10 Video Games That Killed The Main Character Early

Who doesn't love a story that keeps players on their toes with a steady stream of twists and turns?

But sometimes a villainous reveal or a last-minute plot twist isn't enough, and video game developers will make the ballsy decision to kill the main character (or one of them) long before the end credits roll.

It's an extremely risky move, to bait-and-switch players like this, but when it works, it can heighten the unpredictable tension of a game's remainder, ensuring players are held in a constant state of suspense knowing that nobody's safe from a stray bullet.

These 10 games, whether much-ballyhooed masterpieces, cult classics you might've missed or otherwise forgettable jaunts, all made the bold decision to kill the initial player character early, be it after only a level or two, mid-way through the game or even a fair few levels away from the end.

In each case, players were left to pick their jaws up off the floor and wonder how the rest of the game would play out with the supposed protagonist laid out on a slab...