7 Tragic Endings in Open-World Games, Ranked

Spoiler alert, naturally. I mostly went with pictures that didn't 100% spoil the ending; So, if you see a game that you don't want to spoil, please scroll down and skip that section.

Making open-world games can be challenging because of how open they are. They're an exciting escape into expansive realms where players embark on epic journeys, form alliances, and conquer adversaries. But those who make them must take on the daunting task of finding innovative ways to weave complex stories into these games.

In the fun adventures they create, developers and writers often include moments of heart-wrenching sadness that leave a lasting impression on players. These decisions aren't just tightly written plot twists or moments of shock value. They are tragic conclusions to the entire story, and usually involve the death of a character the player loves. In open-world games in particular, these creative choices serve as a reminder of the power of storytelling in gaming. They encourage players to keep exploring virtual worlds to discover their wonders, even if those moments make them feel bitter.

Honorable mention

Even these open-world games have powerful and tragic endings.

• days passed
• Death Stranding 2 – Only missed because the ending is 100% more bittersweet than sad.
• Fallout: New Vegas
• Nier Automata

7

Ghost of Tsushima

Valor at a cost

Ghost of Tsushima Tells a samurai story that touches on themes of honor, tradition and sacrifice. When his home falls into the hands of the Mongol army, Jin Sakai becomes a ghost who terrorizes unwanted forces, all in hopes of returning the island of Tsushima to Japan. Although he begins as an honorable warrior, Jin's adherence to the samurai code is constantly challenged, and the gameplay rewards players who engage in underhanded tactics while the story condemns them for going down this path. Depending on your actions, the genie may gradually lose their humanity, or at least lose the culture's perception of humanity.

Whether you stick to the samurai code or become a ronin who stealth-kills everything that moves, Ghost of TsushimaThe ending will be even more tragic, because sacrifices must be made. Both routes end with Jin being sent by the Shogun to kill Shimura as a threat. This fight will give Jin (and the players) one last chance to commit to the samurai code or abandon it altogether, and neither decision feels good.

6

Firewatch

Solitary reflection

A masterclass in story-driven gameplay, Firewatch Players are drawn to the breathtaking scenery of the Wyoming desert. Players step into the shoes of Henry, a fire lookout who is sucked into a web of mystery and intrigue. Throughout the play, he tries to discover the truth with the help of his supervisor, Delilah. The world is beautiful, if somewhat empty, and the orange-red color scheme feels just right.

Throughout the play, Henry experiences mysterious events, which are believed to be a sinister plot or threat. Towards the end of the game, however, he learns that they are actually the result of a tragic climbing accident that resulted in the death of a young boy. The moment he finds the boy's body, a haunting score fills the cave he's trapped in. Players are prompted to press buttons to step on bodies to progress through the story. It is impossible not to share the horror and pity that Henry feels.

Firewatch The End is a poignant exploration of loneliness, regret, and the human capacity for connection. It's a powerful reminder of the importance of human connection in the face of adversity.

5

Shadow of the Colossus

The end of the lonely journey

Team Ico's cult classic, Shadow of the ColossusA beautiful story of love and sacrifice. Players assume the role of Wander, a young man on a quest to resurrect Mono, a young woman who was sacrificed because others believed she was cursed. They are thrust into a desolate world inhabited only by giant colossi, all of which Wander must defeat to save Mono.

As the game progresses, and Wander defeats all the colossi one by one, the player cannot help but wonder about the ethics of killing these beasts. Some of them are aggressive and attack on sight, but others are quite docile and only attack when provoked. They are just roaming their domain until their peace is disturbed by a vengeful wanderer.

Wander himself is gradually corrupted by the old organization as he kills each animal. At the end of the game, the organization takes him completely. The other warriors stop him just as he is about to reach Mono, and one of them wanders through the heart. Despite his corruption and his injuries, he still stumbles towards Mono before falling to his death, showing that he still has a part of Wander inside him. The climactic confrontation reminds the player of the sacrifices some make in the name of love, and how passion can take over the human soul.

4

Cyberpunk 2077

There is no such thing as a great ending, but there are two particularly bad ones

Similar to CD Projekt Red The Witcher 3, Cyberpunk 2077 Some contain endings, none of which are easy to define as “good” or “bad”. However, while The Witcher 3 At least giving Geralt and Ciri a chance to end their current chapters on a promising note, V's future is pretty bleak. The most uplifting conclusion still ends with the hero having a few months left to live, though he at least gets to spend them with people he actually cares about. There are a few more endings that are somewhat positive as well, but none of them come without clean wins or high costs. More importantly, many of them challenge V's identity, asking what he had to do to get to this point.

If we were only talking about the saddest ending to a game, it would come down to two. First, V could take the easy way out and end his life, a sad and unsatisfying ending that makes much of what V has done before feel futile. Second, and arguably sadder, Satan's ending reduces V to a shell of himself as he sells his soul to Arasaka in an attempt to save his life. This means actively deceiving everyone and aligning yourself with an evil corporation, which is about the worst thing you can do in any cyberpunk story.

3

Red Dead Redemption 2

Redemption price

In the last stand after the tragedy Red Dead RedemptionPlayers didn't expect Arthur Morgan as the new hero in the 2018 sequel to the masterpiece from Rockstar. Most players agree that the second game played itself out, offering sad and heartbreaking moments throughout the story.

Red Dead Redemption 2 is a sprawling epic that immerses players in the dying days of the Wild West. Arthur grapples with the sins of his past and strives for redemption in a rapidly changing world. It's frustrating and sad to see Arthur plead with Dutch on how to lead his group. Arthur is on the fence about how to deal with Dutch for most of the play, but at the end of the story his diagnosis of tuberculosis forces him to face his own mortality, and he begins to defy his father figure.

When Arthur realizes what's going on, he says goodbye to Abigail and Sadie and then John. Both of these scenes are contenders for the most emotional moments in the entire franchise. This sets up the climax of the match as a gut-wrenching showdown, although fans know what's coming. Whether Arthur embraces redemption or succumbs to his past sins, he ultimately dies in all endings, leaving a lingering sense of melancholy that is hard to shake.

2

result

After the nuclear tragedy

The result The series is famous for its emotional character arcs, so it comes as no surprise that the original is no different. in of fallout Finally, the sadness comes from the realization that in the 'good' ending, the hero, the vault dweller, is forced to leave his home in Vault 13 forever.

Although the Vault Dweller saves the day by returning his home vault's water supply to normal and foiling the Master's plan to turn all remaining humans into mutants, he returns home to find his dreams shattered. The Overseer, who would have given him the missions in the first place, now believes that stories of his actions and achievements will encourage other survivors to abandon the Vault and risk the lives of everyone else. It's a grim ending, as the Vault Dweller is banished to the wasteland and the player is left wondering if the Overseer made the right choice. It is one of the most frustrating moments that a result The game is without relying on emotional character deaths.

1

Red Dead Redemption

The Last Stand

in Red Dead RedemptionRockstar created one of the saddest stories in gaming and broke free from its stereotype in the gaming industry as a company focused on gratuitous humor and gratuitous violence. Players follow John Marston, an ex-convict in the dying days of the Wild West seeking redemption for his past crimes and protecting his family to live happily ever after. As the play reaches its climax, Marston's attempts to leave his outlaw life behind are brutally cut short. In one of gaming's most famous finales, he sacrifices himself to ensure the safety of his family, facing a barrage of gunfire in a dramatic last stand.

John Marston's death is more effective than Arthur Morgan's because he died for his family. In some ways, John's death is more tragic than Arthur's Red Dead Redemption 2 – People have sacrificed a lot for John and his family, but John is murdered anyway. Then her son Jack is also shown on the road to revenge, meaning all died in vain. Marston's death serves as a harsh reminder of the reality of the Old West, where violence and lawlessness often lead to tragic consequences.