Epic Final Stretches

[Wolf Kanno]

No this isn't about some hack on WiiFit with a new Extreme Yoga mode. I'm talking about the last part of a game and the wonderful build up to the ending, final bosses included.

What made me think about this was the fact I've been in the mood to play Wild Arms 1 again and remembering the last stretch of the game featuring a final boss who flat out refused to die and a truly unexpected battle at the last minute in a space teleporter. It has a fairy tale ending but good god the last section before it was pretty awesome.

Other games that come to mind are MGS3, which easily has the best final segment in the series and one of the rare times I really felt like I was playing a movie. For those who know, you know what I mean. For those who don't, play MGS3 cause the lack of context will weaken its overall impact. Its just not the same until you've seen all the bull leading up to that point.

Lufia 2: Rise of the Sinistrals is another game with a pretty epic final dungeon and final boss fights. Course you know what happens if you played Lufia 1 but seriously the way its redone in Lufia 2 makes it way better imo.

DMC3 has a pretty fun ending sequence, especially the surprise during one of the boss fights and of course the sad realization of poor Virgil's fate, as well as the bitching credit sequence.

No More Heroes, just, oh god it was so funny and if you get the true ending dear god it's just even funnier.

[NeoCracker]

Breath of Fire II was freaking awesome.

And I'll agree on Lufia 2, the constant shifts from the last bit to the dialogue between Daos and Amon was a great touch I thought. Even if the mention of Arek is confusing as smurf.

Disgaea 3 also did wonderfully. ANd the ending itself was funny as hell.

[Vermachtnis]

Digital Devil Saga 2, the fact of where it takes place is enough. (SPOILER)The Sun

And Mass Effect 2, seeing No One Left Behind at the end is so worth it.

And Grand Theft Auto 3. You start the final mission unarmed and have to chase a helicopter through the streets that leads you to the top of gang infested dam. You have to fight your way through them and then take the helicopter out with whatever you can find. Unless you make a side trip to your base, but that takes all the fun outta the level.

[Pete for President]

Agreed on MGS3.

However! I think MGS4 topped it: (SPOILER)I buttonbashed my arm off in that tunnel scene. Everything in Shadow Moses is just one big hallelujah, and the final act is so tense. Epic stuff!

[Loony BoB]

Damn, this is a tough one since I rarely get to the end of games. FFVIII's final location was quite cool.

Mass Effect 2 was pretty cool, I'll agree with that.

I dunno, though. No ending buildup has really got me that excited. More games need to have key impact moments in the plotline directly before the end. A death, a twist, something major. It would make the final battle that much more crazy.

[Shattered Dreamer]

The Metal Gear Solid series in general have great final chapters. And thanks Vermactnis I never would of remembered how awesome the end of GTA 3 was if you had not mentioned it

[Slothy]

HL2 Episode 2: Those that played it know what I mean. Those that haven't but at least played HL2, three words: epic strider battle.

I always liked Portal as well, and have to agree with MGS3. Shadow of the Colossus, though that was really a game where everything felt epic as it was and the end was just more epic. The last several levels of Ace Combat 5 are up there as well.

I know I'm missing a lot of others so I'll have to try and think of more later.

[Pete for President]

The last several levels of Ace Combat 5 are up there as well.

I still need to find a copy of this one somewhere...

Edit: while I'm here, may I nominate Ace Combat Zero: (SPOILER)former wingman and buddy defects to the other organization and gets his hands on a nuclear missile. He kills your current wingman, which marks the start of one final very epic 1 on 1 dogfight.

[Del Murder]

Lufia 2 was pretty cool because the ending sequence was the beginning sequence of the first game.

Here's an old school one: Kid Icarus. That final stage where you don all the treasures and turn yourself into a powerhouse to face Medusa was one of the coolest final moments of a game when I was a kid.

[Skyblade]

Persona 3: (SPOILER)The final battle against Nyx Avatar. The huge buildup and thematic feel of the game that leads up to a boss fight that just does not disappoint. The incredible voice acting, the gorgeous music, and, of course, the boss itself just make it supremely epic.

And, yes, the Suicide Mission in Mass Effect 2.

[Jessweeee♪]

Definitely Mass Effect 2. However you end it, whether everyone lives, everyone dies, or you just lose one or two friends along the way, it's a pretty amazing last stretch. I think my favorite part is (SPOILER) after you defeat the freaky human reaper and make your decision, and then oh smurf it's not dead it's RIGHT IN YOUR FACE SHOOTING LASERS AT YOU.

[Fynn]

Digital Devil Saga. Just 'cause that tower is GODDAMN HUGE!

[Pete for President]

Might be a bit odd to say, but I think Guitar Hero 2 and 3 had pretty epic final stretches on hard and extreme :0

[Iceglow]

Mass Effect 1 and 2. They're superb in every single way.

Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, the finale (no not the mile high club, the levels prior to that) was insane especially when doing my vet run on the game the time limit meant you had to play in such an aggressive manner that everything you've utilized in previous missions is thrown straight out the window forcing you to advance way before you felt comfortable. I liked it a lot.

The Halo Series, played solo on legendary the fights become intense especially if you don't cheat by using bypasses. I know a lot of people said the finale of Reach was disappointing I disagree, Legendary was pretty darn tough to get to the final scene where you're shooting the cruiser is one where you've got to utilize every ounce of skill and tactical play to draw the Elites away in to one on one confrontations and then you still need to hope that they don't beat your ass or leave you with enough ammo to finish everything.

Final Fantasy 8, I'd like to say Ultimecia's castle was the best finale in this game but it's really not. The end of the first 2 discs with the battle in Deling City and then the battle between Gabaldia and Balamb Gardens is what really was superbly done the game built up to these two far better, the best bit of the game after that was the Lunar Cry and Lunatic Pandora with Zell's squad. That isn't to say though that I disliked the ending of FFVIII I did like it but I thought there was better climaxes to the game.

[Bolivar]

Loved MGS4, how it begins with just the most insane single MGS4 space ever created with insane verticality, nearly limitless alternate paths, where the regular are sentries are the superhuman FROGs and the end is crawling with Irving aaaaaaaand this all takes place in Caution Mode (or evasion? don't remember). It was like the ultimate challenge for Metal Gear veterans.

Really loved Far Cry 2, one of the most open-ended games I've ever played, and they basically take you to a series of linear sections. To top it off, the area is called The Heart of Darkness, which the game is based on, and they kick it off with a nice, shiny Gold trophy. Loved that game.

Tactics Ogre was kind of crazy because I think it's the only area in the story where your characters can be knocked off the edge and permanently lose a life, in addition to being awol in a batttle where there's typically few units. Very challenging, you can't afford to forget about that aspect.