Forums > Game Talk > Satisfying Game Endings
Indra was here (20755) on 8/14/2010 11:08 AM · Permalink · Report
Just watched Disney/Pixar's "Up" movie. Don't remember the last time I felt satisfied after experiencing an entertainment product (cried like a baby too). When was the last time you felt a sense of completion playing a game? Usually presented by a satisfying ending?
Not many satisfying game endings in this regard. Last game I felt something similar in a game was Star Control 2. Recommend yours.
Unicorn Lynx (181775) on 8/14/2010 7:46 PM · Permalink · Report
Well, here I have to generalize and say that Japanese are much better at making great game endings than Westerners. I really don't know where to start, a lot of Japanese RPGs have awesome endings.
I've been playing mostly Western games recently, and although I played a lot of gems, I wasn't really blown away by any ending in recent memory.
Last amazing endings I saw was when replaying Cang zhi Tao with my girlfriend. This game's ending is just... unbelievable. So moving, so touching... No Japanese RPG has ever reached such emotional level. Chinese beat the Japanese at their own game!
Well, actually the whole game is just amazing... pity you guys don't understand Chinese. This is pure treasure.
Indra was here (20755) on 8/14/2010 7:54 PM · Permalink · Report
[Q --start Unicorn Lynx wrote--]Well, actually the whole game is just amazing... pity you guys don't understand Chinese. This is pure treasure. [/Q --end Unicorn Lynx wrote--]Odd. One of my Chinese aunties said to me speaking Mandarin/Cantonese here is different from speaking Mandarin/Cantonese on the mainland. How peculiar.
Lain Crowley (6629) on 8/14/2010 8:56 PM · Permalink · Report
I still think Final Fantasy VIII had a fantastic ending, especially if you take the alternative interpretation of the story in which Squall was mortally wounded in Disc 1's ending and the remaining 3 discs are his delusions as his consciousness slowly fades away. No matter how you want to look at the story the ending still wraps everything up in a really satisfying way, especially the handicam footage of their reunion party that plays over the credits.
Indra was here (20755) on 8/14/2010 9:45 PM · Permalink · Report
[Q --start Lain Crowley wrote--]I still think Final Fantasy VIII had a fantastic ending... [/Q --end Lain Crowley wrote--] It did? Dang it. Somewhat lost interest in the last disc where they forced me to split up my team.
The Fabulous King (1332) on 8/14/2010 9:50 PM · Permalink · Report
[Q --start Lain Crowley wrote--]especially if you take the alternative interpretation of the story in which Squall was mortally wounded in Disc 1's ending and the remaining 3 discs are his delusions as his consciousness slowly fades away. [/Q --end Lain Crowley wrote--]
Well that would explain how fucked up the storyline got.
Patrick Bregger (301035) on 8/14/2010 9:12 PM · Permalink · Report
I love the endings of Fallout and Arcanum.
The Fabulous King (1332) on 8/14/2010 9:52 PM · Permalink · Report
[Q --start Patrick Bregger wrote--]I love the endings of Fallout and Arcanum. [/Q --end Patrick Bregger wrote--]
I don't think they're talking about how a player can hear about his or her actions changing the world in end credits. I think they mean something else... a bit longer non-playable cutscene with people talking and sharing impressions and things, and festive moods and stuff. Or something like that.
j.raido 【雷堂嬢太朗】 (95187) on 8/14/2010 10:13 PM · Permalink · Report
I always feel satisfied after a game of Tetris. Maybe because I play every game of Tetris like it were my last, fighting to the last block. Does that count? No?
Two very polar-opposite examples. Ico, for having a beautifully minimal conclusion to a beautifully minimal game that explains exactly what it needs to explain. Earthbound for letting you explore literally the entire game world, seeing what effect the player's actions have had, with an incredible attention to detail.
Slug Camargo (583) on 8/15/2010 12:31 AM · Permalink · Report
Hands down, Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time. Mind-blowingly beautiful in its simplicity, it's the perfect conclusion for the game, and maybe the best ending in history. It was certainly the first game ending I found out-and-out satisfying.
The "Maria" ending for Silent Hill 2 comes to mind too. It's about as tragic as most of the others, but the last 5 seconds are pure genius. It stood the hair up on the back of my heart.
The ending of BioShock 2 made quite an impact as well, but I think you need to be a parent and it has to catch you at a very particular spot of parenthood to really really get it. Given those conditions, it can be really mind blowing. I know I wasn't the only one (spoilers ahoy). Also, it was the first time in my life that I didn't feel the "good" ending of a game to be a sticky pile of corny garbage.
And of course, the ending of Portal. I could watch those credits roll a million times and still have the same stupid smile on my face.
Donatello (466) on 8/15/2010 7:25 AM · Permalink · Report
[Q --start Dr. M. "Schadenfreude" Von Katze wrote--] The "Maria" ending for Silent Hill 2 comes to mind too. It's about as tragic as most of the others, but the last 5 seconds are pure genius. It stood the hair up on the back of my heart. [/Q --end Dr. M. "Schadenfreude" Von Katze wrote--]
Watch out for teh pillow!
I think Persona 3 had a fantastic end. I don't really fathom why some people actually get confused by it, as it's straightforward as you can get.
Slug Camargo (583) on 8/15/2010 8:10 AM · Permalink · Report
[Q --start Donatello wrote--] I think Persona 3 had a fantastic end. [/Q --end Donatello wrote--] Now that you mention it, is that the game where you shoot a gun to your head? All I know about P3 is what I learned from this HAWP episode (by the way, do we all love HAWP around here or what?), and I was pretty amazed it didn't spark riots of concerned parents all over the world with that idea.
Unicorn Lynx (181775) on 8/15/2010 8:18 AM · Permalink · Report
Yes, that's the one. Though honestly, except this one feature there seems to be nothing disturbing or particularly mature in Persona 3. If anything, I found it too bright and teenager-oriented, as opposed to other Megaten games (even other Persona games).
Donatello (466) on 8/15/2010 4:07 PM · Permalink · Report
[Q --start Unicorn Lynx wrote--]Yes, that's the one. Though honestly, except this one feature there seems to be nothing disturbing or particularly mature in Persona 3. If anything, I found it too bright and teenager-oriented, as opposed to other Megaten games (even other Persona games). [/Q --end Unicorn Lynx wrote--]
Well, the last month in-game is rather bleak.
Late (77) on 8/24/2010 8:33 PM · Permalink · Report
Completing Dragon Wars and PC Hack back in the day was satisfying, if only because of the fact it took me several years to beat them. The same goes for Fallout 2 but that also had a very nice end sequence.
Completing a level of Pyro ][ (the pyromaniac game, not the other one) without dying is always a small triumph, with pride and relief mixed together.