From everything I have seen (on Steam and the Discord), all the endings are sad. Someone said that they aren't bittersweet, they are just bitter and I kind of need to agree. I haven't had any ending so far that has been satisfying.
Ya I'm guessing most of the endings will be more tragic. We'll have to wait and see till all routes have been attained. I feel personally my ending with Randal was more bitter sweet, but it does depend on how one portrays such feelings. However, a general happy ending would be nice, if we're gonna go through like 95% of mostly sad endings😅.
Sadly, I didn't keep the save and don't remember other than it was pretty high with the Mavvar. Maybe the faction reputation isn't the (only) problem though. Depending on your personality, certain dialogue choices won't show up. For example, if you are constantly polite, certain rude responses aren't shown, so maybe this is the issue? If you try to get Randal's special ending, you might want to act like your typical Mavvar fanboy, believing in the revolution, putting him on a pedestal and everything.
Word of caution: No matter your route, if you are going for the special ending and you reach the point where you can get intimate with your mentor, then you missed your chance and are set for a "normal" ending. You can't have both hanky-panky and the special endings.
I have to agree that the endings are really depressing and there isn't even a bittersweetness in them. I spent a lot of time, trying to figure out to heal our mentors or some sort of calm ending that doesn't lead to destruction or a broken guy. While I'm aware about the genre Drama and Psychological, I felt like the Markus Special Ending was - as a friend agrees - kind of lazy? Like an easy way to weasel out why things happened and why the choices had the effect they had. I felt like the real choices that mattered were the ones which faction we choose.
Ending spoilers and basically repeating what former poster said
The common endings are 1. If you get killed by a certain sewer dweller (you can avoid this by running away or as Mavvar you can survive by fighting back), and 2. If you're not high enough with a faction and get killed after announcement (this was also a huge bug in the earlier version)
The most endings for the guys are obvious: The faction you choose at the end - Saorise, Randal or Andrei. Making up three endings for each guy. Randal has one more with your own rebellion which you can achieve by deciding to make your own house (balance your reputation above 50 for each house, convince Randal to join you, Markus will mention that you have to infiltrate the houses... I suggest if you have problems with one house to help Andrei, so you meet Morgan who offers you to boost your reputation with one house in exchange to introduce her to Andrei. Figure out the rest.)
Then we have the romance/friendship endings for Heath and Randal (technically his faction ending). Easy as said, romance them. Markus will go away no matter what.
Finally the three special endings, which you can get by taking the red choices - to see them you have to be the same house as your mentor. Prepare to be shocked, cry or well, disappointed.
Endings spoilers end
All in all it was a great game but as many other players I share the same empty feeling after spending over 20+ hours on the game and waiting so long for its release. I also tried to figure out what the devs tried to convey with the hidden messages (like to try investigate on the texts you see in the backgrounds or CGs (Randals biker jacket saying in Latin "The world wants to betrayed." or something) and endings names of the guys (John 1.5 for example, a bible verse) as well the song playlists you unlock once you acquire a special ending) but I wracked my brain with the choices already.
Hmm, that's unfortunate. With games, you have to feel accomplished in some way. This game is really deep, and really well done - the art is beautiful, and the setting is great. But if the goal is reached and still feels empty after one revelation or another, that shouldn't be the lesson or the message. It's almost like beating a very dead horse with a stick.
Ahhhh I hate sad endings,, I tend to avoid games like that, but I reeeally loved the art in this one. I really wish there was at least a little satisfaction...
Thank you for the information! I did not know you could get the special endings only when you are in the same house as your mentor, I must have gotten that right by accident and so I didn't notice. (Might explain why the red choices didn't work for another user.) Truth to be told, that's a little bit lame, especially since it means that the final "true" ending is exclusive to Golgotha vampires, and I already have the feeling that the game is tilted in favor of Markus/Golgotha. Don't get me wrong, they are my favorite house and character too, but it still feels... slightly unbalanced?
Edit: Finally managed to start my own rebellion on Randal's route, yet his second ending still eludes me. Might be a bug, or maybe there are some other conditions? Second edit: I finally got it by siding with Andrei, but then letting him get murdered by Lazarus. (Must have agreed to Lazarus' deal beforehand.)
