The endings, and why they are all terrible.

[Sofia]

First of all, this thread is going to be entirely unoriginal. Everything I am about to say, has been said by others, but I'm angry and I need to vent.

Every ending to this game is terrible. There are no good endings. No, not even the nomad with judy romance ending.

I love CDPR. TW3 is my favorite game of all time. I love their writing. But they seriously dropped the ball here.

Every ending has V either dead, or doomed to die very soon, and there is no reason for it. Let's get two important facts out of the way first.

Cyberpunk as a game genre was created by Mike Pondsmith. He himself has gone on record as saying "Cyberpunk is not about saving the world, It's ab out saving yourself." So why is it impossible to save ourselves? The creator of the genre says otherwise.

But alright, let's go ahead and say that CDPR had no obligation to follow along with Mike's quotes, which of course, they did not.

The game itself says the endings are bad writing.

Vik says early in the game, that if you lose an arm, it can be replaced, or hell, even your whole body. But a mind cannot be fixed, it is the one part of a human that cannot be replaced. That is one in game source stating it is possible to replace a human body.

Saburo Arasaka, in the 'bad ending' places his mind into the body of his son. That is a second in game source stating it is possible to replace a human body.

Lizzy Wizzy, a character from a series of side quests, is a music artist who killed herself on stage, and died, but had her mind placed into a fully robotic body. That is a third in game source stating it is possible to replace a human body.

So the end of the game comes, and your mind is fully intact as an engram, but guess what "Your body is dying, and there is nothing anyone can do about it"

Excuse me? My mind is completely intact. Yes, it has been changed very slightly, but Alt confirms that our Engram is completely stable. Our mind is intact, and can be placed back into our body. It is our body that is damaged beyond repair.

There is zero reasoning what so ever that we cannot have our mind placed into a robotic body, like Lizzy did. Yes, in Saburo's case, it only worked because it was his son, someone with his DNA, that he was placed into. But Lizzy proves that isn't a requirement. She is a human mind living in a fully robotic body. The game PROVES that it is possible within their own game, but seemingly forgets or ignores that when it comes to the endings because

"Ughh, it's cyberpunk, everything is dark and terrible, and there are no happy endings!"

The creator of Cyberpunk would beg to differ.

TL:DR The endings are trash and the writers chose to ignore their own writing for the sake of gritty dark endings.

[Shift]

Opprinnelig skrevet av Delamain:

Opprinnelig skrevet av eides72:

I think they haven't been added yet. I would bet seeking treatment will be an option.

Woulndt work, at least in the Nomad ending. You leave the State without looking back after all.

They're going for Arizona and if IRC from my times on the pen and papper, Arizona isn't that far from NC to the point nomads often go from one side to the other quite frequently. Nothing that they couldn't justify as "for this to work, you have to get back to NC".

Even so, I think NC ark is done, the city was already complete on the main game. I don't see why not a 'we got news that someone on Arizona may help you' and send you there for a quick trip, even you haven't picked the nomads ending (provided you haven't killed V on your ending, that is).

[Melexstarkiller]

Opprinnelig skrevet av Sofia Marina Jinx:

Opprinnelig skrevet av Turn5ignal:

Or at least give me a badass punk ending where V gets to tear down Arasaka tower and kill the leader. At least then V would get closure knowing he made a difference.

I would have been completely fine with that. An ending where V and Silverhand destroy Arasaka permanently, killing Yorinobu and destroying Saburo's engram, but dying in the process, would have been perfect for me.

I was actually expecting the game to go in that direction, the game feels more like survival instead of ♥♥♥♥ corporations, which is a big theme in cyberpunk and this game. Yet there is no ending where you take down Arasaka? Hell I just did the Panam ending, which is my favorite ending, and on the radio you here that SPOILER: the sister dies for some reason and the brother is the only survivor.
I actually would have been okay with that if they got ride of the 6 month thing, cause now its a battle against Arasaka and the Nomads.

[Ogami]

Opprinnelig skrevet av jedimastermelex:

[SPOILER: the sister dies for some reason and the brother is the only survivor.

Yorinobu had his sister killed and blamed it on the Nomad attack since it was convinient.
In the Arasaka ending its more obvious that its what he planned.
She was the only one who could challenge him for rule of Arasaka.

[Melexstarkiller]

Opprinnelig skrevet av Shift:

Opprinnelig skrevet av Delamain:

Woulndt work, at least in the Nomad ending. You leave the State without looking back after all.

They're going for Arizona and if IRC from my times on the pen and papper, Arizona isn't that far from NC to the point nomads often go from one side to the other quite frequently. Nothing that they couldn't justify as "for this to work, you have to get back to NC".

Even so, I think NC ark is done, the city was already complete on the main game. I don't see why not a 'we got news that someone on Arizona may help you' and send you there for a quick trip, even you haven't picked the nomads ending (provided you haven't killed V on your ending, that is).

They can always choose a canon ending. But I would like to see a dlc that adds another area or two. Fallout did that really well with Fallout 4. Far Harbor was my favorite DLC and Nuka world was second.

[Melexstarkiller]

Opprinnelig skrevet av Ogami:

Opprinnelig skrevet av jedimastermelex:

[SPOILER: the sister dies for some reason and the brother is the only survivor.

Yorinobu had his sister killed and blamed it on the Nomad attack since it was convinient.
In the Arasaka ending its more obvious that its what he planned.
She was the only one who could challenge him for rule of Arasaka.

Ah okay, I was confused about that part but it makes sense.

[Sm1te]

Come on, what is wrong with endings? Did you even play this game? It is not ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ disneyland, you know? Life in the Night City is despair and torture, look at these people in the alleyways sleeping on cardboard boxes and begging for alms. See the city park completely polluted with garbage, the complete destruction of animals and birds. All more or less worthy people in this game strive to leave Night City - Judy, Panam.

V was KILLED early in the game as a shameful thief, and was given the opportunity to make the rest of his days something worthwhile. The whole story is built on this.

I don’t even want to think how much worse a happy ending would be for such a story, in such a world.

[Shift]

Opprinnelig skrevet av Sm1te:

Come on, what is wrong with endings? Did you even play this game? It is not ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ disneyland, you know? Life in the Night City is despair and torture, look at these people in the alleyways sleeping on cardboard boxes and begging for alms. See the city park completely polluted with garbage, the complete destruction of animals and birds. All more or less worthy people in this game strive to leave Night City - Judy, Panam.

V was KILLED early in the game as a shameful thief, and was given the opportunity to make the rest of his days something worthwhile. The whole story is built on this.

I don’t even want to think how much worse a happy ending would be for such a story, in such a world.

Main reason why leaving the city behind is the only ending with a more positive note. As for me, I don't expect a 'and they lived happy forever', just for either being able to complete side quests with my mind at ease that I've already done the main quest OR complete the game with a definite conclusion.

Besides, I don't see why one can't afford a positive ending amongst several negative ones. It's a RPG even if one doesn't want to tag as such, so nothing forcing someone to pick a conclusion you don't think fit your character.

And, cyberpunk is about how society is so ♥♥♥♥♥♥ up even the most rebelious soul can't even make a dent on the status quo, not about being tragic and sad for everyone.

[Ben Elohim]

Yep. Just slap V's consciousness into a modified Full Body Conversion from the tabletop game. Vat grow an organic brain if need be (though that's probably not necessary). Don't want chrome like Lizzie? Go for a Raven Micro-cybernetics Gemini model. Even if the corp isn't still around I'm sure the designs are.

[Ogami]

Opprinnelig skrevet av Ben Elohim:

Yep. Just slap V's consciousness into a modified Full Body Conversion from the tabletop game. Vat grow an organic brain if need be (though that's probably not necessary). Don't want chrome like Lizzie? Go for a Raven Micro-cybernetics Gemini model. Even if the corp isn't still around I'm sure the designs are.

Yeah it felt a bit forced by the writing that in that world there would be no other option AT ALL.

[HTakara]

Opprinnelig skrevet av Sofia Marina Jinx:

I enjoy the panam/nomad ending. Especially for female V who can bring along Judy (because even in the male one, where you romance Panam, her credits call reveals the relationship doesnt work because she's so busy leading the clan.)

uh wut? it does work out, she was just calling you to tell you that they got caught up in a sand storm and that she'll make it up to you when she gets back, you don't say that to someone you're no longer with. the thing about leading the clan was just her venting about how difficult it is for her.

[Core]

I disagree with the arguments stating the endings being appropriate because the theme is "dark". If that was the case, there would not be a f..king loser in the story who had kidney failed, carried a nuclear bomb, planted it, exploded it, walked away unscathed, arm ripped off once, shot off twice, gutted with blades, soul killed, buried, aged for 50 years probably along with that lice in his pants.

If you look at how Keanu Reeves has the story with 3 women, including a romantic drive-in, 5 minute sex scene with another, while V, if male and like women has only Panam, whether he likes it or not, you might believe me.
Now let's look at it from Silverhand side. Choices are: "Refuse death and join AI ranks after all the ♥♥♥♥ you pulled", "After living one life, wrecking your body, treating your people as ♥♥♥♥ and waved off all your chances, lose then resurrect using another person's body"(immediately or after 6 months per game choice).

It's the story of Johnny Silverhand, not V. This labels this story as "bad production". And this is why the ending feels "bad".

[Sofia]

Opprinnelig skrevet av Ben Elohim:

Yep. Just slap V's consciousness into a modified Full Body Conversion from the tabletop game. Vat grow an organic brain if need be (though that's probably not necessary). Don't want chrome like Lizzie? Go for a Raven Micro-cybernetics Gemini model. Even if the corp isn't still around I'm sure the designs are.

I actually believe the corp is still around. You can get several raven items in the game, including a cyberdeck. The robot from the beginning, the little one you get from the maelstrom, also has raven software. I've personally never played the tabletop, so I was unaware full conversion was a thing there. The fact it is just makes me more angry they ignore it for the sake of a grimdark ending.

[Ogami]

Opprinnelig skrevet av Sofia Marina Jinx:

I actually believe the corp is still around. You can get several raven items in the game, including a cyberdeck. The robot from the beginning, the little one you get from the maelstrom, also has raven software. I've personally never played the tabletop, so I was unaware full conversion was a thing there. The fact it is just makes me more angry they ignore it for the sake of a grimdark ending.

I honestly suspect the reason they force the " 6 months to live" on us in nearly every ending is because they plan to address that in a future DLC so everyone has a reason to follow that DLC storyline, no matter if you choose Arakawa, or Panam or the Rouge/Secret Ending.


Effectively only the Johnny and sucide endings prevent a continuation of that plotline.

[Sofia]

Opprinnelig skrevet av Ogami:

Opprinnelig skrevet av Sofia Marina Jinx:

I actually believe the corp is still around. You can get several raven items in the game, including a cyberdeck. The robot from the beginning, the little one you get from the maelstrom, also has raven software. I've personally never played the tabletop, so I was unaware full conversion was a thing there. The fact it is just makes me more angry they ignore it for the sake of a grimdark ending.

I honestly suspect the reason they force the " 6 months to live" on us in nearly every ending is because they plan to address that in a future DLC so everyone has a reason to follow that DLC storyline, no matter if you choose Arakawa, or Panam or the Rouge/Secret Ending.


Effectively only the Johnny and sucide endings prevent a continuation of that plotline.

I really hope you're right. Unfortunately there are so many obvious DLC openings in this game im worried that won't be one of them.

[Ogami]

I mean, at the moment they must desperately search for ways to please their customers with everything going on.
There is a big thread on the CDPR forums about the endings with a poll and only like 2% of users voted that they are satisfied with the endings while like 70% voted they want at least one "happier" ending.

So if they read that it should be obvious what a good way to get some goodwill back from the community is.
That and a bunch of bug fixes of course.

But we will see, it worked for Mass Effect 3 and EA with the Extendend Ending Cut.
Maybe here too.