. They got surrounded by a large group of his soldiers but were saved by the civilians The Prince had gone out of his way to save earlier. The battle was rather interesting and was one of the most intense moments in the series.
There was also the final sequence when The Prince had to go through the mind realms while trying to break free of The Dark Prince. The conversation, odd aesthetics, and constant throwbacks to the older games really was a wonderful ending to not just the game but the entire trilogy.
Mass Effect 2:
The suicide mission. Nothing more needs to be said.
Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands:
Right before the final boss, The Prince has to navigate across numerous platforms that are all being blown around in a massive sandstorm. In a game that was otherwise average (at least when compared to the original trilogy), that was quite a jaw dropping moment and one of the most memorable from that Prince's storyline.
Medal of Honor: Allied Assault:
This one is a little harder to appreciate now that military shooters have become so intense, but back in 2002, the level at Omaha Beach was truly remarkable. Sure Call of Duty outdid a year later with an almost identical level, but seeing something like that for the first time was simply unforgettable.
Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones:
This one actually had two. The first was shortly before Farah and The Prince broke into the palace the Vizier was in. They got surrounded by a large group of his soldiers but were saved by the civilians The Prince had gone out of his way to save earlier. The battle was rather interesting and was one of the most intense moments in the series.
There was also the final sequence when The Prince had to go through the mind realms while trying to break free of The Dark Prince. The conversation, odd aesthetics, and constant throwbacks to the older games really was a wonderful ending to not just the game but the entire trilogy.
Mass Effect 2:
The suicide mission. Nothing more needs to be said.
Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands:
Right before the final boss, The Prince has to navigate across numerous platforms that are all being blown around in a massive sandstorm. In a game that was otherwise average (at least when compared to the original trilogy), that was quite a jaw dropping moment and one of the most memorable from that Prince's storyline.
Medal of Honor: Allied Assault:
This one is a little harder to appreciate now that military shooters have become so intense, but back in 2002, the level at Omaha Beach was truly remarkable. Sure Call of Duty outdid a year later with an almost identical level, but seeing something like that for the first time was simply unforgettable.
Okami has a terrific ending. It's nice that all the people you help out throughout the game show up and turn the tables on the final boss halfway through the battle. Marshalled no less by the friend that had apparently stood you up earlier. Very cool, sweet pay off. I love how once they show up the music turns into an increasingly victorious melody and it's obvious you're about to beat the crap out of the bad guy. I love a triumphant happy ending.
Oh, very much this. Say what you will about Mass Effect 2's overall relevance (and I'll likely agree to one extent or another) but the Suicide Mission was just spectacular and was everything I'd thought to hope for in that game (Well, at up to the proto-reaper, at least) and worked wonderfully in giving your actions meaning both in and outside that mission. Make the wrong choices in that mission? Bam! Someone died. Take too long getting through the area? Hope you have the people you like with you. Didn't fully upgrade your ship? Good thing you brought some body bags. Did you dally between the IFF activation and the Omega Relay? I've got some bad news for you. Crew not loyal? *grimaces* You might want to fix that. Really, it was just beautiful.MysticSlayer said:
Mass Effect 3.
Three of them, in fact. Tuchanka. Rannoch. Fleet Arrival.
Front Mission 3.
Game had a lot of incredible moments, but my favorite is final confrontation with Lukav inside a reactor. So, Lukav kills Kazuki's father and instead of screaming or rushing in, like he usually does, Kazuki simple states "No mercy" and battle begins. That contrast alone was just incredibly powerful and shown how shit real was getting.
Persona 3 (lots of threes here, huh).
Final Boss. I mean god damn Persona 3's final boss was freaking amazing. I still believe it is the best final boss in video games history.
Three of them, in fact. Tuchanka. Rannoch. Fleet Arrival.
Front Mission 3.
Game had a lot of incredible moments, but my favorite is final confrontation with Lukav inside a reactor. So, Lukav kills Kazuki's father and instead of screaming or rushing in, like he usually does, Kazuki simple states "No mercy" and battle begins. That contrast alone was just incredibly powerful and shown how shit real was getting.
Persona 3 (lots of threes here, huh).
Final Boss. I mean god damn Persona 3's final boss was freaking amazing. I still believe it is the best final boss in video games history.
Saint's Row IV's Punch The Shark mission. Killing aliens with super powers in the real world(ish) while the touch plays in the background will always be epic.
That last hour of Mass effect 2. As soon as the Normandy is boarded and during that lead up to the collector base there is that awesome build up to the awesome that is storming and destroying the collector base. Best ending to any game I have ever played.
The Big Reveal in "Second Sight".
It's gaming's "Sixth Sense" and its a damned tragedy more people didn't play it.
It's gaming's "Sixth Sense" and its a damned tragedy more people didn't play it.
Leisure Suit Larry has the best climax in a video game I've seen... ...
But srsly, first time I finished Homeworld was great, that feeling of achievement and how you feel when you returning home after a long journey was great. Was quite emotionally invested in the game after Kharak.
But srsly, first time I finished Homeworld was great, that feeling of achievement and how you feel when you returning home after a long journey was great. Was quite emotionally invested in the game after Kharak.
I can think of a few:
Tales of Symphonia - Hearing the back-and-forth dialogue between the final boss and your party throughout the whole fight was such a rush
Persona 3 - That music... That final boss... Like hell I'm going to die right here, right now!
Honorable mentions goes to most of the Kingdom Hearts games' climaxes, especially when I'm usually playing them on Proud mode...
Tales of Symphonia - Hearing the back-and-forth dialogue between the final boss and your party throughout the whole fight was such a rush
Persona 3 - That music... That final boss... Like hell I'm going to die right here, right now!
Honorable mentions goes to most of the Kingdom Hearts games' climaxes, especially when I'm usually playing them on Proud mode...
The first Mass Effect
The Battle for the Citadel showed me what I always wanted to see in a large scale space battle (something I could only imagine when I played with my micro-machines as a kid)
The Battle for the Citadel showed me what I always wanted to see in a large scale space battle (something I could only imagine when I played with my micro-machines as a kid)