20 Single Player Game Endings That Left Us Speechless

20 Single Player Games With the Best Endings

Welcome to Mojoplays, and today we definitely didn’t see THAT coming. These are the 20 Single Player Games With the Best Endings. A story is only as good as its ending. Wrap up good, and send us home on a good note. Let’s do it.

“The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt” (2015)

The Witcher 3 offers around 36 possible endings in its base version, many of which depend on the fate of various characters you encounter. Ultimately, though, the ending you get is determined by what happens to Ciri. Depending on your choices, she can live and become a Witcher, tragically die, or even ascend to become Empress. It’s a tough decision, but the Witcher ending is without a doubt the best. The idea of Ciri and Geralt traveling the world together as Witchers feels like the natural and satisfying payoff for making the right decisions throughout the game.

“Final Fantasy VII” (1997)

The ending of Final Fantasy VII on the PS1 is a powerful, bittersweet conclusion to Cloud’s journey. After defeating Sephiroth, Cloud and his allies manage to stop Meteor, with the help of the planet’s consciousness, Holy. However, in a surprising twist, Aerith, who sacrificed herself earlier, appears in spirit, signaling her continuing influence. The final scene shows a peaceful, green landscape, implying that life will go on. It’s the perfect wrap up to a story that felt even bigger than the characters that we’d come to love. The fate of the characters doesn’t really matter, because we actually ended up feeling like saving the world WAS the most important thing.

“Earthbound” (1994)

In EarthBound, the climactic battle against the entity Giygas requires the player to repeatedly use a party member’s Prayer ability to summon the goodwill of all the people the heroes helped throughout their journey. This goodwill is then turned into powerful attacks to defeat Giygas, easily an epic moment even without what follows. After the battle, the player is returned to their world, where they walk through familiar locations, reflecting on the good they’ve done, saying farewell to friends, and finally heading home. While this may seem simple, there’s a unique magic in EarthBound allowing players to experience what many games would rush through in a cutscene. The real emotional depth lies in walking your party members home. It’s a wholesome yet bittersweet farewell. It’s one of the warmest feeling endings of all time.

“Halo: Reach” (2010)

This was Bungie’s grand farewell before leaving Microsoft to create the Destiny series, and they certainly made sure to exit the Halo franchise with a memorable impact. The multiplayer was fantastic, the Forge mode was groundbreaking, and the single-player campaign gave us one of the best endings of all time. Throughout the game, you watch as comrades fall, each sacrificing themselves so you can complete the mission. If that’s not enough to move you, the final mission has you trying to survive as long as possible before being overwhelmed, ultimately joining your fallen allies in a poignant, tear-jerking conclusion. Great endings aren’t always happy resolutions, but they always feel right.

“Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare” (2007)

This was the Call of Duty game that set the standard, not just for the series, but for FPS in general. When it was released, fans went wild, and for good reason. The game delivered some of the most innovative multiplayer experiences at the time, while also providing a single-player campaign that left a lasting impact. The single-player was packed with unforgettable moments, but the ending stands out as one of my all-time favorites. It features Captain Price tossing you a Desert Eagle in slow motion, setting you up to take down the enemies in style. It's an iconic moment that dropped jaws way back in 2007, and hopefully right now as I show you guys a clip.

“Grand Theft Auto V” (2013)

Grand Theft Auto V features multiple endings, but the general consensus is that each one offers a satisfying conclusion for the characters. Most endings present a bittersweet farewell, with Franklin able to betray one of his partners, leading to their downfall. However, the game truly stands out with the choices it offers for completing the story. For the best possible outcome, you can team up with Trevor and Michael, ensuring that all three make it out alive and intact, preserving the bond between the characters until the very end. The final scene offers a calm, soft-smiled wrap up to one of the craziest plots ever written, or played.

“The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time” (1998)

Is this a shock? While it’s only 14 on our list, it’s undeniable that Ocarina of Time boasts one of the most legendary endings in gaming history. The game only improves with time, and both its conclusion and overall experience have remained timeless year after year... WHICH IS WILD! Because it truly doesn’t excel visually, but it’s so GODDAMN GOOD. It’s as though the game had the budget of a blockbuster movie, with its epic scale and flawless execution. After defeating Ganon in his final form, Link is able to restore peace to Hyrule. Yaaay! Good guys win. Zelda, who aided Link throughout the journey, returns to her royal duties, and Link is given a farewell as he prepares to return to his childhood. Everything is as it was, and our hearts feel warm.

“Uncharted 4” (2016)

While Uncharted 4's concluding moments are largely brilliant, it's the epilogue that truly stands out. In this segment, players control Nate and Elena's daughter, Cassie, as she plays Crash Bandicoot and explores the souvenirs from her parents’ adventures. Eventually, she confronts them about the secrets they've kept, leaving us to believe they're about to share some important family revelations. My personal love for this ending stems not just from the story's quality, but from how effectively the game makes you realize your deep connection to the characters and your desire to see them achieve a happy ending. While happy endings in games can sometimes feel forced or anticlimactic, Uncharted 4 feels earnt, and as simple as it sounds: Good.

“Spec Ops: The Line” (2012)

Spec Ops: The Line offers several impactful endings, but the "Surrender" ending stands out as the most memorable. In this conclusion, you shoot Konrad's image in the mirror and choose to surrender your weapon to the approaching soldiers during the epilogue. One soldier asks Walker how he survived, to which Walker responds, "Who said I did?" Some players dislike this ending, believing it implies that much of the game’s events were just a dream or hallucination. However, this seems like an oversimplified interpretation. To some, the ending highlights the connection between the atrocities Walker committed and the mental trauma that caused him to hallucinate as a way of coping. Dark. Deep. Up for interpretation.

“Braid” (2008)

Throughout much of Braid, you’re led to believe your character is simply a hero trying to rescue a princess from a monster. However, during the final level, you discover that the "monster" the princess is fleeing from is actually you. All along, you’ve been chasing someone who either didn’t want to be saved or perhaps should never have been pursued in the first place. Braid’s ending is often interpreted as a commentary on abusive relationships, toxic masculinity, or how some men fail to recognize the monsters within themselves. Braid’s ending is a brilliant piece of interactive storytelling, transforming an already exceptional platformer into a deeply complex narrative. It’s wonderfully beloved, and one of the most celebrated indie endings ever written.

“God of War” (2018)

The 2018 soft reboot of God of War took bold risks by altering the series' formula, but it VERY MUCH paid off, becoming one of the most acclaimed games of all time. A key factor in its success was its incredible story. Instead of embarking on a god-slaying spree, Kratos journeys with his son Atreus to fulfill his late wife's final wish. The strong bond between Kratos and Atreus drives the story, culminating in a powerful and touching finale. After defeating Baldur, the two ascend to the highest peak in Jotunheim, where they scatter the ashes of Kratos’ wife, providing a poignant and fitting conclusion to the game's driving goal, and if you weren’t crying at this point of the game, you need help.

“Shadow of The Colossus” (2005)

Thank you, Sony, for remaking this game. It's simply too incredible to be overlooked. While there are plenty of video game endings that feel heart-wrenching, none compare to the conclusion of Shadow of the Colossus, which achieved this through incredibly limited dialogue, and a fictional language for the voice acting. This is storytelling at its peak, and I’m always taken aback by how it all unfolds. The final moments of the game are utterly soul-crushing, where our main antagonist Wander is confronted with the consequences of his actions. As the final colossus is slain, a mysterious force begins to corrupt Wander, turning him into a monstrous being, a result of the dark magic used to revive Mono. He ultimately dies... OR, he’s reincarnated in baby form, depending on how you view the ending. Either way, it’s an allegory for the cycle of life and death.

“Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater” (2004)

Like many of Hideo Kojima’s early works, Metal Gear Solid 3’s conclusion is brilliant. However, this particular ending stands out for the moment when players are compelled to shoot The Boss, lying in a field of white flowers. This already emotional scene is intensified by the game’s BRILLIANT score. While many of the Metal Gear Solid endings are similarly rich in political intrigue, compelling characters, and cinematic brilliance, it’s this deeply personal moment that sets MGS 3 apart. The information you learn about The Boss and her motives post-death, wrap the story up in a way that gives the game a whole different perspective on a replay.

“Batman: Arkham City” (2011)

Arkham City's gripping finale reveals that Clayface has been masquerading as a healthy Joker all along, while the real Joker, gravely ill, has been searching for a Lazarus Pit. During a confrontation with Batman, Joker accidentally destroys the antidote he desperately needed. Batman, though willing to let him use it, realizes it’s too late. The Joker dies, and Batman carries his lifeless body through Arkham City before vanishing into the night. While many stories explore Batman and The Joker’s complicated bond, this ending uniquely delves into Batman’s internal struggle, showing why he can’t simply let the Joker die.

“The Walking Dead” (2012)

After a twisting, choice-driven narrative, The Walking Dead Season One ends with Lee dying in Clementine’s arms. While the player decides whether Clementine should end Lee's life before he turns, the damage is done regardless. Clementine loses her father figure, and Lee won’t live to help her find peace, or happiness. It’s easy to craft an emotional ending, but The Walking Dead creates one that feels more earned than most. By the end, you’ll likely cry, but you’ll also be left grappling with the same questions as Lee and Clementine: "What could I have done differently?" and "What comes next?" It’s cruel that despite all the choices made, there’s nothing that guarantees a happier ending for them, or for you.

“Portal 2” (2011)

The final moments of Portal 2 see Chell launch a portal to the moon, taking the corrupt Wheatley with her. I have to wash over this moment because I have a word limit, but JESUS it’s a cool moment. In the ensuing struggle, GLaDOS regains control of the facility just in time to send Wheatley into space and rescue Chell. GLaDOS explains that they've learned the value of humanity and have decided to set Chell free. Chell is then sent on an elevator ride out of the facility, accompanied by a chorus of attack drones performing a symphony in her honor. She steps out into a vast wheat field, and as the screen glitches, she sees a battered companion cube emerge from the escape hatch. While the ending of Portal 2 is open to interpretation, with hints that things may not be as peaceful (or real) as they appear, it works as a feel-good conclusion that leaves you with a sense of haunting beauty. Something feels off, but something also feels right.

“Bioshock Infinite” (2013)

Several key phrases have come to define BioShock Infinite’s ending: “There’s always a lighthouse. There’s always a man. There’s always a city.” For every seemingly straightforward, meta-based twist, the ending raises even more questions. What was the true purpose of your mission? And what version of the mission are you? Is there a more important version than yours in this weird multiverse world? While BioShock is famous for its “Would you kindly?” twist, BioShock Infinite presents a more intriguing version of this concept. It’s borderline impossible to detail the ending, you simply have to experience it.

“Red Dead Redemption” (2010)

In Red Dead Redemption, after all you've been through, you finally reunite with your family and even take part in a few homestead missions that let you reconnect with your wife and son. This seemingly peaceful life is abruptly interrupted when Edgar Ross returns with a posse, determined to bring John Marston to “justice.” Despite a unique interactive standoff sequence where you can take down a few of Ross’ men, survival isn’t an option, and in a powerful epilogue, you control an older Jack Marston, who tracks down Ross and kills him in revenge for his father. Although the events leading up to the ending, and even the ending itself in RDR2 is epic, this game set up the themes that made that ending possible, and feels like the conclusion to both games as the second serves as a prequel.

“Silent Hill 2” (2001)

For this entry, I’m looking at the ‘In Water’ ending. Like many of Silent Hill 2’s endings, ‘In Water’ explores the idea that protagonist James Sunderland’s journey through Silent Hill represents his guilt over his wife’s death. What distinguishes ‘In Water’ from the other endings is that it suggests James drowns himself to reunite with his wife and complete his quest for punishment and “redemption.” While one could make a case for any of Silent Hill 2's endings being the best, In Water feels like the most fitting choice. It aligns deeply with the game’s major narrative themes and is also the ending many players will naturally encounter first. The remake ALSO allows this ending, and it also feels as significant.

“The Last of Us” (2013)

By the end of The Last of Us, Joel and Ellie have endured unimaginable horrors on their journey to a Firefly hospital, where a potential cure for the infection that caused the apocalypse may be found. Joel soon discovers that the Fireflies believe the only way to create a cure is by killing Ellie. Unable to bear the thought of losing her, Joel kills the Firefly doctors, rescues Ellie, and escapes the hospital. As they head back into the world, Ellie asks Joel to swear there was no other way to use her to find a cure. Joel swears, and Ellie quietly responds, “Ok.” Man. Boy. Jesus. This ending, accompanied by the soundtrack, leaves the player with an unbelievable cocktail of emotions. Happiness, regret, satisfaction, conflict, anger, sadness, any and all emotions you could possibly feel, but hope is not one of them.