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[Guri]

I wouldn't call a missing denouement "subtlety". You could argue that the lack of a proper ending motivates fan speculation and "head canon", but it undoubtedly leaves the player with a lack of catharsis.

It didn't leave me feeling that, so I don't think "undoubtedly" is the right word there. I don't ask for more in that ending because I believe it was enough for what it was trying to achieve and focus. The Sacrifice Chloe ending wouldn't work in a subtle way because it needs more information. It needed to show Chloe dying, the other characters alive, what happened in that week and Chloe's funeral.

Maybe the Sacrifice Arcadia ending could show Max and Chloe looking around for possible survivors or grieving a few characters. Maybe. But I don't think it was necessary. For me, Max's face in the car showed me everything I needed to know about that moment.

Again, I get that some people would like more scenes in this ending, but I don't think it necessarily means it's a bad/alternative/incomplete ending, as it is shown by the number of people satisfied with it. I don't think it would be unanimously accepted no matter what.

 

[TheLostBigBoss]

ok so I'm in that stage of emptiness and hollow.

Now I kinda almost wish I never played this game, this shit is haunting my thoughts.

 

[neogaffer1]

Why would they specify "Season 1" if they weren't already planning a second season?

 

[TheLostBigBoss]

Why would they specify "Season 1" if they weren't already planning a second season?

this game was a pretty big success.

Season 2 will most likely be a completely different theme and super power, zero chance they continue with the same characters.

 

[Manny Calavera]

ok so I'm in that stage of emptiness and hollow.

Now I kinda almost wish I never played this game, this shit is haunting my thoughts.

I think most of us went through that after finishing the game. I know I did. It's been a bit more than week since I finished the last chapter and I still find myself thinking the game daily. I'll replay the last chapter in the near future and after that at some point the whole game from the beginning.

 

[Conflict NZ]

"Sacrifice Arcadia Bay" sees Max and Chloe driving away to bring untold destruction upon the rest of the world. Chloe is still destined to die, and Max trying to save he will cause nature to fight back. People who chose that ending are forcing suffering on the rest of the world just because they cannot let go. Awful selfish people!

You don't know this at all. There's no definitive answer. All we know is what we see and what we saw was them driving into the sunset.

 

[ArtHands]

I am thinking perhaps Season 2 can take place in the other unseen side of Arcadia Bay, perhaps share some of the season 1 elements like some locations, references, minor characters etc. while still having a new set of characters & power.

 

[TheLostBigBoss]

You don't know this at all. There's no definitive answer. All we know is what we see and what we saw was them driving into the sunset.

head cannon man

this is almost my favorite part of the game, the ending lets us create the ending we feel is fit for Max. I made the decisions in the past four episodes I felt Max would make, and based on those choices I decided on the ending that would happen and the aftermath of that ending.

There is no right or wrong, they basically made it so you can almost create the ending you feel is correct for the the decisions you made and the Max you played through. Your own rational is basis enough for what happens after.

 

[Saggy]

I am thinking perhaps Season 2 can take place in the other unseen side of Arcadia Bay, perhaps share some of the season 1 elements like some locations, references, minor characters etc. while still having a new set of characters & power.

I think that could be cool too, although I'm also digging the idea of just completely new setting and new characters, with maybe minor references to Season 1 characters/events. I feel like any attempt to create a new story that is too closely tied to the story of Season 1 will never be able to live up to it. That being said, anything more in this universe (whether it's Arcadia Bay or somewhere new) would be amazing!

 

[Keyser Soze]

You don't know this at all. There's no definitive answer. All we know is what we see and what we saw was them driving into the sunset.

Yeah, but based on what the game has told us for 5 episodes I see it that way. It seems highly plausible that Max's continual attempts to fix things was the cause of the storm. Chloe dying in the school bathroom was something that was always meant to occur, and should not have ever been changed. A "set moment in time" in a trope used in many time travel stories. The series showed multiple times that Chloe was not supposed to be alive - in any reality - past a certain point. Even in the alternate reality she suffered a car crash that would ultimately lead to her death. At multiple points after the initial bathroom shooting, she was placed in situations that would kill her. Everytime Max saved her led to the world at large becoming unraveled - whales and birds dying. This all led to the big storm in Episode Five.

Resetting everything back to the point where Max never used her powers was the only way to fix the damage Max using her powers over the course 5 days caused. In that ending, she knows she has the power to see Chloe again, but can never risk doing so and causing so much damage again.

In the ending where Max drives away with Chloe, I fully believe Chloe is still supposed to die at some point. If the world, nature, and destiny wanted her to die, then why would it stop now? Even though we will never see it, I believe Chloe will face mortal danger again and again, meaning Max must continually save her over and over again, which will cause irreparable damage to the world wherever they end up driving to. In my eyes, the "Save Chole" ending is the darker one of the two, as it will ultimately lead to Max sacrificing more people for as long as she struggles to keep her alive.

At the very least, I do not believe the events of the 5 episodes are now null and void once the credits come up. There is little chance of the been a "happy ever after" ending here. The very fact Max and Chloe are driving through death and destruction in an effort to escape their fate should be hint that worse awaits them.

 

[TheLostBigBoss]

Yeah, but based on what the game has told us for 5 episodes I see it that way. It seems highly plausible that Max's continual attempts to fix things was the cause of the storm. Chloe dying in the school bathroom was something that was always meant to occur, and should not have ever been changed. A "set moment in time" in a trope used in many time travel stories. The series showed multiple times that Chloe was not supposed to be alive - in any reality - past a certain point. Even in the alternate reality she suffered a car crash that would ultimately lead to her death. At multiple points after the initial bathroom shooting, she was placed oom situations that would kill her. Everytime Max saved her lead to the world at large becoming unraveled - whales and birds dying. This all lead to a the big storm in Episode Five.

Resetting everything back to the point where Max never used her powers was the only way to fix the damage Max using her powers over the course 5 days caused. In that ending, she knows she has the power to see Chloe again, but can never risk doing so and causing so much damage again.

In the ending where Max drives away with Chloe, I fully believe Chloe is still supposed to die at some point. If the world, nature, and destiny wanted her to die, then why would it stop now? Even though we will never see it, I believe Chloe will face mortal danger again and again, meaning Max must continually save her over and over again, which will cause irreparable damage to the world wherever they end up driving to. In my eyes, the "Save Chole" ending is the darker one of the two, as it will ultimately lead to Max sacrificing more people for as long as she struggles to keep her alive.

At the very least, I do not believe the events of the 5 episodes are now null and void once the credits come up. There is little chance of the been a "happy ever after" ending here. The very fact Max and Chloe are driving through death and destruction in an effort to escape their fate should be hint that worse awaits them.

Personally, I view the "universe" as death. Death requires balance, one life for another so to speak. Max fucked with death so much throughout the week, constantly making Chloe live and not die.

I view the vortex not as a possible continuous event, but as an ultimatum. The lives of everyone else for the life of your love, if you so choose

It's obviously more complicated than that, but I think on a basic level that's how I view it, even if I picked to let Chloe die and save the town and let Max grow as a character and person.

That vortex is death getting even with Max, in my view it's not gonna continue haunting her and killing everyone around Max cause she's not dead.

 

[AlphaDragoon]

Yeah, but based on what the game has told us for 5 episodes I see it that way. It seems highly plausible that Max's continual attempts to fix things was the cause of the storm. Chloe dying in the school bathroom was something that was always meant to occur, and should not have ever been changed. A "set moment in time" in a trope used in many time travel stories. The series showed multiple times that Chloe was not supposed to be alive - in any reality - past a certain point. Even in the alternate reality she suffered a car crash that would ultimately lead to her death. At multiple points after the initial bathroom shooting, she was placed oom situations that would kill her. Everytime Max saved her lead to the world at large becoming unraveled - whales and birds dying. This all lead to a the big storm in Episode Five.

Resetting everything back to the point where Max never used her powers was the only way to fix the damage Max using her powers over the course 5 days caused. In that ending, she knows she has the power to see Chloe again, but can never risk doing so and causing so much damage again.

In the ending where Max drives away with Chloe, I fully believe Chloe is still supposed to die at some point. If the world, nature, and destiny wanted her to die, then why would it stop now? Even though we will never see it, I believe Chloe will face mortal danger again and again, meaning Max must continually save her over and over again, which will cause irreparable damage to the world wherever they end up driving to. In my eyes, the "Save Chole" ending is the darker one of the two, as it will ultimately lead to Max sacrificing more people for as long as she struggles to keep her alive.

At the very least, I do not believe the events of the 5 episodes are now null and void once the credits come up. There is little chance of the been a "happy ever after" ending here. The very fact Max and Chloe are driving through death and destruction in an effort to escape their fate should be hint that worse awaits them.

I think so too. Given what the devs have said about it specifically being about Chloe not dying plus the fact that it already started to snow again in the Save Chloe ending as they drive away (the first sign of the first storm), implying it's gearing up for another set of messed up events until the correction is made.

Whereas in the Sacrifice Chloe ending, they make a point to show her looking out over the same ocean where the crazy storm was happening and it's nice and peaceful, as it should be. No snow, no anything. Again, this does not take away from the Save Chloe ending IMO if you care that strongly about her. You're willing to let the world potentially go to hell and continue to fight again and again for the rest of your life for her. That, if it was your choice, is a pretty damn powerful choice even if it's not "happy ever after".

 

[Smiley90]

I think so too. Given what the devs have said about it specifically being about Chloe not dying plus the fact that it already started to snow again in the Save Chloe ending as they drive away (the first sign of the first storm), implying it's gearing up for another set of messed up events until the correction is made.

Whereas in the Sacrifice Chloe ending, they make a point to show her looking out over the same ocean where the crazy storm was happening and it's nice and peaceful, as it should be. No snow, no anything. Again, this does not take away from the Save Chloe ending IMO if you care that strongly about her. You're willing to let the world potentially go to hell and continue to fight again and again for the rest of your life for her. That, if it was your choice, is a pretty damn powerful choice even if it's not "happy ever after".

that's not snow, that's fluff from plants. The same thing happens in the sacrifice Chloe ending.

two things resolve the universe's problem with Chloe - either she dies, or arcadia bay dies. One tells Max to not use her powers, ever, or face the consequences - which she does in the sacrifice arcadia bay ending.

That was a nice read and an interesting interpretation, but I disagree in some regards. I don't really believe any choice was really the "wrong" choice, which is what I'm getting from reading your blog post. And I don't really think the developers intended for the saving Chloe ending to be as hollow as you say (There is a post somewhere in this thread that links to a developer saying their budget ran out and that the ending was supposed to convey that their love/friendship is now stronger than ever, or something, I can't find the post). I personally don't think the ending was as hollow as you say, and it's my preferred ending.

The sacrifice of Arcadia Bay could also be seen as Max maturing in that she realizes that going back to the past and changing things keep making things worse, so she realizes that she should stand by her decisions and accept the consequences and maybe stop using her time-travel abilities.

Hope that makes sense, I'm not the smartest person ;P Anyway that was a nice read and it made consider the other ending. Before reading, it I just refused to acknowledge its existence. (Still haven't watched because of the feels >.<)

I loved this game. I'd totally triple dip if they release a physical copy of the game

I whole-heartedly agree with this.

 

[Hero Prinny]

ok so I'm in that stage of emptiness and hollow.

Now I kinda almost wish I never played this game, this shit is haunting my thoughts.

Right!? I just beat the game today too nearly 10 hours ago and im still pretty down about that ending (i let chloe die, max had to let go, the universe wanted her dead and itll get what it wants one way or another. Besides, cant let warren die <3) you know what was the most tragic part of the game to me tho? Watching the consequences for saving william, jesus when chloe asked you to kill her... I had to put the controller down and think about what ive done and im about to do, ultimately i killed her. If i was in that condition in real life id want to die too, delaying the inevitable, costing your family a fortune and most importantly, that's not a life worth living no more in my opinion. My eyes were getting watery chloe, i wasnt a big fan of you, you was alright at best, but you didn't deserve to die :'(

 

[adamsapple]

Just finished EP5 a few minutes ago.

I need to ly down. I want to see the other ending but I'm pretty sure I won't be able to go through all of EP5 again right now, I chose to sacrifice Chloe, it was obviously the right thing to do. It was her decision as well. Chloe was not destined to live past the washroom shooting, her being alive is the sole cause of all the problems, had to be rectified.

But man .. what an experience.

 

[SmarterUnconscious]

Just finished EP5 a few minutes ago.

I need to ly down. I want to see the other ending but I'm pretty sure I won't be able to go through all of EP5 again right now, I chose to sacrifice Chloe, it was obviously the right thing to do. It was her decision as well. Chloe was not destined to live past the washroom shooting, her being alive is the sole cause of all the problems, had to be rectified.

But man .. what an experience.

You can watch the other ending if you go to the episode menu and pick last scene in collectible mode.

Also hugs for everyone who recently beat the game, I beat it last Wednesday morning and its still affecting me.

 

[adamsapple]

You can watch the other ending if you go to the episode menu and pick last scene in collectible mode.

Also hugs for everyone who recently beat the game, I beat it last Wednesday morning and its still affecting me.

Thanks, didn't know that. Pretty much finished it in a stretch. I don't think I would have liked waiting for months after the end twists, especially EP4

 

[Kammie]

Beat this last night.

Both endings left me feeling surprisingly indifferent, which was really unexpected considering the emotional investment I had in the characters, and how previus episodes had left me feeling straight up distressed or numb from shock.

I went with the Save Chloe ending first, and that was totally ruined by the reusing of a song and what I've seen cited in a few posts as budgetary reasons. There is no way that one ending should have received more care than the other... this was a game based on choices where either endings should be equally viable and impactful to the player, so Dontnod dropped the ball here.

And the the other ending was fine, but.... I'm disappointed that all of the choices we made in the game culminated in nothing more than an abstract, wholly detached and isolated dream sequence that was of no consequence to the two final choices we have to pick from. Honestly speaking, the ending was a copout, and the final outcome of the game should have been entirely dependent on the choices that we had made prior. If we want to see a different ending we should have to replay the entire game, not pick the last act from the menu and just go with Option B. It really cheapened the game.

That said, the rest of the game was amazing, and it made me feel like no game before, so this is just one of those stories where the journey matters more than the destination.

One thing that dismayed me: I ended up electrocuting that poor fisherman on the way to the diner. I looked for like 5 minutes and couldn't find a way to avoid it. Was it necessary or did I overlook something? lol.

 

[Humdinger]

I enjoyed the 5th episode and was fine with the ending. I just thought they overused the photo mechanic in that last episode. It happened only rarely in the preceding episodes, but then in Episode 5, it was all over the place. It felt overdone, made the episode feel overly orchestrated, less natural and well-paced than the others. Also, Max's nosebleed never came to anything, which felt off, too.

Otherwise, it was a satisfying end to a fine series. One of the best gaming experiences of the year for me. Very unique, welcome series.

 

[SmarterUnconscious]

One thing that dismayed me: I ended up electrocuting that poor fisherman on the way to the diner. I looked for like 5 minutes and couldn't find a way to avoid it. Was it necessary or did I overlook something? lol.

You can save him by electrocuting him first, walking into the room, rewinding, then convincing him to move. After that just turn the power back on through the hole in the window so you can both pass the fire.

Kind of a lulz way to go about it Max but it works!

 

[adamsapple]

You can save him by electrocuting him first, walking into the room, rewinding, then convincing him to move. After that just turn the power back on through the hole in the window so you can both pass the fire.

Kind of a lulz way to go about it Max but it works!

The best is the girl who you save from the football and the toilet roll, she goes "No way whenever i'm around you something almost hits me and she backs to her death by falling in the wreckage.

So you basically killed her by saving her twice before

 

[TheKeyPit]

^The Trucker had to stay in Arcadia, because I manipulated the train tracks. Felt bad for him. In Episode 5 he's trapped under something that fell on him. Poor guy had to go through all that shit, because of me.

 

[Manu]

The best is the girl who you save from the football and the toilet roll, she goes "No way whenever i'm around you something almost hits me and she backs to her death by falling in the wreckage.

So you basically killed her by saving her twice before

Four times, actually.

You have a chance to save Alyssa on every episode.

 

[Goodstyle]

I think so too. Given what the devs have said about it specifically being about Chloe not dying[

Can you point me to some of their commentary on this? Sounds very interesting to me.

that's not snow, that's fluff from plants. The same thing happens in the sacrifice Chloe ending.

No it doesn't, not to my knowledge. That looks a lot like snow, and nothing in the other ending looks similar. In fact, it seems to make a point of depicting a clear sky, while the sacrifice Arcadia ending shows what looks a lot like snow fall (probably because it is). I'm fairly certain the devs put that in for a reason.

 

[RedSparrows]

^The Trucker had to stay in Arcadia, because I manipulated the train tracks. Felt bad for him. In Episode 5 he's trapped under something that fell on him. Poor guy had to go through all that shit, because of me.

He's trapped there whatever you do: manipulate the rails, wreck them with the big wire bale, etc. Multiple cause/same effect, really. No big deal for me, though.

 

[TheLostBigBoss]

Can you point me to some of their commentary on this? Sounds very interesting to me.



No it doesn't, not to my knowledge. That looks a lot like snow, and nothing in the other ending looks similar. In fact, it seems to make a point of depicting a clear sky, while the sacrifice Arcadia ending shows what looks a lot like snow fall (probably because it is). I'm fairly certain the devs put that in for a reason.

No, he's right. It was fluff stuff from plants, same stuff from the other ending.

 

[crimsonheadGCN]

I just wonder how they would follow this up with season 2? I don't see them doing time travel again, since we know that it would possibly end in a similar way.

 

[lordfuzzybutt]

The best is the girl who you save from the football and the toilet roll, she goes "No way whenever i'm around you something almost hits me and she backs to her death by falling in the wreckage.

So you basically killed her by saving her twice before

That's what I thought at first. But you can actually save her anyway.

Also, just finished this tonight.

Now I have the rest of my birthday to ponder upon this game.

Months ago when i preordered it i thought i was going to have some light-hearted experience with it.

Man, was i wrong.

 

[adamsapple]

That's what I thought at first. But you can actually save her anyway.

Really ? How ?

Well I guess it doesn't really matter cause none of that stayed in my story, sorry Chloe, your blue hair are awesome but I just can't sacrifice the entire town for you. Kate and co are too valuable.

Are there any good spoiler/story discussion podcasts for the game yet ?

 

[lordfuzzybutt]

Really ? How ?

Well I guess it doesn't really matter cause none of that stayed in my story, sorry Chloe, your blue hair are awesome but I just can't sacrifice the entire town for you. Kate and co are too valuable.

Are there any good spoiler/story discussion podcasts for the game yet ?

Do not approach her right away. Upon the platform you can see a plank. Use that.

 

[chrominance]

Missing the Alyssa appearance completely in Episode 5 actually bums me out more than the lack of ending for Sacrifice Arcadia Bay.

Spoiler

I'm only sort of kidding.

 

[Salsa]

oh wow..

that was... bad

holy shit

that ending was bad


talk about sacrificing your own rules, all you built up and whatever, for a cheap emotional gut punch

what the hell?

how was she sure she was causing the torm where she had the vision before she got her fucking powers or started altering shit?

what?

I actually chose to save Chloe and sacrifice the whole town cause I cannot believe that was a real 'decision' for you to make and they actually played it serious in that ending as if that was a likely choice. They actually smile at the end, when the entire fucking town is dead

what the hell was that ending god damn. Just some weird but visually cool nonsense leading to one decision that is basically 'well you either played this game or you didnt I guess!'

this some hella mass effect bidness

 

[Salsa]

"oh great, bottles. This IS hell" was the best thing in the entire game tho

but yeesh.. do people actually like this ending? I havent read anything and just finished it blind

 

[Hero Prinny]

i also found it odd that it was chloe causing the disaster when like you said, she had the vision/went to that future before she even met chloe again. i thought it was alright, emotional gut punch imo. took me like 3 days to finally get over that ending.

 

[John Kowalski]

Game has always been about accepting death. Either you do it the hard way or it doesn't work... that's always been the point! You save Kate by talking to her, by spending time with her, by reassuring her, by facing her fears with her, and in the end it works out. She's improving, hoping for a better life. You can't simply roll back in time and expect that just doing something so easy could save Chloe, or Nathan, or Victoria... that's not how life works.

 

[Salsa]

Game has always been about accepting death. Either you do it the hard way or it doesn't work... that's always been the point! You save Kate by talking to her, by spending time with her, by reassuring her, by facing her fears with her, and in the end it works out. She's improving, hoping for a better life. You can't simply roll back in time and expect that just doing something so easy could save Chloe, or Nathan, or Victoria... that's not how life works.

im all for this concept I guess? I mean im not against it

but the ending made no sense for the reason I stated. it basically broke the game's own rules or took advantage of its lack of explanation to go to where it wanted for the gut punch. Basically the same reason I didnt like the whole Chloe in a wheelchair thing.

besides the episode did little in moving things forward other than just do random creepy "time is breaking!" shit

remember ghost bambi? fuck that too!

remember your choices throughout the game? fuck you! two endings! we love mass effect 3

hated it; not because of the game's themes.

 

[TheLostBigBoss]

Did people really expect branching choices at the end of the game?

It's a small studio that had a minuscule budget. I didn't go into the game thinking Episode 5 was going to have a white board of sprawling branch choices, especially after the intro to the game shows the end of the game and what ultimately is going to happen.

Also, Mass Effect 3's ending wasn't bad because it was only 3 endings, it was bad because they introduced an entirely new concept in the last ten minutes of the game and didn't explain anything about what is about to happen when you make a choice.

The choices I made with Max created my own story of what Max has experienced and what my Max does, that was what I was thinking about for the ending, what would Max do after experiencing everything (and by definition what would I think Max would do after I decided for her).

How did the game break it's own rules? I won't argue that there are some inconsistencies within the game, but time travel stories will almost always have inconsistencies. Generally I felt like they followed their own rules pretty well, mainly the photo travel where she can go back to X point in time in the photo but will always return to the same place in time where she warped to the photo, meaning she can't live and experience the changes, she just goes warped back into where her new body is for that time.

 

[Salsa]

Did people really expect branching choices at the end of the game?

It's a small studio that had a minuscule budget. I didn't go into the game thinking Episode 5 was going to have a white board of sprawling branch choices, especially after the intro to the game shows the end of the game and what ultimately is going to happen.

Also, Mass Effect 3's ending wasn't bad because it was only 3 endings, it was bad because they introduced an entirely new concept in the last ten minutes of the game and didn't explain anything about what is about to happen when you make a choice.

The choices I made with Max created my own story of what Max has experienced and what my Max does, that was what I was thinking about for the ending, what would Max do after experiencing everything (and by definition what would I think Max would do after I decided for her).

How did the game break it's own rules?

their whole reasoning on the "I cause this with my time travel by saving you" makes no sense when the whole game starts with a vision of the future before Max meets Chloe. even if that ends up being the reason at least work it a bit better when it makes no sense for the characters themselves? they have absolutely 0 certainty of this yet they act as if it was fact.

the hell is that mess of breaking time mixed with random visions of people griefing Max in stealth sections or whatever? what? it just put its whole (unclear) message abovehow the game itself worked until that point. It was like vissually striking I guess if it werent for the fact that Ive already played many similar scenarios.

it doesnt explain all it sets out to, which is already shitty. It suddenly drops the Prescotts over this "oh well jefferson is behind it all just cause he's a psycho or something". I thought the storm was something the family knew about. I thought that shelter was something related to that, idk. It felt like it was going someplace it was building up to, but it took a left turn in favor of themes. It's like Lost's ending.

im not gonna forgive the game over a bad ending just cause its potential isnt among the studio's possibilities; work with what you have and how you can.

im not saying many branched endings, but figure it out other than doing "well this is all we can do hope you like it!". It felt bad, sudden, cheap, and broken within the game itself.

opinions, tho

 

[AlphaStriker]

I think it was inferred or explained at the end that Max has seen Chloe die in every timeline and she doesn't know if she can sustain jumping-through/rewinding time to save Chloe.

Really sacrificing Chloe is the true ending. I know that's a slap in the face for a lot of players but from the developers perspective, they probably had a single story, a single theme to create a game around. It would be difficult to create a story with multiple endings, as the alternate endings would likely conflict with the overall theme.

From a gameplay perspective, it would be cool to see fleshed out paths developed; being inserted into a world and seeing what would happen based on your actions. But I feel in doing so, the player wouldn't experience a story worth telling.

 

[Salsa]

I just think the game did a bad job regardless of that. In both the whole episode and the ending itself.

I dont adore the game like some people here but I did enjoy it and was invested in the story. Im disappointed.

 

[TheLostBigBoss]

their whole reasoning on the "I cause this with my time travel by saving you" makes no sense when the whole game starts with a vision of the future before Max meets Chloe.

it doesnt explain all it sets out to, which is already shitty

im not gonna forgive the game over a bad ending just cause its potential isnt among the studio's possibilities; work with what you have and how you can.

im not saying many branched endings, but figure it out. It felt bad, sudden, and cheap.

Oh, well you did the save Chloe ending and that was rushed and felt far cheaper, I won't argue that. The developers even said as much.

However the intro doesn't break any rules. Clearly in the first original timeline she uses her powers. The theory is she recently unlocked her abilities on her 18th birthday, but just actually used them. Time is kinda broken at the end of the game, so I don't see much issue with her receiving a flash forward to the point in time where time is all fucked and not knowing what is about to happen in the future, even though she will save Chloe.

It's not till the ending where she knows she can change everything by not using her powers, which at that point the ending reality is removed and overwritten and Max is dressed in her black cloths for the funeral (or you drive away without altering the start of the game).

 

[Dragon]

I just think the game did a bad job regardless of that. In both the whole episode and the ending itself.

I dont adore the game like some people here but I did enjoy it and was invested in the story. Im disappointed.

Once it was clear that Max saving people, including Chloe, had disastrous effects on the world, there was only one logical way for it to end. With Chloe dying and Max never using her powers again. I don't see what's so contrived or disappointing about that. They set the rules in the first episode and were consistent about it. If you have any issues with stories like The Dark Tower, I'm sorry, but they are legitimate ways to end things.

 

[Salsa]

Oh, well you did the save Chloe ending and that was rushed and felt far cheaper, I won't argue that. The developers even said as much.

However the intro doesn't break any rules. Clearly in the first original timeline she uses her powers. The theory is she recently unlocked her abilities on her 18th birthday, but just actually used them. Time is kinda broken at the end of the game, so I don't see much issue with her receiving a flash forward to the point in time where time is all fucked and not knowing what is about to happen in the future, even though she will save Chloe.

It's not till the ending where she knows she can change everything by not using her powers, which at that point the ending reality is removed and overwritten and Max is dressed in her black cloths for the funeral (or you drive away without altering the start of the game).

I added a bit more that I think explains my dislike a bit better. More with the whole chapter itself.

But even by raising the point there where "time is kinda broken" is part of my issue with it and what I meant. It just felt cheap. It even had fuckin time travel nosebleeds, and I think the game was building interesting stuff elsewhere.

'time is broken so anythin can happen' just feels cheap to me. I really did feel like a lot of what was happening was more grounded and the whole well Jefferson is a psycho and you did this so now undo it thing took me really out of it and felt super disjointed and disconnected from the rest of the game.

I just felt like there was something there, with the town, with the prescotts, etc. And the game just takes it all away in favor of it being all about random Time Travel causalities when the entire game I felt like it was trying to make the point that it was about all that cast of characters.

 

[Salsa]

I mean, forget the ending decision, which is what you guys seem to be focusing on and realize im talking about the entire ending itself

how is it not a cheapshot when you're diggin out dirt on this family and suddenly they don't care anymore cause Jefferson is some psycho creep out of nowhere who was some sort of weird puppet master

him being the villain literally only worked as some sort of OMG! twist. I even forgave it last ep cause I figured he was a part of something bigger

...nope.

 

[John Kowalski]

im all for this concept I guess? I mean im not against it

but the ending made no sense for the reason I stated. it basically broke the game's own rules or took advantage of its lack of explanation to go to where it wanted for the gut punch. Basically the same reason I didnt like the whole Chloe in a wheelchair thing.

besides the episode did little in moving things forward other than just do random creepy "time is breaking!" shit

remember ghost bambi? fuck that too!

remember your choices throughout the game? fuck you! two endings! we love mass effect 3

hated it; not because of the game's themes.

It wasn't time breaking it was Max breaking. You made a metric ton of choices throughout the game, they shaped your experience through the game and even afterwards considering which successes and which guilts you carried through past the end. You still saved Kate, you still killed alt Chloe, you still friended Victoria, you still won against Jefferson, saying none of that mattered is like saying nothing in our lives matter because one way or another we will end our relationships, move to another town, leave our friends behind, or even die... they have value because at that point you chose and decided which kind of player you were, who you talked to, who you thought was worth saving and who deserved your good will. From a gameplay standpoint, it was important as well because if you're making a game not just with, but about choice, it's important that you have points at which your choices are not within your control, but forced onto you, because part of growing up is understanding that choice in life is not a simple matter.

I don't even think you should have had a choice at the end. Because you don't really, choosing to kill Archadia is so obviously the evil ending that it goes against every other message in the game.

 

[Salsa]

I don't even think you should have had a choice at the end. Because you don't really, choosing to kill Archadia is so obviously the evil ending that it goes against every other message in the game.

don't get me wrong I think this would have been better too. Hence why I said in my original post that I actually laughed out loud at them driving the truck and smiling at each other before driving away from their dead friends and family.

 

[TheLostBigBoss]

I mean, forget the ending decision, which is what you guys seem to be focusing on and realize im talking about the entire ending itself

how is it not a cheapshot when you're diggin out dirt on this family and suddenly they don't care anymore cause Jefferson is some psycho creep out of nowhere who was some sort of weird puppet master

him being the villain literally only worked as some sort of OMG! twist. I even forgave it last ep cause I figured he was a part of something bigger

...nope.

Huh? The prescots are a fucked family but that's designed as a red herring. Especially when the Jefferson says this,

"I could frame any one of you in a dark corner, and capture you in a moment of desperation"

at the very start of episode 1.

 

[Salsa]

Huh? The prescots are a fucked family but that's designed as a red herring. Especially when the Jefferson says this,

"I could frame any one of you in a dark corner, and capture you in a moment of desperation"

at the very start of episode 1.

oh cmonnnnnnnnnn

you're actually siding with the game on the twist because of the use of one line?

sure they used it as a red herring, but it becomes an issue when the red herring you're using to fool the player away is way more interesting than what actually happens, which is completely out of the blue and has no connection to anything other than that super cheap line that he actually brings up as if it were smart

they introduce the town as a weird creepy place with many shit behind it, the whole family, the homeless woman..

yet nope. some weird crazy psycho, you wont get furter in that town thing, the family was just being controlled even tho the game went as far as to talk about past generations of it and all, and the homeless lady? 'oh there's her spot, I hope she's ok!'

as cheap as ghost bambi being just a pendant on the funeral at the end. just abandoned it all for crazy psycho teacher.

the strength of a twist doesnt come from how out of left field it is. specially when in the end you just "tie it up" with one line of dialogue.


we'll just agree to disagree I guess

 

[Nappuccino]

oh cmonnnnnnnnnn

you're actually siding with the game on the twist because of the use of one line?

sure they used it as a red herring, but it becomes an issue when the red herring you're using to fool the player away is way more interesting than what actually happens, which is completely out of the blue and has no connection to anything other than that super cheap line that he actually brings up as if it were smart

they introduce the town as a weird creepy place with many shit behind it, the whole family, the homeless woman..

yet nope. some weird crazy psycho, you wont get furter in that town thing, the family was just being controlled even tho the game went as far as to talk about past generations of it and all, and the homeless lady? 'oh there's her spot, I hope she's ok!'

as cheap as ghost bambi being just a pendant on the funeral at the end. just abandoned it all for crazy psycho teacher.

the strength of a twist doesnt come from how out of left field it is. specially when in the end you just "tie it up" with one line of dialogue.


we'll just agree to disagree I guess

There are a number of lines that point toward Mr. Jefferson. Rumors of his romance with students, arguments on the phone etc.

 

[BaraSailey]

Just beat this an hour ago, and I'm still absorbing it all. I started to have a hunch that Max saving Chloe's life was the thing that messed everything up at the beginning of Chapter 5, and I was bummed to find out I was right. I ended up sacrificing Chloe, because it was the right thing to do, and Chloe agreed to it, but damn, was that a rough sacrifice. I want to see the other ending, as well as replay the story to make some different decisions to see how it effects the story and Max's relationships with the other characters.

I loved this game though, truly an incredible experience. This could be my game of the year, which I was definitely not expecting coming into this.