UPNetwork  

Go Back   UPNetwork > General Forums > Video Games

Reply
 
Thread Tools
Old 12-21-2012, 01:46 AM   #1
Loki
The Path of Now & Forever
 
Loki's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 5,304
Favorite End of the World/Universe/Reality Game

Lots of games depict the player as someone who needs to save the world/universe/reality from an end of the world scenario. Some tell you right away that you're the hero that needs to save everyone. Sometimes you have to play along and discover the end is coming. Either way, lots of games have had their own depiction of a doomsdays, but only a few come off as a truly amazing experience.

Say your favorite and give a brief explanation why.

Mine is the 1992 PC Adventure game Star Control 2.

You start the game off as human space colony cut off the rest of Earth and her allies during the war against the evil alien oppressors known as the Ur-Quan. The Ur-Quan are on a warpath, conquering all sentient life they meet and enslaving them. Your ship is unique, of alien design which is more advanced than anything yet known. After many years separated from your homeworld, you finally go back to help.

There you discover Earth has already been conquered. The planet has been declared fallow and it's people trapped on the planet, encased in an impregnable force field. Her allies also conquered, enslaved, or made fallow. So you fight to save the Earth and end the tyranny of the Ur-Quan!

Eventually you discover something terrible. The conquering Ur-Quan have a doomsday weapon. And they're fighting for control of it. The Kohr-Ah, another species of Ur-Quan wish to use it to extinguish all life in the galaxy. Eventually a countdown begins as the Ur-Quan are in fact losing. The countdown is never seen as any kind of clock or anything, but you can delay Armageddon by various means, such as making allies who attack the Kohr-Ah or tricking enemy races into attacking them.

Eventually, if you don't stop them, you get his awesome message.

Spoiler: show
BORKED

Youtube link

It's so freaking scary, the bad guys are telling you to run! It's not even worth it for them to kill you because you're dead! Eventually, if you still don't destroy it, this comes.

Spoiler: show
BORKED

Youtube Link

GAME OVER MAN!
Loki is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-21-2012, 11:57 AM   #2
Doppleganger
我が名は勇者王!
 
Doppleganger's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Emina Isle
Posts: 14,198
Send a message via AIM to Doppleganger
I don't think I've played many end of the world games, to be honest. I've been scouring my brain for one, but the only game that pops up is Daibanchou: Big Bang Age.

BORKED

It's set in a genre pastiche, lawless version of Japan after society has collapsed because of a "Hell Hole" that opened up mysteriously in Shinjuku. There are no adults (with authority), and society is governed by number, technology, and martial arts.

The gameplay is modestly fun, but like all AliceSoft games, it's frustratingly difficult and constrictive. There's a literal countdown until the world ends; one has 100 turns to beat the game by conquering the world and beating the boss, or else.
__________________
あなたの勇気が切り開く未来
ふたりの想いが見つけだす希望
今 信じあえる
あきらめない 心かさね
永遠を抱きしめて
Doppleganger is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-21-2012, 03:01 PM   #3
deoxys
Fog Badge
 
deoxys's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Posts: 6,513
Haven't played many apocalyptic games, the only ones I can think of with a premise as such are the Halo series and hilariously enough, Sonic Adventure 2. And I don't think either of those hardly count, to be honest. This is odd, I'm almost sure I've played some, but I can't for the life of me remember any legitimate candidates...
deoxys is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-21-2012, 03:39 PM   #4
phoopes
Double Dragon
 
phoopes's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 3,776
Majora's Mask (though unfinished) is the obvious standout for me. Other than that, not too too many that I can think of, the Halo series being the only one I can remember at the moment.
__________________
phoopes is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-21-2012, 03:43 PM   #5
deoxys
Fog Badge
 
deoxys's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Posts: 6,513
DOH. How did I forget about Majora's Mask?
deoxys is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-21-2012, 10:45 PM   #6
Loki
The Path of Now & Forever
 
Loki's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 5,304
One of the problems is a lot of End of the World games don't give the feel that it's really the end coming for you.

Technically, Mass Effect 3 is about the extinction of all sentient life should you fail. The problem was there was never a feeling that it was an impending doom because you have to progress the storyline and there's no sensation of time progressing. The character occasionally talk about forces being wiped out and casualties in the millions/billions, but it has no real impact on the war from Shepard's perspective. Your War Assets don't go down unless someone decides to break their alliance with Shepard. And the final mission is always just that, the final mission. You can't decide to go to Earth any earlier than the point in the story you've played to.

So despite being about the end of all life, it never feels like it. So as an End of the Universe game, it's pretty weak on that part.

Majora's Mask on the other hand has constant reminders of the end coming. With a set time to accomplish tasks before forcing you to rewind the clock and repeat the last three days before the world ends. If you don't accomplish your tasks in time, BOOM! You're dead because the moon landed!
Loki is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-21-2012, 11:05 PM   #7
Talon87
時の彼方へ
 
Talon87's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Lafayette, Indiana
Posts: 20,578
Would Final Fantasy VII and Tales of Symphonia fit this mold?

None of my favorite games have been so-called "end of the world games," so it's hard for me to think of one, much less be certain it's my favorite. I mean, Shenmue technically deals with a world-threatening power ... but it's more something that would threaten human civilization, not the planet or all life on it. (At least, not as far as I know, anyway.) Fatal Frame games have to do with situations that are truly "end of the world"-esque for the people affected by them ... but they only stretch as far as the boundaries of a manor (1), a village (2), an inn (3), or a hospital (4). Super Mario Bros. 3, nope. Super Mario World, nope. Mega Man 3, nope. Mega Man X, not really. ^^; Xenosaga, it's all about finding a world that's already been lost, not saving a world that's still around. ^^; I guess ...

... Pokémon Ruby? ^^;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;
Talon87 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-21-2012, 11:15 PM   #8
Blastoise
We deny our creators.
 
Blastoise's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Reduces construction time
Posts: 3,070
Probably the only one I can think of (that I didn't play a horribly long time ago like Majora's Mask) is the new XCOM. Each country lost to the aliens is covered by a veritable swarm of UFOs on the radar map (bottom left), to remind you of each ANOTHER FAILURE:



You can also read news feeds in the situation room that reflect your recent necessary sacrifices for the greater good what a bad person you are for not giving the French some of your precious laser sniper rifles and then them getting subsequently sacre bleu'd by Mutons.

And when you finally cock it up for good:

Spoiler: show
BORKED


Given the fucked-up science projects you fight throughout the game this implied "betterment" probably isn't. You know, just in case the Thin Men and Sectoid Leader mind-controlling Optimus Prime's voice actor didn't tip you off.

Quote:
One of the problems is a lot of End of the World games don't give the feel that it's really the end coming for you.
The X-COM games sort of have this problem and sort of don't (at least from my experiences playing the original and the new one): it's a scramble early on because you're at a serious experience/tech disadvantage to the aliens, and you have only a finite amount of time to stabilize things before you go into a death spiral of failure and nations bailing out. Once you stabilize things though you're never in serious danger of losing the game unless you fuck up overly severely and/or repeatedly (I had some major setbacks on my last hardcore game like multiple party wipes of highly-trained/psionic soldiers but probably would have still recovered it had my roommate not killed my save with petty considerations like "doing her hair").
__________________
"It does not matter anymore. We cannot change the past. The future will have to do."
-Windham Khatib

Last edited by Blastoise; 12-21-2012 at 11:36 PM.
Blastoise is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-21-2012, 11:52 PM   #9
Amras.MG
Not sure if gone...
 
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Or just lurking.
Posts: 2,709
Final Fantasy Tactics Advance has a really amazing reversal of this normal storyline.

That said, I'm finding Radiant Historia to be pretty amazing right now, where you basically just keep going back to try to find the right historical path to the world not being destroyed by turning to sand.
Amras.MG is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-22-2012, 12:00 AM   #10
lilboocorsola
Dragon's Tears
 
lilboocorsola's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Searching for light
Posts: 6,453
Luvdisc

Majora's Mask for me, obviously.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Amras.MG View Post
That said, I'm finding Radiant Historia to be pretty amazing right now, where you basically just keep going back to try to find the right historical path to the world not being destroyed by turning to sand.
That reminds me: Would Chrono Trigger count?
lilboocorsola is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-22-2012, 12:01 AM   #11
Amras.MG
Not sure if gone...
 
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Or just lurking.
Posts: 2,709
Quote:
Originally Posted by lilpinkcorsola View Post
That reminds me: Would Chrono Trigger count?
Oh yeah definitely. Chrono Trigger is great.
Amras.MG is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-22-2012, 01:25 AM   #12
The Morg
Trying to send Christmas cards
 
The Morg's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: *scribble*
Posts: 1,460
Can't think of any games that gave me a feeling of impending doom, although there are a couple in which the destruction of the world is featured.

Talon mentioned FFVII which reminded me of this one cutscene that plays during the final boss fight. One of the boss' attacks summons a meteor which destroys several planets, the sun, and finally the Earth, and it's pretty cool the first time it happens. And then later in the fight he casts the same spell again, and the exact same planets blow up each time. :V

A cool one is Chrono Trigger, where early in the game you get the ability to time warp to the final boss fight whenever you want. If you get curious and try despite being horribly underleveled and equipped, you'll inevitably be killed and then it shows a cutscene of said boss destroying the planet. It's quite fun to see.

Link's Awakening was like the exact opposite. By finishing the game, you're actually the one destroying the world. The end even shows scenes of the happy villagers singing and playing games as they fade away. Poor villagers. :<
__________________

*munch munch* | FB Profile
The Morg is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-22-2012, 01:57 AM   #13
lilboocorsola
Dragon's Tears
 
lilboocorsola's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Searching for light
Posts: 6,453
Luvdisc

Quote:
Originally Posted by dosuser View Post
Link's Awakening was like the exact opposite. By finishing the game, you're actually the one destroying the world. The end even shows scenes of the happy villagers singing and playing games as they fade away. Poor villagers. :<
Ahhh, Link's Awakening. ;; Another reason I associate it with MM (in that I think the latter was also a dream)...
lilboocorsola is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-22-2012, 08:31 AM   #14
Lady Kuno
The hostess with the mostess
 
Lady Kuno's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 226,522
Star Control is the shit. Love that game.

Favorite end of the world game? Or game that gave impending doom? Uh...

The only thing I can think of right now is in the NES game Gloglo 13. There were these 3-D mazes, and you were timed. You had to get out before the time ran out or something or you're dead. For some reason that scarred me horribly for life, and is no way reflected in any games I have made or am making.
__________________
JUST NUKE THE FUCKING SUN


PROUD OWNER OF A MISSINGNO. IN FIZZY BUBBLES
Lady Kuno is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-22-2012, 05:57 PM   #15
gmoyes
Thunder Badge
 
gmoyes's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Canada eh?
Posts: 632
Send a message via Skype™ to gmoyes
Kind of surprised that no one's mentioned Pokemon Mystery Dungeon. First we have the planet meteored, then we have the planet being paralysed. I would classify these as end of the world situations.
gmoyes is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-30-2012, 05:58 PM   #16
Dylan_Cypher
Pokemon Trainer
 
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Where ever I happen to be
Posts: 16
Send a message via AIM to Dylan_Cypher Send a message via MSN to Dylan_Cypher Send a message via Yahoo to Dylan_Cypher Send a message via Skype™ to Dylan_Cypher
Star Ocean: Till the End of Time
Bring on the hate I don't care. The game doesn't feel end of the worldy at all true but especially near the end that's what it's about.

Spoiler: show
The entire universe is just one massive MMO: Eternal Sphere. Created by a company to be the ultimate immersive mmo where players can live out entire lives on a 1-1 basis in planets of every time period. The only thing they didn't bank on? The NPC inhabitants discover the Moderator access terminals.
Dylan_Cypher is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-03-2013, 04:09 PM   #17
Lady Kuno
The hostess with the mostess
 
Lady Kuno's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 226,522
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dylan_Cypher View Post
Star Ocean: Till the End of Time
Bring on the hate I don't care. The game doesn't feel end of the worldy at all true but especially near the end that's what it's about.

Spoiler: show
The entire universe is just one massive MMO: Eternal Sphere. Created by a company to be the ultimate immersive mmo where players can live out entire lives on a 1-1 basis in planets of every time period. The only thing they didn't bank on? The NPC inhabitants discover the Moderator access terminals.
While I like SO2 way more than 3, Star Ocean 3 was still a lot of fun. Good game.
__________________
JUST NUKE THE FUCKING SUN


PROUD OWNER OF A MISSINGNO. IN FIZZY BUBBLES
Lady Kuno is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Lower Navigation
Go Back   UPNetwork > General Forums > Video Games


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 08:37 AM.


Design By: Miner Skinz.com
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.