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RPGs with satisfying endings

Posted: February 28th, 2023, 01:27
by rusty_shackleford
The final act and the ending itself seem to be by far the hardest point to get down correctly. For a variety of reasons of course, obviously RPGs tend to have large, sprawling stories that are difficult to wrap up in a satisfying way. There's also the business side, there's very little incentive to put a lot of effort into the part of the game that will impact sales the least. Most players don't finish games, and by the time you get near the end you're probably going to push yourself to finish it anyways. Getting the first impression right is key to hooking people into your game, especially in the era of unlimited 2 hour refunds. Additionally, so-called game journalists tend to review games without fully completing them.

There's also too much emphasis on trying to wrap everything up in a neat little package, make sure all the loose ends are tied. I'm not suggesting every ending has to be a cliffhanger or a sequel hook, but there's nothing wrong with leaving information that wouldn't be available to the PCs simply unknown. That is, I strongly dislike powerpoint slide endings, how they attempt to forcefeed you story they could not otherwise fit into the game but wanted you to know. It's okay to leave things unknown and give yourself more material to work with in the future — whether it be a video game, novel, comic book, or so forth.

With that out of the way, what are some examples of RPGs that have satisfying endings?

I suppose I'll get the obvious out of the way and say Fallout had an excellent ending that fit right in with the theme of the game itself. A downer to be sure, but not all endings need be happy. That is despite my dislike for exposition dump endings.

RPGs with satisfying endings

Posted: February 28th, 2023, 02:08
by The_Mask
Revenant: Not the fact that you kill your nemesis and save the island, which turns out that it's your kingdom, but the fact that you regain all your memories. A more personal satisfying end.

Septerra Core: You save the world. I guess I'm a sucker for simple and positive endings to things.

NOX, Wizard Ending: You transform Hecubah into a gloriously hot woman that likes you. Heh.

A Legionary's Life: You can end up a venerated patrician and a Consul of Rome, that lives a long and successful life. Can't ask more than that.

Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous, Aeon Ending: Because you retcon the whole fucking game.

Not sure if it counts: Neverwinter Nights: Mask of the Betrayer: because you can solve your problems, Akatchi's, everyone else's and everything, but... you can also become one of the most destructive forces off the face of Faerun, just one notch below a god. Not sure if it counts, because it's a DLC.

RPGs with satisfying endings

Posted: February 28th, 2023, 02:09
by aeternalis
Fallout 1's ending is iconic for a reason.

I would add Deus Ex; it was satisfying for me, anyway, as a culmination of the philosophical thought-threads that run throughout the game.

Also, I think MotB absolutely counts, because it's its own story and a quite good one.

RPGs with satisfying endings

Posted: February 28th, 2023, 03:43
by Tweed
Archolos: Powerpoint slides, Marvin telling his story to a certain someone, more bitter than sweet ending with even more bittersweet foreshadowing. I guess potatoes love everything to be grim.

Lands of Lore 2, dark path ending: Luther kills just about everyone including Baccada, Dawn, Belial, and Anu to become the new dark god, then he blows up the huline village because they were rude to him earlier, feels good man.

Lands of Lore 3: I can't imagine a lot of people caring for this game since it was so dated when it came out, but if you played all three games then finally getting to kill Geron postgame is very satisfying and the ending being a slight variation on the beginning with Richard teaching Copper about the boar hunt is comfy, at least to me. Of course, Copper just saved the world so I don't think a wild boar is going to be much trouble.

Might and Magic 7, evil ending: You get the forge up and running again to make blasters and conquer the world, much more satisfying than the crappy, unresolved cliffhanger of the good side. For TRUE FANS of M&M and Heroes it'll always be a pisser that this was meant to be the canon ending and HoMM3 was suppose to get the forge, but whiny bitches who never played the RPGs screamed when they saw the futuristic units. It's also left a legacy of dozens of slavmods trying (and failing) to recreate it.

Avernum 1: Finally getting to the surface and slaughtering the king who put you there feels pretty satisfying.

Geneforge, use the Geneforge ending: "You form your nation in the wilderness, populated by creations, your creations, multitudes of them, sprung out of your power and will. They live under you, under your absolute control, as it should be. Your kingdom lasts as long as you live.

And you live for a very, very long time."

Fountain of Dreams: The ending is satisfying because it's over.

RPGs with satisfying endings

Posted: February 28th, 2023, 04:37
by GothGirlSupremacy
Daggerfall ending made me feel like this.



Still the best Elder Scrolls. Knife fight me in the alleyway behind Dom's Bistro if you think otherwise, pussy.

RPGs with satisfying endings

Posted: February 28th, 2023, 06:23
by Gregz

RPGs with satisfying endings

Posted: February 28th, 2023, 06:45
by Landers78


I always liked the little parade at the end. And after getting the land and title off the king, the fucking wizard sends you off to another world, saying "oh, you will never return" haha!

RPGs with satisfying endings

Posted: February 28th, 2023, 10:59
by Atlantico
Baldur's Gate had an excellent ending.
Mass Effect had an excellent ending.
Fallout 1 and 2 had excellent endings.

to name a few

RPGs with satisfying endings

Posted: February 28th, 2023, 11:20
by Hando

RPGs with satisfying endings

Posted: February 28th, 2023, 12:03
by wndrbr
I like Underrail's ending, though the actual final act (Deep caverns) is really bad.

RPGs with satisfying endings

Posted: February 28th, 2023, 13:37
by agentorange
I love the ending of Planescape. It's the perfect finish to a story that has a lot of existential themes. It's like Camus' Myth of Sisyphus, but instead of being condemned to push a boulder up a hill endlessly, Nameless One gets condemned to an endless futile war, giving that little nod at the end showing that he accepts his fate and without hesitation goes off to join the fight.

Somewhat interesting and uncommon case of a game having a lackluster last third, everything after leaving Sigil, but the actual very end is a return to quality.

RPGs with satisfying endings

Posted: March 3rd, 2023, 06:07
by ERYFKRAD
Alpha Protocol had a decent endgame, for what it's worth.

RPGs with satisfying endings

Posted: March 3rd, 2023, 17:29
by Tweed
Anvil of Dawn: Not a 4deep8me game, just a nice "evil is beaten and you survived" happy ending after a long and winding journey of boulder traps and pressure plates. You only get the best ending if you remember to do certain things which in and of itself is kind of clever. Otherwise the ending is a bit sad, but still good guys win type stuff.

Ultima VII and Serpent Isle: Nice to finally piss The Guardian off after being mocked by him for the entire game, plus the set up for the sequel. Serpent Isle is the same way, it was a very nice cliffhanger that left you in anticipation, shame that Pagan was a disaster.

Not an RPG, but since I mentioned Pagan, you can get back at the Ultima 8 "Tin Can" Avatar in Dungeon Keeper in a very funny ending.

RPGs with satisfying endings

Posted: March 3rd, 2023, 18:25
by aeternalis
agentorange wrote: February 28th, 2023, 13:37
I love the ending of Planescape. It's the perfect finish to a story that has a lot of existential themes. It's like Camus' Myth of Sisyphus, but instead of being condemned to push a boulder up a hill endlessly, Nameless One gets condemned to an endless futile war, giving that little nod at the end showing that he accepts his fate and without hesitation goes off to join the fight.
TNO's head-nod is amor fati as hell, Nietzsche would've been proud.

RPGs with satisfying endings

Posted: March 7th, 2023, 00:44
by Lhynn
I havent found too many good endings in rpgs. I liked diablo 1 ending, it was just perfect. You are the hero, but that doesnt mean you get to celebrate, no, vigilance and sacrifice are what you have to do after you beat evil, because it is not something that can be dealt with indefinitely. I think it teaches a very valuable and often overlooked lesson

I found the rest of the franchise to be a fucking train-wreck, so much so that I refuse to acknowledge anything happened after the first game, but yes. I found it very satisfying.

Pretty much the same thing with Mass effect 1, the others screwed the pooch, the villain in that game was such a fine reflection of the hero and how things develop in such a way that he is just a victim and not the true antagonist. The mad scramble that was the entire ending is brilliant. To this day it sits at the top of the best endings Ive ever played. The ending music is fucking awesome too, and its designed to make you feel good about what you just accomplished.

RPGs with satisfying endings

Posted: March 7th, 2023, 01:05
by GhostCow
Yakuza 7 had a pretty great ending. I definitely left feeling extremely satisfied. Not a second in that game was wasted and I was very well rewarded for putting in the time.

RPGs with satisfying endings

Posted: March 14th, 2023, 04:57
by Bonerstorm
Lands of Lore II - the hero gets laid at the end. That's a quality victory!
Fallout 1 - legendary ending. A punch in the gut that makes sense. Made even better by finding out you can go back and kill the Overseer. It is the best of endings, it is the worst of endings!
Might and Magic: World of Xeen - they have a full wedding, all kinds of stuff happening
Disco Elysium - Your old girlfriend kicks you in the balls one last time, Kuno takes over for gay asian

RPGs with satisfying endings

Posted: March 17th, 2023, 22:12
by Serus
Jagged Alliance 2. The queen is dead, the country will probably turn a new Cuba (or worse because it is smaller and shittier ) but... My favourite character, who wasn't in any of the mercenary organisation earlier, asks "Where i can sign?". Points for codexers rpghq-ers who know the name. Isn't it a wonderful ending?
A bit more seriously now, every mercenary has to say something at the very end that was a great touch. It was like you heard everyone's opinion on the campaign you just concluded. It almost makes one want to replay with other mercenaries to see what they think o all the trouble afterwards. I found it very rewarding and the actual ending, not killing some poor woman.

RPGs with satisfying endings

Posted: March 17th, 2023, 22:37
by Tweed
Cadash is a weird attempt at making an RPG arcade game, it has a fantastic ending :

:smug:

RPGs with satisfying endings

Posted: March 17th, 2023, 23:37
by Eyestabber
Serus wrote: March 17th, 2023, 22:12
not killing some poor woman.
I must have played a different version of the game.

KOTOR has satisfying endings. Same with Neverwinter Nights 2. NWN 2's ending is so good, so iconic that the GoT Jews copied it for their crappy TV show. "Rock falls, everyone dies" is masterful storytelling.

RPGs with satisfying endings

Posted: March 18th, 2023, 00:19
by agentorange
AoD has some unsatisfying endings but also some of the most satisfying. More RPGs need a just nuke everything ending.
Image

RPGs with satisfying endings

Posted: March 18th, 2023, 09:39
by Serus
Eyestabber wrote: March 17th, 2023, 23:37
Serus wrote: March 17th, 2023, 22:12
not killing some poor woman.
I must have played a different version of the game.
...
Well, technically she probably wasn't poor. Although with a country so small and so shitty as Arulco there isn't much to steal. And she probably wasn't anyway. Remember that most of what you learn about the Queen is from her (commie) enemies or her ex-husband - those always say the truth about their exes, right? Anyway, the ex-husband looked more like a CIA agent to me - and they are known for their trustworthiness too. Maybe he was both. In short, the Queen was probably the "good guy" (gal?) of the story. Or at least as good/bad as the other side. Ergo - "poor woman".
Just shoot her, that's why they pay you. Or do they?
A propos, that never made any sense to me. How do they pay you? It is never explained in the game. You get some ridiculously small amount of money up front used to cover basic expenses but what after you kill her? I finished this game 2 or 3 times but had to miss that part every time. Are you supposed to pillage the country to get something out of the whole mess? You are a mercenary. You aren't Queen's ex best friend. You aren't from CIA or doing it for Uncle Sam's glory. You are not a commie. Nor someone who cares enough to care about some 3rd world hellhole. Where is my money?

RPGs with satisfying endings

Posted: March 18th, 2023, 13:40
by Eyestabber
I always assumed the in-game income would continue after the Queen is dead. In other words, now YOU are the one running the mines and exploiting cucaracho child labor. You are paid in the form of now having your own island full of slaves + all the valuables you loot along the way.

RPGs with satisfying endings

Posted: March 21st, 2023, 22:14
by Emphyrio
>PST
>find the knife that can kill me
>kill myself
>Game over

I don't know what I expected.

RPGs with satisfying endings

Posted: March 22nd, 2023, 11:36
by Mr.Wonderful
Everyone of them