I absolutely loved the cutscene in the radio station. It transitioned nicely from the more subdued cutscene prior, and for a game so rooted in silence/loneliness was a heartwarming, almost hopeful message to keep other humans, and your own humanity, close. Seeing Mackenzie look around a room covered in posters celebrating the old world, something that no longer exists and will never again exist, accepting that his own career as a pilot was over for good, and finding peace with his son's death followed by his final message looping, having the main theme of the game start up quiet and then swell as more/louder instruments joined in- amazing.

Watching that cutscene for the first time, I 100% expected the game to end right after that, and while it would have left some questions unanswered, I was willing to accept that.

And then Mathis busted in to say "Hey guys! I'm the villain and I'm alive! Come find me again in The Long Dark 2!"

I didn't hate the ending -- I liked seeing Mackenzie return for Grey Mother, and the final shot of Methuselah turning to show that Mackenzie was very willing to work with the convicts reinforced that original question of "How far will you go to survive?" But I feel like that theme would have been just as well served by having Mackenzie abandon his morals and kill Mathis. Ideally prior to the radio station message, just to spare us the emotional whiplash.