Drawn to Life: The Next Chapter Real Life + Ending

[@moahammad1mohammad]

First game: yay you beat the bad guy the day is saved! Second game: everything you know is a lie, your parents are dead and your in a coma from a car crash.

[@sirnesbit1285]

Mohammad M *”F o r t h e k i d s ! ! !”*

[@trinitdm2677]

Actually, the second game is more like "Nothing in this world is real, your parents are dead, half your face is scarred, and your brother is in a coma from a car crash."

[@Is.ambrizI]

:^)... :^|... :^(

[@outofthecoral]

Technically, this was the third game, taking place after the Wii version.

[@outofthecoral]

@@DOMINATION456STUDIOS If they kept it this way, it would have bumped up the rating.

[@rtp6343]

This game was rated E. edit: just realized that the villain was trying to stop you from escaping the dream so that you wouldn’t have the sorrow and shock of reality. Holy shit.

[@AndrewTheZ]

It's name is Wilfre. FREE WILL.

[@HyperfixationWizard]

Wilfre was actually trying to keep the real Mike dead so that the dream world would continue to exist. The spreading darkness in the first game? The loss of color in the second game? Symbolic of death and loss of reality respectively.

[@spoon7053]

@@HyperfixationWizard holy shit, it’s literally zelda links awakening lmao

[@ultrajerry1754]

E for everytime I play these Games i get sad and cry

[@bleh22]

I mean, he could've been nice about it at least :(. What was the point of acting evil

[@n0c269]

I remenber being a 9 years old kid and feeling dead inside when i got this ending.

[@just_some_rando6927]

Same

[@saucysven1505]

holy shit man, i was like 12 and i got the exact same feeling

[@Guacamakis]

Exactly the same, probably the same age as well.

[@adamhoey3220]

I think i cried a lil when i was a kid

[@salva1622]

Man, that was a fucking trauma for me. I remember being scared whenever I got into a car and I always thought my parents could die suddenly someday. Like who had the idea of displaying that ending in a fucking kids game, I'd smack him in the face tbh

[@dylanstone9724]

I just realized, Drawn to Life, the name of the series.. It does not talk about your hero, you are literally drawing Mike back to life. Restoring the color to his mind.

[@KaruDarkFire]

...Dude

[@gizmo8489]

Deeper than the pool i almost drowned in yesterday

[@sukkiio]

That...was so profound...

[@pretendurzyz]

You can also see it as being drawn towards something. In this case, drawn towards life itself. Staying alive.

[@robbe8625]

The title has more meanings

[@catarina9149]

I was so angry with the ending when I played this as a kid. I didn't want to accept that it was all a dream and they were gone. I was so sad.

[@etoile7174]

Catarina that's the point. You made the decision for them to dissapear to save Mike. You could have chosen to let Wilfre keep his world of no colour, but you decided to fight against it.

[@jaredfayette2567]

I remembered when I got to this ending so many years ago, I too hated it. Besides the already depressing ends of the Joey, Mari, Heather, and all the others and their world, that whole scene with with Mike losing his parents and being put into a coma with his sister watching over him was probably too depressing for me to fully comprehend at the time. Maybe this ending was even slightly trauma inducing for my child self. Yet even amongst my dislike for the ending, it imparted onto the important of real life and how important those around me truly are. Now that I’m older, I can finally understand and appreciate this ending and its how great it is. While I’ve heard of other life changing games that I need to play, I’m not sure if said games could impact me as much as this game.

[@imjoesan]

Life's a bad dream

[@ingamingpc1634]

@@imjoesan you only decided to believe it's a bad dream it's what you make of it

[@RiverdudeCovers]

This ending traumatized a 10 year old me. I was fucked up for years after this

[@oxygenenjoyer6734]

When I saw this ending. I just stared at my DS screen and was like I don't get it. (Yes I was a stupid child and I didn't follow the story)

[@Rodeo_Rodeo]

@@oxygenenjoyer6734 Oh wow your pfp perfectly describe young you lmao

[@Rodeo_Rodeo]

@@oxygenenjoyer6734 My comment didn't age well

[@oxygenenjoyer6734]

@@Rodeo_Rodeo The one I have now or the one before? (My pfp)

[@Rodeo_Rodeo]

@@oxygenenjoyer6734 Before

[@Bolt_Chaser]

I personally don't like how the drawn to life collections game dimmed down the ending to just mike falling out of a tree. This is much more real. And frankly, more meaningful

[@trinitdm2677]

Bolt Chaser Same. That ending is too sappy, and too unrealistic for my tastes. It's okay, but not as good as the original.

[@completelygonegone]

Dude that was the only ending I remembered, when I found this I started bawling.

[@richardgibson8403]

Bolt Chaser “Local kid falls in coma by falling down tree. ‘It wasn’t even that tall! Did they just have a skull made of paper?’ Local witness says.”

[@N3rdZon3]

Like it takes away the meaning of the entire game... For example the scene with miles and rose has a completely different layer to it, representing Mike accepting his mothers death and allowing himself to leave her behind to grow stronger but by doing so he leans that he doesn't have to kill her memory, just the feeling of guilt and hopelessness .... All that is just gone if he just falls out of a fucking tree - I hate it so much

[@Bolt_Chaser]

3:07 carries great significance to the prologue of the game. Getting asked questions then told to draw a picture is the police asking heather what happened. They tried that in the other one with heather’s praying becoming the “Creator, please ...” part

[@saucysven1505]

Played this ending when i was 12, literally felt empty inside for the rest of the day, fuck this is so depressing for a kids game

[@velvetnightmare3133]

the second release of the game has it so he's just unconscious because he fell off the slide at a playground, or something

[@Ocram12]

SAME

[@Dreigonix]

+VelvetNightmare313 And that's EVEN MORE INSULTING. Seriously, FUCK this game and everyone who made it.

[@lillywhiteamvs]

VelvetNightmare313 I think it was a tree, Idk though, I have the original.

[@DuelaDent52]

Karl Tanner of Gin Alley As a big fan of the first game, this ending came right out of nowhere and annoyed me to no end. Seriously, this felt so unnecessary and needlessly dark.

[@SacMatty]

Rated E My Ballsack. This Entire Game Made me cry Man Tears.

[@BioRoot]

+SacMatt saaaaaaaaame

[@milkhunter72]

me too

[@alfzepo9976]

Truth

[@joshuasilva2455]

still very true

[@thenecromancer3474]

I literally was just a stream of tears at the end of the game for the first 5 times I saw it

[@matthewbackup95]

When I see the rag doll Jowee and Mari I just feel empty

[@HYP3R10NC0RP]

same here

[@athreeringcircus]

Cheers I'll drink to that bro.

[@TheLloyd-iv3tl]

Yep

[@Life_and_Gaming]

I'm glad a kid's game was able to get away with such a dark ending. Seriously, that's dark no matter what age group it is targeted for. I'm surprised it got an E rating. I mean, not even E10+, or T for that ending? That's crazy but cool at the same time.

[@tuskaloo6636]

Life and Gaming i totally agree and im not afraid to admit that i cried when i figured about what the ending meant

[@errornull390]

Life and Gaming what I’m wondering is why people think they need to shelter their kids in the first place Makes a bunch of millennials who don’t know anything and never know what losing is like

[@XerxesTexasToast]

Someone actually complained and got the ending changed in the two-game rerelease. It's bullshit, because this is the better, more meaningful ending.

[@MisterHeroman]

There's nothing T or 10+ rated about the ending. Heavy stuff, but not inappropriate.

[@myyoutubeaccountgotsuspend8666]

They got some complaints about the rating had to tone down the ending in future versions

[@thettbd]

Feels aside, this game was pretty dark for a game that was rated E.

[@werewook]

*BRAAAAAAAAAPPPPPFFTTT* Terrible THIS dude

[@kilomatter]

Kinda like EarthBound actually.

[@ultraprincesskenny6790]

I always thought it was e10 but damn

[@hgpbm9572]

Phil and Bob agreed The idea of uniting the entire world to stop evil... Even the dialogue is like EarthBound

[@Densester]

@@jesusramirezromo2037 They did actually, and that's why the ending was completely ruined in the drawn to life collection. For real why'd they do that? This ending meant stuff, ya know?

[@jDunst]

WAIT. When I played I was like 10 so I didn't pick up on this, but the entire game was his coma dream?

[@SkullFusion]

The world losing color and darkness spreading was symbolic of Mike slowly dying. If you pay attention to the end-song you'll realize its about mike trying to recreate his life before the coma as best as a child his age can,"It might not be true, but it's the best I can do". The game was deservingly nominated for Outstanding Achievement in Story Development along with big titles like Mass Effect and Bioshock.

[@walterthemighty7549]

Basically, the Creator (known to us as God) wanted the world of Drawn to Life destroyed so Mike could live.

[@milkhunter72]

+Walter The Mighty technically wilfre was the representation of Mike slowly dying and the Creator/God/ Player was the one who was restoring it using the drawing of a hero

[@walterthemighty7549]

Regardless, Wilfre wanted Mike dead so that the world could continue to exist

[@milkhunter72]

Wait what?

[@Yutopeia]

I feel emotionally violated

[@no-iu9rq]

Seme

[@breevonnebenan794]

I ็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็I ็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็I ็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็I ็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็I ็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็็

[@readerglinda6094]

I remember when I finished DTL:NC for the first time. I was probably 9 or 10 and I was lying under the covers of my bed at midnight on a school night, playing my DS (which was strictly forbidden) when it just ENDED and then this thing came up and I sat there, staring, stricken with emotion, at the screen while I forgot all about the fear of my dad walking in and seeing me breaking the rule. Of course, he did walk in as the game reset, and I crawled out of bed, handed him the DS, wrapped him in a hug and cried for like ten minutes.

[@BirdieLouise]

+Kyper E. Kamiko Those memories are the best memories.

[@readerglinda6094]

Agreed :)

[@seandenby2304]

i had almost the exact same experience, except i cried a lot

[@supahtv5944]

+Tom Preece I was confused too. I was like; 'Why did everyone disappear? What does a car crash have to do with anything?'

[@callinater6133]

Seriously? I played that when I was maybe 9 or 10, and I didn't even understand what it meant, other than it being a car accident. I never got the connection. I blame my ignorance. Maybe I was still thinking about the Raposa sacrifices.

[@BelfastBoy]

This ending completely redefined the shitty "It was all a dream ending" by making it good, making Wilfre and Mari conscious of how they aren't even real was so unique, this game is highly underrated and I wish it got the recognition that it deserved!

[@sirnesbit1285]

Belfast Boy THANK GOODNESS SOMEONE GETS IT. I am tired of people saying the people who made DTL didn't care anymore and went for a cop-out dream ending. AND IF IT IS A DREAM ENDING THAT THEY MADE LAST MINUTE THEN WHY THE ACTUAL HECK IS THERE SO MUCH POINTING TO IT FROM THE BEGINNING!!! WHY IS THERE ER BEEPS IN THE FIRST GAMES END SONG ON THE CONVIENT LINE "IM ALREADY MISSING YOU" WHY DOES WILFRE RESEMBLE CAR OIL, WHY DO THE DARKNESS CLOUDS RESEMBLE SMOKE!? WHY CANT OEOPLE LOOK AT DETAILS!!! IBHDIABDJDVCKUENXJDUJXJDUR!!!!!!

[@sirnesbit1285]

Belfast Boy I erm... got a bit carried away there. 😅

[@Dreigonix]

+Belfast Boy No. It's pretentious, it's an insult to the audience, it removes ANY POINT TO PLAYING THE GAME, and it was a blatant series suicide so 5th Cell could focus on Scribblenauts.

[@sirnesbit1285]

Dreigonix Well actually, its not. Virtual suicide would have been them doing a sappy happy ending that ended everything with an overly sappy 'EVERYONE WAS HAPPY DA END' ending that everyone's 7 year old mind was expecting. However, instead of that, they went with a darker dream ending for this. A dream ending that they, unlike most developers, got right! The reasons for it are: 1. The fact that it is quite clear something is off from the beginning of DTL TNC. With Heather going Kemi Kewa (Wake Mike), the talk with the policeman at the beginning of the game, the conversation with Wilfre at the beginning, and how it is possible to draw comparisons to the car crash from the first game, such as the ever present "darkness", taking the form of smoke, like the smoke from the car crash, how the shadow creatures and Wilfre are all made up of the shadow goop, which bears an eerie resemblance to oil, and how there are out of place beeps, specifically, ER beeps, in the first games end-game song. "I'm already missing you" is the line where the beeps are played. Sounds like something Heather would say about Mike while he's in the coma right? Why would there be so many things pointing out this ending so early on if it was just a last minute tacked on lazy dream ending? 2. The emotional appeal is something that most people will ALWAYS remember about this game. Think about it, this game was quite clearly aimed at a younger audience. So when they were making this ending, they didn't want to make some "And they lived happily ever after and ate cake THE END." ending. They wanted to make one that would create a massive amount of emotion for the younger audience. Because what game ending would you remember as a kid? An everyone was happy the end, ending, or an ending that made you think, that moved you, that made you, for what could have been the first time, experience a bittersweet ending in a game. Not some Mario saves the princess ending. But a dark one. That is a memory that will stick with you. And yes, you may hate it for how sad it was, but is that really any worse than a sunshine lollipops everything is awesome ending, that truly had no. thought? 3. The ending wasn't just some random coma coma dream. It wasn't something Mike came up with all on his own. That would be to forget heather, the one who helped to push Mike further and further into his coma. Here's the part where I also finish off this comment so get ready for a long paragraph! Now, in the actual game, she doesn't say all that much. Just when she is saved from Wilfre does she really start speaking. But in the song during the credits is actually a massive story of its own. Now, I'm not going to decipher every sentence in the song, as that would take a lot of typing and my fingers are getting tired. But the main gist of it is that Heather created the raposa world. After the crash, she was miserable, her parents had died, her only brother was in a coma he might never wake up from, and her life had been completely turned upside down. So, to escape this harsh reality, she started to daydream that her brother was okay. She made up a world where the Raposa lived, the dolls he had gotten from the fair the night of the car crash. And she told him these daydreams she had, and as a result, he created the world inside of his head to escape. To escape just like Heather was trying to. So, he fell deeper and deeper into this fictional world, and almost is lost forever, but Heather realizes what she is doing and tries to wake him up. Causing Mike to form Heather into the world. But before Heather can tell the raposa the truth to their existence, Wilfre gets her, realizes the truth, and silences her. But Mike starts to want to wake up, and starts fighting to. But is unable to on his own... until you, the creator, intervene. YOU are God in their world, as Heather prays to YOU just before the end credits. YOU are the one who vanquishes Wilfre before he can permanently entomb Mike in his coma. YOU are the one who clears the darkness and eerie shadows from his mind. And YOU are the one who blows out the eternal flame, and ends their world. Heather created this world to escape, and with your help, she was able to end it, all for Mikes sake. That is complicated as all heck. Very complex for an ending that is; "Just a dream ending with no thought whatsoever." The people who made this game put a ton of effort into it. Into this dark, yet amazing ending. And this amazing game. Yes, I'll admit, you may have bad memories from this ending, it may have rubbed you the wrong way finding out this wasn't the cheery lighthearted experience you thought it was as a kid. But don't call it the developers giving up and killing their franchise. As you can see above, it, along with the entire franchise, has had an exceptional amount of effort put in. Were the games perfect? No. They had their flaws, but for every flaw, there were four times as many perfections. It is a classic, and is arguably one of the best games of all time. P.S. Also, just pretend the child friendly version doesn't exist, we good? We good. P.S.S One last thing, the raposa might not even have died, they could still be living in his imagination.

[@apathfinding9294]

xxXDarthGamerXxx the raposa were his imagination to start with, so they dont die as long as he has an imagination, right?

[@kingrhythmo9045]

I played this literally at the same time my older brother was in the hospital and it gave me a existential crisis at like 10 years old. I was so scared of getting in the car after playing it that I would beg my parents if I could stay home for like a week. My brother was in a coma like when I was playing this and it was the most terrifying thing ever to go through. Like imagine being 10 year old me and seeing this on my ds lite after beating a game about drawing images that come to life in a world full of bunny people and cute music, and then realizing that “this is real life” and that not even my coping mechanisms are safe.

[@StockStilly]

Is your older brother ok, hell, are YOU ok?

[@kingrhythmo9045]

@@StockStilly We’re all good man. Thanks for checking though. ❤️

[@StockStilly]

@@kingrhythmo9045 I'm glad, have a good day dude!

[@kdpwt]

@@StockStilly Wholesome

[@shatteredsentient5321]

​@King Rhythmo that's great to hear.

[@thenerdofmanyfandoms7835]

The only way I will allow myself to see this ending is like Sharkboy and Lavagirl. The Raposa may have been a dream, but they are still real, and Mike can visit them, every time he dreams...

[@yukimura4574]

I agree with that opinion, and also, the people who after spending the game was put on behalf of Wilfre, saying that "they should have saved the world" and such... do not realize the mistake they would be committing? If the world is saved, Mike is left in a coma, and one day he would have died taking the raposa world with him. There would be no longer the memory of it, which would remove it from the total existence in the world

[@jbh2705]

@@yukimura4574 never thought of that

[@kreeperkiller4423]

@@yukimura4574 but still, the raposa still would have have the rest of Mike's life to live.

[@yukimura4574]

@@kreeperkiller4423 Yep, but if Mike wouldn't have woken up, he would have died sooner than if he actually woke up from the coma. If Mike lives, the raposa world will be remembered. And maybe, It still exist on Mike's head. I honestly think the world survived, because after the credits, Mike appears sleeping, but he's on the game menu. Which can mean he's back in the Raposa world

[@theillusionist1494]

@@yukimura4574 Bit of an old comment, but you basically summarized my thoughts on this being the "ending" of the story, which is that... no, it wasn't inherently, it just is now because they didn't give us any more of this story. If they wanted to continue this story, they could have done whatever they wanted; they could have made him fall unconscious and find the Raposa again, they could have centered the plot around the imaginary world and "Real Life" blurring together; heck, they could have pulled a Persona 5 and had you manage a balance between Mike's life and helping the Raposa in his dreams. Not much can get more convoluted on top of what we already had, so they really wouldn't have had any limits. Since we didn't get that, though, the ending is up to our own interpretation. I choose to believe that the Raposa were revived in Mike's dreams, like OP said, but live in their own pocket of his mind, so he can choose to visit them whenever he pleases.

[@GeorgeSmith-zw5zj]

This game is such an underated gem.

[@SylentVoidkeeper]

Man, those....invisible onions.... they... *literally just starts crying*

[@galarstar052]

are you in... despair?

[@oasisflame]

Monokuma has emotions???

[@SloppyMcFloppy1029]

It still just hits me this way. I somehow just can never stop it.

[@saturnvalIey]

We were not ready for this.

[@JosephPao]

None of us were

[@kozie9935]

unbelievable. those bastards did that on purpose. coming out of nowhere with that gut punch ending while playing that happy song with deceptively sad lyrics. this is real life indeed

[@beautifulrhinestone6752]

IKR!

[@novastar3990]

Happy?

[@oasisflame]

Fax

[@a.l4959]

H.A.P.P.Y ????

[@darkboy19O7]

I'm not crying...someone is just drawing tears under my eyes.

[@5slistenup.a10isspeaking2]

It’s so beautiful that the lyrics say “he’s through with black and white, and drawing the lines, between make belief and real life” just as Mike wakes up in the cutscene

[@Youvefoundmariah]

This ending scarred me for life...I’m 20 years old and still think about this every single day...it’s been 12 years and I’m still bawling my eyes out.

[@jbh2705]

Heather: Welcome back to reality. your parents are dead, we're both orphans, and we're in for a really bad time. Mike (With Squidward's voice) "I'm going back" (From Sb-2129 episode ending)

[@ultanfearghail776]

I understand that people thought that the ending was a cop out but like if you think about everything that happened right before it the darkness trying to take over , would be the child getting weaker and closer to death, the whole game is set out that you are improving the little boys health and saving his life. And everything up to the end was also really upsetting I mean do you not remember the mother who lost her voice and nearly died in this it was heartbreaking and amazingly written we would be lucky if we got more games like this.

[@sirnesbit1285]

Ultán feargháil “I’m already missing you... *Beep Beep Beep”* One of the first lines, in the DTL games first song. And people say there was no foreshadowing...

[@Famix]

I cried like a baby when she sang for the last time. Just thinking of it makes me wanna cry. Just remembered this game after a long time and I think I sold my copy. TBH, I thought it was more sad than the ending, although it seems to forshadow it with the loss of the mother.

[@Logos729]

Oh my god... I never felt this when i finished the actual game when I was 10... I didn't understand... i didn't realize the parents died... I thought the little girl got hurt in the head and thought of the game and made it or something, like a backstory to the games creation... not a tragic story of the death of some childrens parents in a car accident...

[@ssj2goku]

same but I was 3

[@theobserver4214]

Same here

[@Logos729]

How did you beat this game as a 3 year old...?

[@Logos729]

***** good point!!

[@ssj2goku]

***** idek 😅😅

[@zetomy65]

Really one of the best games i've played in my whole life, and the final. twist made me cry

[@walterthemighty7549]

Same

[@Gamerdude854]

Pretty sad ending for an otherwise cheery game.

[@harrisongreen8614]

Gamerdude854 fuck you mean boi this whole game was a feels trip

[@trinitdm2677]

It is trying to emphasize that the Raposa world is not reality. It's Mike's comatose dream.

[@polancoboomer]

And if you think that's sad enough, "Light Of My Life" also counts as (SPOILERS) it's nothing more than a heavily implied, blatant suicide attempt by Mayor Rose in front of her own son. Rated E for Everyone! 👍😀

[@SlenderManIsDead]

I remember watching this when I was 7 and just uncontrollably crying. My mom threw the game cartridge away haha.

[@Gloomdrake]

Rude

[@TFTN_Official12]

@@Gloomdrakeyeah! What a meanie!

[@SloppyMcFloppy1029]

I'm not sure I ever really showed my parents the cartridge.

[@darkknight3326]

This has been a memory locked in my brain since I played this as a kid. Just “hey remember that adorable kids game where you draw goofy characters and then the parents die in a horrible car accident and the child is in a coma? Yeah so do I” I honestly can’t believe this was a real game

[@NOTthemilkman]

When I was a kid this ending fucking broke me. I had loved the first game and was super excited about this one, but the ending hit me super duper hard. As an older sister to a younger brother, I instantly felt that fear, that sorrow, the “what if this were me” between losing their parents and the potential of Mike never waking up. Damn it still makes me cry to this day.

[@deeotee6966]

So you were scared you would get a coma theory irl

[@SwordandKalim53]

This was the reason why I liked drawing so much as a kid. ;-; I wish this series will ever be revived or remastered. Nowadays, its hardly remembered...its just forgotten and done like the other series of games.

[@WumpaClock]

SwordandKalim53 Wayforward bought the rights to the franchise, so there is a possibility.

[@fruitydudexD]

There's one coming for the Switch :)

[@mamboo0743]

Got some news for you, boi

[@sprousprou]

be careful what you wish for…

[@latte7749]

Rated E for everyone Um... HOW

[@LakoIsFun]

Latte7 ESRB people never beat the game.

[@sirnesbit1285]

Lako Neither did IGN before they gave Dtl:TnC a bad rating due to “Too many words” Screw IGN.

[@Amsosorryscotty]

Fun for the whole family. All sunshine and rainbow 100 percent. Bring the kiddos for a happy time with this game ( am joking by the way) ( but it still a sad but good ending) ( the new one sucks)

[@Amsosorryscotty]

@@sirnesbit1285 i jast facepalm myself wean i saw your comment. What the f$#@ IGN?

[@mnstercandeh665]

Rated E for E m o t i o n a l :')

[@ronweasley430]

so the entire game world was a dream created by a side character... like link's awakening.

[@jbh2705]

At least Mike isn't stuck in the middle of the ocean after waking up. I hated that ending!

[@kreeperkiller4423]

remake coming soon

[@richardgibson8403]

Ron Weasley I don’t think link is a side charater

[@Manymorethanksplease]

Richard Gibson talking about the whale as it was the dreamer.

[@redphantomwolf6034]

I’m 26 now but I remember playing this game as a 12 year old. My mom had gotten this game for me because it was a fun and cute drawing game which had been up my alley at the time. This ending always made me cry but it hadn’t stopped me from playing again and again to hear the pretty song (I hadn’t been able to hear the words so that part never clicked in my head until years later despite the fact the ending credits showing the tragedy). If I ever find a copy of this game, I’ll pick it up and play again because it really was a fun adventure to go on.

[@JohnV33]

I originally saw the alternate ending, this being the first time I've seen this one, makes me sad to the core. I cried when I beat the next chapter. It had more tear jerking than any other handheld game I've ever played.

[@BirdieLouise]

Joshua Villere Man same. They changed the ending in the collection because it was too dark for younger audiences. Which is sad, the original ending is amazing.

[@CrobatmanIamthenight]

Via Louise yes this is how endings should be kids dont need to wraped in bubble wrap.

[@completelygonegone]

Me: aw look a cute kids game, nothing can possibly go wrong! Also me: *bawling eyes out at the ending*

[@heyitsjoshmusic]

The amount of commenters who beat this game in cars is freaking me out. I would've definitely been afraid of family car rides after that

[@kingtoons5648]

WE'RE GETTING ANOTHER DRAWN TO LIFE. MY HEART.

[@ukor2419]

I'm sorry they disappointed us UnU

[@BirdieLouise]

July 28th, 2021 this video got featured on an OddHeader video called '7 Unbelievable Alternate Endings in Video Games'. Attention towards DTL is rare nowadays, so I really appreciate Drawn to Life being featured in that video. I highly recommend the video! You can watch it here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/mZ-rpnqhrrOYfqs

[@BirdieLouise]

Also I'm a maaaasssiiiiveee Oddheader fan so I freaked tf out when I saw my name there lmao

[@funtimerafaelleon5786]

Sup

[@imjoesan]

Hi after many years

[@jakeb.7997]

I remember when I first beat this I only vaguely understanded what was happening. It wasn’t until a bit later that it hit me what had just happened. Looking back at it, I knew something was off when it asked me “what I remembered about that night”. Back then I just drew like a tree and a smiley face just so I could start the game but.....man.....this ending caught me off guard.

[@VimyGlide]

...This ending's even worse when you realize that if this happened in the US, these two kids just got the rest of their fucking lives ruined from the hospital bill.

[@mr_girr3488]

+(͠≖ ͜ʖ͠≖)BecauseICan( ͡º ͜ʖ ͡º) the real terror: healthcare

[@Jayday12345678910]

Who says they didn't have life insurance and health insurance?

[@strongback6550]

Technically incorrect as they would be filed for insolvency and the hospital would deduct the expenses from taxes.

[@VimyGlide]

@@tbd7898 no

[@EthVortexShield]

the hardest boss of them all

[@broniepony11]

Jesus Christ I look back at it now and this game was actually really deep! These Mari only joined him cause he showed if they do bring back color he will wake up but they will die 0-0

[@saucysven1505]

so both their parents died, half of Heather's face was burnt off, mike's nose is permanently fucked, finding out all these characters disappeared and never even existed in the first place.....what the fuck

[@peterdietrich8810]

God this song fits so fucking well with this game.

[@novamarpo3]

This really doesn't come out of nowhere, Mike says in the first game "This must be a dream..."

[@GilfordEurig]

Very few games have a good story. A good story is one that makes you have emotions based on the things that happen. This game that I have played, not once but twice a year for seven years since I was ten.(Along with the first one of course.) This game, This fucking cry giver of a game, is a example of those few games that have such a story.

[@psychopianist630]

Yet somehow, Scribblenauts has the higher age rating. Let that sink in.

[@ashenryn]

I remember finishing this game at around 11 or 12 years old. I didn't cry much growing up, I was taught that boys don't cry. But I do remember that when I got to the end of this game after gleefully playing through it, and that this was the real story behind it all, I cried. I mean really cried; I cried so hard (and this was so impactful for 12 year old me) that I still remember that moment almost a decade later after I stumbled upon this game's name by chance.

[@VampLovr54]

Happy day, kids going home, car crash, dead parents, half face torn off, whole game is a coma dream... *jesus this game is dark but I still like it*

[@sirnesbit1285]

Paninistar Also the fact that the coma dream was actually Heather and Mike creating an imaginary world to hide from Real Life in (song’s lyrics).

[@owenlarson6123]

omg i didnt understand this when i first played it but now... Feels

[@walterthemighty7549]

Man, I remember getting the first game when I was 12. It was the first DS game I ever owned, and I loved it. Naturally, I was ecstatic when I found out about the second game googling cheats for the first one. I got it almost as soon as I beat the first game, heavy of heart after witnessing the Mayor's death and seeing my hero leave town. The second game, I initially loved even more until they sort of DHMISed me with all the vague references about how important Mike was. I had no idea what was going on until I tapped the flame pedestal and watched the characters I'd grown to love die before my 13 year old eyes. In short, fuck you, Slaczka.

[@sirnesbit1285]

Walter The Mighty What’s that? You wanted to not be emotionally destroyed by a cheery kids game? *5th Cell: “LoL no.”* _Rips out your heartstrings_

[@mishoru7218]

I remember I was in my parents car with my sister while finishing this game and just started sobbing uncontrollable.

[@samnewman7383]

I remember spending nearly a hundred hours playing the first game, and probably an equal amount of time on The Next Chapter during my early teens. Putting aside the fact that I was the one helping create the world around me, the one thing I remember the most looking back on the series as a whole are the ending songs. While both are filled with enough emotion to bring me to tears, the first game left me with a sense of happiness, while the second left me bittersweet. Back when I finished playing The Next Chapter for the first time, I was able to piece together the events shown during the credits, but now I understand how the rest of the events in the game leading up to it fit into the ending and the symbolism behind it all. Although the ending to The Next Chapter may not be as satisfying as the ending of its predecessor, both fill me with a mixture of assurance and melancholy, further solidified by the songs. Satisfied or not with the ending to The Next Chapter, I enjoyed playing it, and to this day, I still listen to the ending songs to both games, even if I'm brought to tears by the end. These were deceptively powerful games for what they were, and I don't regret ever playing through to the end of either of them.

[@YoshiEmblem]

nah man if i ever meet the devs it's on SIGHT. this shit fucked me up for like weeks as a kid

[@Noooooone]

It's been years since I last saw this, as a kid on my DS screen, but I've recently gotten back into it by listening to soundtrack remixes, and man, this ending still hits about as hard.

[@christianphilipverosil2275]

The Creator (we, the player), just basically revived Mike. To draw him back to life means to restore his life from his approaching death. THAT'S NUTS😢

[@gvohardcore]

This ending is the equivalent of telling a little kid that Santa is not real

[@banjogyro]

This is so dark it's like a comedy, no indie developer psychological game can top this

[@AWildDomino]

I never got this ending, my cart has the fireflies ending so holy shit I'm speechless at this. This is a little too much for an E for everyone game. Even the song lyrics make this slideshow darker, about accepting real life tragedies and trying not to believe them, fucking dark man.

[@shanelocke5504]

God, I remember finishing this game around 10-11 years when I was l like 10. I remember being absolutely dumbfounded that such serious subject matter was in such a bright, colourful, goofy E-rated kids game but I was all for it! I loved every bit of it back then and I still do now. The fact that they felt the need to censor it in the collection edition still pisses me off.

[@berserker3414]

Yeah, for real. What kind of ''falls of a tree'' thing? It doesn't justify the whole world building. I hate censorship, man

[@DuffyLONER64]

This is so touching to the heart, and I think it explains the entire game.

[@DuffyLONER64]

BTW, who sang this song?

[@BirdieLouise]

+TheDuffyGamer34 It's written by David J Franco, and performed by Melissa Clarke.

[@imjoesan]

"Everything will change"

[@WumpaClock]

I'm indifferent about this game. Don't get me wrong; I love the story, every last pixel of story text, but the ending, be it this one or the HQ collection ending, is kind of heart-wrenching. For those of you that don't entirely comprehend the ending, I'll explain: Basically the ending shows us that a family is driving home from a carnival. Unfortunately, it starts to rain which leads to their car swerving out of control and crashing into a tree. The parents die and Mike was comatose from the car crash. The only other person to survive the crash was his older sister, Heather; though half of her face was severely damaged. Mike has been in his coma for a week. The entirety of the Drawn to Life story was just Mike dreaming in his coma. Now as far as I know the dolls of Mari and Jowee represent that they were never real, just toys that the siblings won at the carnival; now as momentos from their parents who died in the crash. You find the Jowee and Mari doll scene in both versions. This one detail signifies that perhaps the characters are real, just not as in physically real. It's also possible that it is just an ongoing dream that Mike has consciousness and control over, meaning the Raposa World isn't actually gone. This is enforced by the fact that Mike is sleeping on the bed when you start the game back up. Either way you look at it, it's a somewhat dark , yet comforting ending. Still doesn't change how many tears I've shed over it...

[@FightStar57]

CaptainKodachrome actually I think it was either a drunk driver or something because there were two cars

[@saucysven1505]

Mike's coma or not, the Raposa and their world still are just a figment of someone's imagination in real life

[@Bolt_Chaser]

Karl Tanner but Wilfre had sentience. They didn't want their world to end, imagined or not

[@louisvasquez7754]

+Bolt Chaser Wilfre is the personification of Mike slowly dying, in the end Wilfre's goals are to kill Mike. Keeping the world alive is just added fluff to distract you from the truth

[@hazardousgreed1064]

I think Wilfre was discoloring the world because it would probably wake mike up, in the end I think they discolored the world anyway.

[@theillusionist1494]

Mike wasn't the creator. We were. WE created this world. We poured our colors and shapes into it to bring it life, and we're responsible for everything that happened within it, right down to ending it. Even if it was started by Mike, we did the rest. It's OUR world. It dies when we say it does. And I'll be damned if I say it does any time soon.

[@saucysven1505]

@@Bolt_Chaser i'm talking about the real world, our world, where these raposa that we interact with in the game are just a figment of the game creator's imagination

[@Pluruto]

I'm 19 now, I remember playing this when I was so much younger - still to this day, this ending makes me feel more emotional than any other game

[@stocke46]

we’re the same age, and i feel the same. i remember it so vividly.

[@thenefariousanglerfish27]

I used to rebeat wilfre over and over again to listen to this song before I knew youtube existed. so many memories

[@InvidiousIgnoramus]

I'm never going to be able to forget the absolute tonal whiplash I felt from this as a kid.

[@Foxingg]

This game made me cry for DAYS when I was little man we need more games like this. Games that help you get in touch with your emotions and realize your own mortality and shit.

[@garmadonthesensei59]

I know right?? I recommend Ori and the Blind Forest and the sequel Ori and the Will of the Wisps, if you haven’t already!! They’ll make you bawl your eyes out 😢

[@rangerriggs5066]

This song plays in my head all the time. I remember crying over this, probably the first game i ever cried over as a kid. Just the way the female character realized it was all a dream and was so depressed, then the ending. It hit me so hard in a way that wasnt common for these types of games

[@muramar5122]

You know, I’m not very surprised that this game got away with an ending that dark and depressing. I mean, look at the Kirby games, HAL Laboratories got away with Drawcia Soul and 02 and managed to stay in the E ratings.

[@alyssabullock6421]

The song really has to sing "this is real life" as we see a kid's family get into a car crash and end up losing his parents 💀

[@harrymillar4193]

Yeah that’s the whole point; Mike was in his dream world when the harsh reality is that his parents have died. The mother who was dying was revived in the game, but again, that only symbolizes the dream of denying reality

[@habuhomeboy]

Isn't this the game where you play as the little sketch character and got a SpongeBob crossover game? So what in God's Teary Eyes is this? This is seriously the ending? That's both amazing and soul crushing at the same time.

[@jaydenlobbe7911]

This is in fact the ending, both the first game and this were dreams that the boy, Mike was having in his Coma

[@deyvantwo5426]

Sword

[@neverenoughgames72]

This is the pinnacle of metaphorism and deep meaning to kids games. Back when i was a kid i obviously didn't cath it all, but replaying this now, while 21yo, damn the devs really went all out with this. If you played them both, play them again, and pay close attention to the dialogue, and tasks you need to do. One of the best story driven games ever, while being disguised as a simple kids game.

[@habuhomeboy]

@@neverenoughgames72 beautiful

[@PhillipE1210]

This is so macabre… I really wish I’d known they made a sequel. I loved the dark themes to this game.

[@icentertainer]

This game series still haunts me. I’ll never forget this

[@Jacob-ux4pk]

It’s upsetting but brilliant. Yeah, it’s kinda dark I guess, but come on people it’s real life. Things like this happen all the time. This is a great ending, it’s all a dream or maybe it’s the sisters way of coping with this....either way it’s brilliant. We thought this was just a drawing game, but we both know now that it’s much more. This ending is so much more than just what you guys think.....

[@theworldyouwishfor]

The song is even called real life.

[@MrJoeyWheeler]

More than that, the game's plot leads up to it quite nicely, and it managed to explain phenomena such as the black clouds in the first game.

[@SeymourDisapproves]

When I was a kid I would play through the final boss of this game at least twice a week just so I could watch this AMV and bawl my eyes out. That might have been my first brush with catharsis.

[@saucysven1505]

this ending traumatised me as a kid

[@-TPLT]

Nostalgia and feels tears combined = This ending. Seriously, I doubt I can say something anyone else hasn't already said, but this really got me in the heart. *spoilers* I was sad to see the Raposa vanish, but my first time seeing this years ago was spectacular. The series may not have gotten amazing reviews from critics, but hot dog, these games were awesome.

[@sirnesbit1285]

TPLT IGN sucks. They gave it a bad rating before the finished it. They stated that they weren’t able to finish the game because it had “Too many words.” Screw IGN.

[@christianboustani8284]

Wii game ending: Everyone lived happily ever after DS game ending: Absolutely not.

[@fryode]

Now that I think about it, the ending is very Don Bluth. Since I'm a parent, if I'm going to die in a car accident, damn straight I'd want my kids to survive and have as much happiness as possible. Specific to the game, God exists in some permutation of the Judeo-Christian form so one can assume the parents are in the afterlife and can be at peace knowing Heather and Mike are safe. Like Raposa Heather, Human Heather will recover from her "shadow" injury. Both can look forward to being reunited with their parents when their lives end, but Heather isn't alone and Mike isn't stuck in a coma until that time comes.

[@Drawyah]

I was too young to understand this ending. Drawn to Life is absolutely my favourite game of all-time, but now that I look back on it, I understand a lot more. Maybe worth playing through it again.

[@3deified]

I think watching this as a kid was my first traumatic experience. I wouldn’t stop crying and I’m crying again right now

[@OnePieceFan-jo6kz]

Bro even after all these years this shit still fucks me up. Catch me crying in the club✌️✌️

[@cymk_is_stuck]

I absolutely thought I made up this ending holy crap I remember getting this ending and being so confused and floored

[@the_lurking_wanderer3704]

This was the first ever video game ending that ever made me cry. Second place going to Sonic Heroes (goddamn Team Rose's theme messes with my ?!&@£#% feelings,yo)

[@olavmcinnes7140]

Pokemon mystery dungeon explorers of sky was the first game to make me cry.

[@the_lurking_wanderer3704]

Really? How come? (Sorry,I've never played a single Pokemon Mystery a Dungeon game in my life,thanks to Gates to Infinity)

[@praisechicathejesusbird]

It was this game that made me cry first, as well.. but the second was Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Blue Rescue Team. XD

[@PKpaula425]

The pokemon mystery dungeon series, Mother 3, and this all made me full on sob at the end.

[@BirdieLouise]

+Yuмє™ Red Rescue Team best rescue team.

[@TheLugiaSong]

Ohhhh man. I can feel myself chocking up again. I so vividly remember this from when I was a kid. I was in my grandparents car going to the shops and I complete the game and just fkn cried LOL! The game is so sad, and this ending further hit harder. Drawn to Life is criminally underrated....

[@sirnesbit1285]

I'm getting tired of hearing people say that this ending was a crappy cop-out. I'm fine if you don't like it, it's definitely not for everyone, but don't go and say the people who made this just gave up, put no thought into it, and went with a crappy coma dream. We're good? Thank you.

[@knightshade2654]

I remember finally beating this game one night in my mom's car during one of her grocery runs. She was pretty upset when I looked incredibly depressed when she got back.

[@NicolasSilvaVasault]

the most fucked up ending i've ever seen, not even a horror or gore action game beats this shit, this is truly dark dude, i mean, this is a kid's game

[@RecruitofApollo]

This ending hit me far from the depths of left field, when I played this for the first time. Like, goddamn, I wasn't ready for this.

[@time2killaspider]

I'm not crying, you're crying.

[@the3whales492]

It's a great ending. Shows the reality of life. Life isn't all sugar and roses.

[@FastFood34]

glad I never got this far as a kid

[@carjack9974]

This genuinely made me cry as a kid

[@Endothelia]

Man, I'm pretty sure most recollections of this finale aren't vague. I remember, as a mere eight year old, I was shedding tears. Though I was young, I understood it... all of it. Nothing had ever provoked me in such a way prior to this, and nothing can ever provoke me in such a way in the future. it was a greatly unique experience, especially as an outwardly 'tough' kid, to have actually cried at this ending. i know this sounds evil, but i didn't even weep in such a way when mufasa was slain in the lion king. the execution and the buildup, man. it was something else.

[@yepimbatman]

I remember beating this game as a kid on a family road trip in the backseat of a car late at night. i was in disbelief at what I was witnessing

[@MissusPear]

Revisiting this ending and still balling my eyes out the first time I saw it as a kid AAAAAAA