Are unhappy endings bad ?

[Jacking]

It depends, I think.

A "kill off all the characters, because the writers can't think of how to end it" sort of ending is often disappointing and feels cheap, but that said, if it's done well an unhappy ending can bring closure to a game and can be pretty unforgettable and dramatic. (unless they ruin it with a direct sequel or DLC - yes, I'm looking at you, Fallout 3.)

 

[RingaFiar]

Think I've read most of replies...apologies if already been said

Anyway: Divinty 2 Ego Draconis was a particularly good example of "Are Unhappy endings bad ?"

No Spoilers forthcoming if you haven't played it. decent enough game, ending.....poor!

 

[linkblade91]

Would Watchmen have been better if Rorschach and Night Owl had succeeded in stopping Ozymandias?
No. Such an outcome would unravel the worth of what is an amazing graphic novel.

Sad/Depressing/"Un-Happy" endings can be just as good as Happy ones; it all depends on the context of the individual stories.
While this is not an example of a video game, it does work to show that not everything needs a "the good guys win" finale.

Edit: Final Fantasy X had a sad ending after the good guys won, and that worked perfectly.

 

[Sniper Team 4]

From what I understand Shadow of the Colossus has the type of ending you're looking for.

If Final Fantasy VII ended like that, I can say I would have never picked up another Final Fantasy Game. I can appreciate an ending where everything is peachy. I don't like those endings, but I can accept them (see Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare). Your version of VII's ending would cause me grief to no end. I just spent forty plus hours leveling up, overcoming challenges, beating Ruby and Emerald into the ground, and the game says, "No, sorry. You lose." HELL NO! What is the point of embarking on a quest when you aren't allowed to succeed from the very start? That's the developers telling you that, despite all your hard work, you're nothing.

 

[SteewpidZombie]

The 'Bad' ending in interactive media is usually reserved for 'failure' because you failed to win or complete the game in a way that realistically would result in a 'good ending'. Hence, if it was a 'requirement' to beat Sephiroh using Omni-Slash and you had to aquire it through gameplay, then it'd make sense if he killed everyone or at least some of the team for a bad or bittersweet ending because you didn't bother to learn the ultimate move (FF7 just gives ya the move regardless to beat him with, hence it is a non-rewarding ending).

In videogames, the 'Good' ending is like a reward for playing. It gives a sense of fulfillment and completion for people who've played the game and fought as the noble heroes. However bittersweet endings (Eg. MassEffect2 were say half your team dies, yet you saved the universe) is more or less a mixture of reward and defeat, but also serves as a reminder of past events (If there is a sequel).

In books or movies however, failure or bad endings serve more of a morel purpose. Usually in a situation were 'Everyone' dies it could be meant to symbolize how the good guys don't always succeed, or how no matter how hard we try sometimes we cannot overcome the odds. Other times a 'Bad' ending is also used as a transfer into a sequel or to simply kill off any notion of a sequel. If all the heroes or some die in the first, it gives a purpose or motivation behind the new heroes. Similarly if 'the world gets destroyed' then there is no chance of a sequel.

Or some people are just kinda A**holes and figure that Trolling the audience is hilarious, so you lead everyone on and on only to crush your hopes. (What I forgot to rant about is the 'Memory' that some people invoke through 'bad' endings. It's the idea that the game, book, or movie will have a longer lasting impression if you mourn or remember those characters you got rooting for whom only served to die or disappear before your very eyes).

 

[Elamdri]

Unhappy endings can be great. Look at the Ending of Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog.

 

[Goofguy]

As long as the sad ending is executed in a poignant and meaningful manner. Depending on how emotionally invested you are in the movie/game, the sad ending can certainly resonate with you for a very long time afterwards (depending on the person, as well). The death of that beloved character is really lame at first glance but upon further thought, was it necessary and well executed? If so, then you've created something that will last and I think that is the enduring effect.

 

[Twad]

Im fine with a any ending when its fitting with the themes, context, narrative and all that. (so that it makes sense.. ya know?) I like my "bad/sad/downer" endings just as much as my upbeat happy endings.

.. As long as they put an end to the story properly, not leaving gaping plotholes unanswered.
.. And i need to care about the characters.
.. And that the scene doesnt feel "forced" (with obvious mood music for example. If the situation is well executed we wont need music)

 

[Caligulove]

I think they're much more memorable and have more meaning in the end. Which is why I was a little disappointed that everyone could come out alive by the end of Mass Effect 2, instead of how the first game approached it. Sure, it's nice since the characters are great and all- but there's no real emotion and no real arc for some characters that would have been remembered in a better light if they had died. Death is a significant part of good storytelling when everything is supposed to be on the line. Which is why I kind of want BioWare to kill off some major characters in the final mass effect.

It's a hard decision to kill off characters when the player least expects it. And the things we have no control over further solidify how meaningful games can be to us. For as in life, there really is no way to change what you know happened. People use the death of Aeris in FFVII as an example of this- which it is. However, I remember reading a statement from FFVII's art director that he believes the fan response to the characters death, plus wishing to bring her back is- to him, a sign that he made the right choice in killing her.

Spoiler: just in case- Red Dead spoiler

The best example of how a sad ending is used perfectly, particularly death, is in Red Dead Redemption where John Marston cannot outrun his past life and will always be hunted down and killed by Ross and the bureau. However he's a character that shows an arc of his past deeds, his mission to bring in his former friends, plus his attempt at avoiding his past and living a 'normal' life. When playing the game again, we really get the feeling of how he changes throughout the journey but also know that he will always die.

Top this off that the 'true' ending has Jack avenge his father's murder by killing Ross by the river- and we get a second sad ending, really. John sacrificed so much and ran from his past for so long to keep his family away from the sins of his life, but in the end we have Jack choosing to basically throw away whatever future he might have had in favor of killing a retired federal agent- and becoming another outlaw in the Marston family.

It really is "Outlaws to the End" few games have such a relevant tagline attached to them.

 

[Kenbo Slice]

I don't think sad endings are a bad thing at all. Sometimes I get annoyed with the amount of happy endings movies/books/games have.

 

[Dizzle26]

I really liked the ending to Halo: Reach. Yeah, I knew how it was going to end but it felt kinda right. >_>

 

[ShadowDude112]

I like bad endings, but only if there's good endings. Let's take the Sonic series for example. In Sonic 1, the good ending involves you returning all the plants in Green Hill Zone back to how they were and basically restoring everything before Robotnik (Eggman) came in and messed it up and after the credits you see the good ol' doc pissed. The bad ending involves Sonic looking at the camera in his "I'm waiting" posture and then jumping in a good pose. After the credits you see the doc happy with the Chaos Emeralds. Kinda just makes you want to get them to see the good ending. If a game only has a bad ending? That's pretty damn depressing. But if the game is fun, has a good story and characters, I guess it's worth it, kinda. I mean, I would like a good ending but, I guess it doesn't matter if there's a good reason for that ending.

 

[Dragonpit]

Unhappy endings for stories aren't bad...People just like seeing the green side of the fence. Know what I mean? Prince of Persia is perfect example.

Spoiler

You save the girl, but the world goes to $%^& at the hands of the dark god you worked hard to reseal anyway.

 

[putowtin]

Typically the unhappy ending is reserved for the 'bad' storyline in games with multiple endings.

agreed, thinking back to Kotor and Infamous, play nice everyones happy and are rewarded, be an arsehole and bad endings abound!

 

[kane.malakos]

Nope there refreshing im sick of games and movies that always end predictably because the audience didn't like the non nice ending.

Newsflash not everything works out especially when you look at a segment of someone's life, if they haven't died at the end of the movie it doesn't mean they can't fix their situation. it's just not a part of the story that was being told.

My biggest issue though is stupid unhappy ending's the one that always come to thought is the one from I Am Legend, hmm theres this duct that i can escape down and throw the nade at you or i can run and kamakaze it.

sure part of it was that he couldn't live without his family, he'd lost his best friend. But i can't help but feel they could have approached it differently

You need to look up the original ending to I Am Legend that they filmed. You can find it pretty easily on youtube. It's a bit sad, but in my opinion it makes a mediocre film into a legitimately great one. They changed it because the test audiences thought it was too sad, which pisses me right off. The original ending wrapped up the story, explained plot threads, actually followed the original book, and was vastly more meaningful than the shit it turned into.

 

[Tibs]

I love sad endings. For instance, I loved Read Dead Redemptions true ending. It granted you the revange you craved so badly, yet reminded you that you became everything your father fought so hard for you not to become. You became no better than the man you killed, a sad ending at its finest.

 

[Soxafloppin]

If the character you play as just utterly fails then yea, its a bit disapointing, if maybe they die but the goal of the adventure is ultimately suceeded, then no.

 

[alinos]

You need to look up the original ending to I Am Legend that they filmed. You can find it pretty easily on youtube. It's a bit sad, but in my opinion it makes a mediocre film into a legitimately great one. They changed it because the test audiences thought it was too sad, which pisses me right off. The original ending wrapped up the story, explained plot threads, actually followed the original book, and was vastly more meaningful than the shit it turned into.

Oh yeah, but generally when i use examples i use the mainstream crap that everyone sees instead of the other stuff.

Theres plenty of movies that have good alternate endings that weren't used either because of test audiences or because it basically makes any sequel impossibly stupid

 

[Vern5]

Just a little thought i had , Are unhappy endings in videogames ( or movies or books any story really ) a bad thing? Does a game that have a Unhappy ending make it a bad game ? Now im not talking about a game with multiple endings, just the ending of the actual game doesn't result in the 'Hero' wining . Do you have any examples of video games where this is the case?

I for one would like to see more video games have a Unhappy ending , like the hero dies ( as a sacrifice to save the world or not ) i find it would be more realistic and slightly more original than ' everyone lives happily ever after' .

I'll give an example , Lets just say if in Final fantasy 7 after the final boss, Sephiroth kills everyone and succeeds in destroying the world and the game ends there, The hero ( Cloud) fails in his quest to defeat him, what would be the reaction to the game in general ( i choose this game as example because almost everyone has played it) .

Unhappy endings can work, especially the deaths of all heroes and the victory of any remaining parties. Usually, the best way to please everyone with a sad ending is by having every major character (hero or villain) die.

Of course, to make any ending like this work, you cannot just kill off the characters without an apparent reason. The characters should die because of defects in their personalities, thus adding to the cathartic potential of such an ending. The characters die for the flaws they could not change in life, the end.