10. Realizing You Might be the Villain – Shadow of the Colossus
I can’t be the only cold-blooded player who played through the entirety of Shadow of the Colossus without thinking for a second if those giant Colossi were deserving of death or not, right? The solitary goal of the game consists of felling the 16 Colossi, so as a player, it’s hard to imagine the entire point is not a noble one. The game makes it seem like saving the bed-ridden Mono by defeating the Colossi is the honorable thing to do, up until the very end when Wander gets completely possessed and ends up being condemned by the shaman lord, Emon.
Wander was willing to go to any lengths to save Mono, painting him as a villain willing to justify the ends with evil means. This ending recontextualizes the game, making you realize you’re playing through the villain’s journey and not a hero after all. Talk about a guilt trip.
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