The ending is really disappointing (SPOILERS....DUH!)

[TheObermotz1]

Is it just me or was the ending (as it currently exists) really underwhelming?

When I started to play The Forest I found it very intriguing. The man in red, the mutants, a key card and the huge hole in the middle of nowhere were mysterious and caused many speculations as to what was really going on in the forest (or underneath it). Are the mutants space aliens or some ancient race of subterranean monsters that lived underneath the forest? Why are the cannibals worshiping the player when he wears red paint? What do these ancient metal structures inside the cave system mean?

Most of these questions were (in my opinions very clumsily) answered by the devs in an update, that came out a while ago. Up to the door that requires the key card the game was fantastic, but that quickly changed after opening it.
Behind that door is an underground research facility, researching an ancient artifact which can bring people back to life. The man in red is just some Johnny with red paint all over him (which doesn't explain why the cannibals worship him/the player) and who lost his daughter to...something. He causes the player's plane to crash, hoping that by some miracle somebody survives the crash and isn't immediately eaten by the cannibals (which happened to every single passenger except Timmy and the player). Then he drags Timmy all the way through the caves, just to stuff him into an ancient artifact that brings people back to life by draining and transferring the life out of anyone who has been placed into the artifact to a dead person. However, the artifact doesn't just bring them back but also mutates everyone who uses it into a horrible monstrosity, that kills and eats everyone it can find. This very thing happens to the kidnapper and his daughter, who he tried to resurrect, turns ballistic.

AND AFTER FINDING OUT ALL OF THIS AND KILLING THE HORRIBLE DAUGHTER MUTANT, THE PLAYER CHARACTER THINKS ITS A GOOD IDEA TO REPEAT EVERYTHING THE MAN IN RED DID PREVIOUSLY! NOW HE WANTS TO RESURRECT TIMMY, EVEN THOUGH HE KNOWS THAT IT WILL BACKFIRE HORRIBLY. HE USES A SECOND ARTIFACT (THAT CAME OUT OF F.CKING NOWHERE AND IS BARELY EXPLAINED AT ALL) TO SHOOT DOWN ANOTHER PLANE AND KIDNAP A NEW KID.

And after all that the game thinks it can work in a twist at the end...turns out your son does turn into a mutant...yes, I'm serious.

Furthermore, the ending becomes obvious as soon as the Player finds dead Timmy. Hm...a machine that brings back the dead and that requires a living sacrifice. A second (unexplained) artifact that shoots down planes. Hmmmmmm...everyone who uses the machine will turn into a mutant. HMMMMMMMMM...


The actions of the player character are those of a ♥♥♥♥♥♥. He knows exactly what is going to happen (and the player does as well) but he does it anyway. This and the fact that the ending is completely predicable ruins everything the game has been building up to and leaves the player unsatisfied.

[Klarum]

Actually i didnt mind the story so much. It is actually good even if like you say somewhat predictable. As a parent everyone would make that choice just for the chance it may work with your kid. And there are a couple of good plot surprises (the little girl was awesome).

What really left me confused was that now I am done with the game... I mean it is still in alpha! I didnt even build a base! I got so intrigued by the caves and clues that i just had to know more. Now why would i go back to build a base and "survive" in the wild?! Makes no sense to me :)

I guess you can see it as 2 games in one. I liked the adventure game. I dont care for minecraft style games.

Still worth the money.

[TheObermotz1]

@Klarum

Don't get me wrong, I like the game a lot (except the ending). Surviving in the wildernes and hunting for food, as you're fighting against the hostile tribes is awesome.

Another ending or multiple endings would be a good idea (it could depend on if you resurrect Timmy or if you even want to leave the island). That way the player would not be forced to repeat the cycle even though he doesn't want to.

[Miss Melody]

the reason the cannibles worship him is cus the mutants were conditioned by the red paint the man in red's daughter suffered multiple spinal lacerations (probably from him but that is speculation currently.) also he did kinda go insane

[DanteBrane]

I think it would be cool if the ending you get would depend on your sanity. With high sanity, your character would realize that his son is gone and that trying to revive him would end in disaster. He buries his son, pays his respects, and survives on the island until he is rescued. Medium sanity could be what the ending is now. With clouded judgement, he revives his son and hopes for the best. After the stuff he's been through he is still desperate to revive his son.

Maybe with low sanity the character chooses to revive his son, but he mutates almost instantly and the character is forced to kill him. Traumatized by everything he has been through and having to put his son down after a short lived reunion, he loses his humanity and rational thinking. He becomes the new red cannibal and kills any outsider that comes to the island and acts as the leader/god of the cannibals. Since red paint makes the cannibals submissive, the character could exploit them anyway he wants to. Of course, the devs could tweak these endings to what they envision.

Or they can give you a simple choice on whether to push the button or not. After that, you should be able to survive on the island and try things to contact a passing plane or ship. It would be cool to see how the main character and his son were rescued. If the devs choose to make a sequel to this game, maybe the true ending would be mentioned in it.

[eggman]

Originally posted by DanteBrane:

I think it would be cool if the ending you get would depend on your sanity. With high sanity, your character would realize that his son is gone and that trying to revive him would end in disaster. He buries his son, pays his respects, and survives on the island until he is rescued. Medium sanity could be what the ending is now. With clouded judgement, he revives his son and hopes for the best. After the stuff he's been through he is still desperate to revive his son.

Maybe with low sanity the character chooses to revive his son, but he mutates almost instantly and the character is forced to kill him. Traumatized by everything he has been through and having to put his son down after a short lived reunion, he loses his humanity and rational thinking. He becomes the new red cannibal and kills any outsider that comes to the island and acts as the leader/god of the cannibals. Since red paint makes the cannibals submissive, the character could exploit them anyway he wants to. Of course, the devs could tweak these endings to what they envision.

Or they can give you a simple choice on whether to push the button or not. After that, you should be able to survive on the island and try things to contact a passing plane or ship. It would be cool to see how the main character and his son were rescued. If the devs choose to make a sequel to this game, maybe the true ending would be mentioned in it.

Yes, I like this idea a lot since the sanity doesn't really affect anything at all currently..

[Sivarg]

I was shocked (In a good way, to what was underground, lab etc) and think its awesome, but i do agree with OP, the lack of not being able to choose any other options is dissapointing. They did make it really good though. Shocking, sad ending, but it is what some people would do, to get their loved ones back. Its the same with the Last of Us ending. Joel and the girl arrive to a safe place to live with many others. The others want the kid because shes immune to the virus that tore earth apart in the first place. But it'll kill her, Joel finds out. Joel refuses that, and thus, kills several people, and ruins the chance of possibly finding a cure for humanity. It's so sad, but it shows that some people wont take the choice for the greater good. The forest here, the ending, is that its very likely Timmy became a monster as the daughter, and killed alot of innocent people, while the main character simply watches on in horror. Maybe only then realising what he's done?

[South Paw]

Tl:dr in dhort its still an alpha. We wanted a game that we could beat and thats what they gave us. The ending is more than subject to change ad the game takes shape in the future

[Avanar]

Agree. Its boring and disappointing. Though i assume it's just a place holder.

First because it feels too easy to explain everything like that, second because the final scene in tv has blurred frames. Like it's only a vision or a dream.

[DanteBrane]

Looking back I feel like they added an ending so early because people kept pestering them to open the vault door, they had to think of something to please everyone. I do like the ending, but some things still need to be explained and I'm guessing they will fix the ending up or even change it. I would like to see journals from scientists and explorers on the island that talk about their experiences with the cannibals and mutants. It would be a nice touch too if you could find journals recorded on cassette tapes that you can listen too that explains more about the island.

[Deadman]

I was pleased with the ending myself, was a nice twist to the story at the end.

[South Paw]

Originally posted by Deadman:

I was pleased with the ending myself, was a nice twist to the story at the end.

was it really a twist? I saw it coming from a mile away, but then again i spend a lot more time deciphering the story than most people do so i expected it from the information gathered

[Maniek]

TheObermotz1 - I totaly disagree with You that Ending is disappointing, parents are not thinking strait if thier childs fate is on stake. It's very good story, twist was also really nice. It would be great idea to have few endings based on sanity like DanteBrane said.

Come on did anyone belived that You will find Your son unharmed and alive somwhere in the cave ? That would be terribly stupid.

[South Paw]

Originally posted by Maniek:

TheObermotz1 - I totaly disagree with You that Ending is disappointing, parents are not thinking strait if thier childs fate is on stake. It's very good story, twist was also really nice. It would be great idea to have few endings based on sanity like DanteBrane said.

Come on did anyone belived that You will find Your son unharmed and alive somwhere in the cave ? That would be terribly stupid.

i really cant see how people thought it was a twist. Red man obviously did the same thing with his daughter and then you come along and do the exact same thing after seeing the monster his daughter becomes. It might be better if you found the story peices in the world and could opt not to do that to the world then it would be good.

[Wariat117]

Originally posted by South Paw:

i really cant see how people thought it was a twist. Red man obviously did the same thing with his daughter and then you come along and do the exact same thing after seeing the monster his daughter becomes.

I'm curious how many people connected the fact that she turns into spider because of the revive instantly, I didn't connect it until "1 year later" scene

[South Paw]

Originally posted by Wariat117:

Originally posted by South Paw:

i really cant see how people thought it was a twist. Red man obviously did the same thing with his daughter and then you come along and do the exact same thing after seeing the monster his daughter becomes.

I'm curious how many people connected the fact that she turns into spider because of the revive instantly, I didn't connect it until "1 year later" scene

Well to my knowledge little girls dont gouge their fathers eyes out with crayons and turn into spider monsters spewing babies at me, so yes, i connected it to the magic back to life machine :P