10 Greatest Video Game Post-Final Boss Fights
4. Shinra Army - Final Fantasy VII: Crisis Core
Sephiroth may consistently beat out Crisis Core protagonist Zack Fair in the popularity polls, but at least the latter has one thing over everyone's favourite albino swordsman - he got an even better send-off.
Zack's final stand against the Shinra army is still one of gaming's greatest tear-jerkers. After defeating Genesis - Crisis Core's flamboyant, J-pop inspired villain - Zack finds himself cornered by the private army of his former employers. The player then takes control to fight an unstoppable wave of assailants, to no avail.
No matter how hard you fight, the weight of numbers eventually overwhelms Zack and one of Final Fantasy's most likeable protagonists is gunned down like a wild dog in the desert.
In an extra twist of the knife, Zack's memories - all cutscenes from earlier in the game - flash up on screen as his injuries accumulate. As reminders of Zack's journey play across the screen the player is forced to reflect on the journey they shared with him, and in doing so feel the full weight of his senseless, violent death.