Games Where the Canon Ending is the Worst Outcome

It’s become common for games to have multiple endings, often determined by the choices players make and how they play. Even games with a strong, fixed storyline frequently offer some way to influence the final outcome. For example, a game like The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt creates different endings based on the player’s relationship with a character named Ciri, providing a satisfying conclusion to the adventure.

It’s always a little weird when a game has a sequel that doesn’t remember what I did in the first one, right? Usually, the developers have to pick a specific ending to be the ‘official’ one so they can continue the story. Sometimes they’ll go with the ‘good’ ending if there is one, but other times they actually build the next game off the worst possible outcome! I’ve been thinking about it, and here are seven games where the sequel basically pretends the worst thing happened at the end of the first game.

Be warned: the following discussion contains major spoilers for these games: Drakengard, Nier, XCOM: Enemy Unknown, Shadow Hearts, Shadow Hearts 2, Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain, Far Cry 5, Far Cry New Dawn, Metro 2033, and Fatal Frame. If you haven’t played these games and want to avoid spoilers, please skip ahead.

Drakengard

Mass Destruction of Two Worlds

Most of the endings in Drakengard are bleak. Even the first ending, known as Ending A, is tinged with sadness, as Caim’s dragon companion, Angelus, sacrifices herself to save the world and become a new seal. While often considered the best outcome, the connection to Drakengard 2 is unclear. It’s not entirely certain if Drakengard 2 officially fits into the overall storyline, as various sources offer conflicting information.

Though Yoko Taro’s games often feature complex timelines and branching stories, the most significant continuation comes from the bleakest ending in Drakengard: Ending E. This ending directly sets the stage for the world of Nier, and the events leading up to it are incredibly strange – filled with major character deaths and, memorably, giant, flying, man-eating babies. It’s widely considered one of the most unusual endings in video game history.

The unfolding events brought the world to the brink of destruction, but Caim and Angelus ultimately confronted and defeated the final enemy, the Queen Beast. This battle transported them and the Queen Beast to present-day Tokyo. Though victorious, they were then shot down by a fighter jet as the Queen Beast’s body shattered into countless fragments.

These microscopic particles directly cause White Chlorination Syndrome, a disease that either kills people or drives them to violently attack others. This ultimately leads to the downfall of humanity, as depicted in the stories of Nier and Nier: Automata. Originally intended as a lighthearted joke, Ending E has become incredibly popular and influential, contributing to the creation of Yoko Taro’s most famous and successful games.

XCOM: Enemy Unknown

XCOM Has Failed

Originally planned as a faithful recreation of the 1994 game, the 2012 strategy game XCOM: Enemy Unknown is widely considered a fantastic reboot. The game has two possible outcomes: either humanity successfully defeats the alien invaders, destroying their ship near Earth, or the player loses and the game ends.

The worst possible outcome happened because the countries of Earth gave up on the XCOM project and surrendered to the alien invaders. This is the situation that sets the stage for XCOM 2. After XCOM was shut down, the aliens took complete control and have been ruling over humanity for two decades.

Now operating in secret from a mobile base called the Avenger, XCOM needs to win over public support and reveal the aliens’ sinister schemes. Like in XCOM: Enemy Unknown, players will research new technologies and attack alien strongholds, growing their forces in preparation for a final showdown.

Shadow Hearts

Yuri Survives, but the Cost Is High

In the 2001 role-playing game Shadow Hearts, the protagonist Yuri is haunted by four malevolent spirits called the Four Masks. These spirits reside within Yuri’s subconscious and feed on the negativity from the demons he defeats, using it to try and harm him – essentially seeking revenge for their fellow demons. If Yuri doesn’t confront his inner darkness, the Masks will unleash a powerful assassin, known as Fox Face, to kill him in the real world.

Eventually, Yuri loses control and merges with a demon, forcing the group to intervene. Afterwards, Alice tries to get Yuri’s soul back from Fox Face, but has to trade her own soul in the process. However, if the player has completed certain sidequests and made specific dialogue choices, Yuri can help Alice, saving them both.

So, the real bad ending is pretty rough. It’s when I have to face the Masks and this seriously powerful evil they summon, Atman, all by myself. Basically, I get beaten by Atman inside Yuri’s mind, and it ends with me… well, let’s just say my soul gets consumed. A lot of what happens is the same as the good ending, but instead of pulling through, I give in to losing my soul and… I die. It’s not a happy time, obviously.

The story of Shadow Hearts Covenant picks up directly after the ending of the first Shadow Hearts game, with Yuri now dedicated to protecting others, taking on the role Alice previously held. Interestingly, Shadow Hearts: Covenant considers both endings of the original game to be official canon, and even shows Yuri traveling back in time with the opportunity to save Alice. These Shadow Hearts games are considered some of the best RPGs for the PlayStation 2, which makes it disappointing that they haven’t received the recognition they deserve and have largely been forgotten.

Blood Omen: Legacy Of Kain

Kain’s Not the Guy to Make the Sacrifice Play

I’m a huge fan of Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain, and it’s such a cool story! Basically, you play as Kain, a vampire, and he’s on this quest to fix Nosgoth by rebuilding these ancient Pillars. He goes around defeating all these tough bosses to restore eight of the nine Pillars, but then he discovers a shocking truth: he’s the final guardian, and the only way to truly restore balance to the land is for him to sacrifice himself. It’s a really powerful twist!

So, in the first game, Blood Omen, you actually get a choice about whether or not to make a big sacrifice. But honestly, the real ending, the one that sets everything up, is when you refuse it. It’s a tough call, but refusing dooms Nosgoth to basically just rot away forever. When you don’t go through with the sacrifice, the pillars fall, and the land gets totally overrun by corruption. That decision is what Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver builds on. The sequel takes place almost 1500 years later, and now I’m playing as Kain, ruling over this completely wrecked world.

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Far Cry 5

You’ll Need More Than Two Graves for Revenge

In Far Cry 5, you play as The Deputy, a character you can customize, who is sent to Hope County, Montana, with the task of arresting a preacher named Joseph Seed. Things initially seem to go smoothly, but Seed’s cult quickly retaliates and attacks the police.

At the climax of the game, The Deputy confronts Joseph, the leader of Eden’s Gate, and must decide whether to fight or walk away. Choosing to walk away allows The Deputy and their friends to escape unharmed, and they plan to call in the National Guard for help. However, if The Deputy chooses to fight, their friends will turn against them, resulting in a battle against both the cult and those former allies.

Following the intense showdown, nuclear explosions devastate Hope County, claiming the lives of everyone the Deputy knows during their escape. Only the Deputy and Joseph Seed survive, sheltering in a bunker. This cataclysmic event sets the stage for the next game, Far Cry New Dawn.

Set 17 years after the events of Far Cry 5, New Dawn brings back Joseph Seed as a key figure. This time, he leads a group called New Eden, and instead of fighting against him, the player—a Security Captain—teams up with Joseph to battle the Highwaymen. By the end of Far Cry New Dawn, you get to decide what happens to Joseph Seed for good.

Fatal Frame

Mafuyu Stays Behind to Help

Considered one of the greatest horror games for the PlayStation 2, Fatal Frame launched a popular series that has fascinated horror fans for decades. Unlike many other games, Fatal Frame’s ending isn’t based on a decision you make at the end; it depends entirely on the difficulty level you choose. If you beat the game on Nightmare difficulty, you’ll see an ending where both Miku and Mafuyu survive without harm after Miku successfully purifies the dangerous spirit, Kirie.

This challenging difficulty and its corresponding ending are unlocked after finishing the game. On Xbox, simply seeing the standard ending is enough, but on PlayStation 2, you need to complete all 20 levels of Mission Mode. Interestingly, despite the extra work required to get the ‘good’ ending, it’s actually the normal ending that carries over into the sequels, and it’s noticeably more somber in tone.

The typical ending sees Miku use the fixed mirror to cleanse Kirie, freeing Mafuyu. However, things change after that: Mafuyu chooses to remain in the crumbling cave to help Kirie prevent a disaster. This decision is important for the series’ future; events in Fatal Frame 3 specifically mention what Mafuyu did, and Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water requires this ending to have happened first.

Metro 2033

The Dark Ones are Dead

Twenty years after a worldwide nuclear war, Metro 2033 is set in the ruined city of Moscow. The city is now filled with dangerous mutants and high levels of radiation. Life underground in the metro is a struggle, as different groups fight for dwindling supplies like food and water.

The mutants now live on the surface, having adapted to the harsh radiation and difficult environment. Among them are the Dark Ones—enigmatic beings who can read minds and communicate with humans telepathically. If the player performs enough helpful actions during the game, they’ll be given the option to save the Dark Ones.

The game’s official ending mirrors the source book, showing the Dark Ones being destroyed by a missile while Artyom can only watch. The final scene shows Artyom’s face as the world burns again. The next game, Metro: Last Light, continues Artyom’s story, and he now feels remorseful for killing the Dark Ones, realizing they were simply seeking peace.

2026-05-03 14:36