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The Best Ending

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Michael "Macstorm" Cunningham
STAFF EDITORIALIST

Ah, multiple endings. Are they a creative way to give players full control of the story or a pathetic attempt to try to mask a completely linear game? It depends on the game. Some games have done a great job of allowing the player to choose their own destiny. Other games just make you mad.

Chrono Trigger is an effective example of multiple endings done well. The ending a player would receive had reasoning behind it. The things you did or didn't do and the people you interacted with could all change the outcome. Those who have played it understand that these endings truly add to the replay value. It's was brilliant move and something that only Chrono Cross has really come close to matching. In this case, the best ending was something worth fighting to obtain.

Suikoden games do a fair job of giving bonuses at the end of the games for meeting certain requirements, but none of these truly change the overall story as a whole. Most of the time, gathering all 108 stars to get a little bonus at the end of the game is more frustrating than anything. The Suikoden series can't be faulted, because it never touted the same kind of system that Chrono Trigger did. It was just a reward for doing all that the game allowed. It didn't really add a lot of replayability, but it could very well extend the playtime. Other games were not so nice.

I'm not going to attack Final Fantasy X-2, but I have to say that getting 100% complete in order to obtain the best ending was a complete pain. Having to speak with certain people at specific times, going out of your way to complete pointless missions, and required playing of mini-games are just a few of the things that you had to do to obtain the best ending. True, must like the Suikoden games, it didn't really change the overall story, but the trip to the best ending was not enjoyable and more than a little frustrating.

Will RPGamers ever see another game that gives the freedom of Chrono Trigger? Nippon Ichi's upcoming Soul Cradle has had mention of something that could end up being similar, but that could just be the rumors talking.