PoP Ending Discussion SPOILERS!!!!

[Psykoboy2]

Heads up for those who haven't beaten the game...get out now if you don't want the ending spoiled for you.

I'll leave this first post void of any spoilers for those who happen to stumble in, but yeah...I NEED to talk about that ending!

[KingGorilla]

Do you wanna talk about that one level where you run on a wall?

[KidCactus]

Or the chopping down the trees?

[DoctorFinger]

You know, I absolutely loved the ending. I know Psykoboy thinks it was a little out of character for the Prince to release Ahriman to revive Elika, but I think it was note perfect. It was the desperate act of a desperate man who found love only to have it taken away immediately. It also sets up the rest of the trilogy wonderfully. Including (I assume) the search for Ormazd.

[pheriannath]

I think it was character breaking. I think by the end he understood what Elika was fighting for, and by that logic he shouldn't have revived her.

I look forward to seeing how they resolve this.

[Psykoboy2]

Originally Posted by DoctorFinger

You know, I absolutely loved the ending. I know Psykoboy thinks it was a little out of character for the Prince to release Ahriman to revive Elika, but I think it was note perfect.

Hmm...not me. Must have been someone else who thinks that. Part of me loves it, part of me hates it. I hate that I cannot go back through and enjoy all the work I did to heal the land. I hate that I thought I would have that ability once I was done with the main game. Now...well, now I'm fucked.

As for the main ending of the story. I dunno. I guess you could look at it as being out of character. I think it honestly would have been note perfect to let her die or at least continue to lay on that slab and have me go off to find out a way to bring her back.

[Spacetronaut]

Just beat this earlier today. I had mixed feelings about the ending at the time, but now that I've had a bit to digest it I really like it. She sacrificed herself for the world, and he sacrificed the world for her, it has nice symmetry. It'll be interesting to see if they change the dynamic between the characters for the next game (there is going to be a next game right?).

On the topic of the game in general, I thought the writing and and the voice acting was really excellent. There wasn't a huge amount of dialogue, but the interactions between the prince and Elika were great. I found myself caring way more about the characters then I expected.

[Narradisall]

I just finished it.

I don't know how, but I just knew that was how it was going to end.

Esp when I noticed the places where the trees were and though "hmm, wonder what those are for".

Not quite sure how I feel about the ending. I was wondering if I would have the choice to revive her or just walk away. In one way it feels like it stays true to the Princes life outlook, but then he had also come to realise what Elika's mission was and what it meant.

Having just read this thread and realising its going to be another 'trilogy' kinda ruins it for me as part of me thinks it ended like that to drag it out for moniez.

Still, good game, annoying, really annoying in places, but I enjoyed it all the same.

[bryan]

It was always going to be more at least a trilogy. No company will reboot a franchise if they're only going to get one game out of it.

I shouldn't be reading this thread, but I'm looking forward to this game. My gf is coming back tomorrow with it.

[Lon Lon Rabbit]

I'd heard everyone talking hushed tones about the ending so my mind had roamed as far as "ELIKA IS AHRIMAN/ORMAZD", but I really loved what happened in the end.

Seemed in character to me; it seemed like the WRONG thing to do, but still the Prince thing to do.

I somehow had also not given any thought at all to future sequels and now am super excited to see where they go with it.

[H.Bogard]

He saved her because they need the chick around for the sequel to pull his ass up after failed jumps/combat.

[Psykoboy2]

Me and Strax waited for fishbang to leave the other day before we talked about the ending. Telling fishbang that everything you are doing right now will be wiped at the end of the game would probably cause him to skip playing it. We're a bit curious to see which way he goes with the ending. I'm betting he hates it, but I've been surprised by him before.

[Purple Santa]

Originally Posted by Psykoboy2

Hmm...not me. Must have been someone else who thinks that. Part of me loves it, part of me hates it. I hate that I cannot go back through and enjoy all the work I did to heal the land. I hate that I thought I would have that ability once I was done with the main game. Now...well, now I'm fucked.

I just finished this last night and I wasn't to happy to realize I couldn't go back either. For the most part though I collected most of the seeds and just meandered around. But i'm still disappointed I won't be able to go back and get all the seeds. And it's not likely i'm going to play through that game again. I loved the game, but it's rare i'll go through a game twice.

I liked the ending. I thought the dialogue between the Prince and Elika were trying to portray how both characters were changing. I think that is one of the more difficult aspects of game characterization. In other forms of fiction, there are ways to show how a character has changed. With a game with very little facial expressions or ability for exposition, it can seem as if the Prince was behaving out of character. I'm not sure how much dialogue there was in the game but I made sure to press the "LT" button more than they ever prompted you to. I actually thought that was very clever. For those who wanted more, you have that option. Those who just want to blow through it without wanting to know could also. I thought that helped for me to understand why the Prince did what he did in the ending.

[Narradisall]

Originally Posted by Purple Santa

I just finished this last night and I wasn't to happy to realize I couldn't go back either. For the most part though I collected most of the seeds and just meandered around. But i'm still disappointed I won't be able to go back and get all the seeds. And it's not likely i'm going to play through that game again. I loved the game, but it's rare i'll go through a game twice.

This. I really don't get this.

As someone voiced the same complaint above. It was pretty obvious once you entereted that temple you were heading for the big final fight? Why didn't you just knock up a save there and not overwrite it if you wanted to meander about later?

Strikes me as truely odd this is a gripe mentioned by a few people when its a point of no return not very far from the end. Where did you possibly save after going into the temple?!?!

[Purple Santa]

Originally Posted by Narradisall

This. I really don't get this.

As someone voiced the same complaint above. It was pretty obvious once you entereted that temple you were heading for the big final fight? Why didn't you just knock up a save there and not overwrite it if you wanted to meander about later?

Strikes me as truely odd this is a gripe mentioned by a few people when its a point of no return not very far from the end. Where did you possibly save after going into the temple?!?!

Let me be more clear. I most likely do have a save at the point you suggest. I save all the time. I often don't overwrite saves for the reason you point out. Yes, I knew I was coming to the end. What's the issue? I don't feel like doing that ending over. For me, it was grueling. I loved it, it challenged my limited gaming skills...but I rather not torture myself again on some of the climbing vines section. For me to finish off all the seeds I have to do that again. Usually collect a thon type to achieve 100% or an achievement for such...allows you to go back in the game. This was unusual. Can I do it? Sure...I did it once...but I have other games I want to spend time with. I want to be frustrated with a new game, not one i've done already.

[Mdot]

I agree with Spacetronaut's assessment. At first, I wasn't really too into it, but letting it simmer a while, I started to dig it. The only thing that I think they could have established a little more was how deeply he felt for her towards the end of the game. They didn't really build up the Prince's feelings too much, and while we all knew how he was supposed to feel, I didn't think they conveyed it as well as they could have.

Overall though, I really enjoyed the game and if they can make the acrobatics a little more "hands-on" like in the previous trilogy and eliminate the QTE-feeling to it, they'll have a winner.

[TrackZero]

Originally Posted by DoctorFinger

You know, I absolutely loved the ending. I know Psykoboy thinks it was a little out of character for the Prince to release Ahriman to revive Elika, but I think it was note perfect. It was the desperate act of a desperate man who found love only to have it taken away immediately. It also sets up the rest of the trilogy wonderfully. Including (I assume) the search for Ormazd.

I'm with you Doc. I noticed a definite progress of his character through the game and the ending seemed perfect. The prince's observations of Ormazd were dead on. Why should the people sacrifice everything and this god can't bother to even make an appearance? There were more than enough hints in conversation between the two in the game that led me to think things weren't all what they seemed. And I can't wait to see what happens next now. How does he explain his actions to Elika, what will Ahriman do next, will Elika reject the prince, etc? Can not wait.

Not to mention the emotional impact of the ending. A truly great game can do that, be fun, make me think and make me feel something. This PoP achieved all three.

[TrackZero]

Originally Posted by pheriannath

I think it was character breaking. I think by the end he understood what Elika was fighting for, and by that logic he shouldn't have revived her.

I look forward to seeing how they resolve this.

I think you nailed it, in that he understood what Elika was fighting for. But Elika never came to understand what the prince was fighting for. That's the key point.

[TrackZero]

Originally Posted by Psykoboy2

I think it honestly would have been note perfect to let her die or at least continue to lay on that slab and have me go off to find out a way to bring her back.

That'd have been a little predictable, no?

(Besides, you already have that game, it's called Shadow of the Colossus.)

[Psykoboy2]

I found a way to go back and collect all the seeds.

EVERY auto save is actually still on your HDD. If you go to system -> memory and then find the game, you'll see them.

Since in the game it only shows the last auto save, you need to delete all the other ones EXCEPT the one you think is closest to the ending without it actually being the ending.