Poll: Endings where the main character dies

[Durgiun]

I don't mind if the main character dies under two circumstances:

1) The main character had his own personality and I controlled him in free roam. An example would be Carl from San Andreas, and that he was a likeable character. Not necessarily a good guy, but someone one could become attached to.

2) It's done rarely. If every character starts dying at the end it would become expected and it wouldn't have that emotional punch to it.

 

[exessmirror]

OP FUCK YOU, IM WAITING FOR THE GOTY EDITION FOR ME3, AND YOU SPOILED SHIT YOU ASSHOLE

 

[scorptatious]

It kinda depends on the game. With games like say Shadow of the Colossus, it sort of works with the game's theme and overall tone.

Spoiler

Okay sure, the main character didn't technically "die" but he did sacrifice his humanity via Dormin for the life of his loved one and ended up becoming a horned baby. Sure, he won't be able to get it on with her, but at least she's alive.

 

[Colonel Joson]

OP FUCK YOU, IM WAITING FOR THE GOTY EDITION FOR ME3, AND YOU SPOILED SHIT YOU ASSHOLE

To be fair, this is a thread about Main Characters dying, spoilers are bound to come up.

 

[RandV80]

I would say anyone who voted 'hate' never played Shadow of the Colossus.

 

[WhiteFangofWhoa]

Depends on the context. If his/her death accomplished something meaningful that would carry on into future generations or they were a sacrifice to destroy a legendary enemy then sure, let them go out guns blazing. Unless there's a sequel it won't matter much anyway- the reason you built up your character was so that they had the power and loyal comrades to accomplish the final challenges at the end of the game, the ones where you stop the greatest evil phenomenon in their world at the cost of your own life.

(SPOILERS)

My favourite example of it being done well is Zero from the Mega Man series. After several false starts he finally ends it completely free of the curse of his insane creator, as well as killing another villain who was every bit as despicable as Dr.Wily, and bringing about a new era of peace between robots and humans.

One I didn't enjoy so much was Kratos in God of War, because it didn't accomplish anything. Apparently he just couldn't stand the pain of his past to live on after getting his revenge, despite having born it for years after and being fully aware that humanity is in for a horrible few centuries thanks to his acts. Then again, he is miles away from a traditional hero and I would never call him a coward.

Everyone will be talking about the Mass Effect 3 ending here, but more generally I don't think the hero dying in the ending has become a common enough trend to be detrimental to the experience, particularly if it's foreshadowed well as in Persona 3.

 

[Dr Jones]

If the main character dies, then I get the feeling I (the character) should have just stayed in bed.
It doesn't matter if you've changed the world, if you're not around to see it.

That's a very egoistic approach. What about the billions of lives you saved? Do they not matter, once you are gone?

 

[Eddie the head]

OP FUCK YOU, IM WAITING FOR THE GOTY EDITION FOR ME3, AND YOU SPOILED SHIT YOU ASSHOLE

Don't worry just pretend it didn't happen, like everyone else.

 

[Tigerlily Warrior]

I'll be blunt, I hate endings where the main character dies. And I mean HATE them, with a passion. Especially in RPGs where I spend time building up my character and getting attached to them and then they just up and die. Its infuriating, because I feel like everything I just worked for in that game didn't mean shit. I spent 3 FUCKING GAMES building up my Shepard, characterizing him, leveling him, and ME3 all but one ending just up and kill you.

It all depends on how the game treats that ending. With ME2, if you and everyone in your party dies, its because of the decisions that YOU make. And even if you play the game with a deliberate attempt to have a suicide mission, you go out in a blaze of glory, which is still satisfying.

When game developers decide the game will end by "going out in a blaze of glory" but handle the story poorly, you get frustrated customers. IMHO.

 

[DustyDrB]

Depends on a lot of things. Sometimes, I think it's too cliche. Other times, it fits. And sometimes, it could really go either way.

I actually consider the death of the Warden in Dragon Age: Origins the "canon" ending to the game for myself. But...it depends.

 

[gravian]

I think it really depends not just on the game but also the protagonist. Having Shepard die at the end of ME3 was I think the only way they could do justice to the buildup of the previous games and the feeling of facing a nigh unstoppable enemy. Yes, other members of your party can die going towards the ending but only if you do certain actions or effectively choose their deaths. Having Shepard die seemed to really show how much sacrifice he and the party had gone through and how far he was willing to go. I mean, through the whole series Shepard for fighting for the benefit of or to save humanity or the galaxy, so once the threat was gone it would seem out of place for him to still be around.

And sometimes a protagonist just needs to DIE at the end of a game because having them live a happy ever after would just be wrong. Final Fantasy X and Tidus's "death" being a prime example. And the fan-wank that was X-2.

 

[PsiMatrix]

It depends on the game.

In Halo Reach; we start knowing our character is going to die. Not a spoiler since we knew that from Halo. Reach fell and MC escaped on the Pillar of Autumn beginning the Halo saga. I figured it might be some shoe-in screen death but after ODST I knew they'd at leats try something. So for the final scene, the final level effectively, we get a last man standing match. We hold out as long as we can and take as many of the Covenant with us. It felt like it mattered.


I would've said ME3 as a bad example but with 3 core endings and no canon choice; there's a distinct lack of resolution and one breath scene which leaves everyone hanging. Does the manin chracter live or die? "Yes" is the only answer we seem to get there. Although in ME2 it was a possibility. If you didn't do things right then yes, you could die but it felt right with the story that had been given. Or if you went with the Morinth romance option (what a way to go).

If it fits, if it's built-up properly then it can work but if it's disjointed, if it comes from nowhere or runs contrary to previous efforts it can taint your enjoyment. If there's a choice then it should be an attainable choice between life and death.

Which reminds me; I should play Blood Omen again.

 

[llubtoille]

If the main character dies, then I get the feeling I (the character) should have just stayed in bed.
It doesn't matter if you've changed the world, if you're not around to see it.

That's a very egoistic approach. What about the billions of lives you saved? Do they not matter, once you are gone?

As far as I'm concerned (assuming a blank screen upon death) the world literally ends with me.
so no, the lives of others hold no influence upon my death.

 

[GonzoGamer]

It really depends on the game and how it's handled. I didn't mind that Shepard died because it was a final conclusion to the series. However,

Spoiler: L.A. Noire Spoilers

Everything about Phelp's character told me that he wouldn't just stand by while a massive wall of water was charging toward him. I get that he was depressed about his demotion, his marriage ending (which also didn't make a whole lot sense characteristically), and learning what became of his old war pals, but he never seemed to be in such a deep hole that suicide became a good idea. If he had at least attempted to get out of that sewer, even if he failed, I think it would've made for a better ending.

Maybe I missed something in L.A. Noire, but the ending seemed like it was trying too hard to force us to feel sad about what happened.

Yea, that reeked of pretentiousness. I don't like R*s formula of late where they want you to feel all sad about someone's death but that's just because they're just not good at it. The overwrought melodrama of those moments make me want to laugh more than cry.

It would be fine if it was done well.

 

[Dr Jones]

If the main character dies, then I get the feeling I (the character) should have just stayed in bed.
It doesn't matter if you've changed the world, if you're not around to see it.

That's a very egoistic approach. What about the billions of lives you saved? Do they not matter, once you are gone?

As far as I'm concerned (assuming a blank screen upon death) the world literally ends with me.
so no, the lives of others hold no influence upon my death.

Who said the death of the main character = no epilogue? Red Dead? L.A. Noire?

 

[Inco]

Personally, I enjoy those endings. But only if the death is woven into gameplay as more of a "last stand" scene. If its cutscene based, it just takes me out of it.
The two in particular I really do like, though are :

Spoiler: Halo: Reach

The epilogue, basically enough the main plot has ended, you have done everything you need to as part of your duty. The hitch? your stranded on a doomed planet amongst the corpses of your fallen allies. Vastly outnumbered, exhausted and running out of ammo/working equipment, you make a stand to take out as many as you can before going under.. (well, at least for me that happens.) To me, it just seems memorable and sticks to be one of the better endings.

Spoiler: Spec Ops : The Line

Another post game epilogue that occurs after the main plot, it grants you the choice of how the game ends after the main plot. You can either lay down your weapons and go with the rescue team, or shoot them and start up a new firefight, with either ends with your characters death or with the solders deaths (as part of the plot) this felt as a more organic ending when it came to choices, despite how brutal it was. None of this ME3 shite, where you "died" after choosing one of 3 options from a menu. Back to spec ops, the ending where the character died from the solders had the most impact for me

Disagree with me if you must, but that's from a personal perspective.

 

[Ron Alphafight]

Really depends on the game. I have no problem with games that kill off the main characters at the end as long as it has a reason to do so. It can be a very effective tool. If they do it arbitrarily, then it just seems like weak writing. Actually I think it's most effective in RPGs because you spend time building up and becoming your character so that if the end comes, it's very impactful. Sometimes I want the protagonist to die in the end because if they survive the events of the game, it would feel like too sugary of an ending.

 

[Ryan Minns]

Also depends on the game, some games it makes ZERO sense, as stated in the op about Fallout 3 pre broken steel. It CAN make sense but when you have fawkes in your party the idiocy destroyed anything that could have been seen as decent in the ending.

It's like "You need to press this button to save the world... but it kills anyone with a penis, should you touch it sir or let your wife?" "Well it makes perfect sense that I beat my manly chest and press the button! It's clearly the only way to save the world!"

Some games though, as annoying as it can be it makes sense and even adds to it sometimes. I don't want to mention games because I don't know how to do the spoiler things and just mentioning the game in this thread is a spoiler

 

[Orks da best]

I love them . I wish to see more of them , instead of the happy end bullshit . Add some sacrifice to victory . Hell have the main protagonist fail his final mission every once in a while . Set out to save the world , world blows up anyways , your efforts were futile . I find happy endings to be boring and over done . Let some people die every now and then .

I agree with this person!!!

I think happy endings where everyone lives and world is saved are cliche to say the least, and at worst downright unbeliveable. Newsflash, not every game, book, movie, TV show, etc. needs a happy ending, or at least one where the character dies, not where everyone but the villian lives. And even then often the villian escapes.

Its worst than the sword is the best weapon cliche in my opinion.

 

[Lugbzurg]

There was this one game that kinda did it, but kinda didn't.

Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time. Asmuth kills Ratchet, and Clank heads over to this one chamber, turning back time by six minutes, which happens to be the maximum safe time to turn back without destroying the universe. This whole "protagonist dies at the end, gets brought back" thing was done a whole lot better than that of Sonic the Hedgehog 2006.