Man, what is it with bad endings?

[dux]

I just completed Gears of War for PC (as I don't have a 360) The game was a blast even if the port was a bit rough around the edges. However, yet again, I complete a game that leaves me with an absolutely terrible ending. What is it with developers these days? They make a terrific game then go on to create a terrible ending. Bioshock for example, it had a really rough ending. Crysis, too, didn't even have an ending. I know we've had a good moan about this a few times but damn, I've had so many new games these past few months that have delivered a mass of enjoyment then go and blow it at the end

[Cybbe]

Yah, it's a major anticlimax.

Throughout the game it feels like you're gonna blow a massive load, and then the closer you get to the end, you just feel the semen retracting itself back into your testicles, resulting in a mean testicular infection.

It really sucks.

Quake 4 had the same. And about every damn game in the last few years. It's some kind of fashion thing >:/

[Erratic]

I thought Gears and Crysis actually had decent endings, considering their stories. They both left you hanging, assuming you gave a shit in the first place

Though I did like Crysis' story, in that it gave you just what you needed to know to have an understanding of the events happening around you and why you were going to the next destination etc. Games tend to fall short of even the most basic, practical things.Gears was just typical hollow game-story telling.

[-HP-]

Indeed, but there are better ways to do a "To be continued" ending, example: MGS2

[e-freak]

You want a decent ending, you gonna play Portal. *sings* "This was a triumph..."

Apart they just had a half-magazine filling article about this in recent GS/dev Magazine here but I really don't understand the fuzz. They complained about Crysis and Half-Life 2 and so on but those games were clearly made with a succesor in mind (be it the Episodes or Crysis 2). And the endings, as much as they have been aprupt, never failed for me in terms of "Think about what you have just done - was it the right decision?" (best example: joining the g-man at the end of Half-Life 1 who was the cause or at least one important key to the catastrophe)

[General Vivi]

turok had a wierd but quick ending also.

*thumbs down*

The new Ratchet and clank had a good ending. It was a decent length and explained all the stuff before it let you go.

*thumbs up*

[D3ads]

MOH:AA wins the award for worst ending:

THE END

[Taylor]

All these games are ones hoping to be franchises, they leave it open for the inevitable sequel to get people interested in what happens next... though you kind of get the impression the next game will do exactly the same thing until the series is no longer profitable.

Half-Life 2’s episodes did a very good job of having a contained story with a beginning, middle and end, though you’re kind of used to having no idea what’s going on due to their approach to storytelling anyway (not telling you anything = depth!). Uncharted had a nice setup for a franchise where the whole thing is self-contained but with potential for countless more adventures.

[Thrik]

I'm always disgusted when a game has a pathetic ending, clearly designed to leave it as open-ended as possible. Can you imagine the uproar if Hollywood started regularly doing that, never ending their stories properly until they're satisfied that they can't bleed the franchise dry any longer?

Games should always have a solid beginning, middle, and end — just like any story. It doesn't have to be completely sealed shut with the main characters killed and whatnot, but it should also never feel like a television episode where a glaring cliffhanger is left wide open.

There are few exceptions with films where endings have been left extremely open (Lord of the Rings, Kill Bill), but they still felt relatively non–cliffhanger-like and there was a short time between each film (in comparison to usual, anyway).

Of course this is a pretty moot point when most developers somehow manage to source out the worst writers imaginable, despite the ample number of good ones out there.

[Mr. Happy]

I really liked uncharted's ending, made me smile and definitely left the door open. As for HL2 having a bad ending, I don't know about that. It was really abrupt but made me jump around in my chair waiting for more. And Ep2's ending was epic.

But i wholeheartedly agree with the original post, GoW's ending was just lame. After such a short game with basically no story at all, it would have been nice to have something...epic (hahahaa sigh...).

I think alot of old adventure games, like Quest for Glory and Monkey Island, though I barely remember them, had great endings. Great games with great endings...thinking about it, it seems like the ending is an indicator of what's been happening in the industry, stagnation wise.

[ctswin]

I think alot of old adventure games, like Quest for Glory and Monkey Island, though I barely remember them, had great endings.

Uh oh. Good thing we don't have too many adventure gamers around these parts.

[Bluestrike]

I'm always disgusted when a game has a pathetic ending, clearly designed to leave it as open-ended as possible. Can you imagine the uproar if Hollywood started regularly doing that, never ending their stories properly until they're satisfied that they can't bleed the franchise dry any longer?

Hollywood got the hang of it pretty good too

Like Lost etc

And yeah it looks like alot of developers/publishers are more woried about fitting in sequels then giving games a proper ending :/

Even when games like Opposing Force and Blue Shift proved you don't need story sequels to make expansions/sequels

As for the Episode 2 ending, It was nice with the rocket launch, but I already knew

Eli was going to die when they ancounced a character would die as he was the only charater with relatives in the game

.

Even tough they try to put you on the wrong foot with the Ep1 teaser

Speaking of EP1 it had a pretty good ending too with the citadell explosion, finally closing down the citadell chapter and the ep1 teaser showing you new envoirements

But my best endings in a game would be Legend of zelda III (snes), Secret of mana (snes) and Blue Shift (the ending I was looking for playing HL1)

[Cybbe]

Spoiler alert :/

I really need to finish ep2 soon

[dux]

Thats your own fault cybbe, shoulda finished it like the rest of us

[Sindwiller]

Thats your own fault cybbe, shoulda finished it like the rest of us

I didn't. Never bought it in the first place. Prolly never will. ;o