Best Climax in a Video Game

[Khazidhea]

I probably wouldn't put this on the same scale as many mentioned already, but the first game that came to mind was Syberia. Also Halo: Combat Evolved, the first Mass Effect, and the Stanley Parable explosion ending.

 

[Arean]

For me it will always be the ending to Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII.

The brilliant merger of story and gameplay at the end, when Zack is finally overhwelmed and killed, always gets to me, because the ending is actually played, not just seen.
I played the whole game dreading it, because anyone who had played Final Fantasy VII knew how his story would end, but the implementation was just excellent.

 

[LetalisK]

Far Cry 3. I mean, Citra freaking stabs you after you climax! It's so good that you die for it.

Oh, wait, not that kind?

Okay, three way tie for me between Mass Effect 2, Spec Ops: The Line, and Bioshock. Each for very different reasons.[footnote]I was actually going to put the FC3 video in spoiler tags with "Best video game climax ever!", but I get the feeling I would have been modded for the nudity and sexual nature. [/footnote]

 

[Toastie058]

Halo 1- Oh you, Guilty Spark.

Bioshock, of course.

Brothers.

Mass Effect.

KotoR

They're all pretty much tied for 1st.

 

[Johnny Impact]

I'm going with BioShock. I say the climax of the game is when you confront Ryan, not the actual end boss. I never cared so much about a supposed villain's point of view, or was so glued to my seat by the freaking *plot* of an FPS, or wanted so badly to stop what was happening. I cared more about

Spoiler: spoiler

Ryan's wrongful death at my hands

than I have cared about the fate of the entire world in other games.

I see a lot of people picked Mass Effect. I recently got the first game in the series working on my PC (it only took like seven years and two complete system rebuilds for that to happen!) so I might be changing my answer once I play through them.

 

[putowtin]

inFamous 2. So much of this game is absolutely brilliant and the ending is no exception, it ups the ante in terms of characterisation and story and stakes, it remembers that some of the fun in this game is the way the world around you feels like it's living, with NPCs fighting on yourside or two enemy factions fighting each other in a pitched battle. And then the evil ending, which I've promised myself I will not play through, does not play it soft. You chose to be evil, now follow it through, live the consequences of your actions or let it destroy you.

I played the evil ending once.... sobbed for an hour.... still ain't over it

OT: The (good) ending of inFAMOUS 2: it's a great send off for Cole
Ending for Mass Effect, Mass Effect 2, Tuchanka in Mass Effect 3 and the whole Citadel dlc, there a few of the reasons I love the series.

I thought that Fallout: New Vegas had a great climax, for me, at least. The firefight on/in the Dam with all of the forces you've accumulated throughout the game, strapped up in power armor with your floating hamster-ball ED-E and Boone (also preferably in power armor with an Anti-materiel rifle) headshotting Legionaries, and then the Vertibird with the Enclave Remnants lands and melts some poor SOB...

It's the most satisfying feeling in the world.

Also, shout-outs to the New Vegas DLC. Lonesome Road had one HELL of a climax, especially if you had played through mostly the entire game with DLC. The whole DLC was tough as nails too, which only added to the hype!

It's too bad nobody likes New Vegas, but that's another topic for another thread...

It's well respected on these forum, as Festus would say "there's a whole lot of New Vegas Fan's round these parts partner!"

 

[DataSnake]

Saint's Row IV's Punch The Shark mission. Killing aliens with super powers in the real world(ish) while the touch plays in the background will always be epic.

That's my first choice as well, but the silver medal would have to go to Blood Dragon:

Spoiler

Slaughtering an army of zombies in a mystical arena, an 80s training montage, going on an unstoppable rampage with the KillStar, and getting to ride the Battle Armored Dragon Assault Strike System.

 

[Shoggoth2588]

I just played through Spec Ops the Line recently...I think that's really all that needs to be said to be honest. I'm late to that party but it was really, really damn good. I'm going to be that guy and say it was the best ending twist since Bioshock.

For me it will always be the ending to Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII.

The brilliant merger of story and gameplay at the end, when Zack is finally overhwelmed and killed, always gets to me, because the ending is actually played, not just seen.
I played the whole game dreading it, because anyone who had played Final Fantasy VII knew how his story would end, but the implementation was just excellent.

That freaking game made me cry...manly tears yes but it still made me cry dammit. Crisis Core wins this round especially since you know from the beginning where it's ultimately going.

 

[ErwinGodfrey]

I think the best one I saw was likely one of many in School Days, in particular, the one in the secret back room during the school festival.