Bad Endings Options

[Jens of Zanicuud]

Some times ago I was working on a project (now dismissed - or rather, waiting for my current project completion) which was designed to end badly, with the death of every character in the party (this was however related to the plot).

I've seen quite a few RPG with a default (i.e. not optional) bad ending (FFXIII-2 / KH Birth by Sleep - if we can call their ending bad), so I wonder if it's a taboo to make your game ends in a tragic way, or simply players prefer an happy ending to every game they play, since they are playing not to think to their problems...

What's your point about it?
Would you play/create a game with a tragic ending (not optional - main ending)?

If so, why?

That's a feature I've never found in a RPG Maker game (excluding maybe survival horror...)
If you know some link 'bout that, I'd be pleased to give it a look.

Maybe my project will resurrect, who knows?

Jens

[rewells]

I like feeling accomplished after beating a game. Saving the world is a great feeling, even if it's only make-believe! I cannot think of any commercial RPGs with tragic endings off the top of my head, though the RM game Finding Eden has a pretty tragic ending from what I remember. In that case the tragicness of the ending didn't take away from the game because it's a short, plot-driven game. Most of the God of War games and Zone of the Enders (not RPGs) have pretty tragic endings. With every tragic ending, whether be in game, book or film (but especially in a game), I think there always needs to be some pay-off. If the hero dies, the villian has to die harder.

One thing I DESPISE is when games tease the death of the hero at the end, only for them to ride by on a chocobo and everyone is like "Oh look! They're not dead! Hurray!" To me it just seems like a cheap attempt at suspense for like 5 minutes.