Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight is out now, and fans are having a blast with its chaotic mashup of characters and timelines. It's a game that doesn't pretend to make sense—and that's fine. After all, nobody complained when Sauron and King Kong showed up in The Lego Batman Movie. But when a game tries to tell a serious, emotional story and then stumbles at the finish line, the result is far more frustrating than any silly Lego crossover.
Here are three Batman video games that delivered endings so stupid, they make you wonder if the writers were asleep at the keyboard.
3. Gotham Knights (2022)
In Gotham Knights, Batman dies in the opening cutscene—no spoiler there, it's the whole premise. You play as Barbara Gordon, Dick Grayson, Tim Drake, and Jason Todd, trying to protect Gotham without the Dark Knight. The story involves the Court of Owls, the League of Shadows, and a Lazarus Pit that brings Batman back from the dead. So far, so good.
But then comes the finale. Batman, now revived and brainwashed, is freed from the League's control. Instead of just taking down the Court's super-soldiers with nonlethal force—which you've been doing all game—he decides to crash his plane into the Lazarus Pit, killing himself and the soldiers in a fiery explosion. This is a hero famous for his no-killing rule, suddenly choosing mass murder as his final act. And it gets worse: the closing cinematic reveals that Court soldiers are still plaguing the city, making his sacrifice pointless. If all four heroes had been together, they could have easily subdued the enemies and taken Bruce home for supper.
The game also undermines its own themes. Jason Todd was resurrected by the same Lazarus Pit, and his entire arc was about accepting his humanity. Yet Batman's message is that anyone brought back by the Pit should just die? It's a baffling, tone-deaf ending that leaves a sour taste.
2. Batman: Arkham Origins (2013)
Arkham Origins is a prequel to the acclaimed Arkham series, made by a different studio. Some fans consider it the best story in the franchise, but its ending is a textbook example of lazy writing. Late in the game, Bane discovers Batman's secret identity. This is a huge deal—except we know from the other games that it won't stick. So how do the writers resolve it? Amnesia.
After a fight, Bane injects himself with a steroid chemical, you defeat him, and when he wakes up, his short-term memory is wiped. Amnesia is one of the most mocked storytelling clichés in existence. It's a cheap way to undo a major plot point without any real consequence. The game could have found a cleverer solution, but instead it just erases the problem. It's an ending that feels like a cop-out, especially in a series known for its tight narratives.
For more on how video game stories can go right, check out our ranking of the 10 best story-driven video games of all time.
1. Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League (2024)
Rocksteady's return to the Arkhamverse was supposed to be a triumphant comeback. Instead, Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League delivered an ending that left fans scratching their heads. Without giving too much away, the game's final twist involves a character being revealed as a traitor in a way that feels unearned and contradictory to the story's themes. The ending also sets up a sequel hook that undermines the entire premise of the game, making you wonder why you bothered in the first place.
It's a shame, because the gameplay is solid and the voice acting is top-notch. But a bad ending can ruin even the best experience. If you're looking for a Batman story that sticks the landing, check out our analysis of why Batman: Mask of the Phantasm remains the Dark Knight's greatest cinematic triumph.
These games prove that even the Caped Crusader can't escape a terrible finale. Whether it's a nonsensical sacrifice, a lazy amnesia plot, or a twist that betrays the story, these endings are a reminder that a great game needs a great conclusion.
