The best ending to a game or franchise you have seen?

[pspman45]

I would have to say the silent hill 2 endings

dog ending
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HHU2eqCEJ4o

en ufo ending
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GEJf9bOWr0Y&feature=related

sorry but i dont know how to embed these :-(

How do you get the UFO ending?
I've gotten the dog one before
unless its a joke, and not actually in the game

 

[SeriousIssues]

Mafia 2 was actually pretty wrenching,

Spoiler

how after Vito shoots through the entire observatory and Joe redeems himself, Joe is still sent to his death.

 

[kyogen]

I don't have a favorite ending, but I appreciate it when developers are willing to take a low-key approach. "Epic" endings are often a bit too melodramatic for me. Planescape Torment, God of War 1, and Demon's Souls all have understated endings that nevertheless fit their narratives and put a nice cap on the gameplay by contrasting with it in some way.

 

[Ryuo]

I don't really know if this counts as an ending, but if so it's the best in any game...
Definitely counts.

 

[Mark Flanagan]

I really like Enslaved's ending with all that it entails.

Spoiler: Enslaveds ending (10min)

 

[AceTrilby]

Deadly Premonition's ending - counting everything from entering the theatre to the credits. There was a lot of incentive to continue, like you were being driven by anger and sadness. I won't spoil it, but I cried like a baby!

Other than that, Portal 2 was hilarious and epic and other similar adjectives. Particular kudos for naming an achievement 'Lunacy'.

 

[Soviet Heavy]

Red Dead Redemption has easily the best ending in my book.

Spoiler: Mild spoiler

Unfortunately it was ruined by the free-roam option following said ending. If the game had ended with John then it would have been awesome. The idea that the story should be picked up by Jack just ruined the whole thing as far as I'm concerned. I'd much rather a story arc have some sort of closure than drag out endlessly so that the 100% completionists can go around skinning armadillos for some meaningless achievement. Some games lend themselves to free-roam modes, but RDR was (despite being a sandbox game) massively story driven, and stories should reach a conclusion.

Spoiler

I actually found the sandbox ending even better. John spent the whole game trying to save his family from his past, only for it to finally catch up with him, culminating in his death. Here, John's final sacrifice is made to keep his son from making the same mistakes he did.

Then you get to Jack, who hunts down the man who killed his dad, and kills him. The look of confusion and shock on Jack's face is appropriate, he just threw away everything that John had done to keep him safe.

It is a bitter, cold ending, but very interesting.

Edit. It seems I've been ninja'd

 

[GamerKT]

Metal Gear Solid 4. Didn't even have to think about it.

 

[Alkali]

So I'll say this: Making us do that last step IN GAMEPLAY...That was powerful. props to sucker punch, they know how to end a game.

I paused on that. It was the one in-game prompt that I didn't follow straightaway;

Spoiler: Just in case

I held the buttons for a good 10 seconds before letting go.

 

[V da Mighty Taco]

I don't know if this would be my number one, since I've played so many throughout my life, but Portal 2 is definitely up there. The only game I've played in recent memory to make my somewhat-nihilistic self feel that much emotion.

Spoiler

Hearing GLaDOS's and the turrets' goodbye's was somewhat saddening, but overall I was happy that my long adventure was coming to an end at last - that I was finally free from GLaDOS and just as importantly that GLaDOS was free from me. We were both ready to put down our gloves and move on, and after one final goodbye from my longtime rival ( as well as those irritating but adorable turrets ) I was taking my freedom and leaving for good. And let's face it, GLaDOS giving you the Companion Cube back once you're out the door put a very nostalgic smile on your face. Don't lie, you know it's true.

EDIT: Added spoiler tags. Also fixed a spelling error.

 

[VanillaBean]

Bioshock (both good and bad)
Red Dead Redemption
Portal
Halo Reach
Jak and Daxter trilogy
Black Ops

 

[nklshaz]

Infamous 2, both the good and the evil ending. I'm surprised so few people have mentioned it.

 

[teebeeohh]

infamous 2, i liked that both endings were rather final but i found the evil ending to be lot weaker.

Spoiler

the motivation was just sooooooooo weak, Evil Cole was a selfish dick, why would he be interested in curing the plague at all? he didn't go for the solution that could have saved his only non-conduit friend so why care at all what happens after the knew who the beast is? i would have preferred him just deciding to fast-track human extinction, he was not really evil, just making the wrong choice in a bad situation

the original mafia had a great ending, both with and without the 50s cutscene.

 

[Supertegwyn]

I have a few:

Mass Effect 2
Red Dead Redemption
Halo CE
inFamous 2 Good Ending
Portal 2

 

[Randvek]

I hated the ending of FF X because I like the classic Final Fantasy happy ending so as bad as X-2 was i played it for the bonus ending and in my mind I just block out all the crap that was X-2, take that ending and just stick it onto the end of X. problem solved.

Doesn't that make it a great series end, though? Both great endings. First sad, second happy. The circle is complete.

 

[Collin232]

My favorite ending was in Half-life 2 ep 2. It broke my heart and when the screen fades to black as you listen to the aftermath is just salt in the wound.

 

[Fusioncode9]

I don't know if this would be my number one, since I've played so many throughout my life, but Portal 2 is definitely up there. The only game I've played in recent memory to make my somewhat-nihilistic self feel that much emotion. Hearing GLaDOS's and the turrets' goddbye's was somewhat saddening, but overall I was happy that my long adventure was coming to an end at last - that I was finally free from GLaDOS and just as importantly that GLaDOS was free from me. We were both ready to put down our gloves and move on, and after one final goodbye from my longtime rival ( as well as those irritating but adorable turrets ) I was taking my freedom and leaving for good. And let's face it, GLaDOS giving you the Companion Cube back once you're out the door put a very nostalgic smile on your face. Don't lie, you know it's true.

You REALLY need to add some spoiler tags.

 

[IkeGreil29]

Halo 3. I don't care that they're making a Halo 4, the ending to 3 was beautiful. IMHO.
Otherwise, MGS3, Pikmin (1) and a bunch of others.

 

[V da Mighty Taco]

snip

You REALLY need to add some spoiler tags.

Good point. How do I do that again?

EDIT: Nevermind, I figured it out. Now you might wanna add spoiler tags lol. XP