10 Insane Video Game Endings That Totally Came Out Of Nowhere

10. Nier: Automata

nier automata route e ending
Platinum Games

Technically, about 20 of Nier: Automata's many endings could have made it on this list, as they're all equally ridiculous and surprising, but it's the main, "proper" ending that's the most mind-bowing because of just how definitive it is. After completing the game three different times, you're thrown one final choice, asked whether or not you want to tackle a last challenge in order to save the main characters from their untimely deaths.

Obviously, you say yes, and are kicked into the title's final set-piece: a bullet-hell sequence set in the game's credits, where you have to shoot the names of the people who actually made the game. It's extremely punishing, and eventually you're asked whether you need assistance, which comes in the form of gamertags from other people who have completed the mission.

It's truly triumphant to fight alongside other people during this final stretch, watching them succumb into nothingness to help you win. A credits brawl is already a weird way to finish a game, but then Nier throws you one final curveball: you can delete all your saved progress, and join the ranks of the gamertags, or hold onto it, and hope other people have made the sacrifice to help others beat the game.

Advertisement
In this post: 
Far Cry 5
 
First Posted On: 
Contributor

Josh has over 11 years of experience as a published writer, having worked nine of those years as a full-time content producer at WhatCulture. In that period he has created hundreds of articles, videos and podcast episodes for multiple WhatCulture channels, specialising in gaming, horror and film & TV. He now primarily works as a senior content producer and presenter on WhatCulture Gaming where he co-hosts the WhatCulture Gaming Podcast, a top 3 UK most listened to gaming podcast that he co-created in 2018. Over the years he has reviewed several high-profile gaming releases, covered industry events with on-site reporting, opined on breaking news, and even kicked off his interviewing career by chatting to childhood hero, Tommy Wiseau.