When reaching the end of any good video game, we want to feel like we’ve accomplished something. That tangalbe moment all gamers have experienced, putting the controller down and taking time to reflect on the the story, its characters, and the experience as a whole is both satasfying and reflexive. This is why a bad ending can feel like a betrayal, especially if it’s to a great video game. If a game is awful from the start, we don’t have any expectations for its ending -- or we just stop playing before we get to that point. But if we’re captivated by what a game has to offer, a terrible conclusion will ruin the entire experience.

All good things must come to an end, but that doesn’t mean that end won’t stay with you. As important as a game’s adventure is, its ending can make or break the overall quality of your experience. Video games put you into the shoes of the characters who are most directly involved in the action and in a way, you often feel like you’re the one taking the journey. This is why we root for the heroes. Maybe the great ending wasn’t story related at all. Maybe it was just the thrill of beating a challenging game or an exciting boss fight. Whatever the case, we always want the hero to come out on top and win the day because when that happens, we want to taste that victory.