10 Games That Will NEVER Get A Proper Ending
advertisement
VOICE OVER: Ty Richardson
WRITTEN BY: Ty Richardson
It's sad to say, but we'll never get endings to these games. Welcome to MojoPlays, and today, we'll be taking a look at 10 games that will simply never get a proper conclusion. Our list of games that will never get their ending includes the “Half-Life” series (1998-2020), “The Order: 1886” (2015), the “Mortal Kombat” series (1992-), the “Gears of War” series (2006-19), and more!
Welcome to MojoPlays, and today, we’ll be taking a look at 10 games that will simply never get a proper ending. Conclusions be damned!
Some may say that “Assassin’s Creed” has long overstayed its welcome. Heck, we even had a trilogy of games where it just didn’t feel like the same series we used to play. You know, the ones focused on Ezio? The ones that actually brought a satisfying ending that could have allowed the franchise to take a break for a while? The problem is that we get “Assassin’s Creed” games so often that none of them feel special. It’s like “Call of Duty” where the end is nowhere in sight because there is always another excuse to explore some other part of the overarching story. Ezio’s story may be over, but the IP as a whole will never get time to rest and properly end things.
At one point, the “Sly Cooper” games did have a satisfying ending thanks to the third game, “Honor Among Thieves”. Heroes and rivals team up to defeat a greater evil, and everyone gets their happy ending. Even Sly and Carmelita found a new life together. But then, “Thieves in Time” decides to open the wound again. We were down for one more heist, but when the game ended on a cliffhanger, fans were pissed. Why would they blatantly try to set up a fifth installment with such a mediocre game? It has been well over a decade since “Thieves in Time”, and to this day, Sly’s story is left open as he wanders the deserts of Ancient Egypt. The least Sony could do is ask Sucker Punch Productions to revisit the IP one more time so the story can close on a satisfying note.
Speaking of games that end on absurd cliffhangers, “The Order: 1886” was a massive misstep for Sony and developer Ready At Dawn. There was such an overwhelming amount of confidence that this game was going to be a daring launch into the PS4’s lifespan! Then, it turned out to be a six-hour movie with shooting galleries and quicktime events. Giving it a “C” grade was being generous. Not once has Sony shared how many copies the game sold, which means it probably did not perform well commercially. And so, we are left with a game that ends just as things were getting good, only to be told “just wait until the sequel - it’s gonna be great!” Cool…where’s that sequel?
To its credit, “Brutal Legend” does end in a way that sort of ties up some loose ends. Emperor Doviculus is dead, the humans are free, and the Drowning Doom has been washed away from the Brutal Land. All is well, right? Not if that last shot has anything to say about it. Developer Double Fine Entertainment clearly wanted to make a sequel, so much so that they end with a zoom in on Ophelia’s tear, showing that the Sea of Black Tears still flows in her veins. But because of the game’s poor sales, we are left to forever wonder what could have been. All we know is that Eddie Riggs still wanders the Brutal Land, cleaning up whatever demons are left roaming around and plowing Razor Elk over like litter on the highway.
We were SO CLOSE to getting a proper ending to the long-running “Mortal Kombat” storyline. MK11 ended things so perfectly, even with the “Aftermath” expansion! Kronika is defeated, and Liu Kang is now the Keeper of Time, free to shape history in any way he wants it designed. “Mortal Kombat 1” was shaping up to be a promising restart for the franchise, a great opportunity to explore new stories and give characters new roles. But when it launched, we were greeted with Kronika approaching Shang Tsung and talking about “his destiny”. Then, later on, Geras and Liu Kang start talking about timelines. Yep, MK1 is just MK12, another sequel to keep focusing on the same single story of resets that will likely never end. It’s getting about as complicated as “Kingdom Hearts”.
The “Banjo-Kazooie” games were off to a decent start. We had the first game in 1998. Then, in 2001, Gruntilda rose from the grave in “Banjo-Tooie” only to be defeated again while saying “Just wait until Banjo-Threeie”. “Banjo-Threeie” never happened, and what we got seven years later was “Nuts & Bolts”, the great game that wasn’t a great “Banjo” game. And guess how that ends… Yeah, Gruntilda vows her revenge will unfold in the next game. That next game has yet to arrive, and it has been YEARS since “Nuts & Bolts”. Look, the rivalry between the bear, the bird, and the witch will always be timeless to us, but at some point, Gruntilda is no better than Skeletor, always running away while yelling “Until next time!” Let’s face it - “Banjo-Threeie” will never happen.
Indeed, the classic trope of villains screaming “until next time, hero” can get rather frustrating, especially when the game is incredible in quality but suffers commercially. That is precisely what happened to “Metal Arms”. What you have is a tremendous third-person shooter with hilarious writing and voice acting and intense combat action. But when the game ends with “Dr. Exavolt” saying “I’m not through with you yet, Glitch”, we were hit with a sense of gloom. Developer Swingin’ Ape Studios was in the process of developing a sequel after “Metal Arms” launched. Unfortunately, the game was a commercial failure, forcing the studio to shut down. Who owns the IP now is anyone’s guess, and it has yet to catch even the cult classic status. Sorry, Exavolt, but your revenge is never coming.
The “Gears of War” franchise is in an odd pickle. Xbox has shown no signs of stopping the “Gears” franchise, but that’s kind of the problem. “Gears of War 3” was already an excellent closer. Why continue it? Money, most likely, and with each new entry since “Gears 4”, it’s felt like there’s only been a setup for a setup that sets up another setup. Nothing has ended with a satisfying payoff, and with so much focus being poured into projects like…”Gears Pop!” for some reason, it feels like neither Xbox nor The Coalition have plans to tie up loose ends and leave the IP be for a while.
We promise we aren’t trying to dunk on Xbox, but “Halo” is sort of in the same boat as “Gears”. The only difference is that “Halo” isn’t turning into a Funko Pop spin-off game. For some reason, Xbox just refuses to leave Master Chief and Cortana alone for more than a few years. We know that “Halo” is the platform’s biggest IP (or “used to be”) and “Halo: Infinite” has been on the up and up at the time of this video. However, developer 343 Industries has spent years upon years making games and failing to live up to the expectations set by Bungie’s original trilogy. Maybe giving the Chief a proper ending isn’t such a bad idea right now? What if “Halo” gave the Arbiter his own game or focused on a completely different character or faction? If “Infinite” is truly going to be “infinite”, we may never see a proper ending for Master Chief. Hey, at least it's better than a future where John Halo is the main focus for a whole trilogy of games.
You didn’t honestly think we were going to go through this whole video without mentioning “Half-Life”, did you? This franchise is the most notorious when talking about games that will never get an ending! Fans have spent nearly two decades kicking and screaming for “Half-Life 3”. Valve simply won’t do it! Since “Half-Life: Episode Two”, we have had several canceled games in the series and one VR spin-off focused on Alyx Vance. We all have to accept the truth: it ain’t happenin’. We joke about how Valve fears the number “three”, but we need to realize that may very well be the case.
What game do you fear will never get a proper ending? Did it make our list? Let us know down in the comments, and don’t forget to subscribe to MojoPlays for more great videos everyday!
“Assassin’s Creed” series (2007-)
Some may say that “Assassin’s Creed” has long overstayed its welcome. Heck, we even had a trilogy of games where it just didn’t feel like the same series we used to play. You know, the ones focused on Ezio? The ones that actually brought a satisfying ending that could have allowed the franchise to take a break for a while? The problem is that we get “Assassin’s Creed” games so often that none of them feel special. It’s like “Call of Duty” where the end is nowhere in sight because there is always another excuse to explore some other part of the overarching story. Ezio’s story may be over, but the IP as a whole will never get time to rest and properly end things.
“Sly Cooper” series (2002-13)
At one point, the “Sly Cooper” games did have a satisfying ending thanks to the third game, “Honor Among Thieves”. Heroes and rivals team up to defeat a greater evil, and everyone gets their happy ending. Even Sly and Carmelita found a new life together. But then, “Thieves in Time” decides to open the wound again. We were down for one more heist, but when the game ended on a cliffhanger, fans were pissed. Why would they blatantly try to set up a fifth installment with such a mediocre game? It has been well over a decade since “Thieves in Time”, and to this day, Sly’s story is left open as he wanders the deserts of Ancient Egypt. The least Sony could do is ask Sucker Punch Productions to revisit the IP one more time so the story can close on a satisfying note.
“The Order: 1886” (2015)
Speaking of games that end on absurd cliffhangers, “The Order: 1886” was a massive misstep for Sony and developer Ready At Dawn. There was such an overwhelming amount of confidence that this game was going to be a daring launch into the PS4’s lifespan! Then, it turned out to be a six-hour movie with shooting galleries and quicktime events. Giving it a “C” grade was being generous. Not once has Sony shared how many copies the game sold, which means it probably did not perform well commercially. And so, we are left with a game that ends just as things were getting good, only to be told “just wait until the sequel - it’s gonna be great!” Cool…where’s that sequel?
“Brutal Legend” (2009)
To its credit, “Brutal Legend” does end in a way that sort of ties up some loose ends. Emperor Doviculus is dead, the humans are free, and the Drowning Doom has been washed away from the Brutal Land. All is well, right? Not if that last shot has anything to say about it. Developer Double Fine Entertainment clearly wanted to make a sequel, so much so that they end with a zoom in on Ophelia’s tear, showing that the Sea of Black Tears still flows in her veins. But because of the game’s poor sales, we are left to forever wonder what could have been. All we know is that Eddie Riggs still wanders the Brutal Land, cleaning up whatever demons are left roaming around and plowing Razor Elk over like litter on the highway.
“Mortal Kombat” series (1992-)
We were SO CLOSE to getting a proper ending to the long-running “Mortal Kombat” storyline. MK11 ended things so perfectly, even with the “Aftermath” expansion! Kronika is defeated, and Liu Kang is now the Keeper of Time, free to shape history in any way he wants it designed. “Mortal Kombat 1” was shaping up to be a promising restart for the franchise, a great opportunity to explore new stories and give characters new roles. But when it launched, we were greeted with Kronika approaching Shang Tsung and talking about “his destiny”. Then, later on, Geras and Liu Kang start talking about timelines. Yep, MK1 is just MK12, another sequel to keep focusing on the same single story of resets that will likely never end. It’s getting about as complicated as “Kingdom Hearts”.
“Banjo-Kazooie” series (1998-2008)
The “Banjo-Kazooie” games were off to a decent start. We had the first game in 1998. Then, in 2001, Gruntilda rose from the grave in “Banjo-Tooie” only to be defeated again while saying “Just wait until Banjo-Threeie”. “Banjo-Threeie” never happened, and what we got seven years later was “Nuts & Bolts”, the great game that wasn’t a great “Banjo” game. And guess how that ends… Yeah, Gruntilda vows her revenge will unfold in the next game. That next game has yet to arrive, and it has been YEARS since “Nuts & Bolts”. Look, the rivalry between the bear, the bird, and the witch will always be timeless to us, but at some point, Gruntilda is no better than Skeletor, always running away while yelling “Until next time!” Let’s face it - “Banjo-Threeie” will never happen.
“Metal Arms: Glitch in the System” (2003)
Indeed, the classic trope of villains screaming “until next time, hero” can get rather frustrating, especially when the game is incredible in quality but suffers commercially. That is precisely what happened to “Metal Arms”. What you have is a tremendous third-person shooter with hilarious writing and voice acting and intense combat action. But when the game ends with “Dr. Exavolt” saying “I’m not through with you yet, Glitch”, we were hit with a sense of gloom. Developer Swingin’ Ape Studios was in the process of developing a sequel after “Metal Arms” launched. Unfortunately, the game was a commercial failure, forcing the studio to shut down. Who owns the IP now is anyone’s guess, and it has yet to catch even the cult classic status. Sorry, Exavolt, but your revenge is never coming.
“Gears of War” series (2006-19)
The “Gears of War” franchise is in an odd pickle. Xbox has shown no signs of stopping the “Gears” franchise, but that’s kind of the problem. “Gears of War 3” was already an excellent closer. Why continue it? Money, most likely, and with each new entry since “Gears 4”, it’s felt like there’s only been a setup for a setup that sets up another setup. Nothing has ended with a satisfying payoff, and with so much focus being poured into projects like…”Gears Pop!” for some reason, it feels like neither Xbox nor The Coalition have plans to tie up loose ends and leave the IP be for a while.
“Halo” series (2001-)
We promise we aren’t trying to dunk on Xbox, but “Halo” is sort of in the same boat as “Gears”. The only difference is that “Halo” isn’t turning into a Funko Pop spin-off game. For some reason, Xbox just refuses to leave Master Chief and Cortana alone for more than a few years. We know that “Halo” is the platform’s biggest IP (or “used to be”) and “Halo: Infinite” has been on the up and up at the time of this video. However, developer 343 Industries has spent years upon years making games and failing to live up to the expectations set by Bungie’s original trilogy. Maybe giving the Chief a proper ending isn’t such a bad idea right now? What if “Halo” gave the Arbiter his own game or focused on a completely different character or faction? If “Infinite” is truly going to be “infinite”, we may never see a proper ending for Master Chief. Hey, at least it's better than a future where John Halo is the main focus for a whole trilogy of games.
“Half-Life” series (1998-2020)
You didn’t honestly think we were going to go through this whole video without mentioning “Half-Life”, did you? This franchise is the most notorious when talking about games that will never get an ending! Fans have spent nearly two decades kicking and screaming for “Half-Life 3”. Valve simply won’t do it! Since “Half-Life: Episode Two”, we have had several canceled games in the series and one VR spin-off focused on Alyx Vance. We all have to accept the truth: it ain’t happenin’. We joke about how Valve fears the number “three”, but we need to realize that may very well be the case.
What game do you fear will never get a proper ending? Did it make our list? Let us know down in the comments, and don’t forget to subscribe to MojoPlays for more great videos everyday!
