5 Video Games With One Too Many Endings

In this day and age, a video game that boasts multiple endings is far more appealing than one that settles for being fixed and, more often than not, predictable. It also adds replay value, which often justifies spending upwards of $70 for an otherwise one-way ride. And it isn't uncommon, either, to incorporate a variety of endings to flesh out an experience, which is why so many budding developers are beginning to employ such a structure today.

While multiple endings can be a fantastic way to stretch out a shorter game, there is a line we have to chalk up somewhere. And although two or three endings can be enough for most, others, unfortunately, prefer to make things a little too complex. By that, we mean having one too many endings to boot. The question is, which video games have employed the most endings in the last decade or so? More importantly, which of them are actually worth sticking around for?

5. Tekken Tag Tournament 2 — 52

Tekken Tag Tournament 2 is a direct follow-up to its 1999 original. Like its first chapter, the sequel takes place over a number of timelines, all of which include a unique ending for each character arc. The good news, of course, is that each arc lasts no longer than twenty to thirty minutes. The bad news, however, is that, depending on your skill level, you may end up repeating the same ten rounds.

Let it be said that, while Tekken has a main story, its countless subsidiary arcs are somewhat redundant. The story itself, which takes place in the game's few cinematics, is really all you need to understand the series. The rest, well, they're pretty much extra slabs of meat in the room, serving only to flesh out the bigger picture. Still, each of the 52 characters are worth playing through to the end. That is, so long as you don't mind going back and forth to act out the same battles.

4. Dynasty Warriors 9 — 90

Dynasty Warriors may not be the most competent curator of historically accurate war tales, but it certainly is the most persistent, to the point of shoving the Romance of the Three Kingdoms narrative down our throats for over twenty years across multiple platforms. During this time, players have been able to repeat the trials and tribulations that engulfed the Wei, Wu, and Shu clans of the Han Dynasty, only to arrive at the same conclusion every time.

There is a consolation prize, though, and it comes with the 90+ characters that Dynasty Warriors 9 employs. The good news is that each of them harbor a unique ending, some of which can be summarized in ten seconds flat, others in a minute or so. Whatever the case, players can expect a relatively short ending for each character arc completed. Is it worth repeating the same tale 90 times in a row, though? Meh.

3. Star Ocean: Second Evolution — 100

Star Ocean: Second Evolution is a remake of 1998's Second Story, an action role-playing game that went on to employ 100 endings, all of which players could unlock by making certain actions throughout the game's campaign. The only major difference with the updated version, of course, is the engine that it was built on. Other than that, Second Evolution tells exactly the same tale as before. And yes, its astronomically high quantity of endings are still present and accounted for.

In Star Ocean: Second Evolution, players embark on a lengthy journey through time and space as a newly commissioned member of the Earth Federation, an organization that is sent to investigate a mysterious and potentially life-threatening meteorite called the Sorcery Globe. As the hero traverses the stars on a whirlwind adventure in search of answers, the players must make choices that define the outcome of the story. And with 100 endings to acquire, you had best believe there is plenty of replayability to boot.

2. The Quarry — 186

The Quarry is a choice-based survival horror game that flows from the same vein as Until Dawn, in which the story is tailored by the actions you make over a fairly short romp through the trials and tribulations of a close-knit collective. Depending on how you play, of course, characters can either make it through alive, or succumb to defeat midway through the campaign. It's also possible to tamper with characters' emotions, which can, in turn, alter the ending itself.

As it stands, The Quarry has a total of 186 unlockable endings. As puppeteers, players must navigate a group of nine through an unbearably cruel and bitter world, a place where fates worse than death hang on the precipice of every corner. For every time you cross the finish line, a unique cinematic will unravel, revealing the survivors' stability and the amount of psychological torment you inflicted on them. That is, if anyone survives at all.

1. Until Dawn — 256

Supermassive Games is quite the natural when it comes to convincing players to relive the same tale more than twice. Until Dawn, for example, has a total of 256 endings, most of which involve questions being asked during the post-credits interview sequence, and the answers the survivors provide in return. Depending on how you play, of course, thoughts, opinions, and mental states will thread together the final portrait.

Over a six-hour journey, players will have the chance to establish relationships with five characters. As the hours course by, actions will decide whether a certain character lives, dies, or flees into the mountains. With countless dialogue options to choose from, as well as a whole lot of QTEs to slump through, each replay becomes a whole new experience. Although there may only be a few true endings, there are still plenty of endgame easter eggs to unlock. 256 of them, actually.

So, what's your take? Do you agree with our top five? Are there any games we missed out on? Let us know over on our socials here or down in the comments below.