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Second only to Outlast, Frictional Games' Amnesia: The Dark Descent has often been cited as one of the greatest, most influential horror games ever made. Released in 2010, Amnesia follows Daniel, an everyman who finds himself trapped inside a mysterious and dilapidated castle known as Brennenburg. While inside, Daniel encounters nightmarish creatures and convoluted puzzles, all while trying to maintain his sanity.
Amnesia: The Dark Descent, like most other games, features several contrasting endings. In this case, each ending is triggered by a specific course of action taken by the player while inside the Orb Chamber, the final setting in Amnesia that lies at the heart of Brennenburg Castle.
Alexander of Brennenburg, in his Inner Sanctum, seeks to open a portal to the world from whence he came. There are three fragile pillars feeding blue energy into the portal, while Alexander, engulfed in the same blue energy, levitates menacingly. At this point, Daniel's actions will trigger one of three possible endings. These endings are known as the Revenge Ending, the Bad Ending, and the Good Ending, but there are certain requirements for unlocking each one.
Daniel's Ending (The Revenge Ending)
After navigating the entirety of Brennenburg, Daniel confronts the Baron, known as Alexander of Brennenburg and the founder of Brennenburg Castle. Daniel rebuilds Agrippa's Orb to access the Orb Chamber, then, using his own blood, breaks the final seal to unlock the doors.
In order to achieve the Revenge Ending, Daniel must topple the pillars and ruin Alexander's ritual. Subsequently, the Guardian of the Orb (The Shadow), a hostile otherworldly creature, creeps under Alexander, who screams in agony and presumably dies. The Shadow, however, doesn't harm Daniel, and when the sequence ends, a short cutscene shows Daniel leaving Brennenburg Castle.
In his voiceover, Daniel will say: "It was my greatest triumph...and I never looked back. You think I was afraid fleeing Brennenburg? Quite the contrary. I knew it was my purgatory — hellfire made to wash away my sins. There's no denying the things I've done. But I have paid my tribute. I gave them that awful man...I did the right thing."
Alexander's Ending (The Bad Ending)
Although it isn't a common outcome, the Bad Ending is the easiest to obtain. Essentially, if the player does nothing while inside the Orb Chamber, their passivity will trigger Alexander's Ending. After Alexander disappears, Daniel will hear the screams of Brennenburg's prisoners, as well as the voice of Elise Zimmermann, whom Daniel had stabbed to death before drinking the Amnesia potion. As The Shadow invades the Orb Chamber, Daniel is ripped apart within minutes.
After the screen fades to black and The Shadow's monstrous roar grows distant, Alexander's voiceover says: "Thank you, my friend. Your sacrifice won't be forgotten. You'll be celebrated...forever."
Agrippa's Ending (The Good Ending)
For context, Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa is the deuteragonist of Amnesia: The Dark Descent whose characterization is based on the historical figure of the same name, a German physician and occult writer. For Agrippa himself, Daniel can either refuse to help him, thereby dooming him to a painful demise at the hands of The Shadow, or if Daniel saws off Agrippa's head but doesn't put it through the portal, then he most likely dies after succumbing to his injuries.
For the Good Ending, Daniel must place Agrippa's severed head into the portal after it opens but before the final preparations are complete. If done correctly, players will hear Alexander cry out: "No, you fool! You have ruined us!" In the following moments, The Shadow kills Alexander the same way as in the Revenge Ending, where he curls into the fetal position and dissolves into blue mist.
Daniel appears to die as well, but when the screen darkens, a flurry of blue lights will float across the screen and Agrippa will say: "There he is. Do you see him, Weyer? He deserves so much more. Please, help him, I know you can. Don't worry, Daniel. It will be alright." In the Good Ending, it is left uncertain what happens to Daniel, but the belief is that he perished along with Alexander and the combined efforts of Agrippa and Weyer resurrect him.