10 Times Video Games Freaked Us Out With Fake Glitches And Cheeky Tricks
Some game developers just love to play pranks on us.
Most games tend to follow a classic formula or ruleset. Rescue the princess. Beat the aliens. Save the world. But every now and then, developers like to play little tricks on us and shake things up, adding amusing Easter eggs, crazy endings or terrifying fake glitches.
This is just one more amazing way in which the medium of video games separates itself from any other forms of entertainment, being able to surprise, confuse, and perplex players with all manner of bizarre scenes, sequences and effects.
Some developers and designers, like Hideo Kojima for example, are big fans of messing with players' minds in the most unexpected ways. When you play games made by these individuals or companies, you have to be on your guard, always ready for a sneaky fourth wall break or fake game over screen.
Let's take a trip back through the archives to find some of the craziest fake glitches and most amusing cheeky tricks in video game history. With hindsight, many of these moments seem quite funny, but they definitely took us by surprise the first time we encountered them.
10. Arkham City - Fake Ending
Rocksteady's Arkham games have always been well-known for featuring all sorts of hidden secrets, Easter eggs, and unexpected surprises. Arkham City, the second in the series, kept that reputation intact by definitely messing with our heads with this fake ending.
During one sequence, you take over the role of Catwoman and are presented with a choice: head back into the city to save Batman or make off with your stolen loot. "It's not like he'll die, it's Batman, right?" says Selina Kyle, tempting players into choosing to make a break for it with the stolen cash.
Naturally, most players chose the noble path and went to save the Caped Crusader, but if you do happen to run off with the loot, the game ends and the credits to start to roll. Many players just wanted to see what would happen and freaked out at the thought of having to load up their old save and make the right choice. Fortunately, when the credits are done running, the game jumps back to the Catwoman scene, letting you choose again.