Good Downer Endings (Spoilers)

[Varanfan9]

So typically the ending to video games is a happy one. Everything is resolved and the hero comes out on top. But sometimes we have an ending where the future is a bleak one. So my fellow gamers, what are some good downer endings you have encountered.
For me I had a recent one. I was playing Warhammer 40,000 Space Marine, which had a less emphasis on plot and more on gameplay. Now your main character is resistant to the warp, basically demonic power, and uses this resistance to defeat a Chaos Daemon in the end. However one of your squad mates has you accused of heresy and taken away by the Imperial Inquisition because of your resistance as only heretics are immune to the warp. I thought this was great as Warhammer is known for its Grim Darkness and this just exemplified it. I knew the guy was going to accuse me of heresy at some point but not at the end when nothing can be done.

 

[Gorilla Gunk]

The ending to The Darkness.

 

[The Genius]

Red Dead Redemption. Perfect for a western setting.

 

[TheBritishAreComing]

God of War 3, definitely.

 

[Ultress]

Persona 3, yeah you die but it ties into the death themes the game was shooting for.

 

[krazykidd]

So typically the ending to video games is a happy one. Everything is resolved and the hero comes out on top. But sometimes we have an ending where the future is a bleak one. So my fellow gamers, what are some good downer endings you have encountered.
For me I had a recent one. I was playing Warhammer 40,000 Space Marine, which had a less emphasis on plot and more on gameplay. Now your main character is resistant to the warp, basically demonic power, and uses this resistance to defeat a Chaos Daemon in the end. However one of your squad mates has you accused of heresy and taken away by the Imperial Inquisition because of your resistance as only heretics are immune to the warp. I thought this was great as Warhammer is known for its Grim Darkness and this just exemplified it. I knew the guy was going to accuse me of heresy at some point but not at the end when nothing can be done.

Shouldn't you put a spoiler warning?

OT: Persona 3

Spoiler

You die

Although , i would like to see a game where you ultimately fail and the villain suceeds OR You play as a villain and suceed of taking over the world. This would work in the final fantasy universe. If you play the original FF , they tell you that there is a war going on between Cosmos ( good ) and Chaos ( evil ). When the balance on earth tilts towards Chaos ( like in FF1) Cosmos sent 4 warriors of light to bring back the balance . A guy in the game hinted that long ago , the balance was in favor of Cosmos and Chaos sent 4 warriors of Darkness to restore the balance . I would kill the play as the warriors of darkness sent by Chaos.

Captcha : Bergis face. I DO NOT HAVE A BERGIS FACE! captcha lie!

 

[CarlsonAndPeeters]

Red Dead Redemption. Perfect for a western setting.

Regardless of setting, that ending was still absolutely perfect.

Gotta throw Shadow of the Colossus out there, too. My favorite ending to a video game without question (not gonna spoil it but its a bit of a downer)

 

[TxMxRonin]

Metal Gear Solid 3 had a pretty downer ending although you could argue that for all of the Metal Gear games.

 

[lacktheknack]

The best ending consists of ignoring an entire element of the game, the canisters, as well as killing abso-freaking-lutely EVERYTHING in the forbidden valley, which makes it an extreme downer GAME to make you earn your happy ending.

Since people aren't likely to do that their first time, they'll probably end up getting one of the downer endings, such as being locked in prison and/or killed if you fail diplomacy, or even being directly responsible for the destruction of the whole freaking world, being one of the last humans alive and shunned by the force you unleashed if you have particularly poor choice in alliance.

The games are fantastic. If nothing else, they're a damned powerful commentary on the dangers of cloning.

(Never before has an isometric 2D RPG asked the question "What if the cloning experiments begin experimenting with cloning?" in such a terrifying waOH MY GOD IT JUST SET ME ON FREAKING FIRE)

<spoiler=Silent Hill>The GOOD endings still involved the daughter you spent all game searching getting incorporated into a FREAKING INCUBUS and giving birth to the most powerful demon of all before dying horribly. You come out the other side with another baby, but your seven-year-old daughter is DEAD, dammit!

 

[ABadOmen]

Although , i would like to see a game where you ultimately fail and the villain suceeds OR You play as a villain and suceed of taking over the world. This would work in the final fantasy universe.

So why don't you just say the Saints Row games?

 

[bullet_sandw1ch]

(spoiler) arkham citys ending was bleak. the joker.... does he come back after every batman saga?

 

[mmins]

Well I suppose LIMBO since

Spoiler

You never really figure out what happens

Or Mass Effect 2 if

Spoiler

You get your whole team and yourself killed in the end because you were too lazy to do any of the loyalty missions

 

[plugav]

Playing Planescape: Torment as a good guy and then

Spoiler

still going to hell (well, one of the hells) for your past self's transgressions

was a great, bittersweet ending.

 

[The Abhorrent]

Castlevania: Lords of Shadow has a fairly good example of a bittersweet ending.
It is, obviously, very spoiler heavy.

Spoiler

First off, Zobek is revealed to be Death immediately after you obtain the last fragment of the God Mask. He then tells Gabriel that he killed his own wife (and the girl from the end of Chapter 2) while under the effects of the Devil Mask. He off-handedly kills Gabriel through the Dark Gauntlet, and all seems lost.

Then Satan, the devil himself, shows up and incinerates Zobek/Death without blinking an eye; he claims the God Mask for himself, and makes his intention to usurp the heavens exceedingly clear. Could things get any worse?

Of course not, Gabriel is brought back to life by the souls of the departed; including that of his slain wife, Marie. Empowered by the spirits, Gabriel kicks Satan's ass; the fallen angel is practically cowering before him in the end. Satan is defeated, Gabriel is alive, and the spell preventing the spirits from returning to heaven is broken. The God Mask in his posession, it seems that Gabriel actually might be able to bring his wife back to life.

... Except it was a fool's hope all along.

While the mask does allow Gabriel to share one last kiss with his wife, her death is permanent. Gabriel's personal motive for his quest was nothing but a lie; he saved the world, but in the end was denied all that he truly wanted.

However, this isn't the end of the road for Gabriel either...

CV:LoS Post-Credits Scene[/youtube]

En sunt Dracul!

---

The final scene itself raises a lot of questions, and set itself up for sequel; incidentally, it actually refers to an event in the primary CV timeline (1999) which hasn't been explored in a game yet. The DLC of the game did somewhat answer some, though it's restricted to how.... the obvious change in character occurred.

A great example of a tragedy in gaming, something which is more rare than it probably should be.

 

[Vault101]

hahaha well its just my lucky day isnt it

I just finished Red dead redemption...and holy crap I'm depressed

[spoiler/] I mean seriously I knew he was going to die in the end..because it got spoiled for me..but damn why did it have to be so depressing? and I could actually cope with it, but the thing I cant cope with is that jack has by the looks of it, become an outlaw, the very thing john DIDNT want him to become...thats TOO much...I mean I guess its somwhat open for interprestation, mabye in the end he could be ok...but dammit why did you have to do that to me game? now I dont know if Ill ever be able to replay it, I think I teared up a little[/spoiler]

 

[Ultress]

Persona 3, yeah you die but it ties into the death themes the game was shooting for.

Erm, that isn't cannon though.

HOw is it not canon,Yeah you could argue that since Elizabeth is looking to save you that there may a way to reverse it.Until then you are petty dead, your HP was drained using great seal and all that's left is a soul barley manging to hold on.