In recent years, video games have managed to jerk the tears from our eyes and hearts at various moments, unlike any era ever, and they continue to do so. Video games are arguably still the best at creating unique stories with profound and complex characters. Then there is the fact that they’re all interactable, so you pile that on a heap of another cool thing about games, and you have yourself a fun little stew. So, naturally, what is a better way to celebrate all these fantastic titles and their tissue-grabbing plotlines than a top 20 list? There isn’t one, so get comfortable and prepare for spoilers. Oh, and these are in no particular order, by the way.
Final spoiler warning!
20. That Prologue Death In The Last of Us
Wow, we’re starting with a doozy. Perhaps the most iconic death scene in video games in the last decade is the death of Joel’s daughter, Sarah, in The Last of Us. Players didn’t have any attraction to these characters at the start of the game, but it’s so well acted, well written, and so well choreographed that it’s no wonder this series is as big as it is today.
19. Aerith’s Death
We know we previously mentioned “the last decade” a few paragraphs ago, but that’s not going to stop us from including the most iconic death in all of video games. What makes it even worse is how Aerith’s death comes out of nowhere and how you can’t stop or control it all. Some Final Fantasy 7 players might have even chosen Aerith as their dedicated healer. With that and all the time you spend with these characters throughout this 30-hour experience, it is heartbreaking.
18. The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask (Entire Game)
It’s rare for Nintendo to delve into darker themes, but ask anyone who’s played Majora’s Mask, and they’ll tell you it should happen more. Walking around on the third day will show you just how desperate and depressed the residents of Termina have become now that their impending doom is staring them in the face from above.
17. John Marston’s Death in Red Dead Redemption
Red Dead Redemption is a game where the Pinkertons blackmail John Marston to help them hunt down his gang members if he wishes to secure the happiness and well-being of his family. This sends him on a wild goose chase as he tracks and kills the people he shares a dodgy past with, eventually ending with the death of his gang leader, Dutch van der Linde. After all these events transpire, John genuinely feels that he’s finally secured his freedom, but this isn’t true.
After all, Edgar Ross and the Pinkertons wouldn’t leave any stone unturned in a bid to destroy Dutch and his band of outlaws. This leads to the assault on John’s ranch, which ends in his bloody demise as he’s shot down in cold blood by the Pinkertons.
16. Celeste’s Final Climb
The indie scene is no stranger to tearjerking moments, and one of the best examples is a little game called Celeste. So, while we could’ve included the entire game as our 16th entry here, we chose the final climb instead. It’s not sad per se, but it meant so much to our little gamer hearts because of how much we had gone through to get to this point. So many deaths and tons of broken controllers, and what’s even better is Madeline finally rising above it all to climb that damn mountain for one of the most rewarding moments in video games.
15. Marvel’s Spider-Man Ending
Marvel’s Spider-Man was a pleasant delight back in 2018 on the PlayStation 4 with its webs swinging, combat mechanics, and a good Spider-Man story!? We didn’t expect it either, but this game especially surprised us with its incredibly emotional ending. Without getting too much into it, Dr Octavious is suffering from a disease that will have him fully disabled within a year, so he hatches up a plan to prevent that from happening, which ends up causing some dire consequences. It’s incredible, surprising, and the best Marvel story in years.
14. Shadow of the Colossus’ Confusing and Weird Ending
Shadow of the Colossus is a great game, but its clunky controls and weird ending don’t leave the most significant impression on many players. Still, we’d be remiss if we didn’t include it, but it has stood the test of time with its reveal of the Wanderer being manipulated the whole time, leading to him killing his trusty seed (sorry, Agro.) Oh, and the dude gets sucked into a pool that turns him into a baby. See what we mean about all these Japanese games??
13. Midna’s Injury in The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
Despite their epic tales, the Zelda games are not generally known for the saddest moments. But one of the series’ saddest moments came from Twilight Princess when the nefarious Zant injures Midna.
After Zant curses Midna to enter the realm of light, effectively killing her, it’s up to the player to seek help from Princess Zelda. Seeing Midna’s weakening form combined with the haunting music will likely get players’ hearts pounding and bring tears to their eyes for fear of losing their sassy companion.
12. The Super Metroid Sacrifices Itself in Super Metroid
Much like Zelda, the Metroid series isn’t exactly known for its heartbreaking moments, but that doesn’t mean it’s a stranger to being profound. Right at the end of Super Metroid, when Samus is on the brink of defeat at the hands of Mother Brain, the Metroid you tried to save right at the beginning of the game sacrifices itself so that Samus can live and get the job done. It’s one of the most iconic moments in the medium’s history, and the fact it’s done with only 16 bits makes it all the more special. It also set the standard for storytelling not only in Metroidvanias but in video games as a whole.
11. Brok’s Death in God of War Ragnarok
The brotherly bond between Brok and Sindri is among the best in video games and all media. Despite their differences at times, the two genuinely care for each other. When Brok starts becoming suspicious of Tyr, the Norse god fatally stabs him in the chest and reveals himself actually to be Odin. After the All-Father makes a quick getaway, Brok dies in Sindri’s arms, but not before telling him he forgives him for what he’s done in the past. If that wasn’t enough for you, the funeral scene after the game ends hammers home what a significant loss this is for poor Sindri.
10. Arthur Morgan Passes Away in Red Dead Redemption 2
Earlier in the game, Arthur contracts Tuberculosis after beating up Thomas Downes, and as the story goes on, his symptoms get worse and worse. We would be remiss not to mention the scene where Arthur tells the sister he’s afraid of dying, which brought us to tears. The finale, however, hits even harder as Arthur tries his best to sort out all the drama unfolding with his gang. After helping John Marston get away, Arthur finally succumbs to his illness and passes away peacefully as he watches a beautiful sunrise.
9. Mordin’s Death in Mass Effect 3
Disappointing ending aside, Mass Effect 3’s death scenes were pure magic. Mordin’s death is a prime example of how to create an emotional send-off for a character. It contains the emotional climax of a well-developed and complete character arc, made even better by a gorgeous score and visuals. The scene includes some hauntingly sad lines, and Mordin singing to himself as a form of comfort paints him as a tragic and heroic figure. It is just a jumble of emotions.
8. The Salute in Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater
This ending is now a video game legend, and for good reason. You are forced to pull the trigger on The Boss and put a bullet in her heart, and in the ending sequence, Snake visits Arlington National Cemetery to pay his respects. He places lilies and a weapon on the grave and salutes her patriotism, shedding a tear. Admit it: While he was shedding a man’s tear, you were shedding buckets.
7. Cere Sacrifices Herself in Star Wars Jedi Survivor
While still fresh in many people’s minds at the time of writing, this video game moment still had us grabbing a seemingly endless barrage of tissues after it happened. Cal Kestis is getting deeper and deeper into the Dark Side while on his quest to stop the Empire, but during a routine meeting of the minds at their base on Kuboh, the Empire attacks with Darth Vader in tow, who fights Cal’s mentor who is ultimately forced to let herself get killed to prevent her team from ending up in the same fate. Thankfully, this leads to Cal snapping out of his dark mindset, but it doesn’t make his friend’s death any less heartbreaking.
6. Chief Lets Cortana Go in Halo 4
The Halo franchise has some very emotional moments, but this one perhaps stands out. Cortana was in a bad state for much of the game, which was difficult to witness in and of itself, but the real kicker comes when she sacrifices herself and the long-time partners must say goodbye. We witness the otherwise stoic and emotionless Master Chief break down as he’s forced to say goodbye, complete with constant protests and a voice crack. Master Chief’s freaking voice is cracking from the emotion! One voice crack from him equals about ten man tears from anyone else. Goodbyes are never easy.
5. Soap’s Death in Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3
Say what you will about the Call of Duty series, but there’s no denying that they can tell a good story when they want to. Soap MacTavish finally bites it in Prague in the pivotal instalment of the Modern Warfare series. We watch as the otherwise incredibly badass and battle-hardened John Price tries desperately to save his friend, complete with anguished screams, before Soap finally succumbs to injuries. Soap and Price made a fantastic team throughout the series, and to see it end like this was a massive kick in the gut. We knew someone had to die, but it was still hard to handle.
4. The Protaganist’s Death in Persona 3
After spending almost a year at Gekkoukan High School, I realized this wasn’t how we expected it to end. To prevent the return of Nyx, the protagonist sacrifices themselves to seal it away. However, to fulfil a promise to his friends, he retains consciousness long enough to make it to graduation day. With his life slowly fading away, the protagonist spends his final moments on the lap of Aigis as all his friends run to be by his side. If this moment somehow didn’t bring tears to your eyes, we guarantee the ending credits song certainly did!
3. The End of Zero in Mega Man Zero 4
Zero did not have an easy life. While we had seen him temporarily destroyed in the X franchise, things were permanent this time. The evil scientist Dr Wily has a maniacal plan of crashing the station known as Ragnarok into one of the final human settlements left on Earth. Knowing this is a one-way trip, Zero still decides to battle with Weil and disrupt his scheme. When things settle, and the humans are saved, we expect Zero to make a last-minute miraculous return… only he doesn’t. Ciel, who also held that hope, falls to her knees in anguish, realizing that this story does not have a happy ending. That closing shot of Zero’s shattered helmet still burns our minds.
2. Edward Gets To See His Friends One Final Time in Assasin’s Creed IV: Black Flag
Throughout the story of Assassin’s Creed IV, many of Edwards’s Comrades meet their end, whether by his own hands or another. In the game’s conclusion, while waiting for his daughter’s arrival, Anne Bonny sings a beautiful rendition of “The Parting Glass.” At this very moment, Edward sees a vision of his long-departed friends sitting all together at a table and having a good time.
1. Eli’s Death in Half-Life 2: Episode 2
Is there anything that Half-Life 2 DIDN’T get right? If it wasn’t too busy redefining the modern FPS, then it was giving us intensely powerful and emotional moments such as this. In this scene, Gordon, Eli, and Alyx are attempting to board a helicopter when a pair of Advisors stick a wrench in their plans. They restrain Eli and suck out his brain right in front of his daughter, leaving her to cradle her father’s body before the credits roll. And that’s how Half-Life 2 left us.
Woo boy, that was a lot to take in. Maybe you should take a breather and leave a comment or, even better, tell us your favourite moments in some of the video games that you hold close to your heart. Anyway, thanks for reading!!