10 Video Game Moments You Couldn't Win
3. The Final Fight - Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice (2017)
Released in 2017, Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice is a visually stunning odyssey that sees the eponymous hero travel to the depths of Hel to rescue the soul of her deceased husband.
Alongside its wonderfully realised Norse setting, another key aspect of this game is its depiction of psychosis, which partly manifests through the voices of the "Furies" in Senua's head. Heard throughout the game, these voices constantly comment on Senua's decisions and will make players doubt their own actions.
After battling through the underworld, players will eventually confront Hela. With the end of Senua's journey now within sight, players will be determined to defeat the horde of enemies that stand between her and her goal.
As the enemies keep coming, overcoming this final hurdle seems like an increasingly impossible task. Eventually, the Furies will start to tell Senua to "let go". With no end to the onslaught in sight, players will soon have no other option but to surrender to Senua's doubts and stop fighting.
Whereas games normally expect players to keep trying until they win, this poignant moment teaches players that there are sometimes fights that they cannot win.