Why Bioshock's Ending Kinda Sucks [Possible Spoilers in Discussion]

[ouba]

===YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED===


Although the ending was very clever and had an unexpected twist that came out of nowhere to smack you in the face, I felt that a bit too much was sacrificed to deliver that one twist.

I felt the link that the ending held with the beginning was fairly week. For example, the only things that tie together the ending with the start of the game were a few vaguely ominous phrases: 'Bring us the girl, wipe away the debt', the name 'Anna', the phrase 'Will the Circle be Broken' and the idea that Elizabeth might come from a different dimension/world.

Although the ending cleverly links together every single one of these mildy ominous phrases together in one go, I feel that there seriously was not enough solid information delivered in the events leading up to the ending to make it 100% solid. The majority of the information that really gave the ending meaning [BIG SPOILERS AHEAD], such as the fact that Booker sold his own daughter, Booker was an alternate version of Comstock and the realisation that Elizabeth was his daughter were all rapidly thrown in your face in the last thirty odd minutes.

Another major gripe I have with the ending is how when Elizabeth gains full control of all her powers from the destruction of the siphon, she immediately assumes this God-like all knowing persona. There is very few trace of her personality demonstrated throughout the game left in with the grand speech where she makes an 'explanation'. The ending completely disregards the Booker-Elizabeth relationship/dynamic that was built up throughout the game in exchange for all the impact and relevations need for the 'wow-factor' that was the twist.

Even though both Elizabeth and Booker have clearly built up a strong relationship over the game and obviously care for one another, there is not a single goodbye, apology or even talk with one another before Booker's head is pushed down underneath the water. Elizabeth, (or the army of Elizabeths for that matter) show absolutely no emotion as they drown booker. Elizabeth, who should have now realised Booker is actually her father, would have at least been thankful that Booker had come for her (even if his reasons were selfish at the start), and been glad that she had been able to spend with her father.

Now, for me to ♥♥♥♥♥.
I feel insulted that out of the 17 hours I spent playing through the game, the 14-16 hours of character development for both Booker and Elizabeth that I had so happily lapped up, are pretty much COMPLETELY discarded and forgotten for the sake of a couple of 'SHOCKING RELEVATIONS'. What the hell happened to the relationship that Booker had with Elizabeth? Why the hell does the army of Elizabeths - who from their respective universes may hateor love booker - show no emotion at the end and turn into a pack of bloody zombies!?. If the game had managed to tie together a more emotional factor along with the the huge twist, it would have had FAR more impact and be FAR more satisfying.

Now, before you lot go ape-♥♥♥♥ on my post, I would like to disclaim a few things.
I am not saying the ending was not clever.
I am not saying the ending was not well-written in it's final state.
I am not saying the ending was terrible either.
What I AM saying is that the ending lacks an emotional factor and dosn't properly bring a logical conclusion relationship between Booker and Elizabeth.

What do you guys think?

(no flame plz ._.)

[euryleia]

Oh lord, not the relationship twist! Star Wars FTW.

[Ashley Schaeffer]

The only emotion I had in the game was sadness... it was when they show you the scene in the future with the elderly Elizabeth watching as Columbia attacks New York.

The sadness came when I realized I didnt see the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man wreaking havoc instead. :(

[ouba]

Diposting pertama kali oleh euryleia:

Guys...do you know that there is a wide gamut of emotion on spectrum? Liz is a well-read girl from the story. No doubt she sees a tragic hero in Booker. You don't get angry at their failures. You feel sorry for them in the most sympathetic way because they are stuck between a rock and a hard place.

Yeah yeah, YOU might make the emotion. But neither character show any of their own in the final segment.

[low. Home Depot Lore Armor]

Diposting pertama kali oleh The Firelinist (Sn0o):

I also didn't like how none fo the choices you made affected the ending. You could've gone around shooting civilians and stealing everything and basically being the biggest ♥♥♥♥ on the planet and it wouldn't have mattered.

Diposting pertama kali oleh Turtle-Chips:

Okay I personally was fine with the daughter thing, but what pissed me off was the no alternitive endings. I'm a HUGE fan of Bioshock. I have the first and second (of which i played many times) and now will play more on my PC. You know why? Because of the alternitive endings. Yes in Bioshock 2 you die no matter what, but you can still get a heart felt felling of satifaction if you wish. At the end of this game I was beyond pissed because all that happed was I got murdered. Nothing else. I die, then credits. What happen to choices in Bioshock? What happen to being able to choose our future? Is this how the next Bioshock will be..? Well, if there is going to be a fourth one. All I'm saying is that the ending pissed me off, and should have been better. Bioshock games are known for alternative endings so the third one should too.

Because people get upset when you HAVE multiple endings. They do have one choice that matters; whether or not you choose to pull the gun on the guy on the phone at the station. It only changes whether or not Elizabeth bandages your hand, but still.

Not everyone likes alternate endings, myself included. Look at a game like Deus Ex or Fallout 3. I am the kind of person who hates himself for being less-than-virtuous in a game. Maybe it's a mental thing, and others may not have it to the same extent as me. But it is frustrating to know that, after all you've gone through, changing one simple thing changes the ending.

And any game will have discussion; you'll hear about all the possible endings, and then you find out that there was a better ending that you didn't get. This can be just as unsatisfying as not having your decisions matter because you don't know whether or not your decisions matter until you get the end of the game story. Bioshock is a prime example: You kill even one Little Sister, you get the same ending as the Bad Ending, except Tenenbaum has a different tone of voice. One. Killing one Little Sister in the beginning affects the ending you get, and the satisfaction you receive.

I feel unsatisfaction when my choices matter and they're not clear-cut, and you feel unsatisfaction when choices don't matter, because it means you can do whatever with no difference. People are different. What I said is my best guess as to why they didn't include it, but I don't know.

An early version of Infinite was going to have Elizabeth's powers be slightly different, and have certain choices where she could use her powers to do something, but they drained her life force. Obviously that would impact the game. I understand your ire, but having this ending also created a uniform experience. It's the message they wanted to convey.

"Bioshock" is somewhat of a series connection, like 'shock' was between Bioshock and System Shock. You're mad they removed alternate endings, but not that it's in the sky and not underwater? That all Vigors can be found as opposed to some needing to be bought in 1 and 2? The removal of ADAM, Little Sisters, and Big Daddies, that doesn't annoy you? The addition of Skylines doesn't annoy you? And what about the atmosphere? It doesn't seem as oppressive in Infinite; less darkness and fear. I don't mind these changes, but the fact that a lack of alternate endings is missing when all these other significant things which are just as much a staple of Bioshock as the different endings annoys you, implies to me that you are hypocrites.

[TillsterRulz]

I thought it was pretty good.

[Vuth]

Exactly my feels. I think this post is great and reposted it to reddit.. with your name and this link. I hope you don't mind and let me know if you want to take it off or do anything with it. Link

[euryleia]

Plus, multiple endings divert the attention away from the story. You ended up making the game an interactive story rather than a linear line from A to Z with a pit stop at X instead of O. The designers preferred linear format because then they can control the outcome at greater extent. I tried DX: Human Revlution, all of the endings still lead you to the same place: The credit roll. So much for choice there.

At the same time, it does feel cheap if there are multi endings. It feels like the designer refusing to close the loop on their own. It feels like they cater to the players rather than to the integrity of their stories. It's akin to outsourcing.

[ouba]

Diposting pertama kali oleh euryleia:

Plus, multiple endings divert the attention away from the story. You ended up making the game an interactive story rather than a linear line from A to Z with a pit stop at X instead of O. The designers preferred linear format because then they can control the outcome at greater extent. I tried DX: Human Revlution, all of the endings still lead you to the same place: The credit roll. So much for choice there.

At the same time, it does feel cheap if there are multi endings. It feels like the designer refusing to close the loop on their own. It feels like they cater to the players rather than to the integrity of their stories. It's akin to outsourcing.

In that case, multiple endings are not a problem itself. It's the design for reaching a multiple ending. The problem with most games is that the endings are determined by some kind of points meter (eg: Good points, Bad Points). This is what makes multiple endings feel cheap, as there is a 'scale' of how good your ending is. Instead of good/bad endings, what could easily be done is variations on the ending that are determined by important choices.

For example, if you acted more coldy throughout the game (drawing your weapon because you were suspicious, killing slate for revenge) then Elizabeth would reflect the same kind of attitude. If you were more compassionate, Elizabeth would follow in your steps. This makes sense because you are making a 'fatherly example' to her.

[BiggerBoss]

I was fine with the ending, but there is a part of me that does feel like a shocking twist puts a damper on the relationship element between Booker and Elizabeth.

[euryleia]

Powerlines, if you felt the emotional cut between you, Booker, and Elizabeth, then you are exactly where the game writers wanted. If you cared about the bunch of pixels powered by an anonymous voice, then their job is done. Good movies and books do this. Games haven't done this as often. This one does. I don't have to slap a rating on it because in my world, it defies ratings.

[ELDRIIN]

Because she knew...she was going to be back with her real dad after he dies. She was killing Comstock, not her real father, so that is why she showed no emotion, she is elizabeth, not happy to kill a person (comstock) but she had to do it...further explains her emotionless acts when and before the drown.

What did u expect? her cryng over his shoulder while walking through the lighthouses? booker wanted answers, she seriously gave them to him, then killed the villan, there isnt emotions needed.

"Sacrifice for the greater good".

[FrontlinerDelta]

I agree completely and you were able to put into words what I could not. On another post, I mentioned that I liked the ending but I disliked how it felt like Elizabeth "killed" Booker instead of it being a mutually agreed sacrifice. I couldn't really get across what I meant but I think you nailed it.

They show no regret or tears. There is nothing left of her personality (which I had grown attached to over the course of the game) and it's just too sudden. I the player and Booker I think too were so confused while this god-like being and her copies drowned us that it felt really impersonal and forced. It should have had more of a sacrifice/goodbye feel than it did.

Thankfully with the ending after the credits makes it feel a little better but still it could have had a LOT more emotion in the end.

[euryleia]

The value of the closure clause.

[KennyB]

100% man. I am happy I'm not the only one. The ending makes you feel like a ***** because you can't do anything except drown. There is nothing else. Oh hey! Elizabeth is your daughter! Okay, drowned. You just feel helpless, knowing its not the ending you want and you can't do anything to change it. The end credits however, were a bit of a fog to me.

[GamerGaDawg]

My biggest gripe is that the baptism, which is suppsed to be the big turning point in the booker/comstock split but it's only mentioned at the very end of the game like it was thrown in as a chekov's gun.