Metal Gear Solid 2

Metal Gear Solid 2 has a mixed bag of an ending. On one hand, we get a fun AI monologue that helped to predict the next 20 years of life online.

However, we are left with more questions than answers. Was Rose real, and is she good? Who are the Patriots, and how are they seemingly alive and dead? Just a weird mess all around.

Bionic Commando

Bionic Commando is a surprisingly great game. It's a 2009 prequel to the original NES game, and most of the experience is crazy fun.

Your character is motivated by a cookie-cutter plot to save his wife. But at the end, he finds out she has actually fused with his gun? It is the kind of ending devs come up with by drunkenly throwing darts at a board late at night.

Dragon’s Lair

Ever play Dragon’s Lair on NES? It turned the impossible-to-beat Laserdisc game into an impossible-to-beat sidescroller.

But what if you actually beat the NES game? You just get a few sentences of disappointing text. Oh, and a sarcastic sounding “may you live happily ever after…?” that implies things might not work out between you and the princess.

KOTOR 2

In KOTOR 2’s defense, the game was rushed. But the ending is still a bad and confusing mess.

In fact, it is so bad that dedicated teams have spent years trying to restore the ending players should have had. And while their efforts are awesome, it does not change the disappointment you feel actually finishing this title.

Batman Arkham Asylum

Part of what makes the Arkham games so fun is the detective work. Sure, fighting this is cool, but it is more fun to solve crimes and figure out hidden boss weaknesses.

And the end of the game treats Joker like Bane, turning him into a juiced-up freak you have to fight in a simple battle. When the worst boss fight in the game is the last one, you know you are in trouble!

Mass Effect 3

Mass Effect3 had an ending so notoriously bad the devs patched it with a free DLC. Unfortunately, the fixed ending still sucks pretty hard.

In fact, so much about the ending is confusing and weird that it led to a popular Indoctrination Theory to explain things. And that theory is more entertaining than what actually happens at the end.

Fallout 3

Fallout 3 is a better game than many think. It just had the bad luck of following Fallout 2, one of the best games ever made.

But the ending does suck. You get a similar outcome no matter what you choose and then the game abruptly ends. No wonder the DLC retconned some of this awful ending.

Halo 2

Halo 2 is a beloved game. The multiplayer alone makes it legendary.

But everyone remembers the infamous ending, where Chief promises to finish the fight...in another game. And it was a long wait to a disappointing narrative conclusion. Finally, the crappy ending made this game look like one long commercial for Halo 3.

Final Fantasy VIII

Following the success of Final Fantasy VII, the eighth franchise entry was divisive. But many players eventually fell in love with the weird characters and insane plot.

However, the plot gets so weird that it creates a confusing mess of an ending. Is everything an endless time loop? Is Ultimecia Rinoa? Did Squall die and this was all a dream after Disc 1? Who knows, man.

Metroid

People remember the end of Metroid fondly because we discover Samus is a woman. And if you play fast enough, you get to see her in a little bikini.

Beyond that, though, all you get are four sentences of mangled Engrish. And worst of all, it is not even that funny.

Half-Life 2

Half-Life 2 was less of a game and more of a game-changer. It helped to showcase the sheer potential of games and game narratives.

Until the end, where G-Man shows up to thank you and the game abruptly ends. This was essentially a great story with a truncated third act, and that is disappointing.

Bioshock Infinite

Bioshock Infinite is an amazing game with great action and set pieces. Oh, and an escort character that is actually cool and helpful.

But the game involves dimensional and time travel, and the ending suffers for this. Trust us...if players have to turn to an explainer once the credits roll, the ending was too confusing.

Ghosts ‘N Goblins

Ghosts ‘N Goblins is one of the hardest games ever made. And when you beat it, you’re probably expecting an ending that whips ass.

However, beat the NES port the first time and you find out this was all a dream. To get the real ending, you now need to beat the game all over again with a much higher difficulty. Good luck not completely destroying your controller in rage, and making sure you enjoy the insane translation once you get to the real ending.

Super Mario Bros 2

The American sequel to Super Mario Bros is already the black sheep of the franchise. And the ending certainly cements this fact!

Basically, we find out the whole game was just a dream. This always feels like a slap in the face, but getting no real insights into the strange world of Subcon made it even worse.

Dark Souls

Many herald the Dark Souls games as a return to the legendary video game difficulty of the old days. And rightfully so: beating these games is a modern badge of honor unto itself.

However, the first game doesn’t really have much of an ending. No matter what decision you make, you are thrust back to the beginning of the game to do everything over again. Sure, this also feels like a throwback to those weird NES days of gaming, but let’s be honest: this made for a crappy ending back then, too.