These days, gamers often encounter titles with much bleaker endings, where the hero might be overwhelmed by evil. Even so-called happy endings aren’t always as perfect as they seem if you pay attention to the details and how developers craft their stories. Here’s a list of 10 games that look like they have happy endings but actually hide some pretty dark twists.
Heavy Rain, The Neglectful Father
Heavy Rain offers 7 endings, including 3 where the main character commits suicide and others where the villain escapes justice. One “ideal” ending shows Ethan, Madison, and their son Shaun living happily after the killer Scott is dead and Norman is no longer addicted. Everything looks rosy.
But the truth is more complicated. Ethan still struggles with mental issues, and after losing his first son, it’s unlikely social services would let him keep custody of his remaining child. Taking the kid to the park alone while dealing with his own problems seems irresponsible. Ethan’s neglect led to his first son’s death when they got separated in a mall. Being a relaxed parent is one thing, but when it nearly costs another child’s life, Ethan should have lost custody.
Metal Gear Solid 2, New York City in Ruins
After Arsenal Gear crashes into New York and Raiden defeats Solidus Snake, he reunites with his pregnant girlfriend Rose. The main story wraps up nicely with no obvious sadness.
However, half of New York is destroyed, tens of thousands are dead, and survivors face years of hardship. The government will likely hike taxes to rebuild and clean up the mess. So from a broader perspective, this ending isn’t ideal at all. Just seeing the hero and love interest happy together is a shallow take.
Medal Of Honor: Warfighter, Defying Orders for Family
This game sparked mixed reactions. Setting aside the controversy around consultants leaking secrets, the ending alone makes players think. EA lets Preacher choose between reporting to command or abandoning the mission to spend time with family. It’s a half-baked idea that doesn’t quite fit the main story but is still interesting.
Leaving the mission has consequences. Caring for family is important, but getting arrested for disobeying orders is dumb since prison means no family time. If Preacher leaves, the team weakens and he likely faces harsher punishment. He also seems prone to violence and might join mercenaries, risking treason charges with severe penalties. So this ending isn’t exactly happy.
Uncharted 2, Destroying What Should Be Preserved
Nathan Drake continues his revenge after Elena nearly dies from a grenade. He faces near-immortal Lazarevic, who drank from the Tree Of Life, and finally defeats him by letting Shambhala’s guardians handle the villain. Lazarevic dies, Nathan and Elena kiss, the sun sets, and all seems well.
But like Indiana Jones, Nathan fails to protect what he should. Instead of preserving historical artifacts and sites, he destroys the Tree Of Life and the magnificent Shambhala kingdom. Rather than helping locals escape, he blows everything up and walks away with his love. Not exactly heroic.
Streets Of Rage, Brothers Turned Enemies for Power
Streets of Rage has two endings. The single-player one is the happy finish. The other, only unlocked in two-player mode, pits the heroes against the final boss who offers them a chance to join his gang. If one agrees and the other refuses, they must fight to the death to prove loyalty. After that, you face the boss in a final duel and take over the empire, gaining respect.
But chances are your reign won’t last long since few henchmen remain and you’ll have to defend your empire alone. All your efforts, including betraying your friend, end up meaningless. Alternatively, your underlings might rebel and overthrow or kill you. Either way, problems abound.
Freedom Fighters, The Russians Will Return
We defeated the Russians and stopped their invasion of America, just like in a Hollywood movie. Time to celebrate, right? Surely the Russians wouldn’t dare try again.
But the war isn’t over. The Russians will come back stronger. Just because they lost once doesn’t mean they’ll lose again. This victory is a bright moment for Freedom Fighters, but the good times won’t last.
Super Mario World, Mario Mercilessly Kills Koopa’s Kids
To save Princess Peach, Mario overcomes many challenges and reaches Koopa’s castle. Defeating King Koopa and his kids in Super Mario Bros. 3 and Super Mario World feels like a triumphant, happy ending.
But think about it: what did Koopa’s kids do to deserve this? Whether brainwashed or forced to fight, they stood no chance and were swiftly killed by Mario. He should have freed them or taught them a lesson before sending them away. Instead, Mario kills them all and blows up the castle, burying them in the rubble. Not exactly the friendly plumber we thought.
Tekken 5, Heihachi Will Never Submit to Chaolan
In this fighting game, if you pick Lee Chaolan and beat the final boss, the ending shows Lee living a relaxed life in the Bahamas. His foster father Heihachi is now his servant, wearing a bomb collar that Lee can detonate if disobeyed.
Heihachi is a genius but ruthless, willing to do anything to reach his goals. He also carries the pride and vanity of a notorious villain. It’s unlikely he’ll accept serving Lee quietly and will probably try to escape or take both their lives. So this ending isn’t as grand as it seems.
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, Link’s Ruthless Slaughter
Link is hailed as a hero for killing giant monsters and bringing good to the people. No matter the enemy’s size or strength, Link defeats them all. The credits roll and we think he’s the classic hero archetype.
But most of Link’s quests involve attacking creatures just because they’re big and scary. For example, King Dodongo wouldn’t harm those who don’t invade his territory, same with Helmaroc King in The Wind Waker and Helmasaur King in A Link to the Past. These creatures live away from people and rarely interact with anyone, yet the games label them as evil and deserving punishment. They simply exist naturally and defend their land. In Twilight Princess, some are captured and brainwashed to do evil, but inherently they’re harmless. There’s no real reason for Link’s ruthless killings.
Conduit 2, Two Immortal US Presidents Save the World
The ending of Conduit 2 is pretty ridiculous. Familiar faces appear, including immortal US presidents George Washington and Abraham Lincoln decked out in heavy armor and weapons.
But the timeline is absurd. These presidents, who should have long been resting, suddenly show up claiming immortality to save the world from the alien ship Tiamat. They look ready for battle, but realistically they’d probably run away, let Tiamat destroy Earth, or kill Michael Ford to cover their tracks. Either way, this isn’t a happy ending.
Source: What Culture
