Story-driven video games can be the most riveting experience a player can enjoy, if their concepts are executed to perfection. For the most part, games with solid writing can make up for any gameplay deficits as well, which makes these narratives the most important part of such video games. However, for these stories to pay off, their endings also need to be engaging in their own right.
This is where many games might end up failing when it comes to delivering a satisfying payoff to the many hours that a player invested in their stories. Of course, the quality of some narratives can be subjective, with the following games being the topic of much-heated debates regarding the nature of their conclusions. Obviously, there will be spoilers ahead for the games mentioned in this list.
10 BioShock Infinite
BioShock Infinite is one of the most celebrated first-person shooters around. The title features excellent gameplay, a riveting story, and some brilliant technical innovations that are still mind-blowing to this day.
The ending of the game was also pretty great in its own right, but some fans have a bone to pick with the convenient nature in which multiverse theory is utilized. Regardless, it's a twist that no one sees coming, and proves that Ken Levine learned from his days working on BioShock.
9 L.A. Noire
L.A. Noire is an amazing detective title that takes place in the riveting open world of 1940s Los Angeles. The narrative of this game is arguably its biggest selling point, pushing a level of facial recognition technology that was unlike anything ever seen before.
However, many people weren't too fond of the ending, where the protagonist Cole Phelps dies a sudden and heartbreaking death. Some people felt that it fit with the tone of the game, while others found his demise to be too swift for it to have any meaning.
8 The Last Of Us Part 2
The Last of Us is one of the most celebrated video game series of all time. It's also a game with one of the most divisive sequels in video game history.
The game's plot about revenge and its inherent meaningless didn't hit as hard with some gamers as it did with others. This reached a new level in the game's ending. Some people found it to be a poignant conclusion, while others pointed out the hypocrisy of Ellie's actions leading up to her sparing Abby.
7 Cyberpunk 2077
The ending is far from the only thing that is divisive in Cyberpunk 2077. From incessant glitches to a half-baked dialogue system, many players had issues with a game that other gamers found to be one of the highlights of 2020, despite its buggy nature.
The biggest problem players had with the endings was that they didn't take all of the player's choices into account. However, this is a tall order in any RPG with a multitude of choices, and a lot of gamers found the endings of Cyberpunk 2077 to be diverse and satisfying enough.
6 Mass Effect 3
Speaking of games with endings that didn't take all player choices into account, the controversy surrounding Mass Effect 3's ending is pretty well-known at this point. While thought-provoking, some people called these endings lazy and a slap in the face of people who stuck with the series for all three games.
Over time, the game received many updates that fleshed out the game's content and addressed many of its criticisms. Players have received these changes positively, especially with the release of the Legendary Edition. However, some still have their justifiable problems with the conclusion to one of the greatest sci-fi trilogies in gaming history.
5 Batman: Arkham Knight
This entry is a bit more special, given how it's more focused on how players can actually access the endings of Arkham Knight as opposed to their quality. For the most part, Batman revealing his true identity and stepping down as The Dark Knight is a pretty poignant ending in its own right.
However, the extra ending sequences show that Bruce has actually managed to configure the fear toxic spread in Gotham, to give any criminal visions of a nightmarish Batman hunting them down. This ending scene would be talked about way more often — if it wasn't hidden behind the frustrating Riddler trophies that are such a pain to collect.
4 Final Fantasy 7 Remake
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In many ways, Final Fantasy 7 Remake is a great initiative to let more players experience this classic game. However, some people found the original changes to be a bit too much for their liking.
This can be seen in the fact that Final Fantasy 7 Remake changes many things about the game, including a confrontation against Sephiroth at the end that some people found to be a bit forced. However, the real kicker was showing that Zack is still alive, which has attracted both the ire and admiration of Final Fantasy 7 fans.
3 A Way Out
For the most part, A Way Out is a great game that two players can enjoy to the fullest. However, the road to the ending has garnered more of a mixed reception.
In a twist that wasn't all that well-received, Vincent turned out to be a double agent who was working for the FBI. This leads to the two characters fighting against each other in a rather forced confrontation that ends with the death of one of the two protagonists.
2 South Park: The Fractured But Whole
South Park episodes have a habit of ending abruptly after being wild 20-minute roller coasters. However, when the same approach is applied to a video game, reception can be rather mixed.
Throughout the game, it always feels like The Fractured But Whole is going to reach for something great, only to abruptly stop after many hours of glorious superhero action. Some people find this to be a perfect fit for a series like South Park, while others felt that The Stick of Truth showed that these games can have great endings without feeling unsatisfying.
1 BioShock
The original BioShock is one of the most groundbreaking first-person shooters ever made. The focus on a scintillating narrative coupled with some great action helped the game stand out quite a bit.
The game truly peaks once the "Would you kindly?" plot twist is revealed... and some people find it to be all the way downhill from there. This culminates in a gimmicky boss fight and an ending that was viewed as everything from satisfactory to disappointing.