The most epic climaxes to videogames EVER

[Doctor Oak]

With Halo Wars dropping in demo form today, it's gotten me thinking about Halo 3 and it's fantastically epic finale. In fact, it's pretty much got me wanting to blast through the entire game again purely for the build up to those last moments.

So, what other nominations would you put forward for the most epic finales to videogames ever and why? If they're recent, you may want to provide spoiler warnings.

My list is, while unordered, as follows:

• Halo 3 - as the final part in a pretty massive trilogy (which, ok, has a pretty hokey story laden with sci-fi clichés, but is still fun), the final level in Halo 3 does not disappoint. It works great as a standalone conclusion to the game itself, whether you've played the other two or not. But having it conclude half a decade's worth of gaming can make it seem even more epic. The final level itself is not too special until you break free and start making a run for the end. A variation of the Halo theme begins to slowly pump away as all bloody hell breaks loose around you. Play this with a friend for the best experience - but even alone, it's a truely epic masterpiece of game design.
  
• Mass Effect (1) - I wasn't sure whether or not to put this here, but the ending (whichever way it works out for you) is, without question, an epic battle on all fronts. The storyline it culminates is fascinating and intruiging - and its only real weakness is that it holds back to allow room for the next two games in the series.
  
• Pokemon Red/Blue/Green/Yellow - I remember coming to this for the very first time way back when playing Pokemon Red. I'd already failed once against the Elite 4, mostly from simply not understanding that I wouldn't be able to go back and change my team between battles. But once I'd fought through the Elite 4 completely and was confronted with the final confrontation with my rival, everything became an epic tooth and claw battle. I maintain to this day that there has never been a more epic battle theme in any Pokemon game since than the Last Battle theme played against your rival in R/B/Y/G.
  
• Sonic 3 and Knuckles - Hidden Palace Zone to Doomsday - I think Katie mentioned this in a similar topic a long time ago, but as far as the old Sonic games go, this was a whole new scale of storytelling. From the instant you get to the Hidden Palace Zone, the game ceases to become recognisable to anything before and, were it made to today's standards, would probably be just as epic all around as Halo 3's conclusion. Sega were limited in how much they could express the story they were telling - but they were certainly not limited in the way they told it. A glorious ending to a glorious game. It's just a pity it became the peak for the franchise decades sooner than it should have.
  
• Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - By the time you reach the (proper, not the bonus) final case on Phoenix Wright's first game, you've already long since been sold on just how the format of the game works. By then completely turning that on it's head with a story filled with twists, turns and fantastically epic musical scoring it will keep you completely hooked and is probably one of the best written games ever made.
  
• Ace Attorney: Phoenix Wright: Trials and Tribulations - I'm including this on its own (and don't get me wrong, the second game has an epic ending as well), solely because it manages to somehow top the last two games' endings by just going completely all out bat-shit insane nuts. The dramatic return of Franciska Von Karma, as an Ally and a Foe at the same time, the massive twists and turns of the plot and - of course - fucking playing as EDGEWORTH cement the final case of Phoenix Wright's last game as an upstanding conclusion to his storyline. Ok, fair enough that Apollo Justice is basically all about him anyway, but the 4th case of Trials and Tribulations is a hard one to topple as one of the truely epic moments of videogame history.

 

[Stark]

• Halo 3 - as the final part in a pretty massive trilogy (which, ok, has a pretty hokey story laden with sci-fi clichés, but is still fun), the final level in Halo 3 does not disappoint. It works great as a standalone conclusion to the game itself, whether you've played the other two or not. But having it conclude half a decade's worth of gaming can make it seem even more epic. The final level itself is not too special until you break free and start making a run for the end. A variation of the Halo theme begins to slowly pump away as all bloody hell breaks loose around you. Play this with a friend for the best experience - but even alone, it's a truly epic masterpiece of game design.

I couldn't have put it any better, except I have to say that if you can get four people, do it.

Absolutely amazing with four, especially on legendary with skulls on

I ALWAYS loved that style of ending since Halo: CE, and because I spent literally all of my Halo 2 multiplayer in a Warthog driver's seat, Halo 3's ending was a dream for me. I still love it to this day, and I must have done it nearly 10 times now.

In comparison, I'd have to say that similar games haven't got such the same ending as Halo. CoD4/WaW has the pistol shooting and the flag, not much excitement.

Halo 3's ending really tops my chart, with ease.

 

[Linkachu]

Obviously I can only comment on the games I have played, so my choice for most epic finale would probably be Final Fantasy VI. If you're worried about spoilers, don't read further.

While that game suffers a bit from the same issues Sonic 3 & Knuckles' finale would, it's still amazingly well done for a mid 90s game. First is the fact that you have to split into 3 groups for Kefka's tower, giving you one last opportunity to play with almost every playable character in the game (a few have to be left out, but using up to 12 characters for a single dungeon is still notable for a turn-based RPG). Then the whole final battle itself... being able to choose the order that your characters appear, and how if one stays dead through one of Kefka's mode changes (the battle has 3 stages) they're replaced with the following character. It's like the ultimate RPG final battle. Even the music is fucking awesome.

Then, the actual ending itself. It's kinda like movie credits, focusing on every character one after another with their respective musical theme used. For a game with such a huge cast, they ended that game beautifully. The final score itself is over 21 minutes long, and not at all boring. The entire thing is just gorgeous.

Honestly, even after this many years, I don't think another RPG's ending has ever been quite as epic. Can't wait to see how they'd handle it in a remake.

 

[Teapot]

I heartily second all of the Phoenix Wright nominations - especially the third. After about half-way through the last case on all of them, you absolutely cannot put the game down until you've seen the end of the credits scene. Those games are the very definition of epic storytelling.

I've never played Halo 3 (but apparantly I have to now ), but I did like CoD4's ending, even if it is slightly rushed. The sheer tension of the last scene, which is then all released when you pull the trigger on that pistol, is really good. And then you get the Mile High Club. An excellent ending to an excellent game. Even if the game is too damn short.

 

[KoL]

Earthbound's ending strikes me as being memorable purely due to the sudden and alarming change of tone that it provided. Earthbound starts out as a light-hearted, humourous game that doesn't take itself too seriously. Then, once the final boss reveals its true form, Earthbound drops all the humour and jokes and throws you into a battle against one of the most dark, creepy and twisted bosses to have ever existed. The ominous presence the boss creates, combined with the most eerie music I've ever heard in a video game during the fight makes that ending memorable for me. Just to add another silly twist to it all, once you defeat the boss, the game goes back to its silly and humourous ways again. The way the game changes gears, so to speak, like that at the end makes it unforgettable in my opinion.

 

[Stark]

I've never played Halo 3 (but apparantly I have to now ),

And you call yourself a gamer?

Yes, yes you do have to. Even if I buy you the kit myself

 

[StellarWind Elsydeon]

Phoenix Wright = Frell Yes. Especially 3.

As far as awesome climactic moments go, of my recent playing-through of games, I'd have to point out the ending of the original Wild ARMs and Wild ARMs 2.

Terranigma also has quite an epic conclusion... and the Digital Devil Saga games are pure epic as a whole, but their conclusions are definitely very fitting and impressive.

Septerra Core's also stood out to me, but no one heard of that one. >>

 

[Toru]

I am going to give a spoiler warning here.

I think that the final battle in, 'The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker' had a pretty damn epic ceace of the battle. Zelda fires a Light Arrow at Link's Mirror Shield, which gets redirected at Gannondorf, paralysing him, giving you the chance for your 'final' parry attack. Link spins around Gannon, hits him with his sword, jumps in the air and slams the holy Master Sword into the Dark King's head. He jumps off, with the Master Sword stuck in Gannon's head, as he turns to stone. Truly, an epic attack for that great final moment.

 

[Xelaaredn]

Well if you're going to include the final battle of Wind Waker... Twilight Princess anyone?Spoiler?

I mean come on... A four part boss battle in a Zelda game, first fighting against a possessed Zelda then against the monster pig/boar version of Ganondorf (Ganon), followed by chasing him on horseback as Zelda fires Light Arrows at him all the while dodging phantom swordsmen on horses summoned by Ganondorf. Topped off with a cage match mano y mano ending much the same way as the final battle in Wind Waker, the whole while thinking that Midna was killed only to find that she was returned to her true self and that she was in love with Link (my opinion about her last words and all that), is pretty epic.

And as far as saying a person isn't a gamer unless they've played Halo... It's just a shooting game with flashy graphics, there are like... At least 10 other ones that are just as good if not better even if they are "dated". The first Halo was good, I'll give you that, but 2 and 3 are the exact same thing. As far as I'm concerned they aren't truely "epic". If there was a movie and it was done right with cliffhangers and all that then I might think otherwise, but as a game... no.