Nothing is worse than the bitter taste of defeat. Players groan in protest whenever their games get the better of them, whether it's dying for the hundredth time in Dark Souls or falling off the map in Fall Guys. Without a doubt, the worst thing about being defeated by game is seeing that crushing "Game Over" screen.
RELATED: The 10 Most Ambitious Sequels In Gaming History
Game Over screens are one of the oldest video game traditions. Whilst the sight of them usually frustrates the player, a few of them actually manage to steal a chuckle. Others can even be an interesting gameplay mechanic that cushions the blow of dying over and over again.
10 Outward
Outward's Game Over screens are actually part of the storytelling. The whole premise of the game is that the player isn't some legendary hero. They're just an average adventurer trying to make it through the wilderness, and because of this, they tend to die a lot.
RELATED: 10 Best RPGs With Blacksmithing Mechanics
Players can't actually lose in Outward. Each time the player dies, a new event will happen depending on where they died and how. This helps keep gameplay fresh. Death is not the end, just a twist in the player's adventure.
9 Divinity Original Sin: Enhanced Edition
Death in Divinity Original Sin: Enhanced Edition is pretty typical of the RPG genre. The players party gets wiped out, they fail, reload, and try again. However, this all changes once players face the final boss. If the player fails to defeat the end game boss, the world will be swallowed up by darkness – but not in the way most players thought.
The game seemingly crashes, and code will appear to try and reboot the world. After several failed attempts and a mocking scroll of text, the game will finally go back to normal.
8 Rogue Legacy
Rogue Legacy falls into the 'funny Game Over screen' category. In Rogue Legacy, the player doesn't respawn when they die. Instead, their son/daughter will take up the mantle and fight in their stead.
The game throws different character strengths and weaknesses with each generation, and it's endless fun to play as the noble knight with vertigo. It's also incredibly entertaining to read the epitaphs that describe the gruesome way the character died.
7 Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker
Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker has one of the most iconic Game Over screens of all time. It may not add anything in terms of gameplay, but the death screen might just be one of the funniest in all of gaming.
Even players who have never picked up a Metal Gear game in their lives can quote the death screen's lines: "Snake? Snake? SNAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAKE!" Love it or hate it, Internet meme culture has preserved this one forever.
6 The Legend Of Zelda: Majora's Mask
The moon in Majora's Mask is one of the creepiest visuals in gaming history. It's hard to focus on adventuring with that face staring down at the player. The timer at the bottom of the screen doesn't help either, only instilling a sense of anxiety in the player.
RELATED: Every Spin Off Zelda Game, Ranked
Usually, when link dies he simply drops to the floor and that's the end of it. If however, the timer runs out and the moon collides with the clocktower, a cutscene plays. Players watch in horror as the entire town, including Link, are wiped out by flames.
5 Demon's Souls
'YOU DIED'. This ending screen is short and to the point. Demon's Souls may not have the most iconic Game Over screen, but it does stand out. In Demon Souls, most players tend die many times ofer — it's not exactly an easy game.
Seeing 'YOU DIED' the first time may not be that big of a deal, but as the game progresses, it starts to become a taunt. Nothing is more irksome than battling a boss for the eightieth time, getting so close to defeating to them, only to see 'YOU DIED' appear at the last possible second.
4 Batman: Return To Arkham Asylum
Batman: Return To Arkham Asylum is a love letter to the comics. Batman's iconic villains are all ready to bring down the caped crusader and, if they succeed, the player is treated to a series of Game Over screens.
Each villain has a post-credit Game Over screen where they interact with a defeated Batman. These scenes are so interesting that many players opt to lose their battles the first time, just around to see how the villains will react to finally winning.
3 Banjo-Kazooie
Many games don't show the outcome if the hero loses; instead, they simply cut to a Game Over screen and players have to try again. Banjo-Kazooie is unique in this respect, as if the player fails to save their sister Tooty, they can actually see what becomes of her.
The evil witch Gruntilda succeeds in her plan to steal Tooty's beauty. A monstrous version of her has a bone to pick with the brother who failed to save her.
2 Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door actually has two great Game Over screens. The first is whenever the player is KO'd by the enemy. Mario slumps down centre stage and the curtain draws, almost as if this was a stage mistake and they're currently working behind the scenes to fix it.
RELATED: Paper Mario Fan Mocks Up Paper Mario Kart
The second interesting Game Over screen comes at the very end. Players are given a choice whether or not to side with the ultimate evil. If they accept, there's a bleak wrap up of the story followed by a more traditional Game Over screen.
1 Mass Effect 2
Commander Shepard can be a little promiscuous. Throughout the trilogy, the player is given ample opportunity to romance their crew, and many players take full advantage. However, if the player tries to seduce one particular character, it doesn't end well.
Morinth will try and convince the player that because they've died and come back, they will be immune to her condition that kills those with whom she is intimate. This unfortunately proves false. If the player goes along with it they will be treated to a creepy romance scene, followed by a Game Over screen.