[SPOILER] Secret ending is a hoax

[ottffss1]

The "good ending" in ME3 was added after fans complained about every ending being bad, and it still wasn't good enough for some people.

I'd actually like to know what games you're playing that have these happy rainbow endings. Even in the Final Fantasy series we don't get happy endings, and those games are on the accessible and cheery side of rpgs. In FF7, Cloud was still devastated by the loss of Aerith, and Tifa (who was obviously in love with Cloud) fought through her broken heart and vowed to help Cloud find her. In FF8, Squall died. In FF10, Tidus died. In FF15, Noctis sacrificed himself, and Luna (his love interest) died before him.

It is funny you bring up these examples because I kind of agree (from the "rpg" discussion) that CDPR's CP2077 feels more in line with the jrpg genre than the western rpg genre, and yes most jrps I have played pretty much follow a straight narrative, with generally a pretty bad ending/sacrifice for the protagonist.

Like in western rpgs, yeah you can get stuff like godhood, your kingdom/mansion at the end, lots of "eddies" , everything revolves around you the player etc but in JRPGs, nope, you have to sacrifice yourself to save the world.

 

[Kaspar.Hauser]

Its not a movie though, its a game. Your decisions should matter above all else. Name one Cyberpunk 2020 storyline that ends with all characters dying by necessity.
It doesnt exist, because these stories respect the medium they are in.

I don't think that happy endings would fit cyberpunk world, because it's a dystopic world concept, just like there's no plausible happy ending in Vampire - the masquerade (not without breaking the scenario concepts). It's not a matter of media format, it's the scenario itself.

Vampire - The Masquerade: the "good ending" happens with you going away from the city. One of the "bad endings" happens with you exploding with the prince.

What we could have in Cyberpunk 2077, maybe, is a "happier" ending, linked to player's decision.

Maybe some experiment with Biotechnica (or other corporation) with clones and the engram tech that could (MAYBE) make V live longer, depending on what V does in the game.

But, IMO, nothing like "Thanks to Biotechnica, Engram and Soulkiller technologies combined, now V will have a regular life, being happy with his new nomad family in the desert.", but maybe some vague "Despite Biotechnica new technology, V might have a second chance in life, using this experimental technology, not knowing how much time he/she has left, but who does?"

All the endings resulting in 6 months of life, no matter what you do, wasn't bad, was just lazy writing. For me, it's not the ending itself, it's how V actions (what player does) really doesn't matter at all, that's the main problem.

If they inserted some mechanic, like having more time to live if you denied Johnny Silverhand completely, or having the biotechnica experimental branch that could have some good result, maybe it could be better.

 

[StarkHelsing]

The "good ending" in ME3 was added after fans complained about every ending being bad, and it still wasn't good enough for some people.

I'd actually like to know what games you're playing that have these happy rainbow endings. Even in the Final Fantasy series we don't get happy endings, and those games are on the accessible and cheery side of rpgs. In FF7, Cloud was still devastated by the loss of Aerith, and Tifa (who was obviously in love with Cloud) fought through her broken heart and vowed to help Cloud find her. In FF8, Squall died. In FF10, Tidus died. In FF15, Noctis sacrificed himself, and Luna (his love interest) died before him.

How on earth is having one ending out of seven where you don't die, happy rainbow? Also in the games you're talking about they're hardly classed as RPG (or rather, let's say it's not like Dragon Age or Buldur's Gate or Divinity) - you go here, you do the task, it's linear. Your choices if any hardly change the outcome, it always ends up the same. This is why it's fine for those games, there's no illusion of choice because you know you the story isn't going to change much of anything; they're like films or books.

If Cyberpunk wasn't sold as an RPG where your choices mattered then this wouldn't be a problem. But it was, and your choices don't matter. You play through the whole game, a game hell-bent on survival and you lose. And suddenly people who want one of the SEVEN endings to not be doom and gloom are somehow traitors to a genre? What?

Shepard actually being able to 'survive' the end of Mass of Effect 3 was amazing. Why? Because all that effort you did paid off, you didn't just defeat the reapers, you survived - and you get there by pure effort on your behalf. You're rewarded for it. And if you wanted to die, then you could achieve that just as well.

It doesn't harm you in any shape way or form if someones V survives or not, so scoff at the idea?

 

[claudiu111]

Its not a movie though, its a game. Your decisions should matter above all else. Name one Cyberpunk 2020 storyline that ends with all characters dying by necessity.
It doesnt exist, because these stories respect the medium they are in.

Johnny Mnemonic
Sorry, I answered the wrong guy.

 

[amikae]

It's doable, but it is hard for certain builds and definitely very hard attempted at lower level.

Around level 40-50 with decent gear and build the mission becomes possible to finish.

I still find it to be a bit gamey and not very fitting simply because it throws ludicrous amounts of enemies at you. I know Johnny says "you're better than them", but murdering waves and waves of masses as a lone wolf is kind of ridiculous.

Even the memory of Johnny blasting through Arasaka tower and 2 shotting everyone gets commented by Alt to not reflect what actually happened. But in this ending we're actually blasting through so much more stuff. I just don't think it fits in the lore of the game and it won't surprise me if it gets tweaked.

 

[Kalin.649]

The point to me of an ending was always to be it satiffying, not to have a happy ending. This is a mistake writers often make, trying to please too many fans who are interested in different aspects of the material they’re fans of like Game of Thrones. All considered it did have a happy ending for most characters but it’s awful. It’s just not satisfying. Personally I thought that this game had a satisfying ending, but never did I think that there was a guarantee that V could survive in one of the ending. The narrative was pretty straight forward, but all in all I liked it. The Witcher games are also more linear than The Elder Scrolls for example. I have to give them props that you had to take different routes to achieve those endings because mostly you do the same to get to the ending mostly, however just small differences you say or did give you a different ending and often the endings aren’t that different. The Panam ending, the Arasaka ending, Rogue ending and finally the one where Johnny is in controL are all very different. You still die in four of the endings, but that didn’t bother me. What bothers me is that the secret ending barely differs from the Rogue ending. All this hype and effort to get to this secret ending and it’s just a lacklustre. That’s my main issue, not that V dies.

 

[Rogue-Nomad]

People often put themselves into the characters, they develop that personal connection and at the end, it sucks.
Every one dies, you just get to choose how.
Johnny Silverhand is basically a parasite taking you over, just give in as soon as the chip is slotted if that the fate.
Trust Arasaka? An Evil Corp? make them richer? Often we have resentment now in 2020 real world, how can one imagine in a world like Night City?

Human emotions are tied into the game and the game show the evil of the world in many ways. In ways we find anathema.
Evelyn parker had people supporting her, but she gave up, she made a choice how she dies. Some find that weak.
While we, who play as V, say Piss on that!! I am going out fighting and never giving up, and you have that spirit and strength, but the options given don't allow you to survive and die of old age. So choose how you go out. Simple.

And the Romance? Those Love Interest? Not enough, but for those lonely at heart, it a spark of short term happiness, for what the game gives.

Each interest has it strength and weaknesses, that you can accept and adore if you desire.
That why Panam us great for many, her fighting spirit, her fight against the odds to provide for her family, her people.
That why Judy is Great, her loyalty, her passion to help people as explained at the diving storyarc.
Not sure about Kerry or Rivers, never tried to romance them, so someone will have to point out the pros of them.

And the people who message you at the end of the game - friends? People who at least care?

And a few of those endings, actually leaves it open for a return of V, though you know an entire new game you are going to start from scratch. Some of those ending can be turned unto a Lifepath when you do create your new V.

Look at Adriana that was suggested. a Clone that has lived 5 years and going, but she has the memories but not all the skills.

So, pick your poison and drink it, we all die!

 

[CTPhipps]

Name one movie in the Cyberpunk genre with a happy ending.

The Matrix

Which is why people think its not cyberpunk