[Shany]

Still Life: I have this theory that the writers of Still Life themselves have no idea who the killer was supposed to be. Think about it - if they did, why aren't they telling us who it was?
Not to mention that even though they ran out of money to make the second part of the game, they could have shown who the killer was at the end. Heck, it might have even been another cliffhanger, seeing who the killer is but having him run away.

Oh, and whoever the sequel says it was doesn't count since it's being written by different people.

[kn0wl]

I've long forgotten most most game endings. So many are predictable, uninspired, shallow and - particularly outside of adventure games - you're lucky to get a game whose primary concern is telling a story. Ideally, even if I don't like the end, it's good to see an unpredictable and interesting conclusion to events. Or be allowed to draw your own conclusions.

The ending of Monkey Island 2 has lived long in the memory. Everything else about the game was wonderful and it came as such a shock and my younger self was quite disappointed.

Looking back, one can still claim it's an unfitting end to the adventure. But I can appreciate why they might have decided on such an ending - one I'm pretty sure shouldn't be taken on face value. As if to say, the events do not exist in reality, but isn't it good to dream? An experience does not have to be 'real' for it to inspire and provide enjoyment. Sometimes, all we have is our imagination, and isn't it so worthwhile?

[Guyra]

@Shany: From what I remember, it was somewhat clear who the killer was at the end. I don't think you had perfect proof of it, but you knew more or less who it was. However, it didn't have a perfect ending, I'll definetly agree on that.

[Keregioz]

Originally Posted by Guyra

@Shany: From what I remember, it was somewhat clear who the killer was at the end. I don't think you had perfect proof of it, but you knew more or less who it was. However, it didn't have a perfect ending, I'll definetly agree on that.

Spoiler:

No, there was no way to know for sure who the killer was

[Ascovel]

Spoiler:

Yes there was!


Nah, only kidding

[Trader]

FABLE the PC game not the xbox game.

Spoiler:

The game ends with you going insane and locked in a looney bin

[Thello]

The worst "ending" of all time is the entire last third of Fahrenheit / Indigo Prophecy.

Spoiler:

The main character dies, but comes back to life. He has hot zombie sex with the female cop that's been pursuing him, a fugitive, this entire time. Bums are revealed to be ancient prophets instead of the often drunk homleless people they're perceived to be. The old lady that was helping you up until this point turns out to be the internet. Yes, the physical incarnation of the internet, intent on wreaking havoc and destroying the world. The main character learns to fly and fights and ancient mayan priest in Dragonball Z-inspired combat. It all culminates in a really retarded series of events that, in one ending, lead the main character and the policewoman to have a child. Ever wonder if a zombie could still produce sperm? Now you know.

Up until this point, the game was a pretty intriguing supernatural thriller. David Cage is the video game equivalent of Ed Wood.

[AndreaDraco83]

Thello... Your recap is awesome! Actually better than the real game plot!

[Fien]

So many bad endings, I agree with many posters in this thread. But for me Golden Gate has the worst ending of all. I don't want to spoil the game for anybody, but if you're not interested in first-person Mystian puzzle games with FMV flashbacks you can safely read my spoiler:

Spoiler:

You're a treasure hunter. When you finally find the treasure in a cave near the beach, another treasure hunter you've met before appears and while you listen to his long and boring monologue, the tide comes in and the water starts filling the cave. The last thing you see is the water closing over your head and the rest is darkness. You drown, you stupid fool! BWAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAA!!!!

[Lucien21]

Here's a novel idea.Why not try some constructive criticism.

Instead of just pointing out how this and that game ending was dreadful.

Why don't we state the ending you didn't like and suggest a better one. i.e How would you have written the ending?

[Fien]

Why don't you start, Lucien, instead of criticizing us?

[Lucien21]

At least I constructivly criticised the thread and suggested and alternative .

Just saying an ending is bad doesn't really do anything. Most of the time your not even saying what is wrong with the ending. Ok Golden Gate is a bad ending, but WHY is it a bad ending? How would you have preferred it to end?

[Fantasysci5]

I agree with the ending of Indigo Prophecy.

The end of Fable, though, sounds interesting, but that's just me. lol A question-how is the PC and XBOX versions different?!

[VoodooFX]

Originally Posted by Fantasysci5

The end of Fable, though, sounds interesting, but that's just me. lol A question-how is the PC and XBOX versions different?!

I think he was referring to Fable, an adventure games from 90ies.
And the ending sounds like a prequel to Sanitarium

Edit: And taken from the Trivia section from the same link:

Spoiler:

The original ending to this game was that the story was the delusions of a lunatic in an asylum. The original release of the game had this ending. A new version was later released that featured a more satisfying ending.

[Fien]

Originally Posted by Lucien21

Ok Golden Gate is a bad ending, but WHY is it a bad ending?

Because the ending has nothing whatsoever to do with the rest of the game. King Graham finally rescues his princess and the day before the royal wedding he slips on a banana skin and spends the rest of his life in a coma. Why is that a bad ending?

Endings don't have to be "happy". Actually, I prefer endings with some sadness or loss mixed in with the success.

[AndreaDraco83]

Fienepien, have you played Dracula 3: Path of the Dragon? If so, I'd like to know your opinion on the ending. It was a matter of great discussion between me and my boyfriend, who simply couldn't stand it.

[Fien]

Andrea, I quite liked Dracula 3, in spite of the fiendish puzzles. Very atsmospheric and creepy. But I got severely stuck with the gypsy woman and the walkthroughs were no help. I'd done everything they said I should do. It's probably some minor trigger thingy I missed, that's often the problem with extremely linear games. Same thing happened to me in The Lost Crown: day one refused to end. I love the Jonathan Boakes' games and was determined to play this one, so I restarted the game twice (gggrrrr...) and finally got past. But I didn't feel like going through that awful exercise in patience again with Dracula 3. I uninstalled the game and traded it.

I wasn't expecting a happy ending though.

Spoiler:

The priest was far too much attracted to that nice but weird woman.

[AndreaDraco83]

I asked particularly about the end, because of what you said about bitter finales. I put a huge spoiler, but if you plan on replaying the game, please ignore it 'cause it will spoil the whole game.

Spoiler:

At the end, after discovering that the new doctor is indeed Martha Calugarul, Arno Moriani is tempted to accept Dracula's offer but in the end choose to blow himself up, hoping to destroy Dracula, who - on the other hand - becomes green mist (exactly like in the Francis Ford Coppola movie) and escape, thus making pointless Arno's sacrifice. I loved this ending, whilst my boyfriend would have liked it much more if Arno would have chosen to become a vampire

[Fien]

Your spoiler came as a shock! Ever since you started talking about it I'd been expecting something like your friend's preferred ending. I would have to see the real ending myself of course, but if there had been two possible endings I'd probably go for your bitter and memorable one. I always like it when endings get me thinking.

Spoiler:

In this case about sacrifice and values in life. The shocking ending is also much more in character. Father Moriani is a very intense person, with integrity, who may be tempted by female beauty or his own dark side, but that doesn't necessarily make him a bad priest. On the contrary.

[AndreaDraco83]

I completely agree Fienepien. I may also add that

Spoiler:

After the credits, we can see another cutscene, showing London during the World War II bombing. Here we also found the unbearable, spoiled historian, held captive by the Scotland Yard. They want to know what Hitler was searching in Vladoviste, but the historian - who now seems more like an offbeat investigator - refuses to respond. I think we'll see more Dracula in the future