8 Video Game Endings That Cost You EVERYTHING
Were these endings really worth it?
Video games are generally expected to end in a way that rewards the player for their efforts, whether serving up a gorgeously glossy two-hour cinematic coda - looking at you, Hideo Kojima - or simply wrapping up the story in a way that’s emotionally gratifying.
And then there are those video game endings that go the total opposite way, forcing you to make a major sacrifice of some sort, ensuring you’ll end up losing basically everything by the time the credits roll.
Perhaps your attempt to have it all was met with an unexpected punishment, or pursuing the so-called “Golden Ending” required you to make an agonising choice. None of these endings could be reached without a major penalty, for better or worse.
Indeed, in some cases the ending made total sense from a dramatic perspective, while in others, it left players straight-up ready to bend the game disc over their knee and show it who’s boss - or in our digital era, turn their controller into a damn frisbee.
No matter how they made you feel, though, none of these endings came without a considerable price…
8. Mafia III
Mafia III's ending offers players three distinct paths for protagonist Lincoln Clay - leave his life of crime behind, rule the city of New Bordeaux alongside his underbosses, or double-cross the other underbosses and take everything for yourself.
And clearly, one of these endings is just way more fun and badass than the others, right?
Going full dirty and killing your lieutenants after taking the city's crown, however, offers up only the most momentary of victories for Lincoln, as upon leaving and getting in his car, he'll be suddenly blown to ribbons by a car bomb.
It's subsequently revealed that the bomb was planted by his friend Father James, who desperately attempted to talk Lincoln out of staying and ruling.
James states that he made the agonising decision to kill Lincoln after realising he was no different than the game's primary villain, mob boss Sal Marcano, and so doesn't regret doing it.
Mafia III clearly has a message for those who try to have it all - grab everything and you'll lose the lot, at the hands of a slippery clergyman no less.