Sci-fi shows and movies, especially horror-themed ones, can often have dark endings. The same is true for a number of sci-fi games that end darkly. They may have great resolutions in a sequel, but when these games were originally released as standalone titles, they threw fans for a loop. Some fans are still waiting for answers.
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A dark ending is not necessarily a bad thing if done well. A character passing could be good if they sacrificed themselves for the greater good, for example. Whatever the case may be, good or bad, these endings have haunted players for years.
It goes without saying, but the following games will be spoiled fully.
Half-Life 2: Episode 2
Still Waiting
Half-Life 2: Episode 2
- Released
- October 10, 2007
WHERE TO PLAY
There has been a reason why fans have been clamoring for Half-Life 3, or at least Half-Life 2: Episode 3, for over a decade now. It’s not because the game is so good that it deserves a sequel, although that is also true. It’s also because Half-Life 2: Episode 2 ends on a pretty dark cliffhanger.
After everything seems great between Gordon, Alyx, and Eli, their reunion is interrupted by robots. They try to capture Gordon and Alyx, Dog, the robot, chases after them, and in the struggle, Eli gets shot and presumably dies. Fans have been resting on the ending since 2007.
Dead Space 2
Eye On The Prize
Dead Space 2
- Released
- January 25, 2011
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Visceral Games
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror
Dead Space 2 has a lot of notable upgrades to the story and gameplay to make it a more engaging horror sequel. For example, Isaac can now speak, giving him more of a role beyond grunting in the story. The story follows Isaac’s continued fight against the cult of the Markers, leading to a psychological battle against his wife in the final battle.
Of course, it’s not really his wife because the Marker is just messing with his brain, but it’s enough to send Isaac into a catatonic state. Credits will roll as he sits still, as the faculty he is in blows up, which is a cue that he has given up. Thankfully, Isaac is eventually rescued, so it is a good ending, but still messed up overall.
Prey (2017)
A Gooey Ending
Prey
- Released
- May 5, 2017
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood, Language, Use of Alcohol, Violence
- Genre(s)
- FPS
Prey is a psychological horror game taking place on a moon base that is crawling with creatures that can mimic anything. There are several endings to get, with even the good ending being somewhat unsatisfying. The endings are up to interpretation, but it seems like the player, Morgan, was sent to Talos 1 to be experimented on, and the results were going to lead to human immortality.
No matter if players escape with others or not doesn’t really matter. Morgan, as a character, either dies, is doomed to repeat the process, or has to live with the trauma they were put through on Talos 1, even if they escaped.
Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7
Carry On My Wayward Son
Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7
- Released
- March 24, 2008
- ESRB
- Teen // Blood, Mild Language, Mild Suggestive Themes, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Square Enix
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation Portable
The Final Fantasy 7 universe is the most sci-fi-influenced series of games in the overall franchise. Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7 is a prequel to the original game, starring Cloud’s best friend, Zack, in his trials of becoming the best the SOLDIER program within Shinra has to offer. Along the way, he’ll lose countless friends, eventually leading to Zack escaping Shinra with Cloud, who is in a catatonic state.
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Just when it seems the two are going to make it home, Zack is stopped by a squad of soldiers. Despite his best efforts, Zack will die, but before he does, Zack will bestow his Buster Sword to Cloud along with his dreams.
Returnal
Personal Demons
Returnal
- Released
- April 30, 2021
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Housemarque
- Genre(s)
- Third-Person Shooter
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 5
Returnal is a dark, depressing roguelike shooter that players should know won't end well from the moment they start. It starts with the heroine, Selene, waking up on a foreign planet after crashing her spaceship. She will go through a maze of rooms, all flashing scenes from her life as players explore, like an old family home, which doesn’t make sense.
Turns out, Selene isn’t an astronaut at all, and everything was taking place in her head as she dealt with the trauma of killing her daughter, Helios, in a car crash. She has personal issues with her mom and father, too, so overall, it’s all in her head, although the game never really elaborates on the conclusion, as if Selene manages to break free.
Xenoblade Chronicles 3
Two Worlds Split
Xenoblade Chronicles 3
- Released
- July 29, 2022
WHERE TO PLAY
Xenoblade Chronicles 3 is a lengthy game and a hard story to summarize perfectly, just like most games in the Xeno universe of games. Basically, the two nations that were warring against each other for centuries were not enemies at all, as the war effort was orchestrated to simply entertain godlike beings as part of the Mobius organization.
Also, the two protagonists, Noah and Mio, have future doubles who were working for Mobius. It’s all very dark, but the safest part is that after the heroes achieve victory, they find out their worlds merged ages ago and don’t belong to each other. This means Noah and Mio must send a heartfelt goodbye to each other as the two worlds drift apart and reset the universe.
Death Stranding 2: On The Beach
A Robotic Future
Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
- Released
- June 26, 2025
WHERE TO PLAY
Death Stranding 2: On the Beach easily has one of the wildest endings of a game released in 2025, with too much to go into. One of the biggest revelations is that Lou, who seemed to have died in the beginning, somehow survived in the other world and quickly aged up as Tomorrow.
Also, she is Sam’s biological daughter, and as the two embrace for the first time as daughter and father, things end happily. Then things flash-forward to an indeterminate amount of time later, wherein the landscapes look worse than before, there are robots everywhere seemingly carrying packages, and Tomorrow appears aged up. It’s unclear what state the world is in, but it seems like everyone could be dead in the main party beyond Tomorrow.
NieR: Automata
The End Of Humanity
NieR: Automata
- Released
- March 7, 2017
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Platinum Games
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG
To get the good ending, players must clear NieR: Automata at least three times. This includes going through as 2b, 9s, and A2, all of whom will shed more light on what happened on Earth to make the robots take over years ago. The entire premise is that humanity lives in space and sends androids down to Earth to try and reclaim it.
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The sick part is, humanity died ages ago, and all that is left in space is a delusional set of robots. To end the cycle forever, players must give up their literal save data in hopes of helping another player, which is a pretty grim scenario for players to go through.
Mass Effect 3
It’s About The Journey
Mass Effect 3
- Released
- March 6, 2012
WHERE TO PLAY
The Mass Effect trilogy follows Commander Shepard in his exploits to stop the Reapers, all leading up to the end in Mass Effect 3. Players were given three options, originally, on how to deal with them. First, Reapers could be killed, but so would all synthetic life, thus killing allies in the process.
Shepard could also control the Reapers, which seemed like the most evil ending. Finally, organic and synthetic life could merge and become a new being. A later update allowed players to refuse, which would start the cycle anew. Either choice is grim, even with humanity merging with robots, as that essentially kills off two lifeforms and repurposes their lives without their say.
BioShock Infinite
Sins Of The Father
BioShock Infinite
- Released
- March 26, 2013
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Irrational Games
- Genre(s)
- Shooter
BioShock Infinite is dark, perhaps the darkest of all three BioShock games, because of the implications of the message. In a utopian city flying up in the clouds, Columbia, Booker, a detective, is sent to rescue a girl, Elizabeth, from the city’s ruler, Comstock. It turns out those memories are false, and Booker instead went there to get revenge on Comstock, who stole his daughter, Anna.
In a bigger revelation, Elizabeth explains she is Anna from another universe, and Booker is Comstock before he gets reborn through religion. This has happened in many universes, and the only way to set things right is for Booker to die. He dies via drowning at the hands of his universal daughters. Zack's death is sad in Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7, but it’s also hopeful, whereas Booker's death is just impossibly bleak from a player’s perspective.
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