Bungie know how to make the ending to a video game exciting. Want proof? Pick up any Halo game and blast through the campaign - with the exception of Halo 2 (and it's infamous anti-climatic ending), every Halo game ends with a dramatic, action-packed bang. Arguments could be made for both Combat Evolved and Reach to appear on this list as the series' representative but Halo 3 just tops them both with a truly stunning finale. Having triggered the firing sequence for the Halo ring being built at the Ark, in order to destroy the Installation and put an end to the Flood's threat to the galaxy, Master Chief and the Arbiter have to escape before they're blown to bits, and just to up the ante a tad more Bungie brought some pyrotechnics. Chief's escape sees him crossing a fiery pit on an increasingly unstable series of platforms, resulting in explosions, near-falls and danger round every corner - it's incredibly cinematic, even without a time limit to further increase the tension. With a series of nervy jumps, turns and the added pressure of evading the Flood, this final escape is a fitting end to Bungie's original Halo trilogy. It perfectly harks back to the first game in the series while making a grand finale fans will never forget; heavy in nostalgia but still fresh and exciting. Halo's finest final mission as a series is still up for debate; few can argue that Halo 3's vehicle escape isn't one of gaming's most iconic moments. Agree? Disagree? Are there any other final levels that you think we've missed out? Let us know in the comments below!
I have an addiction to achievements, a craving for new bands and a dream to become Captain America. I once finished second in a Mario Kart 7 tournament so I'm kind of a big deal.
