History TooBleakStoppedCaring / VideoGames

* This is one reason why the [[VideoGame/BionicCommando2009 2009 installment]] of ''VideoGame/BionicCommando'' is so divisive. Nathan Spencer is difficult to root for due to [[TookALevelInJerkass taking several levels in jerkass]], and the plot revolves around a conflict between an awful PoliceState and an [[TheRevolutionWillNotBeCivilized equally awful]] terrorist group. [[spoiler:TheReveal that Spencer's wife was killed and [[HumanResources used to make his bionic arm]] seals the deal.]]

* This is one reason why the 2009 installment of ''VideoGame/BionicCommando'' is so divisive. Nathan Spencer is difficult to root for due to [[TookALevelInJerkass taking several levels in jerkass]], and the plot revolves around a conflict between an awful PoliceState and an [[TheRevolutionWillNotBeCivilized equally awful]] terrorist group. [[spoiler:TheReveal that Spencer's wife was killed and [[HumanResources used to make his bionic arm]] seals the deal.]]

* {{Defied|Trope}} by ''VideoGame/IHaveNoMouthAndIMustScream''. The creator of the [[Literature/IHaveNoMouthAndIMustScream original story]], Creator/HarlanEllison, was heavily involved with the game's production (even voicing the BigBad, [[AIIsACrapshoot AM]]) and was convinced by the devs to allow them to make a GoldenEnding for the player to potentially achieve as they were concerned that making it a ShootTheShaggyDog no matter what would invoke this in the audience (especially after the controversy surrounding ''VideoGame/{{Infidel}}''). It took [[https://www.filfre.net/2021/10/i-have-no-mouth-and-i-must-scream/ some doing]], as Ellison was known for being stubborn and considered the idea of an [[FailureIsTheOnlyOption unwinnable game]] [[BlackComedy hilarious]]. As a result, the game remains a CultClassic to this day.

** For several fans, this extends to the entire series due to the implication that [[TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt Armageddon]] [[FailureIsTheOnlyOption cannot be stopped no matter what the heroes do]]. In the original timeline, [[VideoGame/MortalKombatArmageddon the Battle of Armageddon]] ended with the deaths of (nearly) ''[[EverybodyDiesEnding everyone]]'' and [[TheBadGuyWins Shao Kahn's victory]], negating all of the heroes' victories up to then (read: six games' worth, seven if you include ''[[VideoGame/MortalKombatMythologiesSubZero Mythologies]]'') and forcing Dark Raiden (a borderline-OmnicidalManiac KnightTemplar at this point in time) [[SetRightWhatOnceWentWrong to try to avert a cataclysm]] by slamming the ResetButton and (poorly) clueing in his past self on events to come. [[{{Understatement}} Things don't pan out all too well]], with the triumphs in ''[=MK9=]'' and ''MKX'' being [[BittersweetEnding largely]] {{pyrrhic|Victory}} in nature. And though the course of history [[ForWantOfANail greatly diverges]] with the events of games [[VideoGame/MortalKombatII two]] [[VideoGame/MortalKombat3 through]] [[VideoGame/MortalKombat4 four]] (particularly the Outworld invasion and Shinnok's escape from the Netherrealm), nothing hints at the endgame itself changing, so either the various kombatants will continue to grow in power and inadvertently destroy the fabric of reality, [[GreaterScopeVillain the One Being]] will be reformed through the merger of all the realms (which would cause its dreams -- all of existence -- to cease), or some other great threat will put all life in the cosmos at risk. Again. It doesn't help that, as seen with ''Armageddon'' and ''9'', EvilOnlyHasToWinOnce for all of the realms to get hosed. And ''[[VideoGame/MortalKombat11 11]]'' has Kronika trying to induce HistoryRepeats. [[spoiler:That said, though, many characters do eventually find some degree of closure, with Liu Kang and Raiden in particular eventually patching things up with each other and, via a FusionDance that turns the former into a PhysicalGod, do manage to defeat Kronika, though the fact that everything except her defeat was undone by her rewinding time does leave a dampener on things. Then again, there's still the chance that Liu Kang (and Kitana if you managed to beat Kronika without losing a round) can rebuild the timeline from scratch into a hopefully better one, but still.]]

* ''VideoGame/HalfQuake''[[labelnote:*]]alternatively ''[=HalfQuake=]'' or ''Halfquake''[[/labelnote]]:

* ''Franchise/FarCry'':
** ''VideoGame/FarCry2'' can be seen this way. Both the UFLL and the APR, as well as the PrivateMilitaryContractors working for them, are complete bastards. Even the PlayerCharacter and his buddies are pretty reprehensible people; for every mission one of your buddies sends you on to prevent an attack by destroying fuel, take out ammunition stores that would give one side leverage over the other, destroy a quack doctor's fake medical supplies, or kill drug dealers who are selling to children, they also have another one where they send you out to kill a salesman for petty revenge over TheAllegedCar, eliminate an arms dealer so your buddy can make a big sale in his stead, destroy a stockpile of passports that their current owner is trying to price-gouge citizens on rather than give them away or sell them more cheaply, or mutilate the corpse of one faction leader's recently-deceased brother to send a part of it as a "trophy" to the other, and this is to say nothing of the fact that one of the easiest ways to gain diamonds to buy weapons and equipment before you start on the actual story missions is straight-up assassinating people. Ironically, [[BigBad The Jackal]] can be seen as the most sympathetic character in the game by some, if in a WellIntentionedExtremist way. [[spoiler:Every one of them is dead by the end of the game, though the player's fate is left open to interpretation if the player chooses to take the case of diamonds to the border.]]
** ''VideoGame/FarCry4'' concerns the fictional nation of Kyrat, which can end up with three possible leaders. None of them can be called good. [[spoiler: Sabal becomes a religious fanatic who forces the Kyrati to convert or die, Amita becomes a ruthless child slave driver, and Ajay, while possibly being the best out of these options, is still vulnerable to the corruption that seeps into the other three candidates, especially since his path to power is littered with bodies and possibly assisted by previous dictator Pagan Min.]]
** ''VideoGame/FarCry5'' puts Hope County's conflict against [[ApocalypseCult Eden's Gate cult]], who believe that society is falling apart and that the world will soon end, and it is depressing enough with not much in the way of lighthearted brevity. It examines the nature of faith and "end-of-the-world" predictions, and no matter how much the player does to stop the cult, [[spoiler:[[TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt the Collapse is inevitable]]. In the canonical ending, [[NukeEm nuclear war]] is sparked between the USA and Russia for no particular reason, completely catching everyone off guard, proving that [[BigBad Joseph Seed]] [[TheExtremistWasRight was right the whole time]]. With The Deputy's buddies dead and the fates of Hope County residents remaining unknown, The Deputy and Joseph Seed are the only survivors. The other two non-canonical endings aren't much better; the 'Walk away' ending has Joseph Seed's brainwashing trigger in the Deputy and it's implied they kill all of the people they rescued, while in the secret ending where the player just waits in the opening and doesn't arrest Seed at all, it just ends with passing the buck to someone else who will presumably end up the same way it does normally.]] These endings even ended up {{overshadow|edByControversy}}ing the entire rest of the game and considerably hurting its sales. Thankfully, [[spoiler:its follow-up ''VideoGame/FarCryNewDawn'', set 17 years after the Collapse, reveals that most of Hope County's residents have survived nuclear armageddon and it ends on much more positive note, giving Hope County a BittersweetEnding after all the trouble they went through, with Joseph Seed truly defeated this time.]] However, [[spoiler:''VideoGame/FarCry6'' reveals that full-scale nuclear war did ''not'' break out and most people are fine, and America is still seen as a place one would want to take refuge in.]] ''However'', [[spoiler:DLC has Joseph back and alive.]]

* ''VideoGame/RedDeadRedemption'': Despite John himself being portrayed as a sympathetic character, very few of his good deeds go unpunished. The only sympathetic character of all of the cast who didn't get apathetic is Jack, John's son. [[spoiler:But by the time the game's ending came around, he has become as bad as John himself after killing Ross, turning into the very man John didn't want him to become. That said, in ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoV'', you can find a book called "Red Dead", whose author is one J. Marston. If canon, it could mean that Jack eventually did abandon that life and become a writer like he always wanted to.]]

* ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAuto'':
** ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoViceCityStories'' can invoke this feeling. In contrast to the rest of the 3D-Era games, the story is very bleak and it's one of the few video games of that era to have a BittersweetEnding. It doesn't help the fact that one of the main characters (Lance Vance) is an incompetent, childish idiot who only causes problems for his brother, with the only truly positive from his presence being that, as the game is a prequel, we know he gets his comeuppance later on.
** ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoIV'':
*** The game runs the risk of provoking this reaction towards players and especially ''GTA'' fans by being a DeconstructorFleet of the ''GTA'' series. The game is relentless about showing how unrealistic and flawed are concepts like EvilPaysBetter, DamnItFeelsGoodToBeAGangster and the anti-heroic characterization of your usual ''GTA'' protagonist. The problem is that all this negativism and cynicism comes from a ''GTA'' game, a game known for its over-the-top portrait of organized crime.
*** As for the storyline: Niko Bellic moves to the United States for a fresh start at life, but it goes down the toilet when his cousin, Roman, gets him roped up in his debt and antics. The entire story shows Niko doing nothing but trying to please his selfish cousin who always seems to get himself into trouble, while Niko always bitches about it as he continuously helps his cousin out. It eventually leads to Niko being hunted down by a mobster throughout the game, but it doesn't build up from there; Niko just continues doing side jobs for random people while still complaining about his cousin's gambling habits and debt. On top of this, nearly every person Niko meets is either a backstabber or suffers from attachment issues, making nearly everyone unlikable and leaves the player wondering why they should care about a bunch of crazy people.
*** One of the selling points when the game was released was that you can make choices that will impact the story. The problem is, [[LyingCreator this isn't the case]]. Almost every choice you make [[MortonsFork does nothing to the plot]], and the choices as to who to kill always have an obvious "right" answer (from a gameplay standpoint if nothing else). The only choice you make that actually changes anything is the Deal or Revenge choice that sets up your ending, [[spoiler:and someone at Roman's wedding will still die either way]].
** ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoIVTheLostAndDamned''. Even ''more'' than the main game. A constant criticism towards the game is that it is so negatively depressing, that you almost feel that everything you did in this game was in vain. It doesn't help that, [[VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoV five years later]], we learn of [[spoiler:the eventual decline of Johnny and his entire gang]].
** ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoChinatownWars'' suffers from the same problems as Grand Theft Auto IV: the criminal lifestyle is portrayed as unglamourous and dangerous and all of Huang's superiors are shallow, smug dumbasses who constantly treat him with contempt even though he's the only thing keeping them from being killed or imprisoned. While Huang does end the game in a better position than he started, the amount of crap he went through to get there means that player will likely be as unsatisfied as he is.
** ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoV'':
*** Some players stated that they found no sympathetic qualities to the protagonists, who do their job mostly to get paid, as opposed to Niko committing crimes due to circumstance. The supporting characters are just as bad. Almost every NonPlayerCharacter in the game is either selfish, an idiot, abrasive, violent, or some combination thereof.
*** There's a meta example in this game as well. Outside of the heists, very few missions offer satisfying rewards. Financial rewards are slim for most missions, gameplay rewards (such as unlocking guns, vehicles, new modes of play) are rare outside of the main story missions and the ones that do show up in side missions tend to be [[spoiler:jokes at the player's expense, which means that the missions aren't rewarding in a third way: from a dramatic or gameplay perspective. Examples of this include unlocking an antique tractor for [[StylisticSuck a long string of intentionally mind-numbing missions]], or a joke car for collecting 50 hard to find spaceship parts hidden all over one of the largest sandboxes in ''GTA'' history. After completing just a few Side Jobs or Random Encounters, going out of your way to undertake a new one will begin to feel like an exercise in masochistic futility.]]
*** At least part of this is intentional. The game is a big {{Deconstruction}} of DamnItFeelsGoodToBeAGangster, showing how petty, self-destructive and selfish anyone would have to be to behave like a ''GTA'' protagonist, along with how ultimately futile the lifestyle itself is. The trouble is, it's doing all of this in a video game series known for playing most of those tropes straight, so it comes across as [[ThisLoserIsYou condescending]] towards the very people who buy the ''GTA'' games. Couple that with a few blatant stereotypes about people who play too many video games, and you've got a game that almost feels like it's ''trying'' to alienate its audience. Just to top off how confusing this game's messaging can be, the online multiplayer takes the tropes the single-player deconstructs and plays them straight again, making the player feel like [[BrokenAesop even the game can't make up its mind]].

* A common criticism of ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXVI'' is that the world of Valisthea is a CrapsackWorld populated by so few good people that to many, it's hardly even worth saving. Seemingly everyone from the highest-ranked nobles to even the lowliest of peasants display an almost cartoonish level of FantasticRacism towards bearers, especially Clive with almost no exception. This has led to some players declaring that Valisthea straight-up ''deserves'' to fall. [[spoiler:This means that Clive's comments towards the end of the game towards Ultima come off more than a little hollow, and Ultima's HumansAreBastards philosophy hold legitimate weight within the logic of the setting.]] Additionally, fans of classic ''Final Fantasy'' were excited for this game [[RevisitingTheRoots returning to]] a MedievalEuropeanFantasy setting with the Crystals in a major role... only for the plot to portray both as unambiguously awful things that need to be destroyed for society to progress.

* A common criticism of ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXVI'' is that the world of Valisthea is a CrapsackWorld populated by so few good people that to many, it's hardly even worth saving. Seemingly everyone from the highest-ranked nobles to even the lowliest of peasants display an almost cartoonish level of FantasticRacism towards bearers, especially Clive with almost no exception. This has led to some players declaring that Valisthea straight-up ''deserves'' to fall. [[spoiler:This means that Clive's comments towards the end of the game towards Ultima come off more than a little hollow, and Ultima's HumansAreBastards philosophy hold legitimate weight within the logic of the setting.]] Additionally, fans of classic ''Final Fantasy'' were excited for this game [[RevisitingTheRoots returning to]] a MedievalEuropeanFantasy setting with the Crystals in a major role... only for the plot to portray both as unambiguously awful things that need to be destroyed for society to progress.

* A common criticism of ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXVI'' is that the world of Valisthea is a CrapsackWorld populated by so few good people that to many, it's hardly even worth saving. Seemingly everyone from the highest-ranked nobles to even the lowliest of peasants display an almost cartoonish level of FantasticRacism towards bearers, especially Clive with almost no exception. This has led to some players declaring that Valisthea straight-up ''deserves'' to fall. [[spoiler:This means that Clive's comments towards the end of the game towards Ultima come off more than a little hollow, and Ultima's HumansAreBastards philosophy hold legitimate weight within the logic of the setting.]] Additionally, fans of classic ''Final Fantasy'' were excited for this game [[RevisitingTheRoots returning to]] a MedievalEuropeanFantasy setting with the Crystals in a major role... only for the plot to portray both as unambiguously awful things that need to be destroyed for society to progress, [[spoiler:with the ending eliminating magic and most other "fantasy" elements from the world]].

* * A common criticism of ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXVI'' is that the world of Valisthea is a CrapsackWorld populated by so few good people that to many, it's hardly even worth saving. Seemingly everyone from the highest-ranked nobles to even the lowliest of peasants display an almost cartoonish level of FantasticRacism towards bearers, especially Clive with almost no exception. This has led to some players declaring that Valisthea straight-up ''deserves'' to fall. [[spoiler:This means that Clive's comments towards the end of the game towards Ultima come off more than a little hollow, and Ultima's HumansAreBastards philosophy hold legitimate weight within the logic of the setting.]] Additionally, fans of classic ''Final Fantasy'' were excited for this game [[RevisitingTheRoots returning to]] a MedievalEuropeanFantasy setting with the Crystals in a major role... only for the plot to portray both as unambiguously awful things that need to be destroyed for society to progress, [[spoiler:with the ending eliminating magic and most other "fantasy" elements from the world]].

* Many ''VideoGame/DwarfFortress'' players start off as attentive rulers, who care about their dwarves deeply. Sometimes so deeply, they'd rather resort to SaveScumming (which is highly ashamed by veteran players) than let a single dwarf die from unnatural causes. But with the game being [[FailureIsTheOnlyOption what it is]], sooner or later such players either [[ScrewThisImOuttaHere quit]] or [[FreakOut become the memetic Dwarf Fortress players]]. [[ItGetsEasier The latter view all their little people as mere resources]] required for bringing the so-called "FUN". Sometimes [[VideoGameCrueltyPotential this reaches]] [[MoralEventHorizon such ridiculous proportions]], that [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone even the creator gets horrified]].

* ''VideoGame/TalesOfCrestoria'': The world the story is set in is incredibly bleak, with all authority figures being apathetic at best and flagrantly evil at worst and things constantly going badly for the protagonists due to being framed for crimes while the truly monstrous villains get away scot-free over and over again. The very first chapter of the game opens with Kanata having to save his childhood friend Misella from being sold into sexual slavery by his own father and being MarkedToDie for it. Said Misella is a {{Yandere}} who routinely attacks and abuses the rest of the party. The party also contains [[SatanicArchetype the universe's equivalent of Satan.]] Even the citizens aren't much better, with most of them being [[BlackShirt Black Shirts]] who turn on innocents on a dime. The main characters can also turn people off due to how often their own stupidity gets them into trouble, making it difficult to root for them despite their struggles. This likely contributed to the game being cut short.

** Then came the reveal of the following installment, ''VideoGame/MortalKombat1'', which -- as evidenced by the name -- serves as yet another ContinuityReboot, one following [[spoiler:Fire God Liu Kang's triumph over Shang Tsung at the end of ''Aftermath'']]. However, the game's trailer and tagline ("It's in our blood") indicated that, despite the New Era being touted as a blank slate, [[HistoryRepeats history was set to repeat itself]]... ''again''. [[TaintedByThePreview Cue]] more disappointed fans throwing up their hands and wondering what was the entire point if the series was going to retread the same ground twice in the span of a mere four games.

** Then came the reveal of the following installment, ''VideoGame/{{Mortal Kombat 1|2023}}'', which -- as evidenced by the name -- serves as yet another ContinuityReboot, one following [[spoiler:Fire God Liu Kang's triumph over Shang Tsung at the end of ''Aftermath'']]. However, the game's trailer and tagline ("It's in our blood") indicated that, despite the New Era being touted as a blank slate, [[HistoryRepeats history was set to repeat itself]]... ''again''. [[TaintedByThePreview Cue]] more disappointed fans throwing up their hands and wondering what was the entire point if the series was going to retread the same ground twice in the span of a mere four games.