Your Top 5 Video Game Endings

[Chyron8472]

Originally Posted by Davies

LeChuck's Revenge's ending was purposefully daring, upset the status quo and left fans everywhere discussing it's true meaning

Originally Posted by Chyron8472

MI2 is neither daring nor original--it's wtf. I dislike wtf endings. I can accept cliffhangers and the hero doesn't always have to win (though I like for them to) but MI2 just leaves the player with the question "what the hell just happened??" in their minds for a long time afterward. I disapprove.

Originally Posted by DAISHI

High five.

In fact, I qualify MI2's ending as one of the worst endings of all time. The game before the "final battle" is very very good. It's everything a Monkey Island game should be in that it's very funny yet slightly serious, and Guybrush is lovable to us but a jerk to almost everyone ingame.

However, all the feeling, adventure, wonder and humor created by the fantastic core gameplay is totally undone by the ending--it is so off the wall, so nonsensical, so random yet totally cliche, and so anti-climactic... that it completely overwhelms any and all feeling about or build up made by the rest of the game.

Being different doesn't inherently make an ending good; being artsy doesn't make it interesting or fun. The status quo isn't what it is because the man says so and must therefore be rebelled against; the status quo is what it is because people generally know what they like and thus gravitate to liking certain things. With that in mind, if one is to go against the status quo, it should be done with a specific purpose in mind other than as a means in and of itself.

ie. in storytelling, being non-conformist merely for non-conformity's sake is stupid. In other words:

[Davies]

Originally Posted by Chyron8472

In fact, I qualify MI2's ending as one of the worst endings of all time. The game before the "final battle" is very very good. It's everything a Monkey Island game should be in that it's very funny yet slightly serious, and Guybrush is lovable to us but a jerk to almost everyone ingame.

However, all the feeling, adventure, wonder and humor created by the fantastic core gameplay is totally undone by the ending--it is so off the wall, so nonsensical, so random yet totally cliche, and so anti-climactic... that it completely overwhelms any and all feeling about or build up made by the rest of the game.

Being different doesn't inherently make an ending good; being artsy doesn't make it interesting or fun. The status quo isn't what it is because the man says so and must therefore be rebelled against; the status quo is what it is because people generally know what they like and thus gravitate to liking certain things. With that in mind, if one is to go against the status quo, it should be done with a specific purpose in mind other than as a means in and of itself.

(ie. in storytelling, being non-conformist merely for non-conformity's sake is stupid.)

Woah, it's fine that you don't like the ending. It's also fine that I do; who said anything about it being great merely because it's non-conformist?! Different people like different things, it's not a case of you're right and I'm wrong.

[Chyron8472]

Originally Posted by Davies

Different people like different things, it's not a case of you're wrong and I'm right.

You're right, it's not the case. I just feel rather strongly both about how stupid the ending is, as well I have encountered various stories (such as the movie No Country for Old Men) that employ the concept of being different for the sake of being different alone--and am thoroughly annoyed when encountering it.

[DAISHI]

The ending of MI2 was bad enough that for a long time it was on my list of worst games I'd ever played. The years softened up my opinion so that I could enjoy the game more even if I disliked the ending.

[GaryCXJk]

Okay, I might be pelted for this, but meh, I don't care seeing as I haven't even played a lot of games anyway, let alone finished one.

So anyway, I'm not going to number them. I just can't.

The Blackwell Deception
This might not come as a surprise, as I have been raving over the Blackwell series since I first discovered it. But, to be able to get the ending it is pretty much crucial to know how the original games go. Basically it's all about Rosangela Blackwell finding out that she's a medium, and that she has a spirit guide in the form of Joey Mallone. Throughout the first three games you'll find out that mediums who ignore their spirit guides will eventually go mad, and one of the antagonists, the Countess, managed to lose her spirit guide. In the Blackwell Deception, near the end, you find out how this happened: The Countess, and in this game, Rosangela herself, banished her own spirit guide, permanently severing their bonds. However, this didn't free the Countess from her medium powers, and allowed Infinity to fill her head. This very same thing would have happened, were it not for Joey coming back to rescue her from Gavin, an individual who lived for over a century from the energy of individuals who needed his aid. Or something, there was a lot going on and I didn't get any sleep that day. Actually, you should just play and finish the game in order to get it.

Kingdom Hearts
I actually have yet to finish Birth By Sleep, so I can't really judge it fully, so instead, I'll nominate the first Kingdom Hearts. The thing I love about this ending is the fact that it brings all the themes together, and turn it into something bitter-sweet. Basically you'll spend the entire game fighting for your friendships. In the end, this friendship will endure, but everybody does get separated. Also, Kingdom Hearts... IS LIGHT!

Secret of Mana
The problem with this game is that I have only seen the ending in German, and since I don't speak a word of German, I don't fully get the ending myself, although I could have just gone on YouTube to watch the ending. But, I still think it's a wonderful ending, mostly because it deals with life and death, a theme prevelant in the game.

Super Mario World
The thing with endings are that they have to be satisfying. Super Mario World, for me, has a very satisfying ending. I mean, after you defeat Bowser (hardly a spoiler), you'll rescue the princess (also hardly a spoiler). At this point, Mario guides Peach, who now rides a Yoshi, through various backdrops you encountered on your adventures, until they finally arrive at Yoshi's house. There, all yoshis eagerly await our heroes, after which the eggs hatch and everybody rejoices. Finally there's the roll call, something that I do miss in most game endings. I just love games with very happy endings, and Super Mario World has that. I mean, you first battle your way through not only more progressively harder worlds, but also darker levels. By the end of the game, the areas are very different from when you began the story, so it's all the more satisfying to see all the backdrops of the locations you visited from the last back to the first levels. It just feels like coming home from a long journey.

Kirby's Dreamland
It's hard to explain this one. Basically, the game ends with Kirby taking the fortress of King DeDeDe and bringing back the food that he stole. As a big balloon. The entire ending is accompanied by a very cheery song, and it really helps you feeling happy you finished the game. It was actually the only reason I kept playing the game until the end, because of the ending.

I might have more game endings I liked, so yeah.

[DAISHI]

I love Secret of Mana's ending. I was loath to leave it off my list.

[Hiroshi Mishima]

Originally Posted by Chyron8472

In fact, I qualify MI2's ending as one of the worst endings of all time.

Hey, something we can agree upon!

In any case, I wouldn't say that Guybrush being a jerk to everyone in the game was strictly a good thing. He at least seemed fairly nice in the first game, and after playing Simon the Sorcerer I would have to say it's not really an endearing character trait that you're mean-spirited to everybody. It certainly made me dislike Simon in the second game.

But yeah, I was enjoying MI2 overall until I hit that ending. I'd always heard the ending was a bit on the confusing side but I wasn't really ready for that. I remember feeling very upset and/or let down by the ending.

[Chyron8472]

Originally Posted by Hiroshi Mishima

I wouldn't say that Guybrush being a jerk to everyone in the game was strictly a good thing. He at least seemed fairly nice in the first game

It adds to the humor, the manner in which he is a jerk. In the first game he steals (possibly all of) the mugs from the Scumm Bar; steals the bananas from the cannibal village; commits credit fraud by stealing from the storekeeper and using it to dupe Stan into selling him a ship for money that was not his; potentially destroys his ship thus stranding his crew on Monkey Island... etc.

but it's funny to us so we like him for doing it.

[Noname215]

Originally Posted by Alcoremortis

I suppose that's better. Though, I apologize for earlier. You're entitled to like what you like. I just don't agree at all with that particular choice.

S'alright. I actually didn't really care for COD:BO's ending anyways.

[Chyron8472]

Originally Posted by Noname215

COD:BO

I read that and my first thought was body odor of a cod.

[Johro]

I read it as "80's" and thought it might have been somewhat cool for a second.

[taumel]

I think this is a though question which involves quite some thinking.

Regarding MI2, i remember that people had strong feelings about it, they either hated or loved it. I didn't like it because it kind of destroyed everything which was setup before but it also grew on me over the years.

[RetroVortex]

Originally Posted by Johro

I read it as "80's" and thought it might have been somewhat cool for a second.

Ramirez! Get with tha funk!

[GuybrushWilco]

1. Planescape: Torment (Also my favorite game ever) A perfect fit for the story and themes of the game.

2. Fallout - Again, a perfect fit, plus all the variations of the epilogues.

Honesty, I have a hard time deciding after those two.

[Noname215]

Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne.

[Irishmile]

The credits to Arkham City made me misty eyed..

[Johro]

Originally Posted by Irishmile

The credits to Arkham City made me misty eyed..

Probably the best credits ever.

[Noname215]

Originally Posted by Johro

Probably the best credits ever.

Only yoooooouuuuuuu....... *cough cough*

R.I.P.
"The Joker"
May 1940 - August 2011
"Always Got The Last Laugh"

[DAISHI]

Akrham City was too obvious.































BUT.














If there's ever been ONE GAME that made me drop my jaw... it was Arkham City.

[taumel]

Man, this is still so hard to answer.