Many of your favorite games, ranging from childhood to last week, hold a special place in your heart. Their stories and gameplay have captivated you from start to finish, and their memories stayed with you long after you put down the controller. However, just because you've played the game doesn't mean you've played the game, if you catch my drift. The days of linear progression and railroading are over. The era of open world adventure, responsive AI, and easter eggs is upon us.

Think back to some of the most iconic games you've ever played through, and each facet and detail of that unique experience. You may have unlocked every achievement and done every side quest and still arrived at the same conclusion. Now, what if I told you that you missed something. What if I told you there was another path you could've taken, another decision you could've made? It's like hearing that your favorite TV show that got cancelled a long time ago has a never-before-seen-secret-alternate-ending-finale episode. Well, get ready to learn about 20 of those bad boys, let's start of the list with a fun one from not too long ago.

20 The Possibilities Are Endless

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Most games on this list will feature a binary decision, to do or not to do. Most games have a single alternate ending, and some special ones may have a dozen depending on your choices. But the recently released and critically acclaimed Nier: Automata has 26 endings, one for each letter. A-E are intuitive and you'll achieve them just by replaying the game. The fun part is the other 21, which are secret/alternate endings.

Getting to endings F-Z might take some creative thinking and innovative gameplay, but they're well worth the extra effort. For example, one of the more depressing endings can be found in Chapter 08-02_3 during the Adam boss fight. Then, you, playing as 2B, have the option to run away from 9S, your partner. Doing so results in an in-game message: "95 waited several decades for 2B to return... But she was never seen again." The ending implies that you abandoned your partner forever and the story ends there. So if you thought that was sad, check out the other 25.

19 Patience Is A Virtue

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Far Cry series was always well-known for its gorgeous open worlds, fluid mechanics, and most of all, eccentric villains. The antagonist of the most recent release, Far Cry 4, is no exception. Known by all as Pagan Min, this unpredictable foe greets you very early on in the game, inviting you into his fortress. At this point you're probably thinking of some escape plan or a way to get out into the wilderness and do what you do best.

However, if you just sit patiently for about 15 minutes while Pagan Min walks off to deal with other matters, he'll return and help you spread your mother's ashes (the reason you came to the island in the first place) and recruit you in his dastardly quest for power. At that point, you've essentially the beaten the game.

18 Resurrect Tidus

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Most of us are familiar with the tragic death of Tidus at the end of Final Fantasy X-2. In fact, there are numerous fan theories about how he never actually died in the first place. But the trick to bringing him back involves certain things in the game itself. Firstly, you'll have to complete a certain percentage in order to qualify. Then, at certain cutscenes, you have to press certain buttons in a certain order (which aren't actually prompted on the screen). Do this all correctly, and you'll be rewarded with an alternate cutscene at the end of the game where his resurrection is previewed.

His resurrection is shown anyway in Final Fantasy X, the preceding title, so there's a bit of a plot hole there, but get a high enough completion percentage and press the required cutscene buttons, and it'll all come together.

17 Nevermind, We Don't Need A Rescue

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If you like wilderness survival games, then Firewatch just might be for you. You play this first-person adventure in the Wyoming wilderness, attempting to escape from a steadily-growing wild-fire. At the end, spoiler alert, you're finally rescued by a helicopter. However, you actually have to get on it.

If you wait too long to admire the scenery, go AFK, or just rethink your will to live, then the helicopter will actually leave without you. The downside is that you'll eventually die. The plus side is that you can now explore the open world at your own leisure, with no real change from before. The developers did put in a fun little nod to your decision by having the side characters begin to worry more about surviving. You know, if you're into psychological torture.

16 No One's Sure What Happened, But It Looked Cool

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With an aesthetic dark enough to rival that of Limbo, Playdead's puzzle platformer INSIDE has you playing as a boy wandering through a dark lab. Full of that same mysterious and often scary mystery, it's no surprise this game has it's own secret ending. There are fourteen hidden orbs throughout the game that you have to find and disable. Do this, and then restart the game; there'll be a new entrance near the second orb (the cornfield) that you can unlock with a directional code.

Inside is a small group of evil machines (some of the game's antagonists) and a plug. All you have to do is pull the plug, causing the entire lab to lose electricity, resulting in you beating the game. While this was the eventual end-goal, the actual consequences of this alternate ending are never explicitly revealed. Perhaps the plug is a metaphor? Perhaps it didn't do what you thought it did? No one really knows, the in any case, the game is definitely worth a playthrough.

15 You're Gonna Have To Try Really Hard To Fail

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Remember that ending to Mass Effect 3? Well, that was it, nothing special there. But in Mass Effect 2, the arguably better title, there is a much more compelling aspect of decision-making and consequences. In fact, one of the more difficult endings features the death of Commander Shepard, the main protagonist.

Essentially, (s)he dies in the final mission if no one pulls him back aboard the Normandy and he falls to his death. There's sad music and a depressing monologue and sad reacts and all that. But the only way this would come to pass is if you consistently chip away at your team's loyalty through the game. Then, in the final mission, leave behind your weakest teammates when the time comes to make that choice.

Another way (which may or may not be less morally wrong) is to romance Morinth. Then, after surviving the final mission, take your relationship to the next level, causing Shepard to die just like all of Morinth's partners.

14 The Matrix Or Attack On Titan? You Decide

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It's likely that you've watched, or at least heard of, The Matrix trilogy. The iconic series follows Neo, a gifted individual who traverses a computer simulation called The Matrix in order to save humanity. The films' success spawned a video game adaptation known as The Matrix: Path of Neo. 

The secret 'ending' of this game actually occurs near the beginning, during the famous scene between Neo and Morpheus where he offers two pills. If you pick the Red Pill, as he did in the film, the game continues as usual. But if you take the Blue Pill, you wake up from a dream, and are taken back to the level select screen.

The more interesting alternate reality occurs at the finale, though it's actually an alternate to the events of the films. In the third and final Matrix installment, Neo kills Agent Smith, the main antagonist, and ascends to martyrdom. But in the game, you fight a giant, building-sized version of Agent Smith, ending the battle with a musical number by Queen. Why the creators decided on this change is anyone's guess.

13 You Missed The Second Half Of The Game

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If you've played Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, you know the game leads you through a dark vampire castle, searching for a particular character named Richter. The various decisions and side missions of the game are vast and intricate, but the most important thing to remember is how to reach the second castle.

Most players will play through the game, beat Richter, and consider the game complete. However, most don't know that there is an entire other castle to traverse, known as the 'inverted castle' (literally an upside down version of the first one). To each it, you have to first find the Gold and Silver rings in the first castle. Then, you go to the clock room and wear the rings, causing a path to open up. Speak to a woman there called Maria and she'll give you "Holy Glasses." Wear these during the fight against Richter, and aim for the green orb over his head (which isn't visible without the glasses). Beat this sequence, and you'll find yourself in the inverted castle.

Because Richter was under someone else's control, you're essentially freeing him rather can killing him, causing another branch of the game to begin.

12 The Notorious Dog Ending

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This is probably the most ridiculous ending of any game ever (including Mass Effect 3 or The Matrix: Path of Neo), especially considering that the game genre is horror. So, in Silent Hill 2, there is also a choice aspect which can lead to many different endings. But the Dog Ending is probably the hardest to get. You actually have to finish the game twice before a Dog Key appears in a doghouse. You use this to unlock a door in the Nightmare Lakeview Hotel and a dog named Mira will be there waiting for you. This dog seems to be a control room with levers, screens, and colorful buttons. James (the player character), falls to his knees in despair when he realizes that all the aspects of the game are controlled by a dog named Mira (which is hilarious because he's looking for his wife, Mary, and is being haunted by a ghost named Maria).

The hilarity doesn't end here; when the credits roll, they'll be accompanied by dog sounds, weird imagery, dancing characters, flying pizzas, and half-unclothed people.

11 Warning: Ending May Cause Emotional Trauma

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Heavy Rain is a pretty depressing game to begin with. You play as Ethan, a father on the search for his missing son. But of all the alternate endings (three of which involve Ethan  dying), there is one that will truly break your soul.

If you let Ethan get arrested multiple times by the police (yes, he's a suspect) and no one is able to find Shaun (assumed dead now), then Ethan is framed as the Origami Killer (the game's main antagonist) and imprisoned for life. Ethan is simply unable to cope with his tremendous misfortune and hangs himself in his cell.

This ending doesn't really require too much work, you really just have to let one bad thing happen after another. So it really plays more like a long, agonizing film rather than a video game.

10 Easy To Find, Impossible To Beat

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Chrono Trigger, at its core, is a game about time travel and alternate realities, so a secret ending to the game is almost a given. There are a plethora of possible outcomes, and few have played the game enough times to discover every single one. While it would be an impressive feat if you did, there is only one ending that's difficult enough to achieve on its own.

Avid players might remember that the final boss is called Lavos, and he can be fought at any point in the game. Doing so at each specific point in the timeline will produce a different ending. The hardest thing to do is to beat him at the very start of the game without anyone on your team. Doing so results in a cutscene, where the creators of the game appear and congratulate you, calling themselves the Dream Team. It's a nice way of showing how impressive of a feat you just achieved.

9 Choose Your Own Destiny

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So many of us are looking forward to Half-Life 3 that we forget to look back on Half-Life. Many will recall the ending where G-Man, the game's main antagonist, offers Gordon the chance to work with him. The thing is, since we know Half-Life 2 exists, we know the offer was accepted. When this occurs, Freeman walks into a green orb of light and a message appears saying, "hired, awaiting assignment." We know this is canon because while there is an alternate ending, it isn't a pretty one.

If you wait about 15 seconds during the dialogue option, you'll "refuse" the offer. G-Man will show his disappointment by sending you to, unarmed, to a cave full of Xen aliens about to rip you apart. Another text message appears, stating: "subject declined offer of employment." While we know this isn't what actually happened (or perhaps Half-Life 2 is an alternate timeline), it's nice to know you still have a choice, even when the antagonist of a game insists there is no free will.

8 This Ending Is Torturous

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Hideo Kojima's Metal Gear Solid is an absolute classic that's survived through the decades and still holds a special place in our heart. We all love to talk about the combat mechanics, storyline, and memorable characters. But what we try to forget is the notorious torture scene. Most of us would mash that circle button as hard as we could to make it through (Snake had it much worse, let's be honest). However, those few you submitted to the pain and gave up Meryl were shown an alternate ending cutscene in which our dear friend dies a horrible death and Snake makes a heart-stabbing monologue about it.

While the game goes on, you'll probably want to replay that part if you have even the slightest hint of a soul.

7 Create A Paradox

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Speaking of Metal Gear Solid, did you know there's a way to create a time paradox and kill the antagonist Ocelot (the one torturing you earlier) in the first game, despite the fact that he makes appearances in later titles? It's not that difficult, all you need to do is fatally would his unconscious body at the end of the Virtuous Mission of kill him on the catwalk during the Colonel Volgin fight.

Do this successfully, and the Game Over screen will appear with the message "Ocelot Is Dead." This makes all of his actions in the future impossible, but they happen anyway given the paradox. The same time manipulation can be done with Naked Snake and Sokolov if they die before their time.

6 Fallout's Best Ending

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While the recent installments of the Fallout series haven't been nearly as diverse in terms of decision-making, the first title did a great job of making you feel as if every choice mattered. This remained true despite the fact that most of your choices resulted in a canonical end of the game one way or another. For example, you can convince the Master to kill himself, but the nuke would've done the job anyway.

The only truly secret ending occurs in Vault 13. Normally, you return to this Vault after defeating the Master, but the Overseer exiles you, stating that you're a danger to the residents. Then, you simply walk into the Wasteland and the credits roll.

However, if you happen to have the Bloody Mess perk, you'll pull out a gun and shoot the Overseer. This potentially changes the entire future of the Vault, though future games may not necessarily reflect it.

5 Happiness Is A Fickle Thing

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Most games we've talked about do have somewhat of a satisfying canon ending, even without reaching the secret ending. But there's a certain platformer indie game called Cave Story that demands an insane amount of work to actually get the best ending.

At one point, a character called Professor Booster will fall from several stories in front of you. Leave him alone and he lives, approach him and he'll give you a basic jetpack and die. Choose the former option, and you'll get an upgraded jetpack. Then you unlock some more options and need to find a Tow Rope. Use this to save another character, Curly, and play through the ensuing side quest. Fight the final boss, and you'll find a door (usually locked but if you did everything correctly it'll be unlocked) behind which is the actual final dungeon. Complete this, and you'll attain what most would say is the happiest ending in the game.

4 Slenderman's Eternal Nightmare

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Slenderman was a staple of the horror genre for many years, and it even got another installment called Slender: The Arrival. Similar to the original, you traverse a horrifying map and collect these pieces of paper. However, if you manage to collect three specific ones, namely the missing child posters for one Charlie Matheson Jr.

Doing so will unlock a secret level that takes place in Charlie's house, similar to the prologue except the entire area has a completely different look. The world around you shifts as if you're getting a framerate glitch and every time you enter a room you teleport. A haunting voice in the air speaks, "I like you, I want to play a game." Then, Slenderman kills you and you return to the menu. But it doesn't end there. If you click "Start Game" you end up right back in the house. Eventually, you get trapped in a fire, and see some pretty creepy visuals of Slenderman and Charlie. The only way out of this nightmare is to restart the game.

3 Girlfriends Come And Go

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If you're unfamiliar with the game, Shadow Complex is a 2.5D platformer released on Xbox Live Arcade. It starts off with Jason Fleming (you, the protagonist) and his girlfriend Claire having just arrived in the wilderness on their Jeep. Claire is abducted by a helicopter, and you are charged with charging into the forest after her.

Now, the game didn't really do a great job of making us feel attached to this 'Claire' character, so it's probable that we have no real motivation to chase her. That's why there's actually a way to just return back to the Jeep and drive away. Doing so counts as beating the game, and Jason will say that "there's plenty of fish in the sea."

In all fairness, the game did score some very positive reviews, and is worth playing the right way through.

2 Why Not Both?

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This critically acclaimed FPS has a lot going on during its several-hour-long campaign that takes place during the time of Soviet Russia. You've got high-tech weapons, political intrigue, and no small amount of time travel.

But all the hectic action in the game eventually falls to a final decision at the end of the game, where you have the option to kill one or both or two men: Barisov or Demichev, both powerful leaders bent on world domination. The events of the game might lead you to make one choice over another. However, there are two additional options. You can kill both of them, resulting in an insanely complex power vacuum. Or, if you wait long enough, Demichev will grab his gun and shoot you and Barisov, leaving him free to take over the world. Each of the four decisions has it's own consequences, which are compounded given the time travel aspect of the game. Choose carefully.

1 Get The Girl, Beat The Game?

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In the fast-paced action game Furi, you traverse a fantasy-like planet, going through one boss fight after another. It's like a shooter, hack n' slash, and RPG all combined in a single game. Each unique boss is a new challenge to overcome, and the sole purpose of these guardians is to prevent you from escaping.

In the traditional ending of the game, you beat each boss and earn your freedom. However, there is another path you can take. Partway through the game, you'll come across a boss called The Song that takes the form of a beautiful woman. She offers to let you stay with her in peace on the planet which, despite the fact that everything on it wants to kill you, is actually quite beautiful. When the time comes to make the decision, you simply do nothing and wait. She rejoices at your decision, and you sit together as the credits roll and you're congratulated on completing the game.