20 Most Intense Video Game Moments Ever

18. Sephiroth Discovering His Origin & Destroying Nibelheim - Final Fantasy VII

Still one of the best villains in gaming history, the multi-faceted half-God Sephiroth starts out with a heart of gold - or at least, the heart of a damn fine soldier looking to do good.

Come a few hours into the game however, and Sephiroth not only realises that the name he was given to identify his mother, Jenova, is actually something of an alien lab experiment, but that he too, was created rather than born.

To understand this he pours over all the evil corporation Shinra's notes on the Jenova project; their research into what Jenova is or can create, and ultimately decides to embark on a quest for destruction.

He burns the friendly neighbourhood town Nibelheim to the ground, despite being welcomed there only hours before, as one of gaming's most iconic shots shows Sephiroth standing amongst the flames, happy to channel anything that connotes his impending apocalypse.