Victory in video games is often defined by a clear ending: the final boss falls, the credits roll, and a sense of accomplishment follows. Yet some titles subvert that expectation, either by refusing to offer closure, by presenting endings that strip away the illusion of triumph, or by having an intentionally open-ended gameplay loop that is devoid of an actual ending.
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For the gaming perfectionists, these titles will provide the biggest test to complete every in-game objective and reach 100% completion.
Whether through endless survival loops, bleak narratives, or mechanics designed to frustrate traditional success, these games leave players with uncertainty rather than glory. They are experiences that challenge not only the skills of the player, but also the very concept of what it means to finish a game.
7 Days To Die
Survival With No End In Sight
7 Days to Die
- Released
- June 28, 2016
WHERE TO PLAY
7 Days to Die offers no final milestone for players to strive for. Instead, they are forced to fortify bases, craft weapons, and prepare for the infamous undead waves that never cease, no matter how far the player progresses. Each cycle only escalates in difficulty, pushing survival further out of reach.
The design ensures that, no matter how well-prepared the player may feel, total victory is an illusion, with the endless tension being what truly defines the game. There is no “winning” scenario; the only success is prolonging the inevitable, and eventually, the horde consumes every settlement, and defeat is a matter of time rather than choice.
Pathologic 2
A Disease That Can Never Truly Be Stopped
Pathologic 2
- Released
- May 23, 2019
WHERE TO PLAY
Pathologic 2 is built around futility. The central town is ravaged by a plague, and the player has only twelve in-game days to find a cure. No path leads to salvation; at best, the player's survival comes with horrific compromise and unbearable losses that feel less like sacrifices and more like necessities.
Endings vary depending on decisions made, but they all share a bleak truth that the town cannot be saved. Even survival feels like failure, as districts burn and loved ones perish, forcing acceptance of defeat as part of its design, and ensuring that, regardless of the outcome, winning is never even close.
The Sims 4
Simulating Life In Every Way Possible
The Sims 4
- Released
- September 2, 2014
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T for Teen: Crude Humor, Sexual Themes, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Maxis
- Genre(s)
- Simulation
Unlike most games, The Sims 4 resists the concept of finality altogether. Life simulation means there is no narrative climax or overarching victory condition. Sims may age, grow, and eventually die, but the player can always create new lives and start the cycle again.
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The absence of an ending makes the game paradoxical, as players can achieve goals like wealth or career success, but there is no ultimate finish line. The result is a sandbox where stories are infinite, but closure never arrives, no matter how many days pass or how many Sims come into or pass from existence.
Far Cry 5
Bleak Endings With No Victory In Sight
Far Cry 5
- Released
- March 27, 2018
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, Use of Drugs and Alcohol
- Developer(s)
- Ubisoft Montreal, Ubisoft Toronto
- Genre(s)
- FPS, Open-World
Far Cry 5 offers multiple endings, yet none of them feel like a victory. Resisting the cult leader Joseph Seed leads to nuclear devastation, while walking away leaves the protagonist cursed by cult indoctrination. Even the secret early ending, achieved by refusing to act, simply ends the game without progress.
Thematically, Far Cry 5 makes escape impossible. The player is trapped in Hope County, whether through destruction, manipulation, or submission, and every ending strips away hope, denying the possibility of triumph and instead forcing failure at every turn.
Fear & Hunger
No Positive Way Forward
Fear & Hunger
- Released
- December 11, 2018
WHERE TO PLAY
In Fear & Hunger, multiple endings exist, but all are drenched in despair. Some paths allow the protagonist to escape, but the outside world remains just as cruel, while others see the character ascending to godhood, losing their humanity to perpetuate suffering in the wider world.
The game refuses to offer a clean exit, as death is common, survival is hollow, and ascension is a curse from which there is no escape. In every outcome, victory is little more than another form of defeat, never feeling positive, and always resulting in death.
Outer Wilds
Loop After Loop
Outer Wilds
- Released
- May 28, 2019
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- E10+ For Everyone 10+ due to Fantasy Violence, Alcohol Reference
- Developer(s)
- Mobius Digital
- Genre(s)
- Adventure
Outer Wilds is structured around a 22-minute time loop that always resets with the sun’s explosion. No matter how much knowledge the player gathers, the reset cannot be avoided, adding a level of futility to every session and encounter.
While the true ending does provide closure in the form of ending the time loop cycle, the structure itself makes victory fleeting. Even if the player manages to stop the loop, they themselves have to die once more, meaning that even if the universe lives on, they must pay the ultimate price.
Don't Starve
Either An Escape Or A Continued Cycle
Don't Starve
- Released
- April 23, 2013
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen due to Fantasy, Violence, Crude Humor
- Developer(s)
- Klei Entertainment
- Genre(s)
- Survival, Management
Adventure Mode in Don’t Starve culminates in a final encounter with Maxwell, the enigmatic master of the Constant. At this point, the player faces a grim choice: take Maxwell’s place or leave him bound. Choosing to replace Maxwell means the player assumes his throne, gaining power but becoming trapped in an endless cycle, effectively exchanging freedom for control.
Refusing the offer leaves Maxwell imprisoned and allows the player to exit, but this is no victory. The cycle of the Constant continues, and the game ends with ambiguity, as the player can continue playing, just with the knowledge that Maxwell remains imprisoned. In both cases, the player cannot truly wi. Whether they end up trapped or free, there is no new end-goal in sight.
No Man's Sky
Restarting The Journey Once More
No Man's Sky
- Released
- August 9, 2016
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T for Teen: Fantasy Violence, Animated Blood
- Developer(s)
- Hello Games
Reaching the center of the galaxy in No Man’s Sky seems like the ultimate goal, yet it leads only to a reset. The player is reborn in a new galaxy with stripped resources, beginning the journey anew.
This endless loop reflects the simulation-like nature of the universe. There is no conclusion, no great revelation, only repetition across infinite galaxies. The journey never ends, and victory is replaced by perpetual wandering that only concludes when the game is switched off.
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