Have you ever felt so moved emotionally after playing a video game that you’re able to’t help but cry? As interactive storytelling boundaries are pushed in the gaming medium, more creators seek to elicit powerful emotional responses from their audience.
10 Saddest Video Game Endings, Ranked
These games have pretty impactful endings!
From characters experiencing a redemptive arc through sacrifice or a gut-wrenching narrative told through unique mechanics, these video games are guaranteed to tug at your heartstrings.
Whether you’re looking for some catharsis or simply looking to appreciate a heartrending story, the picks in this list will have you reaching for the tissues to wipe your tears.
As you might expect, this article has a bunch of spoilers for all games included.
End of An Era
Red Dead Redemption 2
It’s not a huge stretch to callRed Dead Redemption 2one of thebest open-world gamesever made. Much of it comes from the outstanding narrativeRockstardelivers as the West looks to turn into civilization and move away from the cowboy era.
For the most part, there’s plenty of thrills and action to experience within the game with a few shocking and heartwarming moments thrown in as well. The Dutch Van Der Linde gang possesses a posse of interesting characters, most of whom reach a bitter end. But there’s only one character whose final stand matters the most: Arthur Morgan.
Don’t be afraid to shed some tears as you bid goodbye to Arthur’s story as he watches the sunset and succumbs to his wounds. Arthur Morgan’s redemptive character arc will paint him as one of the most complex yet admirable characters in video gaming history.
9Life is Strange
Friendship and Sacrifice
Life is Strange
Life is Strangeruns in an episodic pattern, in which you take hold of Max’stime-traveling powersand unfold the mystery of Arcadia Bay. The narrative masterfully blends complex elements of coming-of-age struggles with the protagonist’s unique otherworldly abilities, which have dire consequences.
However, the heart of the story lies within the choices you make that impact Max and affect her estranged best friend Chloe’s relationship. As you see them grow closer, and forge an unbreakable bond as they bare all of their trauma and secrets to one another.
The title, however, is cleverly aware of that fact and decides to rip that heart out. As the game reaches its emotional crescendo, you must make the ultimate choice to either save the town and its entire residents or your best friend.
Whatever decision you’re forced to make will leave you emotionally devastated. Once the credits roll, you’ll be left contemplating the nature of your sacrifice for the greater good.
8Spiritfarer
Guiding Lost Souls
Spiritfarer
Spiritfarerpulls you in with its cute art and cozy aesthetic at first glance, but takes you on an emotional journey in the afterlife. It’s a unique management game that tackles heavy subjects of coping with loss and grief with a gentle and caring touch.
You take lost souls on your ship and nurture bonds with them through cooking, crafting, and deep conversations. It’s your job to help find these souls, process their emotions, and then guide them to the afterlife.
One thing is for sure: once it’s time to say goodbye to each soul at the Everdoor, the waterworks will come on in full force. The title offers catharsis to those dealing with death and loss but also delivers a deep meditation on the meaningful impact of fostering relationships.
After playing throughSpiritfarer, you might begin to appreciate those still around you. So, don’t be afraid to only bond with your loved ones and hug them as well as Stella does.
Spiritfarer Review — The Ties That Bind Us Together
Spiritfarer is a beautifully crafted, memorable experience that focuses on the dead trying to find peace upon heading into the afterlife.
7FireWatch
Isolated in the Wilderness
WhenFirewatchis mentioned, most people think of the incredible visuals and impeccable voice acting. Thisindie gamedeserves all that praise, but I want to draw attention to this melancholic journey that leaves you longing for more—in a good way.
Set in the Wyoming Wilderness, you play Henry, who turns to isolation in a fire lookout job after hitting a rough patch in his life. You’re left alone in this duty as your only company is a woman named Delilah, whom you talk to through a handheld radio.
As the story progresses, you start to root for Henry as he once again begins to speak truly about his life and let out his repressed emotions. However, a supposed conspiracy theory soon begins to form in his mind as creepy clues begin to pop up around the woods that drive him to obsession.
But, even after solving the mystery, there won’t be a sense of relief. Rather, you’ll experience a feeling of deep disappointment and empathy for someone’s suffering. Once the game ends, you’ll realize fulfilling endings aren’t a common part of life, and sometimes it’s okay to be left unsatisfied.
6The Walking Dead
Surviving in a Bleak World
The Walking Dead The Game
If you’ve played through Telltale’sThe Walking Deadjust once, you’ll understand why it made it onto the list. TheWalking Deadis filled with moments that will break your heart and question your morality.
The game’s core stems from the deep relationship between Lee Everett and Clementine as you become deeply invested in their fates. As you seek to protect those in your group against braindead zombies who don’t see emotions and relationships, you’ll have to come to terms with the fact that everyone can’t be saved.
I will not spoil it too much, but the inevitableending will leave you weepingand depressed at the deep loss you’ve faced.
My advice: Grab some tissues because blubbering like a babu is inevitable.
10 Best The Walking Dead Games, Ranked
Rick Grimes has returned in The Ones Who Live, but several forgotten The Walking Dead games deserve the spotlight too.
5Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons
Brotherhood Demands Sacrifice
Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons
Brothers: A Tale of Two Sonswants you to feel the emotion through its characters' body language and facial expressions rather than the gibberish they speak. The game operates as a unique puzzle game, as you follow two brothers as they embark on a journey to find medicine for their dying father.
The fantasy adventure game is set in a mythical world inspired byThe Lord of the Ringsand also allows you to control both siblings simultaneously.
You begin to empathize with these two boys in their immense struggle who only want to seek treatment for their father.
As you solve each puzzle that strengthens the brotherly bond, you grow closer to both Naia and Naiee.
However, disaster strikes, and a sacrifice has to be made in the end. The journey turns into a tragedy, culminating in a gut punch for anyone rooting for both siblings, which is hard to erase from your mind even after the credits roll.
4The Last of Us Part 1
Protecting your Loved Ones
The Last of Us
Naughty Dog pushed its immersive storytelling to another level withThe Last of Us. It doesn’t really let up at any point throughout its runtime.
The title does a wonderful job of evoking almost every type of emotion, such as joy, sadness, disgust, shock, and so on. However, it does love to put you in your feelings the most.
From the devastating prologue that leaves a father devastated as he cries out for his daughter in his hands, you’re left in tears. It focuses on the journey of Joel and Ellie across apost-apocalypticzombie-filled America. You begin rooting as you watch Joel given a second chance at a father-daughter relationship.
Many moments in Naughty Dog’s magnum opus will leave you in shambles and forced to confront the horrors of survival in a world with little humanity left in it. Once the journey concludes, you’ll be left changed after witnessing an incredible story of how far someone will go to protect his loved ones.
3Before Your Eyes
Blink, and You’ll Miss
Before Your Eyes
Before Your Eyesmakes wonderful use of the phrase “Blink and you miss it.” That premise has evolved into something special in Before Your Eyes, as every time you blink, time runs past you, and you’re forced to move on.
The first-person narrative puts you in the view of a patient recollecting his life from memory after your soul is fetched by The Ferryman.
The game’s use of eye-tracking isn’t just a flimsy gimmick but an ingenious feature that leaves you desperately wanting to cling to the moment. That is right up until you blink, and the scene is gone.
The story also depends on the choices you make as you navigate pivotal moments in your life. From joyous childhood moments to life’s countless problems in adulthood, you’re left struggling to make the right decisions.
The title forces you to reconcile with your mortality, making for a beautiful metaphor for life’s apparent brevity. It did, in fact, make me cry by both making me try my hardest not to blink and its emotional themes.
2What Remains of Edith Finch
A Dark Intimate Look at A Family’s Life
What Remains of Edith Finch
It won’t be easy playing through all ofWhat Remains of Edith Finch, even with its short runtime. The game deals with sensitive topics such as death and loss and doesn’t shy away from showing you the worst pains of life.
You follow the story of a family whose members meet a horrible fate one way or the other. The family is supposedly believed to be cursed due to these premature deaths.
You watch as tales of their deaths are preserved and turned into stories of legend through memorabilia, signifying their manner of passing.
Although the description sounds quite macabre, the creators showcased each member’s story in fantastic visual scenarios. The story draws you in with a unique storytelling twist and dark, subtle hints to the character’s fate that pack a heavy punch.
Each family member’s story is poignant and difficult to swallow, specifically one involving a young infant, but still important to witness for the narrative. You can already imagine that you will be shedding a lot of tears at each turn, but be sure to applaud its beauty as well.
1That Dragon, Cancer
A Family’s Pain
That Dragon, Cancer
No parent should have to deal with the thought of losing their child, but life isn’t fair, and cancer is a terrifying disease. That Dragon, Cancer is an autobiographical tale of Ryan and Amy Green that shows you the heart-wrenching story of their young son Joel’s battle with cancer.
The game pulls from real-life clips and voice notes from their troubling time and makes it into surreal dreamlike art as you embark on this emotionally draining journey.
The raw authenticity of this family’s moments of joy and sadness is overwhelming for anyone to witness, even in its minimalist presentation.
It’s a true testament to the power of video games such asThat, Dragon Cancer,which forces tears out of you no matter how much you hold them back. You’re left feeling helpless at times as you feel the weight of this family’s despair against these insurmountable odds.
The Green Family provides players to experience something that transcends the gaming platform into a medium capable of graceful and poetic art. It might also hit a bit close to home for those who have experienced this disease or have been close to someone who did, so proceed with caution.
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