Are cliffhanger endings the new fad?

[CyberAkuma]

Is it just me or does cliffhanger endings seem to be the new fad of modern day games?

I cannot in any way present a list of the big rescent games that end up with the "... to be continued" sign slapped on a dark background and then the credits roll.

It seems to me as if it's the new fad to have games which end abruptly.
Halo 2 comes in mind with Assasins Creed, Crysis, Mass Effect, Rainobox Six Las Vegas - like I said, the list is way too long.

Is it me or is it a "trendy" thing? Seems to me as if all the gaming producers have a game-triology in mind today more than ever. Since when where game sequels annanouced already when he first game was done in the series?

It just boggles my mind how virtually *EVERY* modern big game follows this formulae.

 

[Copter400]

People should take a good look at the Prince of Persia series. There was a game that went over the course of three games without one cliffhanger ending. HL2 sorta does it, but it makes it work. It's not like a brick wall suddenly stops you at the end.

Bioshock didn't have a cliffhanger ending(s). If you got the good ending, then you died in the end.

 

[Claymorbmaster]

Im pretty new around here, forum-wise, but isnt posting a horrendous spoiler about Bioshock (and other games, presumably) against the rules?

 

[Copter400]

I didn't say how you die. Didn't post a link to a Youtube video of the ending cinematic. And I wouldn't be the first one on this jewel of game forums to post a horrendous spoiler. However, if you do feel anger towards what I posted, I do apologize. Truly, I am your servant, and I'm not being sarcastic. *grovels*

 

[evilsandwich]

Im pretty new around here, forum-wise, but isnt posting a horrendous spoiler about Bioshock (and other games, presumably) against the rules?

Well, if its any consolation, at least he didn't tell you HOW you died.

Back on topic, it seems like Movies are following the same trend too. I mean, look at Matrix 2 and Pirates 2. Its like the entertainment industry is trying to cheat us out to the classic Freytag?s pyramid style of storytelling involving a beginning, middle and end in an effort to artificially inflate customer demand for a sequel so they can milk a franchise's teat for every cent its worth. Or they make a story thats so confusing and convoluted, that even the writing staff can't figure out how to end it (I'm looking at you DreamFall!). So they make a huge epic level out of nowhere and slap an awkward "To be continued" at the end of said epic level to buy themselves time to figure out how to end the story with disappointing flatness in a later, shinier, but ultimately bland and mediocre sequel.

Speaking of which, does anyone else think that Halo 3 had the dumbest and most anti-climatic final boss battle ever?

Just sayin'.

 

[Hey Joe]

I think the advent of the cliffhanger ending has come as a natural part of the infiltration of "trilogies" and what have you into the marketplace. Developers want people to be intensely interested in the next one, and instead of just saying that 'this one has new features' they can use the cliffhanger as a marketing tool.

It adds another string to the bow in the marketing of new games, and gives scope for storytellers to experiment over the course of a trilogy (I don't to take this OT, but like how the Star Wars franchise did with V).

 

[PurpleRain]

Mass Effect was always going to be a three part saga so not having a cliffhanger ending would seem off (this would also apply to Too Human). I doubt that was much of a cliffhanger ending anyway. The only thing that went unsloved wasd the fact that the Reapers are in space somewhere wanting to kill everything. A cliffhanger ending is where it literally leaves you on a cliff edge like PotC2 or the Matrix 2. It leaves everything open. Mass Effect ended pretty well only leaveing the big picture up in the air, not everything.
HL2:epi2 had a great one. That worked really well. It wasn't some huge action showdown. Just a slow sad ending that will continue onto the next.
Dead Rising also had a cliffhanger ending. For good or bad? I just hope you don't play as Frank in the next one. It wouldn't make any sense.

 

[tiredinnuendo]

Trilogies usually follow this formula:

1) The first part will usually have an end. Mass Effect's adventure did end, it just left room for adventure number 2. Same with Assassin?s Creed. If the story ended there, I wouldn't feel overly cheated.
2) The second part will not end, so much as just "stop". This is to make sure that part three sells. See Halo 2, though Pirates 2 (the movie) is a pretty good example as well. The second part is also usually the worst one and the story often doesn't make any sense at all.
3) Part three will try to tie everything together and bring us back to the beginning again in some really contrived and ham-handed way. The story will be better than part two, but nowhere near part one.

Why do we do this? It's obvious. Movie makers used to make a bad sequel when they had a hit movie. Now, with trilogies, they get to make *two* bad sequels, both of which will sell. Games are a natural extension of this.

- J

 

[The Reverend]

Well for the most part developers put cliffhanger endings in to help keep open the possibility of a sequel if the first one does well. Anyone remember the end of Godzilla? With the baby one hatching and stuff. Well, if that film hadn't been utter crap (Thank you Mr Emmerich) they would have made a sequel. Instead, I guess the baby died of cot death or polio or summat like that.

 

[Chalee]

Im pretty new around here, forum-wise, but isnt posting a horrendous spoiler about Bioshock (and other games, presumably) against the rules?

No - because if you haven't finished bioshock a couple of times by now you're automatically banned from visiting the forum

 

[JakubK666]

Im pretty new around here, forum-wise, but isnt posting a horrendous spoiler about Bioshock (and other games, presumably) against the rules?

No - because if you haven't finished bioshock a couple of times by now you're automatically banned from visiting the forum

Oh come on...Bioshock was overhyped too but nobody seems to noticed that as those bastards are to busy bashing Halo 3

 

[tiredinnuendo]

Oh come on...Bioshock was overhyped too but nobody seems to noticed that as those bastards are to busy bashing Halo 3

When you've only got one bullet, you shoot for the biggest target

Plus, no one said you had to like Bioshock, but rather that you should've played it by now. Most of the folks bashing Halo 3 played it too.

- J

 

[JakubK666]

Plus, no one said you had to like Bioshock, but rather that you should've played it by now. Most of the folks bashing Halo 3 played it too.

- J

Yeah, the fact that the games tries to be both Silent Hill and Halo isn't the kind of thing I enjoy. BTW love the Custer's Revenge/Westward Ho avatar

 

[Esure]

I have to agree it's beyond annoying. I recently bought Assassins Creed and the end just ruined the game, it's not like they gave you story, which will be continued, it was more like well you played half way through the story and haven't thrown it away, we'll make you wait and buy the sequel to finish it.

 

[[HD]Rob Inglis]

No, they are just making the companies able to make reasonable sequels to try and get more money.

 

[H0ncho]

However, if you do feel anger towards what I posted, I do apologize. Truly, I am your servant, and I'm not being sarcastic. *grovels*

Would you in the very least edit and remove the spoiler? It ruined a great deal for me actually. And I think it is extremely inconsiderate of you to do so and not even care enough to remove it. People like you is what ruins forums.

 

[Singing Gremlin]

H0ncho - that a human dies at some point... terrible spoiler!! You don't know how he dies and it won't be in the way you're expecting. So really, nothing has been spoilt.

 

[thebobmaster_v1legacy]

Whoa, Purplerain is banned? How'd that happen? Sorry for being off topic, it just shocked me to see that. On-topic, as long as a sequel was always planned, like with Mass Effect and AC, it doesn't bother me. It's when they do it where it's like "If we make money, we'll follow up" that it bothers me, like with Syphon Filter.

 

[deadly.by.design]

Cliffhangers are in style because milking the franchise for sequels is in style. That's right folks, we're fresh outta new quality content. Time to serve up the re-heated version of yesterday's meal.

Only a few games can get away with cliffhangers, and Valve's episodic HL2 content comes to mind as one. Why? Because it's deliberately episodic. Of course they want you to hook into the next game. Problem is, the episodes aren't coming nearly as quickly as Valve originally promised/intended... so the waiting sucks.

 

[SimpleReally]

Try playing warcraft 3 the frozen throne for one of the most open endings known to man