Twist endings often seem to be credited as some later invention in the last 50 years of fiction, but such is not the case. You go back to plays in Shakespeare’s day (and LONG before) and you will see that the twist ending has existed since writing and storytelling has existed. Yet, it seems to have a different impact in each of the mediums it is represented in.
If you read a twist in a book, it makes you think you were reading it wrong and missed a red herring. When you see it on film, it often yields an “ohh shnap” type response. Yet, in gaming, the reaction is one of a kind. In a game, you are interacting with the story right up until the end, shifting, playing, and changing it. So, when a plot twist or a twist ending reveals itself in a game, you REALLY feel duped. Also, unlike books and movies, in some cases, you spent upwards of 10-40 hours in the game world preceding said twist. It makes you feel manipulated, but in the best way possible.
So, on that note, would you kindly (sorry, I had to) take a look at the following list of some of our favorite video game twists. While a lot of these are common knowledge already, it’s still fun to look back on those moments that genuinely shocked us.