9 Intense Video Game Secret Levels You Can't Handle

4. The Eight Stars - Braid

You are not prepared for the time-bending, perception-frazzling brilliance of Braid's secret final challenges. While not all unique areas per se, these eight stars locked away inside other levels require rethinking everything you thought you knew.

I'll not go into the specifics of each star, but the very first one requires you wait a good two hours in-game, just so a particular cloud at the top of the screen will move into position.

Yes, really.

Others require making specific shapes out of puzzle pieces or manipulating time in such a way that you force sequences of platforms or NPC actions to come together.

It's truly mind-bending stuff, but after all this, you'll finally get the game's true ending. Rather than continuing the main revelation as to Tim's true relationship status with the Princess, it's a rumination and comment on nuclear annihilation.

I... did not see that coming.