The PlayStation 2’s library of games is enormous. With that in mind, it should come as no surprise that there are many games for the system with great endings. These games reward the player for the time and effort spent with a feeling of accomplishment and a satisfying end to the game’s narrative—if applicable, of course.
Then there are those games. You know the ones—games with endings that almost feel like an afterthought or even a punishment. We’ll do our best to avoid major spoilers, but spoilers will be inevitable.
10 Awful: Jak 3
Jak 3 is the final game in the Jak and Daxter trilogy for the PS2. The Jak and Daxter games were AAA games in their day, and they still look fantastic despite their age.
The third game, however, faced its share of criticism. Many players bashed the game for being too short; it can be completed in less than twenty hours. Another area of contention was the game’s ending. After three games with—for most players—over one hundred hours of gameplay between them, the trilogy is closed with a roughly three-minute video that fails to give the series, and the player, any real sense of closure or accomplishment.
9 Great: Bully
Alongside the Manhunt games, Rockstar’s Bully is a somewhat hidden gem in the PS2 library. We say “somewhat” because most players have heard of this game, but not many have actually played it.
In Bully, the player controls the young protagonist as he attempts to dominate and bring peace to the “factions” within the boarding school in which he is enrolled. The ending is drawn-out and contains some simple action sequences for the player to navigate. This game’s ending gives the player a sense of accomplishment and wraps the story up quite nicely.
8 Awful: Kingdom Hearts II
The Kingdom Hearts games for the PS2 are phenomenal, if not a little repetitive. The ending of Kingdom Hearts II was not well-received by fans of the series, though. This was mainly due to how short the ending was and how much of a departure it was from the first game in terms of tone.
Kingdom Hearts I had an ending that was bittersweet, but Kingdom Hearts II’s ending had a little too much Disney whimsy for many players. Another complaint about this ending was that it was a little on the underwhelming side when one considers the dozens of hours of play-time needed to complete the game.
7 Great: Silent Hill 2
Silent Hill 2 has six possible endings depending on what the player does during the course of the game. Some of these endings are more difficult to unlock, but they are all worth the effort needed to experience them.
The ending that earned Silent Hill 2 a spot on the “great” side of this list is the one affectionately called the Dog Ending. Unlocking this ending requires first unlocking the three “main” endings, finding the Dog Key, and entering the observation room at the Lakeview Hotel. The UFO Ending, done in the style of an early silent movie, is also very amusing.
6 Awful: God Of War 2
There are few things worse in gaming than playing through a game, only to get an ending that is basically a trailer for the game’s sequel. Ending a game with a cliffhanger—in this case, literally—is seldom a rewarding experience for the player.
God of War 2’s ending is also far too short, does not resolve the overarching conflict of the plot, and felt more like a commercial than an ending. When the end cinematic finishes many players were probably thinking, “now it’s starting to get interesting.” Then, the game abruptly ends, leaving the player disappointed they don’t get to see what comes next, which one has to assume was probably epic.
5 Great: Final Fantasy X
After watching a great movie with a fantastic ending, you often try to avoid any excessive external stimuli for a while because it takes a little time to process what was just experienced? Well, the ending to Final Fantasy X is like that. After finishing this game and watching the emotional final cinematic, it’s difficult to immediately start playing another game.
Also, Final Fantasy X’s ending is long enough that grabbing a bowl of popcorn is not unwarranted. Game developers wanting to have an impressive and fulfilling ending for their game should watch the ending to Final Fantasy X and take notes.
4 Awful: Robotech: Battlecry
Robotech: Battlecry was another hidden gem for the PS2. Few licensed games do a better job than this one at making the player feel as though they are part of the franchise. The cel-shaded graphics are sharp and colorful, the soundtrack is straight out of the anime series, and the gameplay is frantic and fun.
Also, the seamless transformation of the player’s Veritech fighter is well implemented. However, few games have an ending as unsatisfying as Robotech: Battlecry. Those who have never played this game should definitely give it a try; just be prepared to think, “that’s it?!?”, after watching the ending.
3 Great: Shadow Of The Colossus
Shadow of the Colossus was so ahead of its time that it pushed the hardware in the PS2 to its limits. It is heralded as a masterpiece in gaming. Few games of that generation could compete with this game’s visual splendor.
It should not be much of a surprise that the game’s ending is equally impressive. There is a twist at the end worthy of M. Night Shyamalan—The Sixth Sense Shyamalan, not The Last Airbender Shyamalan. Shadow of the Colossus has an ending that hits the player in the “feels” and makes the player experience guilt and remorse, but in a good way.
2 Awful: Metal Gear Solid 2
To be honest, the ending to Meat Gear Solid 2 isn’t that awful… but it’s still kinda awful. For one, what’s with the live-action cinematics? Throughout the game, the cutscenes are made with the same 3D models and assets found in the game, and this allows for a smooth transition between the gameplay and cutscenes.
Then, for the ending, the developers decided to insert not one, but two live-action video clips. It feels more out-of-place and odd than it does a bold artistic choice. It doesn’t help that the ending also fails to adequately explain what’s happening… or that it’s basically just two people talking on a sidewalk.
1 Great: Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater
Metal Gear Solid 2 ended with a conversation on a city street broken-up by two live-action movies. Metal Gear Solid 3 ended with a long cinematic that not only explained what happened in depth but took the player down an emotional and psychological rabbit hole.
It also features one of the absolute worst impressions of former president Lyndon Johnson ever recorded. This game is a masterclass on how to end a game properly. It ties up nearly all the loose ends, is long enough to feel worth the effort, has excellent cinematography, and, most importantly, it gives the player a sense of closure and accomplishment.
NEXT: The 20 Worst Video Game Endings Ever (And The 10 Best Of All Time)
