10 Video Game Finales That Left You Speechless

4. The Walking Dead Season 1

The Walking Dead Lee Telltale Ending
Telltale

After 5 episodes of building up the relationship between Lee and Clementine to the point where they're essentially father and daughter in every way but flesh and blood, The Walking Dead Season 1 punishes you for ever getting invested in these characters.

Lee has already gone through hell by the time the finale creeps up on you, losing his hand and then almost dying while fighting off a crazed survivor who kidnapped Clem. It's one thing after another in these final few episodes, but they culminate in a heart-wrenching sequence that sees the two characters locked in a building and surrounded by hundreds of the undead - all while Lee slowly succumbs to the zombie infection himself.

Lying slumped against a wall, he teaches Clem some final tips for surviving and says goodbye. But then you're given the choice - presumably through a fountain of tears - to either kill Lee yourself, saving him from his reanimated fate, or to get as far away as possible, letting come what may.

It's one of the bleakest endings to a video game ever, but there's no denying that it's also one of the most powerful.

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.