It has been established time and time again, whether people disagree or not, that video games are capable of mature storytelling that can touch on very tragic topics. These types of games span various genres and across history.
So let’s check out some of the most important video games that we think are guaranteed to be a tearjerker for everyone.
Saddest Video Games of All Time
Red Dead Redemption 2
Aside from being one of the biggest technological marvels among modern AAA games, Red Dead Redemption 2 was Rockstar Games’ premiere attempt at tackling mature storytelling, and it found immense success with that.
Red Dead Redemption 2 is a prequel to the previous game and chronicles the story of Arthur Morgan. Our first introduction to him is that of any other wild west outlaw. But we eventually start to relate and find warmth with the character’s principles.
His untimely demise at the end of the game fully cements his legacy as one of the best characters in gaming history, making Red Dead Redemption 2 one of the most tragic video games.
Clannad
Visual novel fans really don’t have a consistent home to go back to. The gaming community makes fun of them and does not deem them similar to video games, and on the other side of the spectrum, book readers also disown them as they are not really literary novels.
But all of that is not the only tragic deal with this interactive media. Visual novels can harbour some of the most emotionally moving pieces of fiction. Take Clannad, for example, created by Key. It’s a visual novel that is marked by an intensely touching story where characters experience loss.
It received critical acclaim among its players/readers and went on to become a multi-media intellectual property, spawning an anime series.
Metal Gear Solid 3
There will never be another video game series that tackles modern warfare and political settings as brilliantly as the Metal Gear Solid franchise. Leaving out the usual goofiness in gameplay mechanics and awkward cutscenes, which Hideo Kojima is known for, Metal Gear Solid 3 stands as one of the most tragic games in a war scenario.
We see the Big Boss as Snake in his prime, having to set aside his internal conflicts, killing his own mentor for the country. This tragedy further pricks like a pin when we find out that The Boss was just playing her part in the plan, and had already decided to die by Snake’s hand.
This is the game that finally leads Snake on the path of becoming Big Boss and one of the biggest antagonists in the whole franchise.
Last of Us I and II
You probably saw this entry coming from a mile away, but if you are someone who has not played any of the Last of Us games, we implore you to go and experience it first before reading further. Anyone looking for a tearjerker in video games need not look any further.
Set after the events of an infection outbreak that leads to a zombie apocalypse, The Last of Us hits the players right in the shins from the very first sequence of the game with a tragic death. It rides that high till the end of the second game, seeing through to the players being drained of their tear ducts.
Silent Hill 2
Silent Hill games have always been built on the top of some tragedy as the foundation. Unlike most horror titles, these games explore concepts of horror that stem from negative emotions and dark psychological undertones.
This is one of the reasons as to why Silent Hill 2 is held up to a pedestal, making it a gem among survival horrors. The game explores the concept of loss and grief as the main character goes on a mission to search for his wife, who has long since passed away.
What Remains of Edith Finch
While most AAA game studios have been struggling to grab numbers for their games, the indie video game scene has been making strides with low-budget video games that give the players the exact experience they were looking for subconsciously.
Some of these indie games are amazing at storytelling, even with limited means. One such example is What Remains of Edith Finch, which was developed by Giant Sparrow. It tells the story of coping with loss when one individual goes on a journey to dig up their ancestral past.
It’s a damn shame that games like these will get brushed off and passed in favor of more popular titles, but thankfully, What Remains of Edith Finch has a dedicated fan following.
Nier Automata
At a surface level, Yoko Taro’s Nier series may look like an agenda spanning the creators’ barely disguised fetish, due to the abundance of fan service. But people who have played through the series know well how deeply emotional these games can get.
Nier Automata, especially, is loved by the fans for its characters, who are caught in tragedies that keep them pinned in a vicious cycle. Accentuated by the game’s own storytelling mechanic that is segmented between several endings.
Spiritfarer
We are going to continue our streak with indie games that are tearjerkers. Spiritfarer is one of the more recent releases in the indie scene, but a sad one right off the bat. It takes a setting that should be grim to begin with, but molds into a warm and comforting game.
Spiritfarer is about spending the last days with lost spirits before they are sent off from the world. The gameplay untilizes cozy management sim system on the backdrop of a beautifully hand-drawn art style. This one is a game that is definitely bound to get you emotional at every step.
Final Fantasy X
The JRPG fandom may make fun of Final Fantasy X and its fans, but without a doubt, it stands tall in this list as one of the more emotionally involving games in the list. This is because the themes of the games are about tackling strong emotions like love, which is eventually bound to never be fulfilled.
Final Fantasy X follows the story of Tidus, a star athlete who gets transported to the world of Spira and finds out that he is destined not exist. If you are looking for games that involve tragedy revolving around romance, then look no further than this one.
Valiant Hearts: The Great War
We probably will remember Ubisoft in the future for all of its controversies and the Assassin’s Creed Franchise only. But there was a time when the developer used to freely experiment with new ideas, and Valiant Hearts: The Great War is an example of that.
A beautifully hand-drawn, side-scrolling adventure game set in the backdrop of World War. But the main draw of Valiant Hearts: The Great War is its depiction of real-world tragedy, which is the effects of war.
The game was inspired by the stories that have been documented through the exchange of wartime letters that painted the exact image of a grim wartime scenario.
