God of War takes a more serious path for the series, focusing on Kratos and his son Atreus as they face gods and monsters across Norse lands. Their journey ends at the peak of Jötunheim, where they scatter Atreus’ mother’s ashes. Along the way, Atreus discovers a mural that reveals both their past and hints at Kratos’ future. The moment is touching, closing with a stronger bond between father and son and a destination finally reached. | © Jetpack Interactive
Batman: Arkham City delivers one of the most powerful finales in superhero gaming. A dying Joker destroys the antidote that could have saved him, sealing his own fate. Batman carries his body out in silence, laying him down without a word. For all the chaos Joker caused, the moment is heartbreaking, showing Batman’s refusal to abandon even the man who was his greatest enemy. | © Rocksteady Studios
The Witcher 3 offers multiple conclusions for Ciri, but her Witcher ending feels the most true to the story. After hours spent chasing her across the Continent, seeing her choose the path she always wanted carries real weight. It sidesteps the tragedy of her other fates while giving Geralt a companion on the road. For a game full of tough choices, it is as close to a happy ending as you can get. | © CD Projekt
Mass Effect 2 builds up to the unforgettable suicide mission, where every choice you made with your crew comes to a head. Success or failure determines who survives, and losses carry into the next game for good. That weight makes the finale feel genuinely earned, unlike most RPGs. The closing shot of the Reapers awakening raises the stakes even higher, setting up the trilogy’s climax perfectly. | © BioWare
Marvel’s Spider-Man ends by showing the heavy cost of being a hero. Peter is forced to choose between saving his city or Aunt May, and he makes the sacrifice she herself urges him to take. Her final words reveal she always knew his secret, giving the moment even more weight. The game closes with Peter starting fresh alongside Miles, a bittersweet but perfectly Spider-Man conclusion. | © Insomniac Games
SOMA closes with one of the most unsettling twists in gaming. After scanning yourself into the ARK, you realize too late that only a copy made it, while you, still sitting there, are left behind. The post-credits scene shows your copy waking inside the ARK, believing you succeeded, unaware of the truth. | © Frictional Games
Portal 2 ends with one of the series’ most memorable moments, launching Wheatley into space by teleporting him to the moon. After that chaotic showdown, GLaDOS spares Chell and finally lets her go free. Emerging onto the surface, you are greeted by a choir of turrets and the song “Want You Gone,” a playful nod to Still Alive. It is clever, funny, and strangely moving, exactly what a sequel deserved. | © Valve
Transistor tells the story of Red, a singer robbed of her voice and guided by her lover’s spirit trapped inside the sword she wields. She stops the Process and begins restoring Cloudbank, but the victory feels hollow. What she truly wants can’t be reclaimed – her partner outside the Transistor. In the end, Red chooses to join him within it, trading the city’s future for the love she lost. | © Supergiant Games
Persona 3 Reload ends with SEES defeating Ryoji and Nyx, saving the world and planning one last meeting on the school roof. Peace feels close, but the protagonist never makes it there. As the team hurries to celebrate, you pass away in Aegis’s arms with a smile. That final choice, to close your eyes, turns the ending into something deeply personal and unforgettable. | © Atlus
Subnautica often feels like survival horror, which makes the ending hit even harder. Meeting the Sea Emperor Leviathan, helping its children, and receiving the cure turns fear into wonder. The farewell as you launch into the stars is bittersweet and beautiful. After so long searching for escape, you leave with awe for the world behind – even if you return home buried in debt. | © Panic Button Games
Kingdom Hearts II delivers one of the series’ most emotional endings. After the climactic battle with Xemnas, Sora and Riku find themselves trapped in darkness until Kairi’s letter opens a portal of light. Finally returning home and reuniting with friends feels like the payoff fans had been waiting for. The embrace with Mickey, Donald, and Goofy makes it all the more heartfelt, even if the story didn’t truly end there. | © Square Enix
Undertale has multiple endings, but the True Pacifist Route is the one most players see as the “real” conclusion. You’ve spared and befriended every monster, and in return, they finally get to live peacefully on the surface with humans. Unlike so many games that close on tragedy, this one ends in joy. Everyone is happy, and you’re reminded that after everything, you’re still yourself. | © Toby Fox
Halo: Reach ends with one of the most brutal objectives in gaming – “survive.” You’re left behind, knowing you won’t win, but determined to take as many Covenant with you as possible. The slow shattering of your visor and the inevitable fall of your health makes that stand unforgettable. It’s bittersweet, but there’s no ending more fitting, and it leaves you with nothing but pride for the sacrifice. | © Bungie
Red Dead Redemption makes it clear early on that life was never fair to John Marston. After a violent past, he finally earns a chance at peace with his wife and son, and for a brief moment, it feels real. That happiness doesn’t last – he’s betrayed and cut down in a brutal ambush. The unfairness of his fate makes the last stand even more powerful, a tragic but fitting end for a man who never escaped the cards he was dealt. | © Rockstar Games
The Last of Us Part I has an ending that still sparks debate, with some calling it abrupt. Look deeper, though, and the lack of choice is the point – you’re made to carry out Joel’s actions yourself, sharing in his helplessness. The lie he tells Ellie afterwards leads to the quiet but cutting final scene. When she asks him to swear, and he does, both of them accept it on the surface, even as the truth hangs unspoken between them. | © Naughty Dog
Not every video game sticks the landing, but some finales feel flawless, wrapping up the story in a way that stays with you. Here are 15 games with endings that hit just right, and fair warning, spoilers ahead.
