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  1. Home
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  4. Red Dead Redemption

Dead reckoning: Can you identify these characters from their grim demises?

By Samuel James Riley
published 6 March 2015

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Ready, deady, go!

Ready, deady, go!

There's something strangely reassuring about a memorable death, as if it somehow grants the dying an ironic immortality, a legacy beyond that of their own diminished lifespan. A sort of fame or even infamy. One last amusing hurrah, whether performed intentionally or not. No-one, for example, will remember the name of a nice, young workaday stiff who popped his clogs over 100 years ago today, but add in the caveat that this particular chap fell from a zeppelin while performing a lively drunken jig, and somehow Seor Stupid becomes the veritable afterlife of the party. "Hey look, it's Drunken Zeppelin Guy", they cry, "His last act of brazen idiocy shall live on forever!".

Video games, for their part, are practically overflowing with these sorts of odd ends and strange 'mortal coil shuffles'. This list attempts to collate the very best of them, before turning to you, the reader, to ask 'Just how well do you know your video game deaths?' There are main characters, supporting artists, and even the occasional boss monster, so sit back, relax and strap on your homemade SAW helmets. It's time to die. Oh, and one more thing. MASSIVE SPOILERS AHOY!

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Page 1 of 52
#1

#1

Defeated by a powerful sorceress and launched into the sun. Her charred remains were then hacked into pieces.

Page 2 of 52
Page 2 of 52
Jubileus (Bayonetta)

Jubileus (Bayonetta)

Page 3 of 52
Page 3 of 52
#2

#2

Ordered his own son to murder him. Beaten to death with a golf club.

Page 4 of 52
Page 4 of 52
Andrew Ryan (Bioshock)

Andrew Ryan (Bioshock)

Page 5 of 52
Page 5 of 52
#3

#3

Overrun by parasites, before being ripped apart by their acidic saliva/ blood.

Page 6 of 52
Page 6 of 52
Benjamin Carmine (Gears of War 2)

Benjamin Carmine (Gears of War 2)

Page 7 of 52
Page 7 of 52
#4

#4

Crashed his vehicle into a petrol tanker while attempting to outrun two former accomplices. Covered in gasoline, he was subsequently set alight and burned to death.

Page 8 of 52
Page 8 of 52
Trevor Philips (Grand Theft Auto V)

Trevor Philips (Grand Theft Auto V)

Page 9 of 52
Page 9 of 52
#5

#5

Lured into an enormous spider's nest by an evil succubus. Stabbed in the chest while defeating her.

Page 10 of 52
Page 10 of 52
Naia (Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons)

Naia (Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons)

Page 11 of 52
Page 11 of 52
#6

#6

Tied up and disguised as a notorious criminal. Subsequently shot to death by prison guards.

Page 12 of 52
Page 12 of 52
Hoxie (The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape From Butcher Bay)

Hoxie (The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape From Butcher Bay)

Page 13 of 52
Page 13 of 52
#7

#7

Leg pulled from its socket by a hideous monster, which then proceeded to launch his shattered body through a pane of glass.

Page 14 of 52
Page 14 of 52
Zach Hammond (Dead Space)

Zach Hammond (Dead Space)

Page 15 of 52
Page 15 of 52
#8

#8

Almost crushed to death at the hands of a titanic enemy. Severely injured and unable to defend himself, his head was quite literally pulled from his body.

Page 16 of 52
Page 16 of 52
Helios (God of War 3)

Helios (God of War 3)

Page 17 of 52
Page 17 of 52
#9

#9

Stabbed in the neck during a game of poker. Had intended to do the same to his killer.

Page 18 of 52
Page 18 of 52
Sam Becker (Far Cry 3)

Sam Becker (Far Cry 3)

Page 19 of 52
Page 19 of 52
#10

#10

Ignoted a citywide riot, before being chased down by vengeful gangstas. Died after crashing his fire truck off of an overpass.

Page 20 of 52
Page 20 of 52
Officer Frank Tenpenny (GTA: San Andreas)

Officer Frank Tenpenny (GTA: San Andreas)

Page 21 of 52
Page 21 of 52
#11

#11

Had his brain impaled by a floating slug monster.

Page 22 of 52
Page 22 of 52
Eli Vance (Half-Life 2: Episode 2)

Eli Vance (Half-Life 2: Episode 2)

Page 23 of 52
Page 23 of 52
#12

#12

Captured by parasites and absorbed into their hive mind goo sack. Later punched into mulch by the main character (as an act of err 'compassion').

Page 24 of 52
Page 24 of 52
Captain Jacob Keyes (Halo: Combat Evolved)

Captain Jacob Keyes (Halo: Combat Evolved)

Page 25 of 52
Page 25 of 52
#13

#13

Crashed a dropship into a gigantic walking tank, sacrificing himself in order to aid his comrades.

Page 26 of 52
Page 26 of 52
Carter-A259 (Halo: Reach)

Carter-A259 (Halo: Reach)

Page 27 of 52
Page 27 of 52
#14

#14

Defeated in battle by a high-tech ninja. Stabbed repeatedly before having his heart ripped out of his chest and crushed in front of him.

Page 28 of 52
Page 28 of 52
Senator Steven Armstrong (Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance)

Senator Steven Armstrong (Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance)

Page 29 of 52
Page 29 of 52
#15

#15

Drowned by multiple copies of his own daughter

Page 30 of 52
Page 30 of 52
Booker DeWitt (Bioshock: Infinite)

Booker DeWitt (Bioshock: Infinite)

Page 31 of 52
Page 31 of 52
#16

#16

Killed following a prolonged duel in the jungle. Sealed his fate by falling asleep on multiple occasions.

Page 32 of 52
Page 32 of 52
The End (Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater)

The End (Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater)

Page 33 of 52
Page 33 of 52
#17

#17

Kicked from a moving helicopter while firing wildly at the protagonist.

Page 34 of 52
Page 34 of 52
Jacknife (Mirror's Edge)

Jacknife (Mirror's Edge)

Page 35 of 52
Page 35 of 52
#18

#18

Fought an extremely powerful sorceress and lost. Throat punctured by a high heel boot.

Page 36 of 52
Page 36 of 52
Jax (Mortal Kombat 2011)

Jax (Mortal Kombat 2011)

Page 37 of 52
Page 37 of 52
#19

#19

Piloted a primitive hang glider over a cliff face, before plummeting to his death.

Page 38 of 52
Page 38 of 52
Charles Kinnear aka 'Deadalus' (Red Dead Redemption)

Charles Kinnear aka 'Deadalus' (Red Dead Redemption)

Page 39 of 52
Page 39 of 52
#20

#20

Crashed his speedboat into a refuelling station while trying to outrun the police. Survived the blast only to be beaten to a bloody pulp and 'pulped bloody' by an ice chipper.

Page 40 of 52
Page 40 of 52
'Big Smile Lee' (Sleeping Dogs

'Big Smile Lee' (Sleeping Dogs

Page 41 of 52
Page 41 of 52
#21

#21

Transformed into a tentacle-toting freak show. Subsequently blown apart by twin rocket strikes - and all whilst burning alive inside of an active volcano.

Page 42 of 52
Page 42 of 52
Albert Wesker (Resident Evil 5)

Albert Wesker (Resident Evil 5)

Page 43 of 52
Page 43 of 52
#22

#22

Consumed by the same dark energy he had earlier unleashed, this character was transformed into a nightmarish shadow monster, and later sucked into a blinding white vortex.

Page 44 of 52
Page 44 of 52
Wander (Shadow of the Colossus)

Wander (Shadow of the Colossus)

Page 45 of 52
Page 45 of 52
#23

#23

Lynched by an angry mob, and later 'rescued' by his comrades, who tried and failed to resuscitate him.

Page 46 of 52
Page 46 of 52
John Lugo (Spec Ops: The Line)

John Lugo (Spec Ops: The Line)

Page 47 of 52
Page 47 of 52
#24

#24

Trapped under falling wreckage, in a room filling with poisonous gas. Sacrificed himself by igniting said fumes. Chargrilled in the subsequent explosion.

Page 48 of 52
Page 48 of 52
Alex Weiss (Tomb Raider)

Alex Weiss (Tomb Raider)

Page 49 of 52
Page 49 of 52
#25

#25

Beaten to death by a set of vengeful tribespeople despite believing himself to have attained immortality.

Page 50 of 52
Page 50 of 52
Zoran Lazarevi (Uncharted 2)

Zoran Lazarevi (Uncharted 2)

Page 51 of 52
Page 51 of 52
Dead time stories

Dead time stories

Well that was awfully morbid, wasn't it? If you've got any suggestions for better, more memorable gaming deaths, then sound off in the comments section below. Alternatively, take the opportunity to yell about how many questions you got wrong and how it's all my fault. Muahaha. Muahahahah!

Looking for more mortality? Then check out 8 video games where death still actually matters (opens in new tab) and The Top 7 most shameful ways you've died in a video game (opens in new tab).

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Page 52 of 52
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Samuel James Riley
Samuel James Riley
When he's not busy saving small animals from dangerous brush fires, Sam enjoys writing about the weird world of video games. All-time favourites include Half-Life 2, Knights of the Old Republic, GTA: Vice City and Final Fantasy 10. Last year, Sam finally succeeded in besting Rayman 1 for PlayStation, leaving his life utterly without meaning.
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