Stories in gaming have evolved from simple set-ups into mind-blowing narratives that will keep players on the edge of their seats till the very end. It's a testament to how much the video game industry has evolved that numerous titles now feature well-crafted narratives that are an absolute treat to get through, including the indies as well.
It's clear that expectations in story-heavy games are through the roof, with a plot twist being a pretty risky way to get people invested in the narrative. Thankfully, the following games knew exactly how to craft a stellar plot twist that would blow most players' minds and turn these titles into some of the most unforgettable video game experiences of all time.
10 Jack Was Being Mind-Controlled All Along (BioShock)
It would be hard to think about great plot twists in video games without mentioning the first BioShock title. For a game with a silent protagonist, it's amazing how the story made players genuinely care about Jack.
Most of this was in part to a major twist in the middle of the game, where it's revealed that Atlas was actually Frank Fontaine and was manipulating Jack with the phrase "Would You Kindly?" It's a great twist that makes the hunt for Fontaine even more engaging.
9 The Introduction Of Chara (Undertale)
Chara is one of the evilest characters in the entirety of Undertale. Players turn into this demonic character near the end of the Genocide run after it's revealed that the player was turning into an evil being.
The Genocide run is pretty creepy as is, and seeing Chara at the end makes for a truly nightmarish sight. To this day, most players still squirm in their seats during his iconic jumpscare.
8 Conrad Was Dead, Walker Was Just Using Him As A Coping Mechanism (Spec Ops: The Line)
Spec Ops: The Line is a brilliant third-person shooter that subverts expectations brilliantly. A game that seems like a run-of-the-mill military shooter snowballs into something completely different and wildly engaging.
Throughout the game, Walker follows Conrad's instructions and performs some truly heinous actions. He tries to hunt Conrad down to make him pay for his crimes... only to realize that Conrad was dead all along. Every murder committed in the game was done by Walker himself, with his mental state struggling to hold him up.
7 Viktor Reznov Died A Long Time Ago (Call Of Duty: Black Ops)
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Speaking of military shooters with great plots, there's another title that deserves to be mentioned here. The Call of Duty series might have a bit of a bad rap, but there's no denying that some of their games knock it out of the park when it comes to the story campaign.
Such is the case with Call of Duty: Black Ops, a fan favorite for many players who love the amazing narrative of this series. The main character, Mason, recalls many adventures had with Viktor Reznov during an interrogation... only for it to be revealed that Reznov had died after their first encounter, with Mason having been brainwashed several times during his incarceration.
6 The Player Was Darth Revan All Along (Star Wars: Knights Of The Old Republic)
Knights of the Old Republic is considered by many to be one of the best Star Wars games ever made. The amazing plot of this title showed why BioWare was at the top of its game during this period.
Throughout the game, players hear about the legend of Darth Revan and how he was one of the most diabolical Sith Masters around. Well, it's revealed later on that the main character is actually the legendary Darth Revan himself, who had been captured and reconditioned in a bid to make them leave the Dark Side once and for all.
5 Aerith's Death (Final Fantasy 7)
JRPGs never really toyed around with the permanent death of party members. This is precisely what made the death of Aerith in Final Fantasy 7 one of the most shocking and surprising deaths in gaming history.
There was no celebration or anything along the same lines — Aerith simply passes away after being stabbed by Sephiroth out of nowhere. It's a shocking moment, and players don't even get any time to breathe since Sephiroth slaps a boss fight on them right after too!
4 Wander Was Following The Instructions Of The Bad Guy (Shadow Of The Colossus)
Shadow of the Colossus is a pretty cryptic game that never gives its players the full picture. For the most part, players feel like they're doing the right thing by taking down these massive colossi in a bid to revive the love of their life.
However, it turns out that Wander was actually the villain and was taking out innocent colossi who existed to contain a great evil in this sacred land. While this evil, Dormin, does manage to come out by completely inhabiting Wander's body, he is quickly sealed once again before he can bring any harm.
3 Tidus Was A Dream Of The Fayth (Final Fantasy 10)
Final Fantasy games might have really complicated stories, but the emotional payoffs are almost always worth it. Such is the case with Final Fantasy 10, which is one of the best games in the series.
Tidus, the protagonist, is revealed to be a dream of the Fayth after players progress quite a bit into the story. He was brought back to deal with the threat of Sin, bidding a tearful goodbye to Yuna before departing for the Farplane.
2 Isaac Saw And Heard His Wife Nicole In Hallucinations (Dead Space)
Dead Space is one of the greatest horror titles ever made. Fans can't wait to see how the remake will fare, especially given how great the quality of the original title was already.
The game had a brilliant plot twist revolving around the main character's wife, Nicole. While Isaac sees her and interacts with her over the course of the game, it turns out that this was nothing more than his mind playing tricks on him — in reality, Nicole was dead from the moment Isaac boarded the USG Ishimura.
1 Booker And Comstock Were The Same Person (BioShock Infinite)
BioShock Infinite is one of the greatest video games ever made, ending the BioShock trilogy on a high note. This game went above and beyond when it came to making its plot as riveting as possible.
The final twist is the most mind-blowing of them all, revealing that Booker and the antagonist, Comstock, are both the same characters from different dimensions who made a critical decision at one point to become the person they are in their respective realities. The only way to end this cycle of torment is to kill Booker at his baptism before he could become a heinous villain in the first place.