In some games, a cutscene is little more than something to move the plot along or give some exposition quickly. This doesn't mean that they can't be well done though, and some games put a lot of work into their cutscenes.
Many times cutscenes are the best opportunities for games to showcase their sense of humor. Whether they feature some clever dialogue, slapstick comedy, or just one great punchline, these are some of the funniest cutscenes to ever grace consoles.
The Infamous Game Over, Spider-Man 3
This short but enduringly hilarious cutscene is one that players actually were not meant to see, but that everyone should. During a level in Spider-Man 3, the friendly neighborhood superhero must make his way through a burning building, saving hostages and disarming explosives.
When he discovers the final hostage tied to a bomb, Spider-Man must quickly leap into action to save her. However, if players fail the quick-time event, Spider-Man will simply face plant onto the floor, leaving the hostage to get out one final "I'm going to die", before the whole room explodes. It is a rare example of a section actually worth failing just for the game over.
Assault on Dragon Keep, Borderlands 2
Tiny Tina very quickly became a fan favorite character in Borderlands with her off kilter personality and wicked sense of humor, so fans were excited when she starred in her own spinoff DLC, Tiny Tina's Assault On Dragon Keep. The DLC centers on several of the game's characters playing their universe's version of Dungeons and Dragons.
The introduction to this game plays out as most would probably expect, with no one really having any clue how the game works and Tina barely holding it together herself. The scene is full of the series' trademark humor, and moments like Brick naming his player character Brick and everyone telling Mordecai to shut up will keep players entertained for sure.
Movie Night, Mass Effect Andromeda
Mass Effect Andromeda may not have been nearly the game that its predecessors were, but it did have some truly great moments that many fans believe make it worth replaying. The lead cast had some great back and forth, and it all culminates in a movie night between the crew towards the end of the game.
The movie night is a funny, feel-good sequence where the crew makes fun of the movie they are watching, playfully rib each other, and reenact scenes as outlandishly as possible. One of the dialogue choices is arguably even one of the best lines in the game. It may not be slapstick hilarious, but it is a very funny scene.
Working the Computer, Prototype 2
Sometimes a funny moment is even funnier when it happens to be in a game not particularly known for its humor. This is the case in this scene from Prototype 2, where new protagonist James Heller shows just how much he hates technology.
Early in the game, Heller must break into a secure lab to access their computers, with the help of his associate Father Guerra. Heller wastes no time in listening for what to do and immediately starts hitting random keys while an exasperated Guerra tries to help. Somehow, Heller manages to get what he is after, but not before a laughable, expletive-filled back and forth with Guerra about the basic operation of the computer.
The Sacred Lamb, Armed and Dangerous
Armed and Dangerous is a sadly forgotten game that has maintained a following due to its absolutely madcap humor. The entire game is a bizarre roller coaster full of hilarious moments and witty banter, but the highlight is when the heroes have to save an NPC's sacred lamb.
Almost as soon as they find the lamb, the crew manages to immediately blow it up. Refusing to accept defeat, they decide instead to disguise their diminutive teammate Rexus as the lamb instead and give him back to the owner. The dialogue between all of the characters is hilarious, but Rexus' terrified screams as he runs back to the team away from the shepherd is the cherry on top.
Stop Saying Nuts, Psychonauts
Picking one funniest scene in Psychonauts is a difficult job. The entire game is full of great jokes and amusingly weird characters, but one of the best jokes in the game is also one of the simplest. Early on in the game, protagonist Raz finds another character messing with an acorn.
Upon asking what he is doing, the boy creepily explains to Raz that he is using it to keep tabs on the girl's cabin. Raz pieces the unnecessarily complicated plan together, which involves "grabbing a squirrel's nuts" and using clairvoyance to see what it sees. The boy agrees, but asks Raz to please say "acorns" instead of "nuts" if he ever explains it again. Psychonauts is full of great humor, but this deadpan delivery may be some of the best.
"I Should Go", Mass Effect 3
Mass Effect 3's Citadel DLC is full of funny moments like Shepard going on a tirade about mercenaries touching his hamster and Specialist Traynor breaking into the Normandy with a toothbrush, but the funniest moment might have to be when Shepard is confronted with his or her own idiosyncrasies.
While confronting their own clone, Shepard is hit with their own catchphrase "I should go" before being locked in a vault. While one squadmate desperately tries to get them out of the vault, Shepard asks if they really sound like that, and tries out several new inflections of how to make the line sound better. Shepard is usually pretty serious, so the Commander being insecure about their own voice during a life-threatening situation is an amusing change of pace.
From the Future, Timesplitters: Future Perfect
Just about every cutscene in cult classic Timesplitters: Future Perfect is pure comedy gold, especially any of the times lead character Cortez meets his future self, but the best one of all occurs when the game's villain Jacob Crow meets his future self.
After his lab is destroyed in 1996, a distraught Crow is visited by his future self, who he constantly mistakes for his grandfather. After a long awkward pause while everyone figures out what exactly is happening, Old Crow has to spell everything out in aggravating detail. He gives his younger self a time device, which he uses to go forward in time to give back to his older self. Cortez ends up so confused he can't even get out his usual catchphrase, and ends the level with a defeated, "I've gotta go."
Disabling the Filters, DOOM (2016)
Sometimes not saying anything can be the funniest response of all. During 2016's phenomenal DOOM reboot, the Slayer is tasked by director of the Mars facility Samuel Hayden to disable the energy filters powering the portal to Hell.
The filters are incredibly fragile, so Hayden gives a long explanation of how to safely turn them off without damaging them. The Slayer takes an easier route however, and just smashes the filter to smithereens. Hayden gets progressively more frustrated with each broken filter and the Slayer seems to only get more aggressive with each one he breaks. Without ever uttering a word, it is a perfect reflection of Doomguy's personality.
Lenny, Red Dead Redemption 2
There is no shortage of great scenes in Red Dead Redemption 2, but by far the single most hilarious is Arthur and Lenny's ill fated night on the town in Valentine. After Lenny is shaken up by a gunfight, Arthur is told to take him to the saloon to calm his nerves.
As it often does, a few drinks soon turn into many and the two cowboys end up in a riotous night of debauchery. Most of the section is even playable but is interspersed with cutscenes showing Arthur dancing in a chorus line, drunkenly walking in on an amorous couple, engaging in a slap fight with Lenny, and other crazy things. For many, this was the mission that made them fall in love with the characters.