Most Atmospheric Final Levels

[Devil's Due]

Spoiler: Ace Combat 6

Ace Combat 6. While the levels are not that great during the game, the last level was amazing. Lots of snow (making it hard to see), dramatic music, hundreds of fighters from all sides duking it out, a giant ass cannon that's blowing shit up that you have to destroy(By having to freaking FLY into the damn cannon, TWICE, to destroy the cannon) or all is lost in the war. And to end it off your wingman for the entire game tries to take it on by himself after his family is killed in the war but ends up getting shot down, with you sitting there watching his final moments. (However, he did eject in time. If you watch the ending it states he was able to when the plane fell too low for the camera to see, but he can't fly anymore due to injuries)

Good stuff, man.

 

[JPGR-]

The ending to MGS3 was fantastic. I can't quite remember if it was the very end, but fighting the Boss in the field was both incredibly difficult, and when you relize what her motivations were, heartbreaking.

 

[Anarchemitis]

 

[shadebreeze]

Time to quote an old game...
Doom 2. The final level was probably the best arena in FPS games ever.

Hm. No, wait, I revise that.
System Shock 1. Not the second game that everybody likes, I truly mean the first one. Fighting SHODAN in a wireframe cyberspace, within a limited amount of time, while your screen slowly fills up with pixels that end up forming the image of SHODAN's face (and when it happens, you die)... yes, I think that is my favourite "final boss" fight ever.

[edit: Oh, and GLaDOS in Portal is definitely a close second... but the best thing is what happens after you win the fight. ]

 

[vede]

STALKER: Shadow of Chernobyl.

The whole story leads up to:

Spoiler

all of the experienced stalkers in the Zone flooding toward the power plant because you've just opened op the path by disabling the brain scorcher, and the military trying to get the stalkers, and the monolith trying to defend their leader (the monolith, which is in the power plant), and it's just a huge cluster-fuck of changing alliances and free-for-alls and awesomeness right up to the entry into the sarcophagus after sprinting down a gauntlet of helicopter, tank, and infantry fire as the power plant was getting ready to blow off some steam (lots and lots of explosive, radioactive steam) like, a hundred meters from you. As the air turns red, your vision distorts, and the sounds get warped, you go into a building and jump into the sarcophagus just as the plant lets out its load! Then it becomes a cramped mindless shooter with invincible enemies and retardedly difficult architecture, and you can get the full effect of the game if you just stop there... so disappointing...

Totally freaking awesome.

 

[meatloaf231]

S.T.A.L.K.E.R., that incursion through Pripyat and into Chernobyl was simply amazing. Heck, that entire game was atmospheric.

 

[DreamKing]

I thought that the final areas of Baten Kaitos Origins was atomspheric and Skies of Acardia: Legends was incredible. Tales of Symphonia's final two area had me hyped up for the final showdown.

 

[Mr_Czar]

The final level in the first Condemned game. Your flashlight's broken, your taser's not working, and you only have a burning piece of wood you use as a light source but only lets you see a short distance. It's dark everywhere. This has to be the scariest level ever in a horror game.

To be honest, I found the level before this a lot scarier. Once it became clear that those creatures with metal faces were NOT in Ethan's head, then I ceased to be scared by them.

 

[Bulletinmybrain]

Outer Haven: MGS4

You fight legions of FROGS, You save Meryl for that POS Akiba, You mash buttons to get through a microwaved tube. Cutscenes galore. You punch out your brother, more cutscenes galore.

 

[Bulletinmybrain]

The final level in the first Condemned game. Your flashlight's broken, your taser's not working, and you only have a burning piece of wood you use as a light source but only lets you see a short distance. It's dark everywhere. This has to be the scariest level ever in a horror game.

To be honest, I found the level before this a lot scarier. Once it became clear that those creatures with metal faces were NOT in Ethan's head, then I ceased to be scared by them.

Condemned started as something completely awesome, but the lines started blending way to much. That school area though..

 

[Mr_Czar]

The final level in the first Condemned game. Your flashlight's broken, your taser's not working, and you only have a burning piece of wood you use as a light source but only lets you see a short distance. It's dark everywhere. This has to be the scariest level ever in a horror game.

To be honest, I found the level before this a lot scarier. Once it became clear that those creatures with metal faces were NOT in Ethan's head, then I ceased to be scared by them.

Condemned started as something completely awesome, but the lines started blending way to much. That school area though..

That was such a great level. I died so many times on it, the enemies don't mess around there.

 

[ZantetsukenQ]

Outer Haven: MGS4

You fight legions of FROGS, You save Meryl for that POS Akiba, You mash buttons to get through a microwaved tube. Cutscenes galore. You punch out your brother, more cutscenes galore.

Hell freakin' yes. The music at the final battles and the scenery in the background create an epic scape.

 

[Bulletinmybrain]

The final level in the first Condemned game. Your flashlight's broken, your taser's not working, and you only have a burning piece of wood you use as a light source but only lets you see a short distance. It's dark everywhere. This has to be the scariest level ever in a horror game.

To be honest, I found the level before this a lot scarier. Once it became clear that those creatures with metal faces were NOT in Ethan's head, then I ceased to be scared by them.

Condemned started as something completely awesome, but the lines started blending way to much. That school area though..

That was such a great level. I died so many times on it, the enemies don't mess around there.

That they don't, not to mention his freak-outs towards the end which really screwed with me.

 

[Lord Harrab]

Most definately Call of Duty 4. The second that the car hits the bridge you know there's going to be tragedy. The chatter of your squad mates helps with this no end. A complete last stand scenario brings it to a close. The suspense that comes from the wait for all your squad mates to die during your defence on the bridge is murderous. After it all, I still managed to cry my eyes out. And I'm not not ashamed of that fact!

I dig it man, I dig it.

same, Gaz was going to buy me a beer too...

at least Captain Price might have gotten out alive.

 

[Mr_Czar]

Back on topic, I really loved the -last- level on Hitman : Blood Money. There was something gruesomely satisfying about popping that fella in the wheelchair.

 

[Bulletinmybrain]

Back on topic, I really loved the -last- level on Hitman : Blood Money. There was something gruesomely satisfying about popping that fella in the wheelchair.

But isn't that like a bonus level?>.>

 

[Frigori Laecasein]

The whole final boss battle in Shadow of the Colossus, from the opening of the gate, to the mad dash across the collapsing bridge (Agro!), to the first view of the final boss off in the distance as its hands issue fireballs right in your direction. Oh man oh man.

 

[Mr_Czar]

Back on topic, I really loved the -last- level on Hitman : Blood Money. There was something gruesomely satisfying about popping that fella in the wheelchair.

But isn't that like a bonus level?>.>

Not really. At least I didn't think so. It seemed like the finale to the game to me. There's even a cutscene after it.

 

[Lvl 64 Klutz]

Oh! Totally forgot... Castle Zvahl, and even Xarcabard! Those places were so freakin' creepy. (FFXI)

Spoiler: images

Castle Zvahl

Xarcabard

 

[latenightapplepie]

I really liked the early parts of the final level of Mirror's Edge. Until everything becomes very shooty and kicky, the movement through the cold, metallic maintenance areas of the Shard with some of the super-cool ambient sounds reminds me why I love that game.