Are cliffhanger endings the new fad?

[PsiMatrix]

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.

Money. Some people, like me can't let a story hang unless it really grinds our gears. Cutting them off mid-story means they salavate over the next one.

In recent years though I've been more critical of cliffhangers, game or otherwise. I've actually stopped watching several shows simply because the cliffhanger is supposed to keep me watching; the two main contenders being Smallville (oh my god, how is Clark going to save the world from disaster...oh, he fixed it already) and Stargate Atlantis (oh my god, we're all gonna die... wait, no we arent' because Rodney has come up with the solution that Shepard will repeat and we'll all listen).

Halo 2 plummeted out of my favourites for that reason (coupled with the patch, ranking reset and the incessant whingers screaming obscenities at the top of their voices on LIVE). I expected the story to end or at worst trail off for a posible sequal but instead I got lumbered with "Finish this Fight" <cut, print, that's a rap>. Mind you Bungie themselves admitted that they rushed it out anyway. One of the videos on the Legendary edition had one of their developers talking about how when they got the demo made for E3 all they had was a demo and they started over. So for Halo 3 I waited a few months after and managed to grab a second-hand copy for half the price, Limited Edition too.

It's a simple marketing ploy that means they can stretch things out. Even Halo 3 has a cliffhanger...

 

[OneHP]

Back on topic, it seems like Movies are following the same trend too. I mean, look at Matrix 2 and Pirates 2.

The difference there though is that(iirc) in both sets of films numbers 2 and 3 were filmed at the same time then post-produced one after the other for release. Whereas in games there's probably only a small amount of concept work done for the sequel during the production of the first game.

 

[H0ncho]

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.

It's not "a human", it is one of the *main persons*. That IS a terrible spoiler. One of the goals of that game is to escape the place, remember?

 

[REDPill357]

Max Payne was an example of a good trilogy arc. The first game ended perfectly, with no holes. Second game comes along, creates a new story, but fills in all the holes. The end of the credits of MP2 says that "Max Payne will continue into the night," leaving open the possibility of a third game. Too bad it was cancelled.

Also, I didn't appreciate the Bioshock spoiler, either.

 

[Anarchemitis]

Meh.
The fads I like are things that you can notice but don't really have to care about. Like the Wilhelm Scream.

 

[tiredinnuendo]

FOR THOSE WHO READ (AND WERE UPSET) BY THE BIOSHOCK SPOILER, THIS IS ANOTHER (VERY LIGHT) SPOILER THAT MAY MAKE IT BETTER!!!

SPOILER FOLLOWS:

The "good" ending of Bioshock follows you through the rest of your (reasonably long) life. You don't die in Rapture. It's not a spoiler really because it's basically saying, "Humans die at some point."

- J

 

[tiredinnuendo]

On topic: They ruin too many games for me. As was said, Assassin's Creed was great. Took a long time to make, took a long time to finish, and alot of effing work at that, and BAM! Your reward is a happy little f-u for playing. It seems like developers will put so much effort into a game, just to purposely destroy it and make us want to buy the sequal. Marketing technique from hell.

Maybe it's because I didn't care even a little bit about Desmond, but the ending of AC didn't bother me. I saw the "real world" parts as devices to explain the plotline and little else. Altair's story finished and that's what mattered.

- J

 

[The-Big-D]

there using cliff hangers to get more cash
so they can drag things out longer
just give us the ending for fuck sake!!! lol

id rather have one big game im happy with
than 3 or 4 odd games with like 2 decent ones and 2 shit just to find out what happens

 

[H0ncho]

You know it's like Jericho, if you haven't played it yet did you truly ever intend to?

I'm not made out of money... I'm waiting till it gets less expensive.

 

[Terramax]

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

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

Money, Money, Money, Money, Money, Money, Money, MONEY!

seriously, episodic games are all the rage. With how expensive it is to develop games now, this is the typical way to make and sell 'half a game' as it were.

I won't be surprised if Square Enix start selling Final Fantasy games in part instalments soon.

 

[evilsandwich]

I won't be surprised if Square Enix start selling Final Fantasy games in part installments soon.

*coughFF13cough*

 

[HyperReaper33]

The end of Assassin's Creed made me think of the odd writing on the wall on that episode of Lost (which I rarely watch anymore...didn't move fast enough).

Cliffhangers...what to say about them...really, the only thing I think cliffhangers are good for are:

A.) It's the end of the series, but you get to imagine that they go on more adventures, blah blah blah.

B.) End of that "chapter" but will continue.


The only problem with it that I see is that you'll have to wait an ungodly amount of time for the next part, especially in the videogame world.

 

[Terramax]

I won't be surprised if Square Enix start selling Final Fantasy games in part installments soon.

*coughFF13cough*

No, they're not? (Not that I give a flying monkeys about FF games anymore).

You know, what thing about it is, why does it matter how a game ends? Are you seriously playing a game just to see the ending?

Do you have Any idea how much stick Microids got for the ending of Still Life when it was announced a sequel wouldn't be made (although a few years down the line the sequel has finally been announced).

And yes, if you're promised a story in a game, I think it very well matters. What's the point of buying a story for a game that's only half told. Considering the criminal prices we already pay for games.

Unless it's some kind of David Lynch style story. Can't say I've seen many of those in video games though.

 

[shadow skill]

Max Payne was an example of a good trilogy arc. The first game ended perfectly, with no holes. Second game comes along, creates a new story, but fills in all the holes. The end of the credits of MP2 says that "Max Payne will continue into the night," leaving open the possibility of a third game. Too bad it was cancelled.

Also, I didn't appreciate the Bioshock spoiler, either.

WTF it was cancelled? You are kidding right? /cry

 

[The Bandit]

I don't see cliffhanger endings as being trendy or some kind of fad, because they've always been around. It's a good story element that brings life to the series. How would you have liked for Halo 2 to end? Is there really any other way, without ending the series? What about Mass Effect (which I don't see being a cliffhanger at all, it wrapped up the story for the game; if you're going to be that picky, then anything that has a sequel is a cliffhanger)?

That doesn't mean that they aren't used for marketing devices, but so? It works, not only to get money but to move the story. The problem doesn't (always) lie in those that makes games, or movies, or whatever but in the media who builds up the hype surrounding it. Halo 3 was a great game, but it failed to capture the attention of a lot of people, including me, because the hype was so massive.

As far as any spoiler crap goes- this thread is about cliffhangers, which are endings to games. You should come in expecting spoilers.

 

[Katana314]

Well, there is no good ending for Halo 2, simply because of the poor way the series was written. It COULD probably have been done in 2 games, but the word "trilogy" is too much to pass up.

Just finished Unreal Tournament 3, and I actually almost LAUGHED at that ending...they already think they sucked anyone into that story? It's like SSBM leaving some spoiler after you beat Master Hand, and forcing you to wait for SSBB. PEOPLE DON'T EVEN PLAY THAT GAME FOR THE STORY! Gears of War, too, seemed like they just threw in that last line by someone who flunked writer's school, and just wanted to make sure they had people riled up. Normally, they would foreshadow some future development. Here, they state: WE'RE NOT DEAD YET. (literally)

It's simple enough; no one likes it. Stop. Make sure some story arc is completed before you declare it the ending, even if there's still one overhanging story.