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[OneBigPuss]

Max Payne 2 Ending. Still hits like a brick.

 

[Cutty Flam]

Chris/Piers campaign in Resident Evil 6

 

[BouncyFrag]

Whenever I hear this and read the comments.

 

[NinjaBoiX]

It didn’t hit me at all since I’ve barely got to know her, right at the start. You have to develop a character throughout the game for that stuff to have real impact. Like FF X ending for example.

I disagree, it worked for me feeling Joel’s grief, not because I had a particular attachment to her as a character.

You’re basically watching a little girl die in her father’s arms, that’s got to be sad even as two strangers on the street.

 

[Clear]

Nier Gestalt/Replicant easily.

I think people who found Automata emotional are going to be shocked when they see how "dry" it is compared to the original. That game was Yoko trying to tone down his emotional manipulation and be more upbeat! The original (and presumably the remake) is something else.

It starts quite light, but the deeper you get the darker it gets, and if you get emotionally invested its, frankly, brutal.

 

[Hudo]

When you mess up in Gran Turismo just before the finish and restart the race.

 

[Nigel]

 

[Neff]

What about my pain?
My fingers are tingling
My mouth is dry
My eyes are burning

 

[GymWolf]

From last gen?!

Yeah nothing is gonna beat tachibana death in yakuza 0 for me.

OP has fine taste i see.

 

[Jaxcellent]

Guys, I hate to remind you of the Agro death scene in Shadow of the Colossus....

 

[InfiniteCombo]

So what games caught you off guard and made you shed a tear or filled you with sadness? for me it's really rare but these games got me.

-Yakuza 0

What a great game and a great story, if you didn't play it then stop reading immediately and go play it. the story have a lot of sad moments but the saddest for me was Tachibana's Death just moments before meeting his sister Makoto.
Makoto suffered from slavery, rape, blindness and the only thing that kept her strong was the hope of meeting her brother but she met him a few moments after his death

That was a touching moment, sure. But even in that game, there's an even more touching (borderline "sad") moment in the epilogue.

In the video below:

First, fast-forward to about 12:50 and see the way the two characters look at each other. If you have played the game, you know there's something behind that look. Probably the most touching part though is at around the 17:20 mark when he starts fading into the crowd. Notice what she says. Damn.



Also, I'm sure it has been said here many times, but -- the "prologue" (if it's even called that) in The Last of Us. I think everybody knows what happens there.

 

[Clintizzle]

Halo Infinite reveal trailer made me cry angry tears.

 

[Fret Runner]

I'll always remember this scene. As corny as FF8 is I still love it.


Before a fucking abandoned spaceship appears from fucking nowhere and instantly ruins the moment.
I wasn't expecting them to die, of course, but jesus give that moment a bit more time before a huge ship just pops into view.

 

[The Incarnation]

Probably playing Championship/Football Manager nigh 20 years ago, when I was using Doncaster in the non-league, and losing in the playoff final to get into the football league proper. Shit broke me.

 

[Cyberpunkd]

All the narrative slowly developing throughout your play through of Planescape:Torment - the realisation that you used your loved one who sacrificed herself for you, as well as created a fake religion and philosophy to bound one of your companions to you.

Also, Ikaruga.

 

[OrionNebula]

‘’James... you made me... happy...’’

 

[SoraNoKuni]

KH3 ending hit hard (When Sora vanished while the rest of the crew was having a good time).

Of course Sarah's death in TLOU too.

 

[sncvsrtoip]

Last of us conversation between Joel and Ellie („Everyone f^%* except of you” this one) and Mgs5 Quiet talking scene

 

[Virt McPolygon]

Reading all of Kaim's "A Thousand Years of Dreams" in Lost Odyssey.

Living long enough to watch multiple wives and children pass away sounds fucking rough.

 

[Raven117]

That was a touching moment, sure. But even in that game, there's an even more touching (borderline "sad") moment in the epilogue.

In the video below:

First, fast-forward to about 12:50 and see the way the two characters look at each other. If you have played the game, you know there's something behind that look. Probably the most touching part though is at around the 17:20 mark when he starts fading into the crowd. Notice what she says. Damn.



Also, I'm sure it has been said here many times, but -- the "prologue" (if it's even called that) in The Last of Us. I think everybody knows what happens there.

Man, Yakuza 0 is so freakin good.

I still think it has one of the greatest character arcs in gaming. (The fall of Goro).

 

[Rei dos Vermes]

Raziel's destiny in Legacy of Kain: Defiance was heartbreaking.

 

[anothertech]

Aerith

Sarah

Tidus

Lee

Chloe

Arthur Morgan

 

[Ogbert]

BT in Titanfall 2.

Robot AI elicits more emotion than emo Naughty Dog wankballs.

 

[alabtrosMyster]

When the cat women died in phantasy Star 2.

 

[ZehDon]

Take your pick from Terranigma, really. The cave with the goat is easily one of the most emotionally impactful video game sequences of all time. But, if we're going for pure sadness, I'm gonna go with the ending.

Journey's done. Life has been restored, Dark Gaia has been defeated, and the planet will heal. After all of your travels, all your work, all your trials and tribulations, you're given a simple reward: one last day at home, just the way things were, before it all started with that stupid box. When the day ends, the town, you, and your friends, will cease to exist. But it doesn't matter. You have one last day to enjoy life the way it was. And it hits hard.

 

[HoofHearted]

 

[Mediocre Arachno-Lad]

We can all laugh at how cheesy Kojima storytelling is, but this hits like nothing out there because of how tightly its woven into core mechanics of the game.



1. It sets stakes that are urgent to you as a player, not an observer. Threatening your entire base crew that you've spent dozens of hours of picking up from the missions by hand.
2. All the people you have to put down are actual members of your crew. Some may be your favorites, some you may have memories of how hard it was to extract them, etc.
3. Ultimately It takes some of the fun of emergent stories that 4X games can generate and gives it a strong direction, while staying fair to the player, as this whole ordeal is preventable (if you're not dumb like me).

This is how you make the player feel guilt, Twitter Neil.

 

[EDMIX]

second most saddest

They gave incredible performances in that game.

The full context behind this is what makes the scene much more memorable. The idea that Snake is making a choice that he doesn't want, that he knows his master wants and needs for the country not to go to war.

Honorable mention

Yakuza 0's ending was done extremely well.

Spolier

Spoiler: SPOILER

20 years later he gives her a gift and she knows hes ok

 

[Aarbron]

In classic Warcraft, The Pamela Redpath quest in Plaguelands. Poor little girl.

 

[EDMIX]

Aerith

Sarah

Tidus

Lee

Chloe

Arthur Morgan

Sarah's death did nothing for me lol

I get that the person is a father and their kid died, but because its so early in the game, I didn't really get to know the person for it to do really anything to me tbh. I felt more when Joel died as you had a whole ass game with him before. The scene was done great though if that is what you are driving it.

The idea that the person you'd run to expecting to help is the person that ends up killing your child. Anyone of us would have done the same thing at that very moment thinking the government would help (me pretending I'd trust the government to help me lolz) but I understand why and can see how anyone would do that and how the events of that night probably play back for Joel as its probably one of the reasons he joined the Fireflies at one point, (being against what was left of the government and all)

Now Lee, that was a fucking tough one. I love that no one was safe in that Walking Dead series as you played every part knowing anyone can get it at any time lol

 

[lefty1117]

This

 

[ButchCat]

The ending of SOMA, if you know you know.

 

[pramod]

Still Nei's death for me. Never been so seriously depressed and pissed over something that happened in a video game.

Also Sniper Wolf's death. Only time a game has made me feel bad about killing a boss.

 

[MarlboroRed]

The Witcher 3's "bad" ending. It was so well done, it's easily my favorite one. All the other "happy ending" conclusions in the game feel phony in comparison.

 

[I Love Rock 'n' Roll]

When Mario jumped and ride Yoshi. How sad is that!

(good luck doing worse)

 

[FeldMonster]

TitanFall 2: BT-7274 Protocol 3
Halo 4: Cortana protecting and leaving Master Chief
Gears of War 2: Dom finding Maria

 

[worldwithpyramids]

My favorite moment of all time is removing the Master Sword in Ocarina of Time and I do believe it’s also one of the most profoundly sad moments in a video game. The permeating sense of loss and hopelessness as you leave the Temple of Time to discover the once bright and bustling world has been overcome with darkness and despair is such a devastating and impactful moment. The sudden nature of the change leads to a feeling of grief and urgency as you start wondering about the well being of all the characters you’d met. I’m not sure there’s another moment that so beautifully, simply and effectively demonstrated loss of innocence in a game.

 

[Hunnybun]

I had a tear in my eye at the end of Rime for sure....anyone with kids who has played that game will know what I mean.

I would just say the whole game has an air of sadness. I knew what it was all building to, but it was so poignantly done it was beautiful. Far and away the most poetic game I've ever played.

 

[Fugitive Sex]

The tragic end for Viconia DeVir if you manage to redeem her in Baldur's Gate II.

The death of your sister as she tries to protect you in Suikoden II.

 

[UnravelKatharsis]

Gremio. Both his death, and on my second playthrough after getting all 108 stars of destiny, his revival.

Back then we didn't have the internet to spoil things and his revival came as a complete surprise.

Gave me false hope for Aeris a year or so later though.

 

[Represent.]

No game has ever made me feel sad.

In fact, TLOU 2 is literally the only game where I even felt any emotion at all.

The medium has a LONG way to go.

 

[EDMIX]

No game has ever made me feel sad.

In fact, TLOU 2 is literally the only game where I even felt any emotion at all.

The medium has a LONG way to go.

Agreed. I can count on 1 hand how many times the story or performance of a game made me sad or feel a long range of emotions.

The Last Of Us series is one of the fewest that does this extremely well yet if just made as a show, it would just be a drama in a sea of dramas that also do that well.

We are just not there yet in gaming.

 

[Platinumstorm]

As much as I hate Final Fantasy XV as a game, I found the campfire scene to be the saddest moment I had played in any game. There was so much build up there, and everyone just knows.

Journey was a highly emotional game, but I don't remember if sadness or happiness predominated.

FFXIV Shadowbringers is incredibly well written and is largely a tragedy. It's an absolute masterpiece of a game, and the fact that it's in an MMO only makes its feat more remarkable.


Honorable mention:
World of Warcraft Legion: When Ysera dies. This really caught me off guard with how impactful it was. I never really cared about the character in the slightest and they turned it into something brilliant.

 

[Somebody_Important]

Metal Gear Solid 2.

When Hal breaks down crying and the parrot flies away.

 

[Con-Z-epT]

The ending of SOMA, if you know you know.

It can be seen as sad or as happy.

It's one of the best endings in videogame history to me.

And not just the end itself but more the way it is presented and how you obtained it after playing through all of SOMA.

I still think about it from time to time.

It raises a lot of philosophical questions.

 

[DelireMan7]

To the Moon
The whole story is really beautiful and it has really sad moments.
I melted in tears when the credits rolled.

Metal Gear Solid
Sniper Wolf...
Meryl and Gray Fox deaths...

Ico, Shadow of Colossus, The Last Guardian
Obviously there is the end of Last Guardian. I can't really pointed other specific moments but these games are tainted with sadness all along. Love them.

Final Fantasy X
Ending...

Dark Souls
Siegmeyer's questline end in Ash lake or in Izalith (The "Friend, I have an idea. A good one, really !" line always make me sad).
Also a bit Solaire in Izalith but this one didn't really affect me the first time.

 

[nkarafo]

Watching Samus being an annoying crybaby with daddy issues in OtherM.

 

[Digity]

MGS3 ending.

Took me awhile to press square.

 

[sobaka770]

Most of the sad moments in games are story driven and do not usually rise to similar moments in cinema it tv shows. Even TLoU early death is just a cinematic really.

However, the uniquely "gaming-only" moment like that for me was when I finished Journey. Truly no other medium could achieve what this game does both in joy and sadness. I just sat there while credits rolled knowing I can't experience Journey the same way again and that was sad.

 

[Guardian's Light]

Abe, in Odissee

The bad ending always makes me drop a tear it's frankly horrible

And also obviously Sarah in Tlou, and Tess