Video game stories have gotten more complex over time, and as they’ve done so, they have begun to integrate tropes commonly used in other media like film or television. One trope that video game stories have taken to with gusto is the concept of the stinger, a short scene after the credits in which a plot twist often happens.
This twist can serve to tie up loose ends in the story, ideally in a way that both makes sense and catches the player off-guard, or to introduce new elements or intrigue for a sequel. Sometimes, the twist is there for emotional impact, but if done well it can be one of the more memorable parts of the game.
Spoiler Warning: While we’ve done our best to at least go easy on the spoilers in the entry headers, this article is still based entirely around spoilers so proceed with caution.
10 Rise Of The Tomb Raider Has A Post-Credits Death
In Rise of the Tomb Raider, one of the game’s primary antagonists is Ana, the former partner and lover of Lara Croft’s father and a high-ranking member of the evil conspiracy Trinity. Her and Lara have a difficult relationship that is made more strained by Ana’s machinations.
The game ends with Lara and Jonah at Croft Manor, preparing to continue to fight Trinity. After the credits, however, the story flashes back to Ana and Lara leaving the collapsing city much of the game’s events take place in, and Lara confronting Ana over the death of her father. Before much can be revealed, a sniper shoots Ana, but is ordered not to kill Lara— hinting at Trinity’s continuing interest in her.
9 Lollipop Chainsaw Can End With One Last Zombie
Lollipop Chainsaw is an unusual game where high school cheerleader Juliet Starling, a member of a zombie-slaying family, attempts to put an end to a zombie apocalypse within a single day so that she can have the perfect 18th birthday party.
Throughout the game, there are optional missions where Juliet can rescue her classmates from zombies. If the player does every one of these, there is an end credits scene where Juliet introduces her boyfriend to her family. If not all of the classmates are rescued, then the scene initially plays out the same, only for Juliet’s mother to be revealed to be a zombie before it cuts to black.
8 Metroid Prime Ends With The Birth Of A Terrifying Foe
The final boss of Metroid Prime is the titular Metroid Prime, one of the series’ parasitic predators mutated by the form-shifting corruptive substance Phazon to be vastly more powerful than others of its kind. Samus defeats the Metroid Prime, but not before it is able to absorb her immensely powerful Phazon Suit.
Samus leaves, thinking the day saved, but a post-credits scene shows the events after she is gone: The Metroid Prime reconstitutes itself with the power of Phazon, within Samus’s suit, becoming Dark Samus, the evil doppelganger of the heroine and one of her most dangerous foes.
7 Mass Effect 3 Can Show Somebody Still Alive
The controversial nature of the endings of Mass Effect 3 is well-known, with player disappointment following the game’s initial release being strong enough to necessitate a free DLC improving the endings. Part of the disappointment is that, originally, Shepard always died, regardless of which ending was picked or what preparations the player made beforehand.
With the DLC endings installed, there is a way to change this. If the “Destroy” ending is picked, ending all synthetic life in the universe, and the player gathers a large enough military prior to assaulting Earth, the post-credits scene is changed. After the crew of the Normandy leave the planet they’re crashed on, the camera cuts to a pile of rubble, where Shepard can be heard taking a single breath.
6 Halo 2 Has Cortana Left On High Charity With A Foe
The frantic pace of the third act of Halo 2 can leave it hard to remember everything that has gone on, cutting backwards and forwards between two characters— and having much of the final action be carried out by the Arbiter who rescues Johnson, fights Tartarus, and stops Delta Halo from being fired and wiping out all life in the galaxy.
The final credits scene focuses on Cortana, who Chief was forced to leave behind on High Charity, the Covenant capital city, during the third act. The short scene shows the Gravemind, the consciousness of the Flood, securing his grasp on High Charity, and revealing Cortana as the only other living thing left. The Gravemind then announces his intention to torture her for information on Earth and the Halos, setting the stage for its plot in Halo 3.
5 Desmond Fully Synchronizes In Assassin’s Creed II
In an unusual twist, this gameplay sequence takes place during the credits. After the in-Animus climax of Ezio confronting Pope Rodrigo Borgia in Assassin’s Creed II, the credits roll— but are interrupted by, in the game’s real-world, an attack on the Assassins’ hideout by Abstergo Industries.
Despite no formal training, Desmond is given a hidden blade, and proves extremely competent with it in a fight, showing that he has become fully synchronized with his ancestors and one of the deadliest Assassins ever. It also puts him at higher risk of the Bleeding Effect, becoming unable to distinguish reality from history.
4 Bioshock Infinite May Undo Its Own Twist In Its Final Moments
The complex plot of Bioshock Infinite ultimately hinges on preventing protagonist Booker from making a single choice: Accepting a baptism that has him reborn as Zachary Comstock, the game’s villain. At the game’s climax, Booker allows himself to be drowned during his baptism, wiping out all versions of Comstock that exist.
The game’s post-credit scene, however, shows Booker approaching the room of Anna, his daughter, in an echo of the events that began the whole plot, with Booker giving Anna to Comstock. As such, the scene implies the entire game may be set in an endless loop.
3 God Of War Sets The Stage For Kratos’s Next Battle
The climax of God of War (2018) has Atreus and Kratos being forced into killing the incensed and vengeful Baldur, to prevent him killing his own mother and continuing to come after them. As they do so, Atreus is revealed to be Loki of Norse myth, and the three-year Fimbulwinter begins, indicating the beginning of Ragnarok centuries early.
As Kratos and Atreus prepare to wait out the snow, Atreus has a post-credits vision hinting at the terrible future awaiting him and Kratos. In this vision, as Fimbulwinter ends, and their house is approached by Thor— one of the most powerful Norse gods— implied to be seeking revenge.
2 Dragon Age Inquisition Ends With A Reveal About A Companion
Throughout Dragon Age: Inqusition, occasional mention is made of an Elvish god called Fen’Harel, the Dread Wolf, who is largely inactive in world events. Party member Solas occasionally offers cryptic hints, as well as being one of the most distant and mysterious of the companions.
In the game’s post-credits scene, Solas meets with the powerful witch Flemeth, and reveals himself to be Fen’Harel, attacking her and stealing her power. He also reveals himself to be responsible for most of the game’s plot. Both of these lead into the “Trespasser” DLC, and most likely the plot of Dragon Age 4.
1 Metal Gear Solid 2 Has One Last Twist
The plotline of Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty is notoriously impenetrable, throwing twist after twist at the player and making no attempt to help them keep up. At the very end, it appears to be settling into a somewhat understandable pattern, with the events of the game having been orchestrated by a shadowy conspiracy of politicians and setting the stage for Snake to battle them.
Not content with this, however, the game uses its post-credit scene to throw a kink into the narrative. Otacon has identified the Patriots, the ones appearing to run everything, and found that they have all been dead for at least a century. Even Snake is left speechless by the revelation.
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