Happy vs. Bad Endings, which do you prefer to play first?
- Thread starter summerkaraoke
- Start date
- Aug 18, 2025
- 326
- 170
I always go for the Happy Ending first, preferably with a guide in hand.
For me, the Happy Ending feels like the 王道, or the standard/classic conclusion of the route. It's usually where everything comes together: the relationship reaches its proper resolution, unanswered questions are revealed, conflicts are resolved, and you finally get the full picture of the story.
With Bad Endings, on the other hand, you often don't get all of that context. Of course, it depends on the game, but sometimes if you play a Bad Ending first, you won't fully understand the meaning behind it or be able to read between the lines because you haven't experienced the complete route yet. There might be certain details or emotional implications that only make sense after you've seen how things were supposed to unfold.
That said, I do enjoy checking out Bad Endings afterward, especially when they get dark, dramatic, or unexpectedly spicy. Some games have Bad Endings that go in directions the Happy Ending never would, like the heroine ending up with someone else instead of the LI of that route, or other wild scenarios.
But that's exactly why I prefer to save them for later. I want the Happy Ending to be my main experience and emotional conclusion for the route first. Then, once I'm satisfied and emotionally secure that everything worked out in the end, I can go back and enjoy all the alternative disasters as bonus content.
For me, the Happy Ending feels like the 王道, or the standard/classic conclusion of the route. It's usually where everything comes together: the relationship reaches its proper resolution, unanswered questions are revealed, conflicts are resolved, and you finally get the full picture of the story.
With Bad Endings, on the other hand, you often don't get all of that context. Of course, it depends on the game, but sometimes if you play a Bad Ending first, you won't fully understand the meaning behind it or be able to read between the lines because you haven't experienced the complete route yet. There might be certain details or emotional implications that only make sense after you've seen how things were supposed to unfold.
That said, I do enjoy checking out Bad Endings afterward, especially when they get dark, dramatic, or unexpectedly spicy. Some games have Bad Endings that go in directions the Happy Ending never would, like the heroine ending up with someone else instead of the LI of that route, or other wild scenarios.
But that's exactly why I prefer to save them for later. I want the Happy Ending to be my main experience and emotional conclusion for the route first. Then, once I'm satisfied and emotionally secure that everything worked out in the end, I can go back and enjoy all the alternative disasters as bonus content.
- Mar 28, 2021
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- 69
The first time around, I usually go in blind—picking the options that appeal to me most or reflect what I'd actually choose—and I accept the ending regardless of whether it's good, mediocre, or bad. (If I don't target a specific guy, I usually end up with the mediocre ending; if I do follow my heart and prioritize the guy I like, I tend to lose interest—because once I've played through my favorite's route, I lose about 50% of my enthusiasm for the game.) The second time, I use a guide to finish the game—especially if it's difficult (since some games can be completed without one). When using a guide, I usually play the bad endings first so I can fully enjoy the true ending later; I prefer getting the unpleasant part out of the way before the good stuff. Sometimes, the bad endings are actually better than the "good" ending, and I prefer them. This applies to *yandere* endings or scenarios where the guy treated the protagonist like trash and something tragic happens; I often feel those outcomes are better than the "good ending" because, while I love a "red flag" guy, I don't reward assholes.
If the bad ending traumatizes me too much, I simply go back and play the happy ending again... 
- Jan 5, 2025
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For the most part I play the happy ending first, then I play the bad endings mostly for the 100% LOL I'm not generally too interested in them because I think a lot of the bad endings I encountered were very short and they sometimes feel like they come out of nowhere. For more darker (or I guess more angst-y?) games then I sometimes will feel like doing the bad endings first.
- Apr 14, 2025
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My goal is always to reach the happy ending first !! i usually will play the bad endings only to fully complete the game but sometimes the endings r wayyyy too horrible and i just can't push through it lmao 
......
New member
- Aug 20, 2026
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- 5
- Jun 23, 2025
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Sometimes I just go with my gut, and once I get to the latter half of a route,
I'll check where the HE and BE branches are and do the BE first.
Other times, I get so immersed that I completely forget to check the branches and end up getting the HE first.
And then there are times when I don't want to look at a guide at all and just want to follow my instincts from start to finish.
If I get a particularly memorable BE and then the HE that follows feels pretty underwhelming,
I do end up feeling a little disappointed...
So when the HE is just as compelling, it feels especially satisfying.
I'll check where the HE and BE branches are and do the BE first.
Other times, I get so immersed that I completely forget to check the branches and end up getting the HE first.
And then there are times when I don't want to look at a guide at all and just want to follow my instincts from start to finish.
If I get a particularly memorable BE and then the HE that follows feels pretty underwhelming,
I do end up feeling a little disappointed...
So when the HE is just as compelling, it feels especially satisfying.
Sunshine.A
New member
- Mar 18, 2024
- 24
- 4
I like to go for the bad ending because if I get the first run, the happy ending will not play to get the bad ending. Because I feel bad for my MC. Besides, my way of playing is bad ending, good ending and canonical ending.
- Apr 27, 2014
- 50
- 22
I usually use guides and go for the good ending first. If there's a best ending and a good ending, then I'll aim for the best one first. After that I'll do all the bad endings for that love interest then do the same for the next love interest and so on, since I'm a bit of a completionist. I also feel that doing all the ends shows me all the different possible sides of a character. I love happy endings the most though, so playing like this has definitely caused me to quit games entirely before if a bad end is too heartbreaking and ruins the whole game and character for me lol.
Kevin1255
Active member
- Mar 26, 2025
- 248
- 173
I always follow a walkthrough and go for the Happy Ending first! If I accidentally hit a soul-crushing Bad Ending on my very first run, it leaves such a bitter aftertaste that it completely ruins my motivation to keep playing. I'd rather get the sweet, satisfying closure to fall in love with the couple first, and then go back later to collect all the tragic bad ends and CGs for that spicy angst. Leaving the best for the beginning keeps my mental health intact lmao!
- Aug 18, 2026
- 366
- 172
To be honest, I always prefer to play through the happy ending first. However, most of the otome games I play don't let you explicitly choose the ending; instead, it is determined by the choices you make during gameplay. So, after spending a long time playing through a route only to end up with a bad ending, I feel quite let down.
- Aug 20, 2026
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if you have to do the bad endings, then i do it last. but generally i hate doing bad endings, so i tend to avoid them (｡ﾉω＼｡)
- Feb 28, 2023
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Happy ending first because sometimes I skip the bad endings, if I think the happy ending is already good enough and serve the narrative.
- Nov 21, 2021
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- Aug 17, 2026
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First pass through the bad ending, then collect the good ending, because I like to imagine the protagonist's happy future after achieving the good ending; this brings me great satisfaction.
- Aug 19, 2026
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Normally, I'll unlock the BE routes first, and when I reach the ending, I'll put it on auto mode and let it run idle there while I'll just continue doing other stuffs. I don't really like reading or going through BE routes honestly unless the ending is interesting; otherwise certain BE endings can be disturbing to me...
After unlocking the BE routes, that's when I will start to enjoy and immerse stories and characters. But there were sometimes I'll start with the HE routes first if I really like the characters and couldn't wait to play through their routes cause I will still let the game idle in auto mode when I reached the bad endings anyway.
After unlocking the BE routes, that's when I will start to enjoy and immerse stories and characters. But there were sometimes I'll start with the HE routes first if I really like the characters and couldn't wait to play through their routes cause I will still let the game idle in auto mode when I reached the bad endings anyway.
- Oct 27, 2019
- 486
- 1,037
Happy endings and skip bad endings entirely. I understand they can help to understand characters better, but LIs sometimes go crazy in them, and I can't get their faces out of my mind in other normal routes, and it kind of ruins the atmosphere
I also don't care for what a character can do (in bad ending) as long as they are not doing it for real in the main story, so no point to read it.
I also don't care for what a character can do (in bad ending) as long as they are not doing it for real in the main story, so no point to read it.