5 Plot Holes in Action Games: 5 Major Examples

For every creator, establishing a universe, its lore, and its rules is difficult. There must be a start and a conclusion with logical explanations for all of the activities of a movie, film series, and game. Today, Player.me is focusing on video games, where many consequences and events are unexplained. Plot holes in action games exist solely because creators dig too deep for gold and after finding it, they don’t take the time to cover up the hole. This article is dedicated to all the major plot holes in action games. 

Also Consider: The Nine Weirdest Mortal Kombat Characters of All Time

Top 5 Biggest Plot Holes in Action Games

Plot holes don’t necessarily spoil a good game, but they leave a lot of room for misinformation. Thankfully, DLCs are perfect for closing up a plot hole, though that depends on the story writer’s imagination and flexibility. To that end, here are the biggest plot holes in action games that you should consider. 

#1: BioShock Infinite

BioShock Infinite is a highly-rated video game with tons of abilities to play with. It also follows the adventures of a protagonist and a deuteragonist, whose fates are intertwined. However, players will only control one character. Later on, you’ll learn that the main protagonist (Booker DeWitt) is the villain (Comstock). To be precise, Booker is an alternate version of Comstock from a parallel universe.

Now, the trippy part is that Booker and Comstock can’t exist in the same timeline, as they’ll create a paradox. So, how are two versions of the same man walking around with unique personalities and separate memories? That question has baffled gamers to date, especially as Elizabeth, the supporting deuteragonist, can only kill Comstock by drowning her companion, Booker. The time paradox makes this entry one of the biggest plot holes in action games.  

#2: Call of Duty: Black Ops

Call of Duty: Black Ops’s plot is full of holes, akin to cheese. The game follows the activities of a specialist who engages in espionage, assassination, and other covert ops. In between those missions, he switches personalities, storylines, and even allies so fast that we can’t keep up. Ultimately, we’re not even sure he’s loyal to any side, since his memories seem made up by the time you’re done with the games. 

Mason’s ideologies and actions contradict each other at every turn. So, the Call of Duty: Black Ops’s story is super confusing to follow. Also, some twists down the road are more confusing than mind-blowing. This game showcases some of the worst plot holes in action games. So, we’re glad that the creators haven’t released any sequels to Call of Duty: Black Ops 4. It’ll give them plenty of time to think about their next move, which may be the development of a new Call of Duty series. 

#3: Cyberpunk 2077

Cyberpunk 2077 doesn’t fail to disappoint where it matters. The game was plagued by bugs upon release and the protagonist doesn’t have a backstory. So, his skills and sudden rise to success are unexplained. Besides that, the digital ghost, Johnny Silverhand, shouldn’t exist, yet he lives on. Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty is more polished and features updated AI and game mechanics. However, the DLC still doesn’t wrap up all the loose ends.

Watch out during your next showdown with Adam Smasher! This climactic fight has been redesigned, making the most chromed-out mercenary in Night City tougher than ever — and he can now use a Sandevistan against you. ⏩ pic.twitter.com/dFpi1yBjQT

— Cyberpunk 2077 (@CyberpunkGame) December 20, 2023

#4: Fallout 4

Fallout 4 is another critically acclaimed game like BioShock Infinite with glaring plot holes. Its lore and characters are compelling, but the conclusion left us with more questions than answers. For one, we don’t know why Shaun was kidnapped by the primary antagonist (The Institute). It just seems made up, as if the developers were looking for an easy way out.

Additionally, the Brotherhood of Steel is one of the game’s major factions and that’s because of its advanced technology. Yet, we’re not sure where they acquired their technology and gadgets or how they maintain them. There are also plot holes regarding the other factions in Fallout 4. Hopefully, they’ll be able to patch these plot holes in Fallout 5, if it’s ever released.

#5: Mass Effect 3

The ending of Mass Effect 3 is completely shrouded in mystery and we were left with many unanswered questions. Some of our questions are:

• How was the Illusive Man?
• Where is Starchild from?
• Why did the Illusive Man stand for the blue ending and Anderson represent the ending in red?

Besides that, Mass Effect 3 was a great game with tons of customisation options. The skill tree is also diverse, giving players the option to upgrade their melee and ranged skills. Thus, choosing your preferred playstyle is easy enough. That said, we doubt the story will be fixed anytime soon. This easily makes these some of the less-loved plot holes in action games. For one, Mass Effect: Andromeda flopped due to its bugs, so we’re not sure that fans are looking forward to Mass Effect 4.

Our Final Say: Plot Holes in Action Games Don’t Ruin the Experience

Both fans and critics love the games above so plot holes in action games aren’t necessarily bad. For instance, plot holes leave a lasting impression on gamers if done right. For one, Mass Effect’s endings may be full of plot holes but the campaign was great from the onset. The same thing can be said of Fallout 4, which scored high points for its combat mechanics.

Everybody accepted the plot holes, but we didn’t. Ultimately, this type of game deserves a sequel. Sure, many of its shooting mechanics and powers had steep learning curves. However, for players seeking great storylines and compelling characters, you won’t find too many superior games. 

In terms of scope, some of the better titles are The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, Ghost of Tsushima, and Elden Ring. However, Mass Effect 3 is currently available in the Mass Effect Legendary Edition as a remastered edition. The other games are Mass Effect and Mass Effect 2.