If you really wanna know The big bad of Persona 3 is Nyx, the “Maternal Being” that first brought death to the planet an extremely long time ago, and is essentially an undefeatable god that’s been asleep for eons. The protagonist, in order to stop Nyx from returning, uses the world Arcana to seal her away and permanently stop her from coming back, which is reflected in gameplay with a skill that’s aquired from all of the relationships you’ve built throughout the game. This skill costs ALL of the protagonists life, which usually equates in a game over, but instead the game just goes on. Before all of this went down, the party had discovered that by defeating Nyx, they’d forget each other and everything they went through in stopping Nyx, but decided that they would remember anyway, and get together on the roof of their school to celebrate if they survive on graduation day. Throughout the days before graduation, the protagonist and ONE other party member remember what happened, and meet on the roof, and while eventually the rest of the party FINALLY REMEMBERS EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENED, they get to roof in time to see the protagonist fucking die. It’s super bittersweet
Persona 3 (Reload or its other versions) is a really sad but really damn good game, and you should go into it blind because holy shit was I not expecting that sucker punch of an ending.
It’s the sight combined with the music playing during the menu, which is a piece that only plays in the menu post-credits, but consists of several musical motifs that played during the game that the player is at this point very familiar with.
The other reply breaks it down by plot (spoilerific). On an emotional level I’d say it perfectly reminds you of what your character went through and why, but that the journey is over now.
Portal and Portal 2 - in the first game, IIRC, the main menu changes only after fully beating the game, while in Portal 2 it changes with almost every chapter. (I haven't played them in a long while, so I'm not sure)
A similar thing Happens in the og hollow knight, where you can access new screens by completing the game in different ways, and also defeating the ordeal. May the lord have mercy on your soul should thou attempt the ordeal.
Yesterday's body count lottery rounded out to a solid 'n' sturdy thirty! Ten outta Heywood - thanks to the unabated gang wars! One officer down, so I guess you are all screwed. 'Cause the NCPD will not let that go. Got another blackout in Santo Domingo. Netrunners are at it again, pokin' holes in the power grid. While over in Westbrook, Trauma Team's scrapin' cyberpsycho victims off the pavement. And in Pacifica... Well... Pacifica is still Pacifica.
This has been your man, Stan. Join me in another day in our City of Bugs!
I swear hearing this announcement for the hundredth time somehow made Night City feel more real than half the NPCs in the game. The "Pacifica is still Pacifica" line never gets old.
1) Life is Strange
2) Persona 3 Reload
3) Detroit Become Human
4) Spec Ops The Line
5) Silent Hill 2
6) Nier Automata
7) Resident Evil Village
8) Ghost of Tsushima
9) Far Cry 5
10) The Last of Us 2
Nice detail to P3R's title screen: before you beat the game, there is no music, and after you beat the game, a song using the leitmotif of the ending theme starts playing
Completing one path adds Shez’s sword, completing each of the three story route add Edelgard’s, Dimitri’s, and Claude’s weapons, and Byleth’s sword is added depending on how you deal with them: killing them has their sword crossed with Shez’s while recruiting them have them side by side
I know most Mario Kart games do this, but Mario Kart DS is my favorite example. When you’re first playing the game it’s just Mario on the cover driving with the title next to him, but when you beat all of the cups on all CCs then the title screen changes, Mario still in the forefront but the other eleven playable characters (including my GOAT R.O.B) now join him in the background.
Mariokart is the series that does this the most I think,, I think the only one without a progression-based alternative title screen is the original SNES game.
Got the true ending on my first run completely blind. It was satisfying to find out that I got the best outcome when I looked at the spoilers for the other endings
Also Sword/Shield. Starts with an empty stadium, puts your champion team there after you beat the game. Turns out it does have a hall of fame sequence after all, it's the title screen.
To add to that, Scarlet/Violet title screen shows an empty classroom in the morning with the scarlet/violet book and (I assume) the Pokéball belonging to Koraidon/Miraidon
When you beat the game, it turns to midday and the Pokéball and Book disappear
And after you meet Professor Turo/Sada at the Kitakami Crystal Pool and exchange books, it turns to dusk with the Scarlet/Violet book having returned
Also scarlet and violet changes twice, once when you beat the main game and once when you beat the 2nd DLC and go do a secret little event in the first DLC area
Post-DLC spoilers: And the added context of it being a recording of Lea, Romeo and Carlo performing together genuinely wrecked me, what an amazing game
Signalis has a really cool title screen with this big eyeball that followers your cursor around. Spoilers for Signalis ahead, please give this game a shot if you haven't already!
It's an isometric survival-horror game, similar to the Silent Hill series. It's set in a militaristic dystopian future, and has a deep physiological/lovecraftian feel
Hollow Knight: Silksong) changes the menu depending on where you are (there is an additional one for beating Steel Soul and after completing the true ending lace's needle gets added)
At the beginning you just see propaganda and product advertisement posters. The more you progress (gain supporters for revolution) more these backgrounds change. You'll start to see wanted posters of your allies, civilians graffiting posters (rebellion symbol, writing "i hate you" or adding Industrialist Reaver a whore makeup on his face and adding "deviant"). Once the revolution stars the posters on loading screens are ripped and flames are around them. After the revolution the posters get more hopeful as they promote the new monarch (you), a new beginning and victory.
I still wish we could've gotten all of the planned DLC for the game, especially since it was intended to have an alternate ending where Noctis fight Bahamut and has a happily ever after instead of a fate that had been planned for him by the gods.
On the last jail, you are pulled inside the metaverse (like, the metaverse comes to the real world. It has a proper name but I forgot) and you see the Phantom Thieves version of the characters inside the van instead of their human versions
This doent exactly count but destiny 2's title screen would change every expansion release and include music from the expansions soundtrack. The last update has this title screen.
Small Saga, the main menu changes depending on what characters you find and how far along into the game are you, on the last level the candle is fully extinguished and doesn't have any wax anymore meaning your journey is coming to an end
Without getting to spoilers, it really captures the current emotional impact of the story, as if what has been built through good work and earned trust just suddenly broke apart.
Hitman Blood Money, with the game starting, it shows all of the targets of the game attending 47's "funeral", but as the game progresses, each of them start to disappear until the end of the game where only 47 remains
The menu changes as you advance in the story, at first it shows a sniper in a rooftop relaxing in front of the american flag upside down (used to signal need for aid), but as the story progresses the sniper changes positions.
on the finals menus, he is seen aiming to someone offscreen (posibly the protagonist's squad), but in the last menu he is no longer there (impliying he is dead) and the flag remains destroyed (as well as other buildings).
Metal Gear Solid VR/Special Missions changes the title screen from the Cyborg Ninja's closed mask to his open-face one once you complete the Ninja missions, which require a significant portion (IIRC 85%) of the game's content to be completed before you can access them.
Type Moon’s visual novels, specifically Fate/Stay Night, Hollow Ataraxia, and Tsukihime remake all change the title screen and music after you finish all endings.
The last of us part 1/remaster, on both screens at the start Ellie's switchblade is present on the mantle, after launching a game or chapter, Ellie's blade is gone showing that she needs it Edit: Days Gone as well, Deacons bike changes based on upgrades and the background changes to whatever camp your staying at/closes too
It's complicated, but this game also contains its own sequel after finishing the initial story, opening up 99 new endings. To reflect this change, the game's title screen reads 'The Hundred Line: Last Defense Academy 2'. Unfortunately, it doesn't keep count of how many endings you eventually get.
Resistance Fall of Man 2's menu features the protagonist Nathan Hale who's five o'clock shadow grows as you progress through the campaign as well as signs of his overt infection with the Chimera virus.
Bravely Default has a different title screen once you discover a reveal in game. Will not say what it is because of spoilers, but it changes the title of the game.
Bravely Default and Bravely Second both updates their tag lines after the plot twist is revealed.
Default starts with 'Where fairy flies' then changes to 'Where airy lies (airy being a central character) dropping the staring letter
Second starts with 'End Layer' then become 'Send Player' playing on 'SP' a critical resource to time manipulation and this time adding them to the tag line
I'm with OP on this one honestly, normally I do want people to properly explain the tropes they post but this is one instance where every example is going to be a spoiler and you don't actually need the spoiler to understand the trope itself. You finished the game, the title screen looks different, here are pictures. That's the trope.
I really like the bountiful examples and guess dont want in-depth explanations, but was unsure which was before and after unless top is before and the bottom is after completing the game.
not an example for finishing the game but in Total War: Pharaoh Dynasties, main menu has your faction leader hyping before a battle type of animations but when they die, instead of switching to the new faction leader, there's a statue of them.
Completing one path adds Shez’s sword, completing each of the three story route add Edelgard’s, Dimitri’s, and Claude’s weapons, and Byleth’s sword is added depending on how you deal with them: killing them has their sword crossed with Shez’s while recruiting them have them side by side
Knights of the Old Republic 2, as you find more Sith Lords the character on the main screen changes. And if your dark side alignment gets high enough, your character gets up there
That's quite of a common thing in the Mario Kart Series. Most of the games have one or multiple alternate title screens when you actually finished the game
In Mario Kart : Super Circuit, there are 2 extra title screens. To unlock the sunset one, you have to unlock a gold trophy on all the Super Circuit cups. To unlock the night one, you have to get a 3 star ranking on all of those cups.
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u/SkilledB Jun 23 '26
The main menu after finishing Persona 3 Reload is somehow the best moment of the game. And it’s a damn great game.