After M. Night Shyamalan's movies gained popularity, everyone started to appreciate a good twist. He certainly didn’t invent the idea of twists in films, but Shyamalan certainly got the idea trending. There are plenty of twists in video games, too, and not just within the horror genre.
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RPGs can have incredible twists with villains ranging from an ally being evil the whole time to a villain having a change of heart. It should also be mentioned that twists aren’t always a good thing just because they are shocking. Let’s take a look at these surprising reveals and determine whether or not they were justified.
There will be spoilers.
Shaun
Baby Got Back
Fallout 4
- Released
- November 10, 2015
WHERE TO PLAY
Fallout 4 begins with players witnessing bombs dropping before they get into a shelter and freeze themselves. In between the cryogenic period, the protagonist’s baby, Shaun, is kidnapped, and their partner is killed. The game’s focus is on finding Shaun in the post-apocalyptic wasteland of Boston, and when players do find him, it’s a surprise.
Shaun is a fully grown adult and a leader within The Institute, one of the most discussed factions in this area, known for being relentless. Players have to decide whether they want to help Shaun because he is their child, even though he is helping do horrific things.
Airy
Hey, Listen!
Bravely Default
- Released
- February 7, 2014
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen due to Fantasy Violence, Mild Blood, Mild Suggestive Themes, Use of Alcohol
- Genre(s)
- JRPG
Bravely Default: Flying Fairy has four main party members, Tiz, Agnes, Ringabel, and Edea, as well as a fairy companion named Airy who gives advice occasionally. The plot revolves around the party awakening crystals, and when the last one is revived, the party finds themselves back at the beginning of their journey, stuck in a time loop.
That alone is a surprise, but then it is eventually revealed that Airy is hiding her true form, who has been behind the whole thing, gathering crystallized energy with each loop. She’s such an innocuous character that it really is out of left field.
Magus
From Misunderstood To Good
Chrono Trigger
- Released
- March 11, 1995
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T for Teen: Fantasy Violence, Mild Blood
- Genre(s)
- RPG
Chrono Trigger is a time-traveling RPG that brings the hero, Crono, back to the Middle Ages for his first big time-traveling adventure. It’s here that one of the game’s biggest villains is introduced, Magus.
With cool blue/purple hair and a giant scythe, he was Sephiroth before Sephiroth. Much later, players will learn about Magus’s past and why he did what he did. Eventually, he can be recruited into the party or killed, which is the worst path to take since he has a lot of great powers to use in battle and is on a genuine path of redemption.
Riku
Less Heart
Kingdom Hearts
- Released
- September 17, 2002
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Square Enix
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG
- Platform(s)
- PS2
Riku is one of Sora’s closest friends in Kingdom Hearts, along with Kairi, who all play on an island, dreaming of great adventures. When their dream comes true, a darkness whisks all three away to magical lands, all based on Disney films. On his journey, Sora spots Riku a few times, but it seems like he has gone to the dark side to help Maleficent and the Heartless steal the hearts of normal people, including Kairi’s.
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In one of the last dungeons, it’s revealed that the main villain is Ansem, who trapped his soul inside Riku and was controlling him the whole time while gathering power. Exposed to darkness for too long, the rest of the Kingdom Hearts series is a redemption arc for Riku to prove he is good inside and that the darkness cannot win.
Rella Melancoryphus Cygnus
A Religious Betrayal
Metaphor: ReFantazio
- Released
- October 11, 2024
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Studio Zero
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
Metaphor: ReFantazio’s begins with the hero, Will, getting a group together to try and stop a soldier, Louis, who is thought to be the one who cursed the unnamed Prince. Through various plot twists, everything eventually comes to a boiling point about two-thirds of the way through.
Rella, a beloved speaker of the church and sister to a party member, Junah, was the one who cursed the Prince. It was set up by the leader of the church, Sanctifex Forden, who wanted to frame Louis and get him out of the picture, but his plans backfired. Rella is a small stopping point who regrets what she did and dies by being encased in ice.
Claus
The Darth Vader Effect
Mother 3
- Released
- April 20, 2006
- Developer(s)
- HAL Laboratory, Brownie Brown
- Genre(s)
- RPG
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Game Boy Advance
Mother 3 begins wholesomely in a country house wherein two young children, Lucas and Claus, live with their mother, father, and grandfather. After a horrific fire and several other events, Lucas loses Claus, his mom dies, and his dad has disappeared.
It may be obvious to RPG fans used to masked villains being someone important, but in the final battle, the masked villain seen throughout the game is revealed to be a brainwashed Claus. Unfortunately, he is too far gone and dies in the process, but Lucas at least gets to reunite with his father during the campaign, so it’s not a total loss.
Tohru Adachi
Jinkies!
Persona 4
- Released
- July 10, 2008
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Atlus
- Genre(s)
- JRPG
- Platform(s)
- PS2, PS4, Xbox One, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X, Switch, PS Vita
Persona 4 is ultimately a mystery game wherein a group of local teens in Japan stumble upon a mysterious TV world, which they think is connected to a series of murders around town. The silent protagonist, Yu, is living with his uncle, Ryotaro, who is a detective, and his daughter, Nanako. Ryotaro’s partner is Tohru, who is presented as a bumbling detective seemingly unfit for the job.
This is a bit of a Keyser Soze act, as Tohru is actually the mastermind behind the whole thing. Like Airy’s transformation in Bravely Default: Flying Fairy, Tohru’s involvement was quite a shock in Persona 4, and his explanation is unhinged to say the least.
Joran
The Masked Rider
Xenoblade Chronicles 3
- Released
- July 29, 2022
WHERE TO PLAY
Early in Xenoblade Chronicles 3, Joran, one of the heroes’ best friends, dies during battle. This hero, Noah, sends him off during a farewell ceremony along with other fallen soldiers. Fast-forwarding a bit, the main villain group of the game is called Moebius, with every villain being referred to as a Consul, and they wear specially made red armor with masks.
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One of the bigger jokesters in the group, who is an early thorn, is Consul J, who is later revealed to be a reprogrammed Joran. He’s far from a main villain, but no matter where he ranks, this mask reveal is a big shocker for Noah, who cannot accept his friend’s betrayal.
Lord Zokket
A Corrupt Mentor
Mario & Luigi: Brothership
- Released
- November 7, 2024
WHERE TO PLAY
Mario & Luigi: Brothership is another RPG misadventure for Mario and his brother, which takes them to a new land. Together, they help a young girl, Connie, try to save a great tree that is supposed to power and reunite all of the islands in a region.
The one who pulled them apart is Lord Zokket, a masked villain with a mysterious past. In what seems to be the final battle, Lord Zokket is revealed to be Connie’s former master, Cozette, who was being manipulated by the real villain, Reclusa. Thanks to Cozette’s actions, Reclusa is able to be revived, but Mario and Luigi put a stop to their shenanigans by the end, and overall, things turn out pretty great.
Cuff/Susurrus
Who Saw That Coming?
Forspoken
- Released
- January 24, 2023
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Strong Language, Violence
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG
Forspoken is a divisive action RPG about a young woman from New York City, Frey, who gets transported to a fantasy land like in an isekai anime. When she comes to the land, it’s being manipulated by a council of high witches called the Tantas, and with a magic bracelet in hand, named Cuff, Frey is able to go after these witches one by one and absorb their power.
Cuff, throughout the game, is trying to be helpful and is presented to be a bit of a monster. This all changes in the end when Cuff has absorbed enough energy from the Tantas to escape his bracelet prison and become the demon known as Susurrus. In a bizarre turn of fate, Frey then has to work with the Tantas to stop Cuff/Susurrus from wreaking further havoc.
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