10 Last-Minute Plot Twists That Ruined Amazing Video Games

5. Scott Shelby Is The Origami Killer - Heavy Rain

Heavy Rain is a psychological crime thriller from the mind of game developer/wannabe filmmaker David Cage. The one-time PS3 exclusive trails four characters as they each set out on a quest to apprehend the Origami Killer, who drowns young boys and leaves cryptic clues on their bodies. Up until a certain point, Heavy Rain is fairly effective at engaging you in its story, despite some shoddy writing. However, it all comes crashing down when it is revealed that Scott Shelby, one of the protagonists you control, is the killer.

This is a case where the execution of the twist is the problem rather than the twist itself. Scott Shelby being the Origami Killer could have been a fantastic revelation, but the game never earns it. Despite controlling the character and even being able to hear his thoughts, the game goes out of its way to hide the fact that he is the killer, using cheap narrative trickery to conceal it. When the twist comes, instead of gasping in surprise, you roll your eyes and feel cheated.

Suddenly Scott becomes a terrible, broken person, which again, wouldn't have been a problem if the signs had been there all along. But they weren't, and the result is the sudden transformation of a character that feels predictable and shallow. Perhaps in the hands of a better writer this twist could have been compelling, but instead it derails an otherwise gripping mystery game.