You’ve spenthoursin a game, finally reaching the end, only to learn that there’s more than one ending. Once you discover a video game with alternate endings, it’s almost blasphemous not to explore each one.
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If replayability is a strong reason behind playing certain games, dozens of games have endings that reach double digits. To help you discover some, we’ve narrowed down a countdown to include video games that have incredible narrative variations in their endings. Due to the topic at hand,spoilers will follow.
To contain the countdown, I’ve eliminated titles like fighting games. These games typically contain dozens of endings related to each character, which can easily expand this list to well over ten.
10Catherine: Full Body
Dating Can Be A Mess Sometimes
Catherine: Full Body
Who could have guessed the difficulties of juggling multiple relationships? Well, Vincent could have, seeing as he seems desperate to cheat on his longtime girlfriend.Catherine: Full Body, the remake of the cult classic Catherine, even throws in a new contender: Rin (aka, Qatherine).
Theremake of this dark and emotional puzzle gamelets us (and Vincent) discover the usual endings on top of new ones for the OG girls and the new girl. How he winds up is up to how you answer all the questions.
9Heavy Rain
So Many Twists And Turns
Heavy Rain
The opening forHeavy Rainis one for the video game history books as it perfectly sets the dark, helpless tone. Mourning the death of your child Jason, and then having Shaun get kidnapped, it’s no wonder Ethan didn’t snap sooner. Whether you end up good, bad, or somewhere in the middle depends on your investigative skills.
Everything has a consequence. Kissed Madison? You’ll see something different. Reject her? Yet another different ending. Poor Ethan and Shaun can end up just like Jason.
8Papers, Please
Border Control In A Dystopian Universe
Papers, Please
Who knew how intense border control could get in a dystopian environment? The puzzle simulatorPapers, Pleasetakes things to new levels. So much so that there are 21 different ways you may end this indie game, and many are unpleasant for you.
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Prison is a big ending many may see, as well as forced labor, being fired, or even getting killed. Even dying instantly unlocks a rare ending. You have plenty of motivation to replay this simulator and make different choices.
7NieR: Automata
Decide The Outcome Of The War
NieR: Automata
The narrative connection of theNieR gamesis impressive considering its spin-off roots. That said, NieR: Automata approaches video games with multiple endings in a fun and interesting way. Said to contain 26 endings, not every variation is serious or even canon.
It demands multiple playthroughs because you’re unable to unlock certain endings if youdon’tgo through the game more than once or twice. It can be as simple as killing a specific person to as comical as running from a boss fight.
6The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
Geralt’s Choices Will Impact Everyone
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
The Witcher 3: Wild Huntis a prime example of how your small choices can have big impacts. There are three “main” story endings, but the scenarios that make up the epilogues will expand that count to 36.
Geralt’s words and actions influence his companions and the world around him. You can support Ciri or drain her of her confidence, and that’ll completely change the ending scenes you’ll get. Even who you date will determine a different epilogue slide.
5Detroit: Become Human
Control The Fate Of Mankind And Androids Alike
Detroit: Become Human
Quantic Dream is at it again. From the moment you startDetroit: Become Human, the gravity of choice is made clear. It’s no surprise that there are 85 variations to the ending of this ambitious video game, a massive undertaking compared to Heavy Rain. With three POVs, the slightest decision or missed QTE can spell a difference.
Markus can become a peaceful android, leaving pleasant ripples behind. Or he can become violent, giving a bad outlook for the rest of his kind. Kara can die before ever being with the other deviants. Connor’s death is the only one not permanent, but considering he’s less himself each time, you may lose him too in a way.
I will admit I didn’t get the best ending possible my first time around, as a couple of failed QTEs saw Kara’s life cut short near the middle or so of the game. However, the variety of endings surprised me less than how the interactions with Chloe changed in the startup menu depending on your choices in-game.
4Star Ocean: The Second Story R
Different Endings Across The Universe
Star Ocean: The Second Story R
Star Ocean: The Second Story R is a remake of the ‘90s classic RPGStar Ocean: The Second Story, and embraces the usual expansive number of endings. As it can follow different characters through a sprawling adventure across the galaxy, the use of multiple endings keeps players returning for more.
you may manipulate many endings based on how little or how many friendship points you have with the rest of the characters. There is even a solo ending for each of the 13 characters on top of paired endings.
3The Quarry
A Night Filled With Horror
The Quarry
As a horror game with several playable characters, The Quarry naturally contains more than one ending. Your choices mean everything, even with QTEs. There are roughly 186 ways the ending can change within the dozen “true” endings.
Lift the curse, kill the family, keep the curse, and even lose all of your friends. Just about everybody can die if you’re not careful. If you’ve only seen one or two endings, it’s worthjumping back in to discover more.
2Until Dawn
This Group Of Friends Doesn’t Seem Very Friendly
Until Dawn
Speaking of horror video games,Until Dawnis much like The Quarry with multiple endings. Slip up on a QTE during an intense chase, and you may kiss some of these characters goodbye. The game merely adapts to each death rather.
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Now, 256 seems like a high number. Similar to some other games on this list, there are about three “true” endings: everyone lives, everyone dies, or only some die. Among those endings come the variations. You’ll notice it more so during the epilogue interviews.
1Baldur’s Gate 3
That Parasitic Tadpole Doesn’t Quit
Baldur’s Gate 3
No, your eyes aren’t deceiving you. The number of endings forBaldur’s Gate 3is17,000. In aninterview with IGN, the devs mentioned there are 17,000 ending variations. Granted, not all are major. Subtle changes lie here and there, but enough to warrant more than a few playthroughs.
Whether you’re an origin character or not already sets the foundation for your future endings. You can even do an “evil” run, killing more people than you save. Or perhaps you’re willing to become a Mind Flayer to finish the job? There are quite a few ways this epic tale can end.
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