Doctor Who is finally back, it's been two weeks since I made one of these posts, I'm drowsy on allergy medicine, and I can't put up any picture directly related to our theme without spoiling something for someone. Why wouldn't I post a photo of David Tennant?
RetroforceGO! is a day late, Podtoid is a day early -- today is truly opposite day. After a two week hiatus, we're back to talk about videogame endings; our favorites, our least favorites, what works and what doesn't.
As always, we need reader questions: we record at 8 pm PST, so you've got until then to give us your most interesting, thought-provoking questions to be read on-air. The best question, or the question which results in the best discussion, will get $25 to the person who asked it.
Anything's up for grabs this week: since it's been a while since the last episode, go ahead and share any news pieces you'd like us to discuss. Or, just ask us something about videogame endings that we probably won't talk about on the show anyway (e.g., not "what do you think of multiple endings?"). Or, forego all that BS and ask us something totally unrelated. It's up to you.
Anyway, hit the just and get to askin'!
Contest:
4:49 PM on 04.08.2008
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Oh, and IMO the best ending of a game in recent memory was Hitman: Blood Money. First time through i just let the credits roll, but then when i found out you could rise from your deathbed and destroy everybody I (almost) wept for joy a little. Truly epic.
Also I have a request. If you're going to spoil the endings of certain games, please list up wich games you have discussed the endings of when you post the podcast. Thanks! :)
for me it was Assassins Creed..and man, milk was a bad choice.
OR
Are there some games that function better with a single ending? Take the example of ICO as a proud linear story and Bioshock as a game that might have been better without multiple endings. Can linear stories in games justify their place in an interactive medium?
Also on that tape I recorded every single ending from SF2 Turbo. People complain about fighter stories but the Street Fighter characters are just classic.
Hitman: Blood money was an amazing ending, please talk about the subtle interactive part. It seriously made me geekgasm when I realized what was happening. If you haven't played it, here's the summary below.
*BEGIN SPOILER*
Throughout the game, the menu is unfocused, and gradually clarifies on a casket as ave maria plays. As you progress in the game, you finally see it's your character in it. In the final scene you are killed with a poison, and the credits play while your heartbeat slowly fades out on the scene from the game menu... but you press on the joystick, and your heartbeat starts to come back. After doing this repeatedly you can come back to life and take the guns you are to be buried with to get your revenge.
*END SPOILER*
What do you think of the "Mad Libs" customized style such as Fallout 3 is purported to have? Do you think that the customized aspect panders to the consumer at the cost of sacrificing the creative license of the author?
Half-Life 2: Episode 2 is one of the most effective endings I can think of, but it is the same ending for everyone. What is your favorite game where the ending is dependent on player choice?
Stupid keyboard.
Unrelated: Seriously, how awesome would virtual reality be with the technology we have today? Why don't we see this happening?
Now, to serious business: I'm sure Rev will mention the Half-Life series, so I won't bother. I know everyone will hate me for mentioning this, but I'm still a really big fan of the endings to Halo 1 and 3. I mean, regardless of your feelings towards the Halo series, driving an army jeep through (A) an exploding ship and (B) a crumbling alien world is fucking awesome. The latter experience is especially enjoyable when played with three friends.
Sorry. That's what I got.
Why does every Resident Evil game end with an explosion?
Seriously, there is nothing that pisses me off more than a game that ends with you running away from a building that is about to self-destruct. It's been done so many fucking times I am just tired of games doing it.
Does this bother you anywhere as much as it does me?
Also, I am so glad y'all are back!!
Urm.. let me go think up a question, my brain just exploded out of hatred for Catherine Tate.
Also, I am so glad y'all are back!!
However occasionally I do wish such a game would be brought back for a sequel - so do you guys have any games that were given a definitive endings that you'd like to see given a sequel?
Those Douchelocities do not pertain to my interests. That photo should exist in tandem to the Oxford English Dictionary definition, however. Good job!
If you could change the ending of any game, what would it be, and why?
Exactly how hard do your nipples get for GTA IV?
For ladies too.
*SPOILER ALERT*
Why is Genesis taken away by a Shinra Copter. And quote LOVELESS again about how he will return.
*SPOILER ENDED*
Does he return in some shape or form in FF7 that I missed?
Or is this another way for Square Enix to make another spin off?
Things like the use of cutscenes, silent protagonists, utilising gameplay throughout the ending and avoiding storytelling techniques altogether.
(additional possibility could be a game ending you just thought was bad overall.)
my example would be:
Panzer Dragoon Saga had a really good bad one, hero [edge] is left in some sort of limbo, his love interest is left to wander the world and he lets all his bandit friends down.
I understand that stories seem to require a 'twist' to drive the story along. But would no twist at all be better than another 'the person who has been giving you all the information is actually the bad dude' storyline?? I know I for one, would probably be more surprised, after waiting for a twist that never happened.