Almost Poignant Ending (Spoilers)

[groovatational]

How did you guys feel about the ending of Shelter 2? It seems it's ambiguous enough that people have various interpretations of exactly what happened. I'll tell you what I thought about my first play through of the game, and how it connects to the ending for me:

All of my kits ended up dying fairly early from starvation except one. Me and this one single kit travelled far and wide looking for food. We outran wolves, we explored new places together, I watched my kit grow up and we began to hunt side by side. Then one day my last kit stopped walking beside me and wouldn't respond when I called to it any longer. Soon it ran off and up over a hill. I tried to chase it but when I could finally run again and I crested the hill, it was gone. I wandered for a while, thinking I may see it again, or that perhaps I could find some purpose in the lone wilderness. Eventually I went back to my den. I followed the stars. And then, while walking through the dark towards the strange, mystical hill of fireflies, suddenly my cub was there, running to me! We ran through the field together and walked side by side. Until the scene gently faded out, with us two walking into the distance, perhaps reminiscing about our lynx memories.

I was absolutely touched and blown away by such an ending. It really got to me, and I won't lie, I would have cried a little if I hadn't been embarassed because I was in a room with other people. To me, an ending like that really said something about life, about how people may come and go from our lives but in the end what really matters is the conncetion we had and that we cared for each other while we were together. It reminded me of all the people who are no longer in my life for whatever reason, whether it be growing up and moving away, or just diverging life choices, or even passing on.

And then I found out what I thought was my kit CHILD is just some dude linx trying to get all up on my junk. And hey, don't get me wrong, I like love just fine. But I had no connection to this dude linx! Why should I care about him when he doesn't have relevance to the game I played?

When my boyfriend played through the game I didn't tell him what would happen at the end because I wanted to see his reaction, and sure enough he excitedly exclaimed 'it's one of my kids!' at the end. And then he worriedly asked 'but where are the others?' So it's clearly an interpretation that's easy to take away.

Anyway, I personally feel the ending to Shelter 2 would be greatly improved if at the end you met up again with all your surviving children and walked through the field together, to remind us that those people whow may no longer be in our lives for whatever reason still matter to us. Do other people feel that would be too cheesy? Let me know.

[Murcrove]

I thought the same thing, but only about my dead kit. I had only one die so, I thought it was him. Greeting me to the afterlife. Forgiving me for failing him, not rescuing him when he was lost, scared and alone in the dark smog that had swallowed the land. I thought he was right behind me. Then I heard his scared meows too late, I turned around, and cried back. I ran and ran then. He was gone. I couldn't smell him anymore.

I thought that maybe. He had gotten past all that, realized I was trying my best as a first time mother. And came to welcome me to the afterlife, to make sure that at least I wasn't alone.

Then I played the game again.

I made to be VERY sure that all my kits survived....

It actually made my heart break when I realized it didn't mean anything. And it was some like. Celestial lynx or a random mate.

I think it would be amazing to meet your kits again- like if some of your kits die, you can meet them again in that spiritual place (Though, I do think it's just the map at night- but because there are no actual like 'nighttime' in the game, I think it may be a spiritual place. OR it could be a dream?) OR if all of your kits live then you meet your mother? Or you could meet all your kits- and maybe a few of their off spring too? I'd like to think that they lived for a little while after I finished raising them to feel like a more accomplished mother.

[CornyCryolo]

Actually, That's not your dead white cub, if yours died, It's Inna's mate returning to her.

[Murcrove]

It's a different color every time, sometimes he's white, most of the time he's black in my games. But I've had white and red and whatever. And Lynx don't mate for life, so he's like a new mate or spiritual guide or whatever.

[Ghastjio]

You know, I honestly thought that the lynx at the end was my mother returning to me, sympathizing for the cubs I lost. Is it really a male lynx?

[Murcrove]

Well, I have had like 6 generations in my family tree and I've seen the black lynx at the end 4 times, and I've only played as the black kitten twice. I'll keep going and write down what colors are whose parents and make sure. I would really like it to be your mother, as it would be a very special connection at that point- like "I understand how hard it is now, thank you for everything you did for me." and then you can be care free and happy with the Lynx that raised you, haha!

Edit: The lynx that I played as last's parent was the red lynx, the Lynx that I got was white.

[Ghastjio]

Awww. Ok then. Kinda ruins it for me, but what can you do?
(Thanks for the quick reply!)

[Murcrove]

Haha! I just happen to be stalking the forums. And I know :C There is a lot that could be done with that scene, it's wonderful and beautiful- it could have very easily been a powerful moment. It still is, but after the first impression you get- and it feels so personal and means so much- then you find out it wasn't it. It hurt my feelings a little bit!

[Adris]

I think meeting a male lynx at the end isn't such a bad ending, after your kits leaving and feeling lonely you get the nice reminder that the cycle will continue and you'll have more kits to raise in the future. :)

[VeZliviy Angel 🇷🇺]

I just passed the game. I cried. I cried like never before. My babies, my children, my, my kids...They are big cats now. They will make their own family. This game is beautifull.

[Lynx]

I thought at the end that was my original mate since it's larger than me and has more of a tougher look to it.

[Knux]

I actually highly enjoyed the big male lynx ending <3 I love how they both 'talk' to one another and light up; two flames together in the darkness of the night <3

[Sellertay]

I thought the ending was you passing over, following what was your kits father - Lynx don't mate for life as far as I know so It probably wouldn't be that but who knows? I was lead to believe it was her passing over because of the comment about her being weak and weary, returning to her empty home. It just seemed to make it emotional and build up the ending to her goal/life! + Another thing I thought it could've simply just been a potiental mate that she caught the scent from, and the ending is a nice way of showing how life will repeat. x) It just seemed really emotional with the stars, the night time and the fireflies(?) I did worry it was her death! ):

[Jupiter]

I thought the ending was beautiful; very cycle-of-lifey. You raise a family, they grow up, then you do it all over again. Such is the life of a wild animal.

[Zig]

15 $ for 2 hours of game its ridiculous

[N4nn]

I never lost any of my kits for like 4 generation so I never thought he was one of mine ( if it was, why one and not the other ?)

But when I saw my kits ran away from me at the end it's just break my heart " that's all ? all my work for that ? they don't even look back " I was enabled to chase them, to follow just one of them and the firest time I spend a long time to swearch them, I was happy to play one of them after that but it's sad that you can't play all of them or make another reproduction with the first one ( I know it would make a hug generation's tree but I would loved it).

For me you found an another mate ( he's realy bigger than us ) but it's strange 'cause you will not play with her anymore, it's strange...