15 Iconic Final Shots Of Beloved Video Game Characters

9. Old Snake - Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns Of The Patriots

The MGS games have always been fairly talky, in most cases featuring almost as much exposition and cut scene time as there is actual gameplay time. The sublime MGS4 took things to another level though, with an ending video that clocks in at nearly 90 minutes long. It's not worth trying to explain the story of MGS4, it's far too complicated and long winded to even attempt to surmise in a paragraph. The ending though, is particularly special, as Snake, who is suffering from the effects of hyper-accelerated ageing and given months to live, is met in a graveyard by his progenitor, Big Boss. The last of the loose ends in the MGS saga are tied up as Big Boss explains the origins of the Patriots, the struggle for power and the change in war that has the world's economy reliant on privately funded civil wars. The game itself, but specifically it's ending, raises some interesting socio-political questions which videogames rarely ever touch on. The concept of control, free will and even global economic politics are all covered in surprising amounts of detail. Moreover though, the age of Snake is brought into the fore. His weaknesses that are covered in the game (aches, bad back, cough) are shown up as the former super-soldier, now old man, comes to terms with his mortality. His perceived invincibility from the previous games is long gone here, as he is old and he is dying. For such a beloved hero, this is a bitter pill to swallow. The other part that makes the ending special, is that in it's long running time, two new characters (Big Boss and Major Zero) are introduced and killed off, before Snake leaves and finally comes to terms with his place in the new world he helped to create. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=napjMrAx0KQ