10 Divisive Video Game Endings Nobody Agrees On
7. Bioshock Infinite
Much has been made about the mind-bending nature of the ending of Bioshock Infinite. Booker Dewitts mission to rescue Elizabeth from Columbia ends with the revelation that not only is the villainous Comstock actually Booker from an alternate timeline, but that Elizabeth is also his daughter. The game concludes with Booker being drowned at his baptism by multiple Elizabeths from different timelines, eliminating any chance of him being reborn as Comstock.
Bioshock Infinites ending sent shockwaves through the video game industry for its complexity and layered twists. It was meticulously unpacked and analyzed by gamers, critics, and pundits, and was subsequently praised for its thematic resonance. Anyone who has completed the game will tell you that the ending stays with you long after you put down the controller.
On the other hand, the ending has been criticized for leaning far too much on twists and plot at the expense of character. Unlike the original Bioshocks elegantly simple and genuinely shocking reveal, Infinites is big, clunky, and lacks a solid moral message. It relies far too much on your knowledge of the technicalities of its plot, much of which can be easily missed. Also, many feel that the brief visit to Rapture at the end feels shoehorned in and serves as nothing but pure fan service.
So depending on who you are, Bioshock Infinites ending is either brilliantly intricate and multifaceted, or needlessly convoluted and illogically absurd. Take your pick.