Video games are probably the best type of media at bringing out the entire spectrum of human emotions in us. Sadness, unfortunately, is also one of those emotions. We might not like it, but it’s essential in reminding us that we are still human. With that in mind, let’s look at some of the saddest video game moments of all time.
The Saddest Video Game Moments of All Time, Ranked
1. Winning in DEFCON
Winning a match in DEFCON isn’t outwardly sad. It becomes sad once you sit back and think about what you just did. Sure, you might have “won” the game, but that victory came at the cost of snuffing out human civilization. It’s a sad thing to have to grieve for a human life, but when there’s no one left to grieve at all, then it becomes a whole other matter entirely.
2. Clementine Shooting Lee
There are some fates worse than death. In the case of Telltale’s The Walking Dead, we’re not really sure who got the worse end of the stick. On one end you have Lee who was bitten and would have become a mindless zombie for all eternity. On the other end, there’s Clementine, who had to shoot her father figure to save him from such a fate. It’s a somber situation where there are no winners, just tragic characters doomed to their fates.
3. Snake’s Final Solute Towards the Boss
Losing someone precious is one of the hardest experiences a human being has to go through. Having to end that person’s life is even more tragic, especially if it’s an unnecessary death. Such was the case with Naked Snake who had to kill his former mentor, The Boss. It wouldn’t have been such a touching moment were it not for the later discovery that it was all a political play that was unavoidable.
4. Joel’s Untimely Death
The Last Of Us’s Joel is a controversial figure. Some people like him, others don’t. Regardless of what you think of him, if you played through the first game then you likely bonded with him and his plight. Seeing him get murdered in the second game was like seeing a childhood friend pass in your arms. It’s a gut-wrenching moment that leaves a mark on your heart forever.
5. Dom’s Heroic Sacrifice
If you’re a soldier, it’s a reality of war that you’ll eventually lose some of your friends. It’s also a reality that nothing can prepare you for the inevitable moment when that finally happens. This is all the worse if the person that dies is your best friend. That was the situation Marcus had to face in Gears of War 3 when his best friend sacrificed his life to save his friends. In the end, Dom died as he lived: like a true hero.
6. Aerith’s Assassination
You can always tell who the villain is by looking at who they antagonize. Aerith was the sweetest girl in existence and didn’t hurt anybody, and yet, Sephiroth still assassinated her. The worst thing about this scene is the slow-motion effect that follows it, giving you more than ample time for the realization to set in and the tears to start flowing.
7. The White Phosphorus Scene in Spec Ops: The Line
Video games have a knack for making us feel like the good guys in every situation. When in reality, that’s not always the case, as the white phosphorus scene from Spec Ops: The Line shows us. In war, the lines between good and bad get blurred and even those with good intentions cause grievous amounts of suffering. This scene is a reminder that we are always a hair’s width away from becoming evil ourselves.
8. Mordin’s Death
Mass Effect 3 is a game with lots of heart-wrenching moments. However, none hit as hard as Mordin’s death. To paraphrase Picard: “You can do everything right and still lose. That’s life.” No matter what you do leading up to that point, there’s nothing you can do to save Mordin. But hey, at least he dies a heroic death, which is a lot more dignified than some of the other deaths on this list.
9. Arthur Morgan’s Poetic Demise
To be human is to make errors. To amend for those errors is also human, and yet, not many people get to amend for their errors on time. Arthur Morgan’s death at the end of RDR2 is tragic because throughout the game you see that Arthur is a good man at heart, he was just brought into a bad group by a bad man, which ends up costing him his life in the end.
10. Agro’s Fall
Wander’s story is one of the most tragic stories in gaming, and yet it’s often overlooked because of Shadow of the Colossus’ minimalistic storytelling styel. It’s a story of constant loss, first of the maiden Mono, then of the Colossi, and finally, Agro. Thankfully, Agro doesn’t die from the plummet, but it’s still a horrible moment the first time you see it.
11. Current Objective: Survive
Action games tend to make us feel invincible and give us a power trip, but what happens when all of that is taken away? When that happens, you get the ending of Halo Reach. Throughout the game, you mow down hundreds of foes and cleave your way through any obstacle with your comrades in arms, and in the end, your only reward is to see them get cut down before your own eyes.
12. Tachibana’s Death
Yakuza 0 is a game that is chock-full of serious moments and heart-twisting interactions, however, none are as impactful or significant as Tachibana’s death. This single moment is one of the series’ most important turning points, as it changes Kiryu’s entire outlook on the Yakuza going forward.
13. Kratos Pushing Calliope Away
God of War is one of the greatest action dramas of our time, understandably then it also has a few gut-wrenching moments throughout the story. One of the more somber ones is when Kratos has to push his daughter away during the Elysian Fields segment, even though there’s nothing more he would like in this world than to be with his family again.
14. The Auditore Family Execution
The Auditore family execution happens quite early on in Assassin’s Creed II, and it’s the perfect example of the depravity and brutality that the Templars are willing to partake in. The thing that makes it so sad is how indiscriminate it is, as even Ezio’s younger brother isn’t spared.
15. The Worst Ending in Witcher 3
If, for some reason, you made every bad decision while playing through The Witcher 3, you’ll be served with the worst possible ending. In it, both Ciri and Geralt die at the end as a result of your foolish decisions. Thankfully, this ending can be averted, which is the only good thing that can be said about this ending.
Published: Sep 10, 2024 11:00 am