Games That Were The End Of An Era

All things come to an end, and that includes the games and characters we love. When developers decide to retire a popular hero, it’s a delicate process. They need to understand what fans want and create a satisfying conclusion that feels genuine and complete.

These games represent the end of a significant period for their series. They often conclude the stories of beloved characters and, more importantly, signal a change in direction for the developers or the franchise itself. Thankfully, in nearly every instance, these games delivered a strong and satisfying finale to years of storytelling and character development.

Mass Effect 3

A Farewell to Commander Shepard & Former BioWare

Mass Effect 3, one of the final games made by the original BioWare team, wrapped up the critically acclaimed Mass Effect trilogy and Commander Shepard’s battle against the Reapers. What makes this series special is how your decisions from the first two games truly matter in the final chapter, setting it apart from other action-RPGs.

The conclusion to the *Mass Effect* trilogy didn’t please everyone, as fans had very high hopes. The original ending of *Mass Effect 3* was so divisive-even for BioWare-that the developers released the Extended Cut DLC to address player concerns. The next installment, *Mass Effect: Andromeda*, moved away from the story of Commander Shepard and the Reapers, and it’s still unclear if Shepard will be involved in future *Mass Effect* games.

Assassin’s Creed 3

An End To Desmond Miles’ Modern-Day Narrative

Assassin’s Creed 3 concluded the story of Desmond Miles in the present day and also represented a turning point for the series. After that, the games initially minimized modern-day elements, then introduced a complicated story with Layla Hassan, which was later abandoned. The newest game, Assassin’s Creed Shadows, doesn’t include a modern-day storyline at all.

Though not as revolutionary as some other titles, and building on the gameplay of *Assassin’s Creed 3*, many fans still see *Assassin’s Creed 3* as a key game in the series and fondly remember the character Desmond.

Gears of War 3

Epic Games Is Done With Marcus Fenix

Though Marcus Fenix and other popular characters continued to appear in later games, *Gears of War 3* was originally presented as the epic conclusion to Marcus’s story and his involvement in the fight against the Locust. It was also the final *Gears of War* game developed by Epic Games.

The game felt like a proper conclusion to Marcus Fenix’s story in the *Gears* series, offering polished gameplay, a heartfelt narrative, and lots of exciting moments for dedicated fans. However, the developers aren’t quite ready to let Marcus go, ending *Gears 5* with an unresolved plot and shifting their focus to *Gears of War: E-Day*, which aims to recapture the feel of the earlier games.

God Of War 3

The Final Chapter Of Greek-Era Kratos

God of War 3 provides a dramatic and satisfying end to Kratos’s story in ancient Greece, concluding his quest for vengeance against the Olympian gods. It was a groundbreaking action game when it was released, known for its incredible graphics and intense, violent combat – a standard few other games could reach at the time.

Even more impressively, Kratos’ story didn’t end there. *God of War (2018)* was a fantastic reboot – one of the best players have experienced. It showed us a new side of Kratos while still honoring his history and previous adventures.

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

Geralt Of Rivia Has Earned His Rest

While the *Witcher* trilogy from CD Projekt Red is often compared to *Mass Effect* in terms of epic storytelling and action-RPG gameplay, many players find Geralt’s conclusion particularly moving and fulfilling. *The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt* allows Geralt to finally find peace after a long journey, leaving players with a touching, though somewhat sad, feeling without relying on unnecessary tragedy.

With *The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt*, CD Projekt Red went from being a smaller, European RPG studio to one of the biggest and most respected in the world, thanks to a truly celebrated game. While it seems likely they’ll revisit the world of Geralt of Rivia in the future *Witcher 4*, fans will have to wait and see what they announce.

Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End

A Perfect & Heartwarming Finale For Nathan Drake

Many consider the ending of *Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End* to be one of the most rewarding conclusions to a beloved character’s story. It wrapped up Nathan Drake’s adventures by giving him the peaceful family life he deserved. Both visually and narratively, the game is a triumph, and it’s difficult to envision a better finale for Nate and Elena. *Uncharted 4* remains a standout title in the PlayStation library.

Following the success of *Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End* – which was widely loved by fans – and the more controversial release of *The Last of Us Part 2*, Naughty Dog is now ready to unveil its next big project. After focusing on those two franchises for years, the studio is preparing to launch a brand new game, *Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet*, which they say will be their most ambitious title to date.

The Walking Dead: The Final Season

A Truly Final Season In More Than One Way

The conclusion of *The Walking Dead: The Final Season* was a deeply moving end to Clementine’s five-season journey, but it also signaled the beginning of a difficult period for Telltale Games. The studio never fully recovered after its release, a fact highlighted by the ongoing delays and uncertainty surrounding *The Wolf Among Us 2*, which many fear may never be finished.

With *The Walking Dead: The Final Season*, the game series moved away from the traditional, episode-by-episode release style that had been common in story-based games since the original season launched in 2012.

Batman: Arkham Knight

Perfecting The Superhero Action Genre

With *Batman: Arkham Knight*, an iconic character and a highly respected game studio reached the end of a significant chapter. The game offered a grand finale for Bruce Wayne, voiced by Kevin Conroy, and set a new standard for superhero games. Featuring stunning graphics, improved fighting, and expansive open-world gameplay, *Arkham Knight* was a perfect, high-quality conclusion as the studio looked towards future projects.

Honestly, since the Arkham games, most of the other DC games just haven’t hit the mark. Both *Gotham Knights* and *Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League* – even with Batman showing up in the latter – were pretty disappointing. Now, I’m hearing Rocksteady, the team behind the Arkham series, is working on a new single-player *Batman* game, and they’re hoping to get back to what made those games so great. I’m really hoping they can win us, the longtime fans, back over – it’s going to be interesting to see if they can!

Halo 3

Bungie & Master Chief Go Their Separate Ways

Halo 3 provided a truly satisfying conclusion to Master Chief’s journey, just as the team at Bungie-the creators of the series-had imagined. It was a massive hit when it launched, earning rave reviews and becoming one of the most popular games ever made. Many fans and critics consider it Bungie’s most polished and near-perfect first-person shooter.

Although *Halo 3* didn’t truly conclude Master Chief’s story-he’s remained a central character in every *Halo* game since, including *Halo 4*, *Halo 5: Guardians*, and *Halo Infinite*-the series felt different after Bungie stopped developing the games and 343 Industries took over.

Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns Of The Patriots

An Epic Conclusion To The Metal Gear Saga

Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots wasn’t just another game-it was a huge event that brought the incredibly complex and long-running Metal Gear story to a satisfying end. As a final chapter crafted by Hideo Kojima, it’s a standout stealth-action title filled with memorable moments and heartfelt surprises, cementing its place as one of the best games on the PlayStation 3.

Although *Guns of the Patriots* concluded the main storyline and said goodbye to beloved characters like Solid Snake, it wasn’t the end of the *Metal Gear* series. Years later, Hideo Kojima revisited the franchise with *Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain*, but that’s a tale for another time.

2025-09-20 21:19