The Hero's Journey: 12 of 12 - The Return with the Reward

Now the story is over, and the hero returns to his ordinary world to resume life as normal. The player gets to see the hero enjoy the benefits of the reward, and the story is over. This is the last stage in the circular story form. The story returns completely to its starting point so that comparisons can be drawn between the hero before and after.

However, a neatly tied-up story is not always desirable. Sometimes it is nice to leave a few questions open. One of the most popular forms of ending for a story is the “new beginning.” In this type of ending, the story continues in the imagination of the player long after the game is completed. The player is left asking, “What happens next?” and the way is left open for a continuation or sequel.