8 Greatest Video Game Twists (With Zero Build-Up)
1. The Protagonist Is Cheryl, Harry Is Dead - Silent Hill: Shattered Memories
It's a damn shame that Silent Hill: Shattered Memories remains trapped on the Nintendo Wii, PS2, and PSP, because it offers up one of the survival horror series' most staggeringly unforgettable twists.
An intriguing reimagining of the original Silent Hill, Shattered Memories pinballs players between two storylines - playing as original protagonist Harry Mason as he searches for his daughter Cheryl, and an unknown NPC who is in session with a therapist from the O.G. Silent Hill, Dr. Michael Kaufmann.
However, near the end of the game it's revealed that Harry has actually been dead the entire time, having perished in a car accident 18 years prior.
More to the point, Dr. Kaufmann's patient is actually an adult Cheryl, who is still struggling to come to terms with her father's death. And so, our time playing as Harry is really Cheryl's fantasy of his life had he survived the car accident.
That's one hell of a bold reveal for a reimagining of one of the most beloved horror games ever made, and while it certainly doesn't replace the original, the twist does cement it as a fascinating companion piece to it.