It seems that some games simply prefer to save the best for later. After spending many hours on the main campaign, thinking that you are close to finishing it, suddenly you discover that everything was just a warm-up – and I love that feeling.
Whether it is secret bosses, parallel plots, more difficulties, challenge modes, harder battles, or new areas, there are titles that simply excel at giving more than expected, revealing their true essence only in the so-called endgame.
This is where the difficulty increases,rewards become more tempting, and the sense of achievement multiplies, with content designed to test, surprise, and keep you hooked for dozens (or hundreds, who knows?) of hours.
So, if you are the type of player who enjoys making it this far, we have listed some great games that really begin after the “end” in this article.
10Borderlands 2
Become a True Vault Hunter
Borderlands 2
Yes,Borderlands 2’s main campaign is already pretty fun, but the Ultimate Vault Hunter Mode is a whole other level of fun – simply because enemies are tougher, you get amazing loot all the time, and raid bosses are unlocked.
Basically, at this point, all players are above level 50 and have mastered the gameplay (and the whole elements’ dynamic), so you start to refine the skills of your Vault Hunter even further and be more picky with your weapons, resulting in a much more frenetic and deep combat.
And you have total freedom over every story mission, since you may reset their overall progress at any time from the Main Menu and replay them as many times as you want, unlike other playthroughs.
What I love the most is facing the raid bosses – whose nickname is literally “invincible” because they are very, very hard to defeat – with friends. I remember how much we screamed and cheered after beating horrifying creatures such as Terramorphous and Vermivorous.
9Path of Exile 2
Tip of the Iceberg
Path of Exile II
Fextralife Wiki
Despite still being in early access,Path of Exile 2already delivers addictive post-game content, living up to its predecessor – which only really began after the end of the main Acts – and to the ARPG genre.
When you reach endgame territory, your character will awaken in the Ziggurat Refuge, and you are free to face more challenging missions to slaytougher bosses, loot powerful gear, and get stronger, since it encourages you to get the most out of every map.
Also, death is final at this stage. If you die, you will be instantly removed from the map, and you will lose 10% of your XP progress, which adds a new level of pressure to the experience.
What excites me the most is that this is still just the tip of the iceberg for Path of Exile 2’s endgame, because the developers are constantly updating the game for its final version.
8Tom Clancy’s The Division 2
Dividing a Lot of Loot
Tom Clancy’s The Division 2
As soon as you finishTom Clancy’s The Division 2’s main campaign, you enter a zone that simply screams the pure essence of looter shooter games, keeping you hooked for many hours if you are a fan of the genre.
There are a myriad of things that you may do, such as tackling dailies/weeklies activities, rerunning dungeons, facing raids and tougher bosses, and, obviously, farming a lot of nice gear.
So you start deepening your build with really powerful weapons, which add a more dynamic and strategic aspect to its gameplay. Also, a free tip: playing it with friends is guaranteed fun.
Something that I really like to do is face the Dark Zone, the most dangerous and challenging mode of the game, becauseit triggers PvP– so you will battle against other players, who can steal your loot if you are not careful.
Surviving Some Pixelated Threats
Your first playthrough inTerrariacan be pretty punishing (do not let the cute pixel art fool you), yet enjoyable, but things really take off in the endgame for me.
Post-Moon Lord, for the first time, you find yourself grinding for rare items, crafting powerful armors, fighting optional bosses, and building whatever you want – which can make you feel like a God in this world.
I would also highly recommend replaying it in Expert Mode, where you will find out that you need to delve deeper and deeper into each mechanic and system to have the necessary combat efficiency to survive long enough.
And believe me, once you defeat the Moon Lord again in Expert Mode, you will feel a much more intense sense of accomplishment.
Give Me More Devilish Gear
The Diablo franchise as a whole is known for having a focus on endgame content, but I needed to pick only one for this article, and I ended up withDiablo 3.
Because yes, there is arguably more stuff to do in Diablo 4. However, you have more fun doing it in D3, since the game rewards you better, presents a more addictive skill system, and a power curve that outpaces the monsters much sooner.
And I love how systematic and straightforward the game is, fully embracing that a repetitive, yet addictive gameloop is core to a good ARPG.
Also, it is a lot faster and easier to progress, with competitive GR leaderboards that make grinding more meaningful and many layers of player power.
5Final Fantasy XIV
Hold My Chocobo
Final Fantasy 14
I think there are very few games that literally fit the description of having the main campaign as a simple warm-up – and one of them isFinal Fantasy XIV.
Every story mission is important for you to understand the core gameplay, basic mechanics, and the main characters’ plots. But the real deal is found by dropping high-level gear on Savage Raids and Extreme Trials, farming thousands of collectibles, racing with Chocobos, or simply spending your days in housing or farming.
What I think is really fun is that, basically, the endgame content is what you make it, sincethe MMORPGhas extremely diverse content that is not tied to the campaign, and you tackle only the ones you like.
No wonder the game still has a very large and passionate fanbase to this day, because that formula is spot on in keeping players addicted.
4Pokémon Gold & Silver
We Will Always Have Kanto
Pokemon Gold and Silver
I may get a bit nostalgic, becausePokémon Gold & Silverwas probably the first time I ever stepped into “endgame territory”, without even knowing it – and at a time when that term was not even popularized yet.
After completing Gold’s journey of defeating all eight Johto gym leaders, the Elite Four, and the current Champion, you think you have already faced all the challenges the game has to offer, but you are pretty far from it.
That happens because the iconic Kanto region is unlocked right after, and you suddenly have eight more gyms to face, while revisiting a special place from Pokémon Red, Green & Blue.
My favorite part, though, is that you can actually find Red (Gen I’s protagonist) and challenge him to a battle for an epic true ending to the game at the top of Mt. Silver. Sounds almost poetic, and it is one of my best memories ever with video games.
3No Man’s Sky
Safe Travels, Traveler
No Man’s Sky
If you ever wanted to simply get lost in space and fully explore eccentric galaxies with unique biomes and weirdly addictive activities – well, the endgame content ofNo Man’s Skywas tailored for you.
Whether it is maxing reputation with all races, learning every language available, discovering new species, diving into base-building, learning recipes, upgrading starships, or even starting a Permadeath save, it is impossible to feel bored around here.
What matters most is simply doing what you want and what is most fun for you – and the good news is that the game offers so much interesting post-game content that, within minutes, you find yourself engaged with something.
And, due to its passionate and faithful community, the game continues to receive constant updates from Hello Games – with no plans to stop.
2Monster Hunter World
Saving People, Hunting Things
Monster Hunter World
Basically, every Monster Hunter title is about completing the tutorial – also known as the main story – to finally start playing for real.
Since I can only highlight one of them in this article to avoid repetition, I chose the chapter that finally brought this wonderful and addictive franchise to a mainstream audience in the West: the lovelyMonster Hunter World.
It is in the endgame that the game truly shines, offering challenges that really put your skills, builds, and strategies to the test and require true dedication, since you dive into much more intense and challenging hunts with terrifying monsters.
Also, if you tackle the endgame with friends, you can plan and diversify your strategies better and make everything even more fun.
1The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Here We Go Again
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Why complete only the main storyline when I can freely explore an ancient Nordic crypt, fight undead warriors, discover the lore behind a dragon cult, and marry Aela after it?
That is essentially my mindset while playingThe Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, which offers such vast endgame content that it became (and still is) a landmark for open-world titles – and in our hearts.
When you reach this stage, your character is already above level 40 – so he/she/they is powerful enough to do almost everything you want, making you feel a whole other level of freedom. And the possibilities for that are so numerous that they are almost endless, giving players plenty of room to be quite imaginative and even roleplay.
Summing up, Skyrim ends up proving not only that a game can really begin when it ends (I hope that made sense to you), but also that the greatest endgame is the one you create for yourself. That’s why it is getting the first place.
