[SPOILERS] Alternate Ending Proposal

[Snarks]

This discusses the ending, so go away if you haven't beaten the game. Don't spoil yourself!

First off, I'd like to say I really enjoyed the game, particularly in the quality of the writing and the fantastic job of the voice actors. Second, I also acknowledge that the chances of this alternate ending being implemented is very unlikely. That's fine! This is ultimately a critique of the story, less so a suggestion and definitely not a demand.

After giving it some thought, I am disappointed in the ending because up until that point, I felt Simon and the player shared a common view and perspective, that is Simon's reactions are generally in line with the player's reactions. Simon's reaction in the ending breaks this shared perspective of the player and the player character.

Here's what I would have changed: I felt Catherine should have reminded Simon about how the cloning process works and then given him the option of whether or not to upload his subconscious on the ARK. From a narration perspective, this would demonstrate Catherine's character development, making the Clone Catherine different from Real Catherine. For everything they've been through and from seeing her own dead body, it really seems like Clone Catherine should have owed it up to Simon to give him a clear decision, giving Clone Catherine a distinct personality from Real Catherine. For Catherine, this is particularly important because her greatest character flaw lies in her refusal to compromise or be straightforward with other people. She is distrusted by her colleagues because she is manipulative, despite her best intentions.

Should Simon choose to not be uploaded, Clone Catherine would also choose not to upload, letting the ARK keep the original scan version of her. If Simon chooses to get uploaded, then she would override the original scan. This would demonstrate the camaraderie that the two have built up over the course of the game. Of course, both choices would still ultimately leave a copy of Simon stranded on Earth. The key difference would be their acceptance of that decision, giving Simon and Catherine closure, rather than Simon's rather silly tirade at the end when the player is (or at least I was) screaming, "you know that, you idiot!" Simon and the player should share a common perspective, since afterall, you are choosing these decisions that he's making all the way until the end.