1 yr. ago • 100%

Most emotional moments in games? (SPOILERS)

Just for the heads up, this thread will probably have a lot of spoilers. I'm gonna try to go vague on spoilers for anybody that hasn't played Hotline Miami 2. If you've played the game, you'll probably know what I mean, but I'm going to say some purposefully esoteric shit to keep it out of full spoiler territory.

My pick has to be Richter's plotline from Hotline Miami 2. One part that makes me cry is when Richard, arguably a god of death, helps Richter escape from his previous entanglement. In these games, Richard doesn't show up to help. He shows up when someone did some fucked up shit. Richard consistently shows up to help Richter though. He just tells him "run" in that moment and you feel the fucking urgency to get out like nothing else. One of the harder levels I've ever played, but holy shit I wanted Richter OUT. I was so frustrated with the game but I just would not stop until Richter had escaped.

Hotline Miami is a series of bad endings, but there are 2 happy conclusions in the sequel, both are direct consequences of Richter and his love for his mother. His ending isn't even THAT happy. But there's something about his final conversation with Richard that just made me fucking bawl the every time I played. Richter's indifference to what Richard is saying. He barely got any time to enjoy what he had been fighting for for years. But when he knew it was over, he was comfortable because he was just vibing with his mom in Hawaii like they had always wanted. He was just happy that he got to spend his last days with the person he loved the most.

His love for his mother can even give Evan, the writer, a happy ending where he picks up the letter instead of the pen. Richter's plotline manages to poignantly deliver the point of Hotline Miami 2 in one short and digestible bit. Love the people you hold close. Wanting violence only brings violence. The only way forward to true peace is accepting whatever terrible situations you're in and just going forward.

I could rant about this forever. It was just such an amazing part of the game. What are your favorite emotional moments from games?

70 comments

In my mind there's no question: the opening of The Last of Us is absolutely tragic.

15
When the big brother dies in Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons. The game is short, but does a great job of getting you emotionally attached to these brothers. Even through the controls, you control both brothers at once with each getting half of your controller. When he dies, it also essentially kills half of your controller. I found myself trying to move the brothers together as I have for the rest of the game.

15
- Such a great way to implement gameplay into the emotions of a game. It was like after someone died in real life, you keep thinking about messaging them all the cool things you find that they'd like only to realize they're not there. You just sent a meme to a phone number that hasn't been paid for in months. Maybe you even start paying the phone bill so you can keep hearing their voicemail. Continuing to reach for half of the controller that can't do anything now is just amazing.
  
  7
- I was playing this game with my 4 yo daughter, giving her a controller pretending she was controlling the younger brother. We would talk to the characters as if the younger brother was her and the elder brother was me. It was an amazing experience. Then the elder brother dies, and it's not even a quick thing. There's a whole big segment of the younger brother carrying the elder brother's body and burying it. My daughter doesn't exactly understands what is happening, but keeps getting more and more upset and scared, and keeps asking me why I wouldn't wake up. That segment fucked me up as I was trying to get through that part while also trying to comfort my daughter.
  
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- I cried that whole bit with the controller feeling like you're missing an arm. So exact a representation of grief.
  
  But the last scene, where the father simply falls to his knees at his son's grave. He's been granted his life back at a price no human parent would ever, ever accept. I cried racking sobs. It was so awful and true.
  
  4
- This game is my answer as well. I held it together through big big brother's burial. When I lost it was in the epilogue when I realized I needed to press big brother's action button for little brother to pull the big lever. I literally wept as I pressed that button.
  
  2
People have already said two of mine (Aeris and Sarah), so I'll go with a third:

"Had to be me. Somebody else might have gotten it wrong."

11
- Mass Effect as a series had so many heartbreaking moments. I'll never forget the horror of finishing 2 without doing enough loyalty quests and seeing that final mission play out. For me, it was Legion and Tali that got me. I always sided with the quarians over the geth, but Legion's death was always just so hard
  
  3
  
  I went through that whole thing waiting for -- apparently -- a Paragon option that never showed up, that would've managed to save them both. It kinda put me off the series.
  
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- I don't know how to neatly segue into this, so I'm just gonna drop this link right here. If you love Mordin, I think you'll love this.
  
  https://youtu.be/UxVekZRIWyg
  
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- HOW DARE YOU PUT ME THROUGH THIS RIGHT NOW. I was just sitting here, enjoying some coffee, truly having a great day. I can't handle this right now, @Xariphon@kbin.social
  
  1
  
  Admittedly, some things will never not be too soon.
  
  2
To The Moon.

I think the game is full of different emotional triggers. The one that got me was the revelation why the person in question actually wanted to the moon. All the mysteries in the game around weird behaviors and circumstances suddenly made sense and the implication of what the moon really meant to this person made me cry. That was so damn sad. It still makes me cry just thinking about it.

10
- Played that one only 2 or so years after my mother's succumbing to cancer.
  That game helped me im more ways than one - fantastic experience, still can hear some of the musical themes of it in my head as I type this out.
  
  3
  
  Art is just so cathartic for some reason. I think it's just easier for us to think about another fictional person's emotions than our own.
  
  2
Ending credits of Nier Automata. Weight of the World.

9
- Nier had some pretty amazing endings, although I don't know the one you're responding to specifically. The one where other people sacrifice their save files to help you at the end gets me. I doubt the game actually takes other people's save files for that ending, but the idea that someone else would give a random person 100+ hours of effort to help another person by deleting their save is very beautiful to me. The fact that most users decide to delete their saves for that ending is such a huge statement on humanity as a whole.
  
  5
Red Dead Redemption 2 - >!the death of Arthur Morgan!<

Tales from the Borderlands - >!Scooter's sacrifice!<

Edit: can't figure out how to use spoiler tags, oh well.

7
- Great shout, but also >!Arthur's horse :-(!<
  
  2
- In RDR2: the scene with the horse (you know which) also hits hard.
  
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  “I guess… I’m afraid.”
  
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MyHouse.wad. It's astonishing that a fucking Doom level can do better environmental storytelling than most modern games. Don't read much about it, just download it and play!

I also played Life is Strange: True Colors with my daughter and she was amazed at how a video game can just influence our emotions.

7
- MyHouse.wad is definitely one of the better gaming moments from recent years. It reminded me a lot of imscared, and I'd consider that game to be secured in the top 100 games of all time. The environmental storytelling is top tier, and the natural unsettling nature is just great.
  
  Life is Strange is also a great one. My little sister loves the series far more than me, but I also played Fahrenheit and The Walking Dead early in life, so I'd say I had high standards for those games. Would you say True Colors is worth checking out to someone that was lukewarm on the original? I love the style of game, but I'm not invested in the characters so it'd practically be my first introduction to the universe yk?
  
  2
  
  True Colors is great. It's a little bit more personal and smaller in scope than the first two. For myself the first one is still my favourite with True Colors as a close second. If you were annoyed by the teenage drama of the first one then you should like True Colors more.
  
  But if you're looking for traditional adventure puzzles you will be disappointed. There are barely any in this game. It's a more or less linear story where your relationships are more important than solving the mystery.
  
  1
- The hilarious thing about My house.wad is that if you go in without knowing anything about it there's a relatively high chance you just complete the level normally and think "that's it? weird that had so much hype"
  
  2
The ending of Soma.

7
The entire questline of Alice (hedgehog grandma) in Spiritfarer. After that, I just couldn't finish the game. I don't know why it affected me so much.

7
- The entirety of Spiritfarer, really.
  
  5
- For me it was later when the child crosses over. My son was the same age at the time and when the kid says "I'm afraid," I completely lost it. Ugly cried for a solid five minutes.
  
  5
- Not one I've played, but I looked it up and I really want to play it now.
  
  2
  
  Prepare some tissues because that game hits you like a truck
  
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all of Outer Wilds?

7
- The big finale with cracks in the screen always gets me crying pearl-sized tears. Even when watching someone else play, just can't help it.
  
  Also, the scene at the lost escape pod in Dark Bramble. Also, the inside of the Interloper. So many hard-hitting moments in this game.
  
  3
- Exactly what I came here to say! The theme song is set as my ringtone and I get chills every time I get a call haha
  
  1
There's a big moment in SOMA that really stuck with me. Not gonna spoil it. Mostly it's a horror game but it engages with some pretty intense ethical questions and does so in a way that feels very personal.

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- Oh fuck… I remember getting to “that point.” I was so engrossed in the game that I wanted more and didn’t want it to end. But I was also happy to see how the story concludes.
  
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Omori. Finally understanding what is it that the protagonist has been trying to repress so hard and coming to terms with that. That game took some ideas that are pretty much a cliche in surreal RPG circles, yet the build up and execution around them is masterful. The art and music do a lot to fully convey all the emotions involved. By the end of it all I could feel the entirety of it, and it was overwhelming. I could understand why that affected the protagonist and everyone around him so much.

5
Not me, but my little sister was bawling at the end of Undertale.

For me, it's maybe beating Sword Saint Isshin. I think I almost cried in relief, since I'd been hitting my head against that wall for like a week.

I also liked the Dragon Age Inquisition endings, the one DLC with the Qunari and the palace and going threw Elven ruins shattered through space. The song on the mountains when you find the new headquarters was cool too.

5
Super Mario Bros, when I learned the princess was in another castle.

Like at least a few other comments, the Last of Us sticks out. Just, the whole thing.

5
Final Fantasy 7 when Aeries dies. I was a teen then and it was the first RPG I ever played and the first time I experienced a main character just die and is gone from the game.

I don't think I experienced anything like that again until maybe Destiny 2 when Cayde died. Little different with that though as they should his death in a live stream about the launch of that DLC. Had a different impact but had to be done since the entire premise of that DLC was getting revenge so couldn't hide it from the promo materials.

5
Lots of things in mass effect 1-3

Also, Roland's death in Borderlands 2 just because the game up until then may have some dark-ish moments, but for the most part is still a nigh-brainless looter shooter. Angel's ark makes you feel like they've hit their important-character-death-quota and then Roland dies as well.

5
dialog between alucard and dracula at the end of symphony of the night

4
I remember the first time I cried because of the events of a video game.

Final Fantasy 7. Aerith's death scene.

Up to that point, you're given several romance options between her and Tifa and I basically friend-zoned Tifa and was pursuing Aerith. So when Sephiroth murders her out of nowhere, it was like he really murdered my girlfriend. FWIW, the game came out when I was 12 and I was probably 13 or 14 when I actually got to own a copy and play through the whole thing.

The most latest game, tho, that hits hard is Cyberpunk 2077. The overall main plot is just a mashup of cyberpunk films like Johnny Mnemonic, Strange Days, 6th Day, 5th Element, Dredd, etc; but the side stories with the main characters are where the real beauty lies. Shit had me choked up like every time there was a lengthy bit of dialogue. The reason your character is dying might be goofy, but the way they portray someone who knows they are going to die is pretty fucking good. And the unique thing is that it's you. Your own character, not some other character you're just meant to empathize with.

4
I'll throw out the final twenty minutes of Abzu. It's not one specific moment, more a combination of things that come together to make a truly incredible sequence that sees you doing things inside the game that you hadn't previously done, alongside some truly incredible visuals and music, it's really incredibly moving.

4
- From the same devs, I want to say the entirety of Journey. I played through it in one sitting and I don’t think I’ve ever been so engrossed in a game that I forgot the world outside the game existed, and when it was over I just kinda sat there with my thoughts and feelings. It just grabbed me so completely.
  
  3
Rosalina's story in Super Mario Galaxy.

I haven't played the second version, so idk if it's there.

4
Finding Ciri in Witcher 3.

3
All of The Last of Us (Part I), but especially the prologue, the ending, and the DLC.

The end of Telltale's The Walking Dead: Season 1.

The end of Life is Strange, but only if you choose Bay.

3
I got yelled at for saying this on a reddit thread about emotional moments in video games. But I still feel bad for killing Mordin in ME3. I cried. And regret it.

3
I don't know if this is an emotional moment for everybody, but I have been playing video games with my daughter ever since she was 4. When she was around 5, we played Majora's Mask. There is a part in the gerudo desert where a dad and his little girl live in a house, but the dad went missing, so the daughter is waiting for him at the house. As part of the quest, you go talk to the daughter, then go rescue the dad from underground. So far, so good.

We go down to the dungeons, and the father finally escapes and reunites with his daughter. The moment the dad meets his daughter, my daughter starts bawling.

'Where were you dad? I was alone and missing you! Some strangers (referring to link) even visited the house! Why did you leave me alone??'

I was absolutely stunned by her words and emotions, and it was tough to console her while I was getting emotional myself. I'm getting emotional right now as I type this.

So yeah, that was the most emotional moment in a game for me.

One other emotional moment was from Brothers: A tale of two sons, which I've replied to one of the comments.

3
- This is probably my favorite answer so far. One thing I love about Nintendo is that it's made for kids, they can't do THAT much to shock you. They can only tell what I'd call human stories, stories that anybody on the globe will be able to understand. N64 Zelda is fairly simple as far as writing goes, but it does the simplicity extremely well. It reminds me of Greek tragedies more than anything else, where the tragedy, the main situations can be understood even without dialogue.
  
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  Yeah Zelda games are the complete package every time. I've played half a dozen zelda games with her, and we loved each one of them (except Twilight princess. It was too dark/depressing and we didn't finish it). She's 7 now, and she has forgotten a lot of what we played when she was younger. It's bittersweet, because she doesn't remember the fun we had, but I get to play the same games with her again.
  
  1
The entire hour-or-so-long finale sequence of Tears of the Kingdom is ASTOUNDINGLY good. It hits ALL emotions: fear, joy, suspense, sorrow, elation. Also, the Dragon Tears Quest throughout the regular game.

The Dream No More ending of Hollow Knight. I felt that in my soul. Largely due to the musical score.

The ending of Outer Wilds made me feel an emotion I really had trouble describing. Bittersweet, maybe? Mixed with awe? Same for the DLC ending, but with a distinctly more sorrowful vibe.

Subnautica had me literally drop my jaw, with the Sunbeam questline, midway-through the game.

Plus more that have already been mentioned.

3
The end of Half Life 2 Episode 2 before HL:Alyx retconned it - that fade to black with Alyx sobbing 😭

3
Dragon Quest 11.

The little mermaid side story was sad. Then, I spent the entire second act just grinding along to get the best character in my party back only to end up super depressed about it when that didn't happen.

3
- I loved Hendrik's personal quest too. I just love Hendrik in general.
  
  1
When Aloy's adopted father dies in Horizon Zero Dawn.

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- Super Mario Bros, when I learned the princess was in another castle.
  
  Like at least a few other comments, the Last of Us sticks out. Just, the whole thing.
  
  1
When

spoiler

!Niko walks out the window!<

in OneShot

2
The ending of Link's Awakening

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Since I just played it: Life is strange both the ending and when they find rachel. Don't want to elaborate more for those who haven't played it yet

2
The final dream in Disco Elysium. After picking up clues all game about your past, your broken relationship and the reasons you are the way you are, the heart wrenching emotional impact had me reeling. Not mention it's written and voice-acted beautifully.

Suddenly everything makes sense as Harry gets constantly dressed-down, his futile attempts to cling to the past denied and his insanity laid bare. The letter in the ledger, the little Headless FALN rider figurine, the obsession with Dolores Dei, that awful phonecall on the payphone, everything comes together in a beautiful climax of absolute sadness, ending on that devastating final line:

"This is real darkness. It's not death, or war, or child molestation. Real darkness has love for a face. The first death is in the heart, Harry.

See you tomorrow"

2
- For me, it was the Precarious World thought, and again after the final cut released with the Communist quest ending.
  
  ::: "How not to lose? It is impossible not to. The world is balanced on the edge of a knife. It’s a game of frayed nerves. You’re pushed on by numbers and punitive measures: pain, rejection, and unpaid bills. You can either play or you can crawl under a boat and waste away -- turn into salt or a flock of seagulls. Your enemies would love that. Or you can fight. The only way to load the dice is to keep on fighting." :::
  
  And more succinctly
  
  ::: "In the dark times, should the stars also go out?" :::
  
  I've been struggling off and on with depression for the better part of my life, and each time I read these it just hits me like a sack of bricks. The recontextualization of the struggle.
  
  2
Walking into Erana's Peace for the first time in Quest for Glory 1 (1989). For a more recent example, walking or driving into safety with a massive load in Death Stranding, as well as most of the rest of the game.

2
Ys VIII had SO many:

As Adol: Climbing down Gens d'Armes to finally meet Dana, Eternia sitting in the distance.

spoiler

Adol and Dana having a little heart to heart before the final dungeon, hoping that maybe destiny isn't real just this one time, and she isn't fated to die soon.

The scripting in the true final boss, with the dawn breaking over an endless field of water, as the introduction ends and the fight begins.

spoiler

Fighting through gods and spirits to bring Dana back one last time, to say farewell.

As Dana: White Memory. God. Making peace with Olga, and having her finally open her heart to you as a dear friend, a message from beyond the grave. Watching the last sparks of your civilisation die out in an apocalyptic winter. Valley of Kings, learning that you're the first person to break a divine apocalyptic cycle, but still bound by fate.

I legitimately couldn't enjoy video games for two weeks after I finished Ys VIII. I still get really emotional thinking about it.

But it's nothing compared to FFXI, my favourite game of all time:

Chains of Promathia is incredible from start to finish. Weathering the emotional assault of death beyond death and the decay of the spirit in the Promyvions, this horrible, haunting, gloomy drone in the background; and then immediately being taken to this place of both incredible healing beauty and immediate and poignant, human sorrow.

Witnessing the exact moment where a dear companion begins to waver if he's on the right path with you, and seeing his doubts culminate in fighting you, to the death if need be. Seeing the guilt, shame and lingering doubt when you win... and forgive him.

Seeing the god of regeneration send a little glimmer over the view of a fallen kingdom, which you've probably sat and stared at with strangely passive wraith enemies. The entire Distant Worlds song and cinematic as a whole, closing out a musical and narrative theme that had been developing over three years. Definitely another storyline where I had to sit and just process it for a bit. Took me a year to come around on Aht Urhgan since I did it the day after Promathia.

Seeing the ghost of a city-state wiped out by genocide, brought back into a state of undeath by a god of war and chaos, sacrifice himself to save the heritor of the empire that claimed his city. The music for the fight that follows right after, Ragnarok.

The sadness that makes your heart sink, of wandering the Shadowreign era of Vana'diel, seeing a world ravaged by war, hearing Flowers On The Battlefield add an incredible, keening aura of melancholy everywhere, albeit with little glimmers of peace... broken by the drums of war as battle rages once more.

The end of Adoulin, Forever Today. Closing the book on one of your most personal adventures, alongside some of the most brilliant and heroic characters. The sense of finality mixed with renewal, with musical callbacks to the Theme of Final Fantasy and the Prelude.

Rhapsodies of Vana'diel, especially the ending. Seeing the bravery of an old friend's daughter sacrifice herself again and again as the cosmos rejects her presence in the past. Building a relationship with a character just as sincere and brilliant as her father. Her final monologue to you: "Master, this is not 'Farewell.' It is 'See you soon.' Until our paths cross once more, the blessing of Phoenix is yours to wield. And I will be with you, always."

The beautiful poem being sung as this all happens, leading into the Adventurers' Chorus of over a hundred actual players from across the world, singing the title music from the first release of the game...

2
The Last of Us 2 is the only game to make me cry every single time I play it, ever. It also is so emotionally painful that I genuinely get minor depression after I do my yearly playthrough for at least a few days. I honestly don’t think there’s a game out with nearly as much of an emotional impact on me as that game.

2
The beginning of The Last of Us.

The end of Final Fantasy X.

The entirety of disc 3 of Final Fantasy VIII.

1
Red Dead Redemption 2 - >!the death of Arthur Morgan Tales from the Borderlands - >! Scooter's sacrifice

1
Ostagar in Dragon Age: Origins, and then the march to Denerim before the final battle.

Awesome.

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