Bayonetta – Cereza is Actually Bayonetta
After Bayonetta is freed after centuries of being imprisoned, she starts on her journey to uncover her past. On this journey, she meets a young girl named Cereza. Her most defining characteristics are her jet black hair and thick spectacles. Visuals that instantly reminded us of a certain Umbra Witch.
Because Bayonetta has amnesia, it isn’t unreasonable to think that she would have forgotten her youth. Even so, when it was finally revealed that Cereza is actually a younger version of the dark sorceress, very few were surprised. Bayonetta is a fantastic action game but it doesn’t win any awards in storytelling.
Resident Evil 5 – The Reveal of Jill
From the very beginning of Resident Evil 5, a shadowy figure was teased. It was clear almost immediately that this would be Jill Valentine, returned from the dead thanks to some conveniently obtuse storytelling.
When the cloak is finally revealed showing Jill’s face, Chris may have been shocked but we certainly weren’t. This moment would have been much more dramatic if it hadn’t been telegraphed so heavily beforehand.
God of War III – Kratos’ sacrifice
During the events of God of War III, Kratos makes short work of the rest of the gods on Olympus. As he enjoys this killing spree, he also learns that the hope of the world that was previously imprisoned in Pandora’s Box now resides within him. He chooses to sacrifice himself to return hope to mankind.
This final act wasn’t hard to see coming, though. After killing every Greek god, what was there for Kratos to do? It was clear from the game’s opening moments that Kratos wouldn’t walk away from the adventure, and that he didn’t want to.
Uncharted 2 – Harry Betraying Nate
From the moment Harry Flynn is introduced in Uncharted 2, his character acts just like a dastardly villain. It didn’t come as a surprise at all when he stabs Nate in the back immediately following the game’s opening level.
It’s not a great twist and not one that matters an immense amount anyway. Harry is pretty helpless on his own, having to rely on Nate’s smarts to actually get anything done. It’s better that Naughty Dog got the obvious reveal out of the way early.
Dead Space – Nicole is Dead
As Isaac fights through a derelict spaceship to save his girlfriend Nicole, the only communication he has with her is through video messages. But something seems off. As the mystery behind the Necromorphs slowly becomes more apparent, Isaac’s insanity is also revealed.
It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that Nicole was dead the whole time and the messages Isaac sees are just vivid figments of his imagination. It’s still a clever plot device nonetheless, just not one that had anyone gasping in disbelief. It’s lack of impact isn’t helped by the fact that the game literally spells this out for players. If you take the first letter of every chapter in the game, it spells out “NICOLE IS DEAD.”
The Last of Us – The Doctors Operating On Ellie
From the outset of The Last of Us, this one is incredibly clear – Ellie is the only one who is immune to the disease slowly wiping out humanity. The Fireflies say they can help, but it’s obvious that something is amiss. The game’s dramatic conclusion is that the Fireflies were ready to sacrifice Ellie to save humanity, and Joel isn’t ready to let that happen.
We all knew that Ellie was the key to the puzzle and that the game’s ending would hinge on her fate. At least the moment was incredibly well acted, ensuring that it was still an incredibly emotional moment that resonated with players, even if they could see it coming from halfway across the apocalypse.
Resident Evil – Wesker Being Evil
Game developers in the 90s had trouble making their villainous characters not seem incredibly evil. Wesker had a chip on his shoulder from the second he set foot in the mansion, so it came as no surprise when he turned bad.
He grew into a fantastic villain for the series, so it’s not a huge deal that the reveal was obvious, but the way he acted around the other members of STARS was strange throughout the entire adventure, especially when he kept disappearing.
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword – Fi is Actually the Sword
When the first piece of art for The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword was revealed, the Fi was shown standing at Link’s back. Mysteriously, the hero of time was not holding a sword, nor was one present on his back.
Fans suspected that Fi would turn out to be the physical embodiment of the Master Sword, and they were right. Nintendo clearly didn’t do a good job hiding this twist when eagle-eyed fans were able to figure it out before the game even hit shelves.
Persona 5 – Who Betrayed You
Akechi is a friend and fellow member of the Phantom Thieves in Persona 5. He is a trusted confidant and a skilled fighter, but he also has some skeletons in his closet that he would rather not reveal. After he joins the party and becomes a playable character for several hours, it becomes clear that Akechi isn’t who you thought he was.
Breaking into the interrogation room that the protagonist is trapped in for most of the story, Akechi attempts to kill him, which sets off a series of events culminating in a battle against your former friend. This turn of events was hinted at heavily and his betrayal wasn’t a major surprise, especially since it was clearly stated that he was working with the police to bring down the Phantom Thieves from within.
Assassin’s Creed – Al Mualim is Working With the Templars
The original Assassin’s Creed begins with Altair being stripped of his rank of Master Assassin, forced to reclaim his title by Al Mualim. His former mentor is suddenly very strict and doesn’t want Altair to be in the thick of the Crusades.
He hides behind his hood, always trying to lead Altair in the wrong direction. Something is clearly wrong, it just isn’t clear what. His plan eventually reveals itself and the hunt for the Apple of Eden begins. For an assassin, Al Mualim isn’t very sneaky.
Mirror’s Edge – Celeste is the Masked Assassin
The driving force of Mirror’s Edge’s narrative is a mysterious assassin who is making plenty of trouble for the runners. Celeste is a bit of a shady character from the start, but as the mystery deepens, she becomes more suspicious.
So when she finally removes her mask it’s no surprise to see that she is the one who has betrayed Faith and made matters so much more difficult for her. Not only is it a lackluster reveal, it is also an underwhelming moment.
Published: Aug 21, 2017 09:38 am