10 Action Games That Start as Simple Adventures but Become Incredibly Dark at the End

The action game landscape is constantly evolving. Over the last twenty years, first-person shooters and other action games have changed a lot. Popular series like Call of Duty and Halo have shown that these games can have surprisingly complex stories, going beyond simple shooting action.

I’m often surprised by the story choices in action games just as much as in Japanese role-playing games. It often feels like these games lure you in with familiar concepts, then completely subvert your expectations. These are prime examples of action games that take unexpected and often dark turns.

10. God Of War (2018)

Setting Off Ragnarök Isn’t A Happy Ending

The God of War series isn’t exactly famous for cheerful conclusions. This recent installment focused on the relationship between a father and son during an epic journey, and I wasn’t prepared for how intense it would become. As the story unfolds, we discover that Atreus is actually Loki, a trickster god from Norse mythology often depicted as a villain.

To make matters worse, the game takes a very dark turn in its final section. Kratos discovers a painting depicting his own death, cradled by Atreus, and Mimir warns them that killing Baldr has unleashed a harsh winter – the beginning of the end times, Ragnarök. The idea of Ragnarök is frightening enough, but it’s made even worse when Atreus has a vision of a final battle with Thor. When I first played, I was genuinely shocked by how quickly this father-son journey through Norse mythology had created such a heavy and ominous atmosphere.

9. Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare II

The Dark Twist You Never Dreamed of Seeing

By the sixth Call of Duty game, the series was already known for its storytelling. Players initially believed they understood the plot after a shocking twist – the villain Makarov killed the player’s character early on and then manipulated events to start a war with the United States.

The ‘No Russian’ mission was incredibly controversial and nearly removed from the game, but for me, the real shock came later with General Shepherd’s betrayal of Task Force 141. Players intensely disliked Makarov, but their fury towards Shepherd was on another level, completely changing the game’s final act into something far more grim. It’s still my favorite Call of Duty story campaign to this day.

8. Subnautica

Blue Oceans Replaced by Lava Dragons

While Subnautica isn’t a typical action game, it’s easily one of my all-time favorites. Surprisingly, it creates more intense, heart-pounding moments than many games built around action. You’re stranded in the ocean on an alien planet and have to survive by scavenging for resources and staying away from dangerous locations.

As you play, you’ll naturally be led to increasingly dangerous locations. You’ll start with somewhat scary open water, then move on to dark caves filled with massive creatures. Eventually, you’ll reach the Lava Zone – a fiery area with huge Sea Dragons that shoot fireballs. It’s a far cry from the peaceful resource gathering of the beginning! The story does eventually have a positive ending, but nothing can prepare you for seeing a Sea Dragon for the first time. I still remember when one destroyed my Cyclops, setting me back hours of progress!

7. Spec Ops: The Line

Where’d This Psychological Thriller Come From?

Many games today rely on big plot twists near the end, but that wasn’t as common back in 2012. When I first played Spec Ops: The Line, it seemed like a straightforward third-person shooter set in Dubai with a Delta Force team. However, the game takes a surprisingly dark turn in its final act, completely changing how you understand everything that came before.

Discovering that Colonel Konrad, who we believed was the enemy, had actually been dead for weeks was a huge shock. It turns out Walker, the player character, was hallucinating the orders he thought were coming from Konrad. The real source of his breakdown wasn’t Konrad’s commands, but Walker’s own guilt over the civilian deaths he caused. This unsettling psychological reveal fundamentally changed the tone of the Spec Ops series, making it far more serious and less of a lighthearted action game.

6. Cyberpunk 2077

There Are No Happy Endings in Night City

It’s almost misleading how often characters in Night City point out there are no happy endings. Despite the game’s vibrant visuals, futuristic setting, and comparisons to games like Grand Theft Auto, many players hoped for a more optimistic outcome in Cyberpunk 2077 than the one they ultimately received.

There’s only one truly happy ending in the game, and frankly, getting it feels like a long shot. Most choices lead to pretty grim outcomes – you might sell your soul to a corporation, return to the city knowing you’re going to die soon, or let Johnny Silverhand take over your body. There’s even an option to simply end your own life. It’s a stark contrast to the initially bright and exciting story, and after playing through it, it’s hard to see this as anything other than a very dark game. I haven’t bothered to try and unlock a better ending than a simple reset, so that’s my perspective.

5. Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons Of Liberty

A Twist That Feels Even Darker Now

I included this example because the Metal Gear Solid series is known for its surprising plot twists, and I just finished replaying Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty. The game’s reveals were shocking when they first came out – especially the moment when you realize the main character isn’t who you thought, and even more so when you discover Colonel Campbell was actually an artificial intelligence program all along.

I initially loved this plot twist, but revisiting it now, with all the advancements in AI, feels much more unsettling. The Metal Gear series was already known for its mature themes, but this development felt like a significant escalation, and its exploration of control and technology overshadowing humanity is becoming increasingly frightening.

4. Far Cry 5

The Villain Was Right All Along

Far Cry games rarely have cheerful conclusions, and Far Cry 5 delivers one of the most bleak. Choosing to abandon the final mission suggests you inadvertently cause the deaths of your allies because of mind control. However, the official ending is even more grim: staying to fight Joseph Seed leads to what appears to be a victory, immediately followed by nuclear explosions that wipe out civilization.

The ending of Far Cry 5 is incredibly bleak, but it becomes even more disturbing when you learn, through Far Cry: New Dawn, that the player character actually serves Joseph Seed in the aftermath. Knowing this completely changes how you view the original ending, making it feel truly awful no matter which option you choose. It honestly made me feel sick revisiting the conclusion after finding out this new information.

3. The Last Of Us Part II

The Most Traumatizing Death in Gaming

It’s no surprise that The Last of Us was a challenging game, and it started with a very dark tone. But the sequel truly shocked players with Joel’s death. Witnessing Abby brutally kill Joel while Ellie was forced to watch was incredibly upsetting – it was a truly awful moment in gaming for me. I enjoyed the first season of the TV adaptation, but knowing what would happen to Joel made me delay watching the second season for a whole year.

Subscribe to the newsletter for dark action-game insights

Dive further into the craft of action-game storytelling—subscribe to the newsletter for exclusive analysis of dark twists, character turns, and narrative choices across major titles. Join to get thoughtful breakdowns that sharpen your understanding of these game moments.

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

What makes it even more difficult is the bleakness that permeates the entire game. Ellie’s quest for revenge mirrors the path Abby took when she killed Joel, and players experience both sides of the conflict. It’s a painful and disheartening lesson that revenge ultimately leaves everyone with nothing to gain.

2. BioShock

“Would You Kindly” Ruined Me

To be honest, BioShock really surprised me with its early twists. I played it relatively late, but managed to avoid spoilers, including the famous “Would You Kindly” reveal about Jack being a mind-controlled agent. What really stuck with me, though, was the twist involving the different endings, which depended on whether you saved or harvested the Little Sisters. It was so impactful that I immediately replayed the entire game to make a different choice and alleviate the guilt I felt.

BioShock is famous for its surprising plot twists, but the ending of the first game is particularly shocking – arguably more so than any other game ever made. It’s a deeply unsettling conclusion, made even more impactful by the fact that players are penalized for choices they didn’t even realize were wrong, resulting in a truly heartbreaking twist.

1. Halo: Combat Evolved

You Thought You Understood The Threat

The original Halo game immediately established the series’ strong storytelling. In 2001, players were captivated by Master Chief’s mission to defeat the Covenant aliens on the mysterious Halo ring. But the story took a dramatic turn when humans accidentally released the Flood – a terrifying alien parasite. This transformed the game from a straightforward sci-fi adventure into a thrilling and frightening action-horror experience.

I’ll never forget my first experience with Halo, especially the intense opening level where you fight the Flood. The story quickly gets even more complex, revealing that Master Chief almost fell for a trap that would have activated the Halo and wiped out all life across multiple galaxies – all in an attempt to stop the Flood by eliminating their food source. These surprising twists created a powerful ending, and the campaign remains incredibly memorable over two decades later.

2026-04-14 16:41