Video Game Endings That Were Way Too Predictable

A game doesn't have to be bad to be narratively obvious. Some of our favorite video games have endings that we can see coming a mile or two away — but that doesn't mean we love them any less (well ... most of the time, that is). As games have evolved from 8-bit arcade platformers to fully realized 3D adventures, storytelling nuances have grown equally complex. Maybe that's why it can be so irritating when a quality game's overtly apparent ending offers less than our expectations desire. But, then again, some games need to be obvious by their very nature.

So, whether we're jumping and swimming through eight worlds of the Mushroom Kingdom or chasing ultranationalist arms dealers across the IRL globe, our virtual adventures don't always have extraordinary conclusions. And with the spirit of scholastic pursuit in mind, we're examining some of our favorite video game endings that are just way too predictable for their own good.

The survival horror sequel to Resident Evil from director Hideki Kamiya and producer Shinji Mikami was labeled by GameSpot as "the first really big, ultrahyped blockbuster of '98," something that was "more an interactive, cinematic experience than a video game." Resident Evil 2 made a big comeback in 2019 with the remake by Capcom that presented players with characters, environments, and story that have all been rebuilt from the ground up "to create a terrifying world that feels both nostalgic and new." But, for all its glory and gusto, Resident Evil 2 goes down as one of the franchise's most interesting stories ... with the most obvious ending.

As you take Leon Kennedy and Claire Redfield on their journey through Raccoon City, you'll notice a few familiar faces from the first game — including a new form of Tyrant T-103 known as Mr. X. The primary ending of Resident Evil 2 is essentially telegraphed to players via the repeat appearances of the illusive Mr. X, who finally catches up with Leon during the climax of the story. And — keeping with a tradition established in the original Resident Evil — this final fight wouldn't be complete without the excessive use of excessive firepower.

Its soundtrack stirs the hearts of an entire generation of gamers to reflect upon countless hours of dungeon delving below Tristram. Names like "Deckard Cain" and "King Leoric" have become the stuff of legend. And (together with the original Warcraft: Orcs & Humans), it's the game that made Blizzard Entertainment a household name. Diablo changed the face of action-RPG fantasy when it hit home computers in 1996, and players have been furiously addicted to its distinct brand of isometric dungeon crawling to this very day. Nevertheless, the ending of Diablo remains one of the most necessarily predictable finales of our time.

If the name of the game wasn't enough to tip you off, the various lore books scattered throughout Diablo's deadly series of dungeons provide keen insight into the game's climax. "The Darkening of Tristram" in particular lets us know precisely what awaits us at the end of our subterranean sojourn: "The body of Albrecht, fully possessed by Diablo, began to distort and change. The small boy grew and his eyes blazed as tendril-like spines ripped through his flesh. Great, arched horns erupted from Albrecht's skull as Diablo altered the form of the child to match that of his demonic body. Deep within the recesses of the labyrinth, a growing power was being harnessed. When the moment was right, Diablo would venture once more into the mortal world." Sure enough, this is the very form the big crimson baddie himself takes at the end of your dungeon crawling escapades.

"Within sight of Tantegel Castle to the south is Charlock, the fortress of the Dragonlord." From the first moments of Dragon Warrior by developer Chunsoft, these words become a mantra for the descendant of Erdrick as he slays his way to glory — leading up to the final battle with the Dragonlord himself. Dragon Warrior is one of the top fan-favorite JRPGs from the 8-bit era, due in no small part to its inclusion with a famed Nintendo Power promotion that put a free copy of the cartridge into the hands of some 500,000 subscribers. Even if this localization of Dragon Quest featured "relatively limited action play" and "dated graphics," it was too ubiquitous to ignore.

But the simple fact remains that Dragon Warrior was a little basic for the home console market it was helping to define. Your heroic quest to find and defeat the Dragonlord is made arguably easier by the notion that you know precisely where he is — the rest becomes a matter of time. And it comes as relatively no surprise during the final battle with the Dragonlord when the evil sorcerer transforms himself into a ... wait for it ... hulking dragon. Obvious, to be sure. But let's face it: with a name like Dragon Warrior, we saw this coming. We wanted to find ourselves face-to-face with a dragon in the depths of Charlock's poisoned swamps, because — despite its simplicity — Dragon Warrior is the kind of classic RPG experience that legends are made of.

Red Dead Redemption 2 is the best-selling sequel to the award-winning action western adventure from Rockstar Games. It tells the story of erstwhile hero Arthur Morgan and his time with Dutch Van der Linde's gang of outlaws. It no doubt offers players one of the largest, most immersive video game experiences of its console generation.

Kotaku labeled the game a "techno-artistic marvel," while Eurogamer calls it "a peerless open world" that weaves "a story in the shadow of its predecessor." But the simple fact remains that, since Red Dead Redemption 2 is a prequel, we're clued in to Arthur Morgan's inevitable end no matter how dastardly or nobly we decide he should live his life amongst his fellow outlaws. We might not know exactly how he's going to get there, but one thing's for sure: Arthur Morgan ain't gonna survive this ride, because John Marston's got a redemption of his own to find, somewhere out there on the Western frontier.

Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare is a beloved part of any self-respecting FPS fan's catalogue of favorites. The winner of numerous awards from all manner of media outlets, it's considered one of the finest first-person shooters in modern gaming. A Remastered edition of Modern Warfare hit consoles and PCs in 2016 to equally significant praise. Yet, for as well loved as this modern classic from Infinity Ward and Activision may very well be, the outcome of its high-octane narrative is relatively easy to anticipate.

COD4 tells the story of a fictional civil war in an alternate timeline Russia, the despots and madmen from around the globe who drive this war, and the American and British soldiers who ally themselves to topple these insidious forces of evil. But the hunt for ultranationalist antagonist (and Modern Warfare big bad) Imran Zakhaev is so ubiquitous throughout the game's campaign, there's never a doubt that one final battle with him awaits you in the end. And with a title so obviously inspired by cinematic trope, it's only natural for this final conflict to include a harrowing showdown with the bad guy in slow-motion, silver-screen style.