10 Video Game Moments Where You Thought The Villain Would Win

Now, if there’s any franchise that certainly isn’t going to guarantee the player a happy ending, it’s Mortal Kombat. You’d probably guessed that, from all the limb-lopping, spine-ripping and acid-face-melting that goes on.

Unlike most fighting games, the single-player campaign has been the meat of the package in recent Mortal Kombat instalments. It’s extensive, well implemented and, needless to say, super grim and gory.

In the 2011 series reboot, all Earthrealm’s heroes bar Raiden have been killed. Shao Kahn is the last man standing on his own side. The latter kills the former, which is… well, it’s definitely a dramatic way to kick off a story mode. For all intents and purposes, Khan’s victory is assured and complete.

The last feeble flicker of hope is that Raiden was able to send a magical message back to his past self, warning him of the events to come and somewhat arming him against them. As the story progresses, countless warriors of both Earthrealm and Outworld are lost, though ultimately Raiden (empowered by the Elder Gods after Shao Kahn disregarded their rules) prevails over Kahn and kills him this time.