3/13/2024 0 Comments Firewatch all endingsIt’s worth noting that not all ambiguous endings work because they throw away narrative threads that were set up along the way, leaving the player feeling cheated. Sometimes, a story just ends and that’s okay, as long as the journey was worthwhile. Games like Her Story and The Vanishing of Ethan Carter only lead you so far and then you decide what just happened.Īs gamers, we’re so used to getting to the end or unlocking the end ‘thing’, that it’s hard to let go of that need to complete. Even in openworld games, where we create our own play, there’s still an overarching story and mission to complete. We’re used to being led, in terms of narrative. Instead Her Story trusts the player to make their own mind up and that’s a significant step for games. We’re never sure about Hannah/Eve’s story. Sometimes the story is part of the game and that means we don’t get a neat bow at the end. Many people found it all too open ended, but sometimes it’s good to get to the end and go ‘but, wait…what?’. Her Story is another game that makes you work for the narrative rewards. What are they doing now? Did they survive? Did they have a row and part ways? How could a world that dark ever be resolved into a neat ending? Answer is, it can’t and that’s demonstrates how Naughty Dog understand storytelling so well. Nothing is really solved, by the end of The Last of Us, but that’s what makes it resonate long after the credits roll. It all ends with Joel’s lie, leaving us not knowing how Ellie will react or if she knows, but decides to pretend she doesn’t. And it’s here that Naughty Dog deals their trump card. Not only do we get the big, final mission ending, with guns, a daring escape and end of humanity type situation, we also get the epilogue. The Last of Us is probably the most successful ambiguous ending I’ve come across in games. It did make me think about game endings and how they’re changing. It’s ambiguity comes more from the fact that it doesn’t really work as a story, as well as leaving too many loose ends. Do I trust Delilah, and who keeps wrecking my stuff? I’m not entirely convinced by the Firewatch ending. I like David Lynch films, so I can take quite a high level of cryptic, but it’s not to everyone’s taste, especially as gamers are used to dealing in absolutes.įirewatch had me questioning myself all the way through. I love a bit of ambiguity because it leaves me with something to chew on. Although the main story seems to be wrapped up, the end of Henry’s adventure does leave some unanswered questions. I’ve just finished playing Firewatch, but via internet osmosis, I knew that people thought the ending was ambiguous. And sometimes gamers don’t know how to take it. With the likes of Her Story, we’re dealing with ambiguous tales that don’t tie up all the loose ends. It’s not just about killing the bad guys or saving the world, any more. But games are telling more complex stories these days. Aliens bad, big guns good, kill everything to win. Up until lately, things have been pretty black and white, in the world of games. These days, gamers have to grapple with ambiguous game endings. The world was saved, the treasure was yours and the aliens went home – the end. You collected health packs, studied the attack pattern, killed the boss, everything exploded and your character ran away, dodgy falling masonry or meteors or what not. Once upon a time, you played a game, you levelled up, ready to face the final boss, right at the end.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |