Bad Endings?

[Kaguya]

What do you think of them?

Usually, they're used to signal failure and are often short and unsatisfying or depressing. There are some VNs which are full of bad endings, and a few very curious ones that only have bad endings.

 

Anyway, I, personally, like bad endings when they are well-written. I'll put my favorite Bad Ending here

 

Tsukihime - Kohaku - 11th Day  Bad End 33

 

 

Now, as you guys all know (You all played tsukihime, right? The one who answers "no" and don't fix this as soon as possible will be afflicted by my curse~) while that bad ending is short, it's probably one of the most depressing ones translated.

 

You may not like feeling depressed, but the quality of the writing is undeniable. It may not have much of an impact if you didn't know the characters already, though.

 

Well, a lot of VNs have bad endings.

Did you ever encounter a bad end that you actually liked?

What do you think of bad endings?

 

By the way, I love them~ (if they're well written)

[hotsauce2000]

I like bad endings when they reveal new stuff relevant to the overarching plot of the VN, like Amanes bad ending in Grisaia. That kind of stuff really motivates you to not just settle for the good ending but check out every nook and cranny of the VN.

[nohman]

The only VN that comes to mind where I got a big giant kick out of the bad endings is F/SN. Those were done well, made sense, and were mostly interesting. Plus you got all the tiger dojos on top of that to collect.

 

I enjoy bad endings, with the obvious contingent of them being written-well and grounded. Particularly when the consequences are played out and they are more than just "Dead end: go back and play around with your choices."

[Zalor]

Swan Song and G-Senjou both have interesting bad endings. G-Senjou's bad endings in particular are interesting because they show just how evil Kyousuke can become when he sells his soul to money, and isn't saved by love.  

[Intrinsic]

I also love bad ending that are well written and complete feeling.

 

*Sudo spoiler next.*

 

For example, Saya no Uta is amazing, but all the endings are bad if you think about it.

[Albedo]

I don't mind them if they add something new and not just a couple of sentences telling you that you died and have to go back to a previous decision. F/SN did this very, very well (also, Tiger Dojo ftw) and Ever 17's Sora/Tsugumi bad end was brutal. Grisaia also had interesting bad ends (Makina was screwed up and Sachi's was hilarious.) On the other hand, Remember 11 had the worst bad end "system" that I can think of, it takes way too much time to get the bad ends and a lot of them are just uninteresting dead ends.

[meru]

It depends what you mean by bad end. For example the kind of ending in a romance or nukige where you just don't get the girl/guy is pretty boring. I've been playing a BL game where if you make the wrong choices you don't get anywhere with the guy at all and it's soo frustrating!

Howevever I love dark and gruesome bad ends! In Yandere all the ends are 'bad' but that is the appeal.

Or Kara no Shoujo.. I wouldn't classify the endings as particularly 'good' but there is one 'true' end with each of the others giving their own answers so that you have to complete the whole game to really solve the mystery.

[Clephas]

I like bad endings with story, though it can be sad when a particular heroine only has bad endings (the protag's original girlfriend in Hatsuyuki Sakura is one example of this).

[Katatsumuri]

Personally, I like Bad endings that occur during the story, like in F/SN, but I dislike bad endings at the end of the route. Usually this is because I don't really want to end a route depressed.

[Zakamutt]

Bad ends with emotional impact are good, though I really would prefer them to be a bit longer sometimes (for example fal bad end in symphonic rain was decent, but a bit short).

 

Dead ends are good when funny like in f/sn (lol tigerdojo), however they can get annoying (aoishiro). "neutral ends" like in kanon where you go for no girl are pretty boring and might be better to have something else come up (lol kenji in katawa shoujo).

 

The best bad end I can thing of is Hanako's in Katawa Shoujo. Holy fuck.

[shcboomer]

I personally like bad ends that have story attached as well. Well at least for the most part, if they add to the story and are interesting than I will most likely enjoy it. Of course, that is within reason too, just nothing too brutal please.

[cryofrzd]

I like bad endings with story, sometimes they make you appreciate the good ones more. They can also reveal important things of the story.

[Silvachief]

Bad endings are best when they add something to the story WITHOUT taking away content that could have been included in the main storyline. For that reason I don't like when bad ends need to be played to reveal something that helps you understand the main plot.

[Kitouski]

I love bad endings that add a side to the story and make sense. For the heck of it I purposely tried to get a bad ending in Rewrite after getting an end without managing such and (honestly not that spoilerish but just in case)

 

It simply said people disappeared from your life, you grew more depressed and time went on with no signal or anything... it felt like it came out of nowhere if someone didn't know that was athe turning point. This is an example of an unfulfilling bad ending that adds nothing but the sense of failure with no clear signal on the cause and effect.

 

Type-Moon is an example of a company that makes nothing but quality bad endings. It gives a bit of pressure in your choices and not everything is so obvious. I thoroughly enjoy different sides of the same story.

[InvertMouse]

As many have mentioned, bad ends are cool if they have some plot or emotional content to offer. It's great when you get to a true path, look back at a bad end and go ah that's why so and so happened. If not, then at least make it memorable, like those School Days bad ends. I'm cool with them .

[Zalor]

 like those School Days bad ends. I'm cool with them .

 

You don't play School Days for the good endings, you play it for the bad endings.

[InvertMouse]

You don't play School Days for the good endings, you play it for the bad endings.

 

Haha, exactly . In that case, the bad endings are what made the game well known! Shock value can feel cheap sometimes but it's emotional content nonetheless.

[Nosebleed]

I know they are part of most VNs but i HATE bad endings, i almost never play through them unless there's actually really worthy CGs

 

I don't know i'm just sensitive with it, it's like i want to know the happy side of things and then when i play the bad end too I feel all conflicted and can't take it out of my head and all the happyness and rainbows disappears and crushes my heart.

That's why i'll always hate bad ends but i do respect their artistic value and understand why they are there, i just feel like crap after playing one. I'm a wimp.

[cryofrzd]

You don't play School Days for the good endings, you play it for the bad endings.

I felt quite satisfied when Makoto got what he deserved.

[Arch-Magos]

I think I can classify bad endings into three types, at least in my view of things - 

--"Classic" Bad endings, IE endings that obviously indicate to the player - YOU FUCKED UP! The severity of the fuck up may vary from 'being cannibalized' to 'turned into a doll and used as a plaything by a loli' to 'You don't get to stick your dick in her.' depending on the game.

--"Possible" Bad endings, IE endings that very well could simply end a route on it's own (and may in fact be indicated as such that they aren't really bad ends), though they aren't one of the primary route endings.

--"Actual End" Bad endings, IE endings that wrap up a storyline and are considered better than a bad ending but really aren't.

 

Now, examples as to all

 

As to the first, I have to look at GnK, specifically the Makina bad end.

You know, the one with fucking bag. That fucking bag. You know if you've played it which bag I'm talking about.

 

To the second, I have to give this one to Mind of Steel end from Fate/Stay Night. It's a rather simple bad end that may not in fact be a bad end in another route. It could easily have been one of it's route endings (And indeed some in the fanbase would prefer it over the True end.) Another excellent example of this is from F/SN as well, the Sparks Linear High end. 

 

When it comes to the third, the one that initially jumps to my mind is Ahika's Normal Ending from Tsukihime

- the protagonist and his sister live... but it's pretty obvious they won't for long. One or the other will die, and the survivor is likely to commit suicide, or be killed by Kohaku. 

Edited October 24, 2013 by Down
Spoiler tags please. Even for light spoilers.

[farispie]

I actually do enjoy bad endings, as other's said, if they add anything to the understanding of the character's or the plot.

 

Fate/Stay Night has really good bad endings. For example the "Mind of Steel" bad ending really brought up the contrast of Shiro's ideals to that of what he personally wants. 

 

Also Grisisia no Kajitsu, added a really great plot point in Amane's bad end.

 

I also enjoyed one of the bad endings in Sharin no Kuni because it added a interesting "what if " scenario.

 

I

[Zhiroo]

I know they are part of most VNs but i HATE bad endings, i almost never play through them unless there's actually really worthy CGs

 

I don't know i'm just sensitive with it, it's like i want to know the happy side of things and then when i play the bad end too I feel all conflicted and can't take it out of my head and all the happyness and rainbows disappears and crushes my heart.

That's why i'll always hate bad ends but i do respect their artistic value and understand why they are there, i just feel like crap after playing one. I'm a wimp.

 

Looks like I'm not alone. I avoid all bad endings, I only wish I did Amanes bad end because I've been told you get some insight on Kazuki.

[MrRin]

Well, some bad endings are not that bad. Usually, they show us some ways (maybe sad, maybe evil, maybe scary, maybe interesting?) of things. I can tell that there some good endings that can even let a plot hole on the story.   (And sorry about my bad english xD) 

[sjtabler]

Bad endings are a part of the fun!  Fate/Stay Night and Tsukihime even gave some you a reason to get them.  Even then bad ending tend to be needed.

[Clephas]

For bad endings, FSN is a good example, but Phantom of Inferno takes it to extremes.  There are a large number of bad endings in the game, and almost all of them are epic

especially Claudia's, where you have the choice between killing her and eventually taking over Inferno or letting her kill you. Not to mention the one where you go on a rampage, slaughtering everyone in the Inferno headquarters because you think Cal died.