So, about the ending... [spoilers]

[Ouroboros]

I think I've figured something out, about the game's story/ending.

Dex was Kether the whole time. The game was a simulation to determine if Dex was "friendly", and moreso to make certain she would be easily controlled.

Decker, Raycast, Tony, all of them, they're all there as part of the conditioning. Decker and Raycast are 'freedom'. One of them dies, and the other betrays Dex. Tony is also freedom, to a lesser extent. Pointless freedoms. Distractions. Basically there just to say "you can hack all the video games you want, you'll be happy as long as you don't try to actually exert free will meaningfully."

The waitress's runaway brother? Tried to escape from his 'destiny' of scrubbing pots.

The random hobo? Wanted to change the world, but eventually was content with just having friends.

"Crash"? A traitor to his ideals.

I could go on, but I won't. Long story short, the world itself feels like it was engineered to specifically generate the idea of 'don't try to have free will. free will is stupid. just do what we tell you.' Similar to how some of the files you can see mention implanting memories to produce certain worldviews.

This even sort of explains why the ending area is arranged how it is. You have two options, but clearly there's a spot for a third. Which you're not allowed to take. Subtle, but possibly relevant. And both choices were basically equivalent too. They both boiled down to 'rule over humanity from the shadows.'

Really, I don't think it's too much of a stretch to just say the entire thing is a simulation made to test and influence Dex.

[Zulgot]

Yea I also thought something similar... But what about the last part of the game, when you step inside the light and then you are in some sort of simulation? I was a bit confused then... What was the purpose of the step-in-light section?

[Ouroboros]

A few final tests. It was weird and didn't make sense, because by that point the simulation was less trying to make sense and more just trying to deal with the last few 'bugs' in the AI. After all, couldn't have Dex thinking that Decker or Richmond got actual happy endings. They were rebels, after all.

[Revolverhawk]

If it was a simulation designed to make us obey, it failed hard. I brought down the complex.

[Ouroboros]

...There was an option to do that? I only saw options to trigger the singularity or to take over the complex. Maybe they added it.

[Revolverhawk]

Originally posted by Ouroboros:

...There was an option to do that? I only saw options to trigger the singularity or to take over the complex. Maybe they added it.

At the end, there is an option to take down the complex on the left. It is near "Trigger the singularity" Which is straight ahead. I looked over both, and took down the complex, because they were a bunch of jerks.

EDIT: The path I took to get there was to move straight ahead, destroying turrets and moving forward until I reached the end point. There was "Trigger Singularity" straight ahead of me, and "take down complex" on the left.

[Ouroboros]

Oh, I get it. That must only show up if you decide to side with Raycast. I played through, sided against Raycast, and got the options to Trigger Singularity straight ahead, and Take Over Complex to my right. I mean, yeah, I sided against Raycast. He was a jerk. I still would have rather destroyed the complex (assuming the clones could be gotten out safely).

[Dilfshake]

This is a great way to look at the game, I agree with your view point!

[The Average Rook]

"Rule The Complex" is unlocked if you hand Raycast over to Hammond and the Complex. "Defeat The Complex" is unlocked if you side with Raycast and apprehend Hammond.
And this is decided during the mission "Meet Raycast".

You will always get the option to "Reach Singularity" and merge with Kether, because The Crow gives you that choice before she dies.