20 video game endings you probably didn’t understand

About this gallery:

For this list, we're focusing on video game endings that were either way too hard to understand or so absurdly unexpected that most of us just couldn’t make sense of them.

Think we missed a game with a baffling ending? Let us know in the comments! | © Capcom

Leisure Suit Larry 3 (1989)

This raunchy adventure might seem like it’s all laughs, but Larry’s tale takes an unexpectedly weird turn at the end. Just when you think Larry’s finally found love, he ends up abandoned on an island, lost in existential despair. Was it all just a cruel joke, or a lesson on vanity? The ending was like a slapstick gag that quickly turned into an art film, leaving players questioning what just happened. | © Sierra On-Line

DreamWeb (1994)

DreamWeb’s finale slaps you with a surreal twist that practically redefines “what did I just play?” Players are left wondering if they were manipulated by the titular DreamWeb or if their character was losing his mind all along. The dark, fragmented ending feels like an eerie bad dream you can’t shake, making you question reality and agency in the game’s world. | © Empire Interactive

Cropped Super Fire Pro Wrestling Special

Super Fire Pro Wrestling Special (1994)

Yes, it’s a wrestling game, but don’t let that fool you. This one punches you in the gut with a dark and unexpected ending about obsession and personal failure. Your protagonist descends into despair, ultimately choosing to end it all, leaving fans wondering how this intense narrative made its way into a wrestling game. It’s as if Rocky Balboa ended his career on a dark, existential note. | © Human Entertainment

The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask (2000)

With its endlessly looping days and eerie moon looming overhead, Majora’s Mask had players in a constant state of dread. The ending does little to clear things up, suggesting Link might just be trapped in a purgatorial cycle or even experiencing his own twisted fate. Fans still argue over its true meaning – a haunting reminder that sometimes Zelda lore just wants to keep you guessing. | © Nintendo

Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty (2001)

This game’s ending spirals into a philosophical rabbit hole about memes, digital control, and what it means to be human. By the time the credits roll, players are as baffled as protagonist Raiden, left questioning if they’re even playing a video game. It’s a dizzying mix of meta-commentary and fourth-wall-breaking that only Kojima could deliver, leaving us pondering long after the controller’s down. | © Konami

Echo: Tides of Time (2002)

You wouldn’t expect a dolphin to bring on a mind-bending finale, but Echo does just that. The journey through time and space ends on a strange note, with Echo navigating surreal environments that make you wonder if any of it was real. It’s a splash of sci-fi that douses you in enough mystery to keep you swimming in questions long after you finish. | © Sega

Killer7 (2005)

This game’s ending takes “WTF” to new heights, blending twisted political intrigue with philosophical musings. By the end, players are tangled in a narrative web, wondering what’s real and what’s not. With its unique style and trippy plot, Killer7 pulls you down a rabbit hole of symbolism, leaving you to unravel it on your own. | © Capcom

No More Heroes (2007)

What starts as a quirky, over-the-top action game becomes a bizarre narrative about identity and destiny. Travis Touchdown’s final confrontation twists reality, leaving players unsure if they’re witnessing an actual showdown or some existential commentary. It’s as wild as it is meta, giving you an ending that’s a total mind-bender. | © Marvelous

Eternal Sonata (2007)

This JRPG blends fantasy with the life of composer Frédéric Chopin, leading to a musical ending that raises more questions than it answers. Was it all a fever dream as Chopin lay on his deathbed, or did he truly journey to a magical world? The ending is an ambiguous crescendo, leaving fans debating if they witnessed art or madness. | © Bandai Namco

Spore (2008)

What begins as a playful evolution game ends with your creature’s ascent to galactic godhood, but there’s no profound meaning in sight. The game just… ends, with your character now a supreme entity but with no grand purpose. Players felt like they’d grown from a single cell to a cosmic deity, only to be left with an anticlimactic fade-out. | © Electronic Arts

Braid (2008)

This puzzle-platformer’s ending reveals a haunting twist on love and obsession that rewrites everything you thought you knew about the story. Tim’s journey isn’t what it seemed, and the ending suggests his motives may be darker than they first appeared. It’s a clever but unsettling revelation that made us all question what, or who, we were really chasing. | © Number None

Bayonetta (2009)

Bayonetta’s surreal, high-octane adventure ends with a bang – or rather, with a lot of questions. After battling her way through angels, demons, and reality itself, Bayonetta’s final fate remains a mystery. Is she alive? Is she ascending? Only one thing’s for sure: she’s fabulous till the end, leaving fans to wonder just what happens next. | © Sega

Minecraft (2011)

Yes, Minecraft has an ending, and it’s about as cryptic as they come. After defeating the Ender Dragon, players are treated to a wall of text that reads like existential poetry. Is it an introspective message about life, a subtle farewell, or just an odd Easter egg? The game leaves us mining for meaning in true Minecraft fashion. | © Mojang

Fire Emblem Awakening (2012)

This fantasy tale wraps up with a bittersweet twist about sacrifice, leaving players with more questions than answers. Did the protagonist actually die? Or was it a noble illusion? The ending balances on the knife-edge of hope and heartbreak, giving players an emotional puzzle as intricate as the game’s strategy itself. | © Nintendo

Bioshock Infinite (2013)

Time loops, parallel universes, and identity crises – Bioshock Infinite’s ending packs in more mind-benders than a philosophy class. By the time you reach the game’s final scene, you’re left questioning everything you know about Booker and Elizabeth. It’s the kind of ending that has you watching YouTube explanations for days, still left in awe of its ambitious, if dizzying, complexity. | © 2K Games

Shadow Of The Colossus (2005)

Defeating the last colossus is supposed to be a victory, but it leaves you feeling like you’ve just been tricked. The dark twist in the ending raises questions about good and evil, and whether you were the hero or the villain all along. It’s a haunting finish that sticks with you, casting a shadow over everything you thought you knew. | © Sony Computer Entertainment

The Matrix: Path of Neo (2005)

The game’s ending is a wild departure from the movie’s serious tone, breaking the fourth wall with a cheeky “just kidding” twist. The Wachowskis themselves pop in to rewrite Neo’s ending with a surreal, over-the-top battle, making fans wonder if they were watching a comedy sketch. It’s equal parts confusing and hilarious – just not exactly canon. | © Atari

Limbo (2010)

This dark, atmospheric puzzle game ends with a subtle scene that leaves you unsure if the protagonist is alive or dead. Did he reach his sister, or is he trapped in some eternal loop? The ambiguous ending feels like a haunting lullaby, giving players a chilling sense of something just out of reach. | © Playdead

Bloodborne (2015)

After hacking through cosmic horrors and Lovecraftian nightmares, Bloodborne’s ending dumps players into a confusing mess of eldritch twists and cryptic fate. Are you ascending, cursed, or just dreaming? The finale feels like a fever-dream that sticks with you long after, and maybe that’s the point. | © FromSoftware

Death Stranding (2019)

Hideo Kojima’s latest masterpiece ends with a sentimental, mind-bending revelation about life, connection, and… delivering packages? It’s a bizarre, heartfelt epilogue that leaves players pondering the line between life and death. Death Stranding’s ending is an emotional puzzle wrapped in a Kojima enigma, proving that even the most epic mailman deserves a mystery. | © Kojima Productions