Games That Made Me Cry
First of all these games are NOT ordered or ranked by sadness, but instead just alphabetically and secondly I'm an emotional, sentimental little bitch so maybe you won't cry to some of these, but I certainly did.
SPOILER WARNING: Sometimes spoilers in the notes, so unless you've played the game or just don't care about spoilers you probably shouldn't read the note that's attached to it.
SPOILER WARNING: Sometimes spoilers in the notes, so unless you've played the game or just don't care about spoilers you probably shouldn't read the note that's attached to it.
69 Games
Mizuki is my daughter and she deserves only the best in life.
Uchikoshi prides himself on injecting 'the human element' into his games and he certainly doesn't lie because this game (alongside pretty much all his games) gave me a whirlwind of emotions and I cried at so many different spots that I don't even know where to start to explain. Easily one of the most emotional games I've played in recent memory that just left me feeling drained by the end of it.
A game about a father who would defy the god of all creation and punch him directly in the face, all for his daughter? You know what actually got punched in the face? My fucking feels.
The entire ending when you learn the tragic truth of Gabriel's character and the death of his wife. Robert Carlyle's fantastic performance really sells this scene. Man I remember crying so hard at that when I was like 16
I am not even a fan of this game, but that scene where Dracula sees his wife again for the first time in a millennia and she says how she's there to help him and even for just a slight moment he reverts to the man he once was as Gabriel Belmont and you just hear the sheer sorrow in his voice 'You cannot help me! You're not here. You're not real.' You really feel for the tragedy of Dracula's character here.
How can that scene not bring someone to tears? Robert Carlyle's performance here deserved a damn Oscar, such emotive and powerful acting.
How can that scene not bring someone to tears? Robert Carlyle's performance here deserved a damn Oscar, such emotive and powerful acting.
There were a few moments that made me emotional, but most notably and probably not surprising was Kaede's death and Shuichi going back to her room and hearing Clair de Lune playing on the piano.
You're lying to yourself if you tell me the lore of Sif and Artorias isn't sad as fuck.
It's only the rain. Devils never cry.
There's so many emotional moments throughout this game that made me tear up, but what truly destroyed me was the stuff with Aoi and Saki during the Wrath route.
This game has some of the most crude humor and over-the-top violence yet it still made me cry multiple times. Fuck you Yoko Taro, why's everything you make have to be depressing as fuck?
Learning the truth about Lily and also that ending man, goddamn.
The entire concept of this game is emotional as hell, it's all about Chopin not wanting to let go and pass on to the afterlife, so he uses escapism by creating a fantasy world in his head where he's the hero. Eventually you end up fighting Chopin himself as the final boss to symbolize he's finally ready to embrace his destiny and move on and then his spirit rises from his body and plays the piano one last time. Incredibly unique idea for a J-RPG and also sad as hell.
It's called Heaven's FEEL for a damn reason.
You'll be...my living legacy. My honor... my dreams...they're yours now.
The people and the friends we have lost, or the dreams that have faded... Never forget them.
The ending is both happy and tragic at the same time, but then they throw that post credits scene at you. Fuck you, Square. Saddest post credits scene of all time.
Fucking hell, where do I begin with this game? One of the most emotional games I've played since Tales of Berseria or maybe even Lost Odyssey. So many moments made me tear up both in the side quests and the main story over all that we'd be hear all damn day if I typed them all up, but the biggest 3 were Cid's death, Torgal's final side quest and of course the entire ending itself. Absolutely masterclass writing.
Chapter 21 and 22 when Alear dies and is reborn as the "Fire Emblem". It was so cheesy that I cried because it made me so happy. Lumera's 2nd death got me as well because I felt so bad for Alear. The big friendship speech with the literal Super Sentai roll call of all the Emblems before the final boss also made me so happy I cried and then the very ending when the Emblems were saying their goodbyes I teared up as well.
If you don't cry at the Battle of Belhalla, I don't know what to tell you.
Edelgard's backstory, like imagine witnessing your family tortured and killed in front of your eyes and also being a part of human experimentation yourself. Also when Byleth first sees El again after the 5 year time-skip and they hug each other.
Honestly never thought I'd see the day that a God of War game would make me cry, but Ragnarok got me not 1, but 3 different fucking times. One of the most emotionally charged narratives I've experienced in awhile.
Practically the whole 3rd act was full of emotional moments between Brok's death and Sindri's decent into rage and vengeance or when Kratos says "This isn't justice, it's vengeance. Every path I follow always leads back to vengeance" as they're preparing for war and he just sounds so broken as he says it plus of course the ending part with the "Loki will go, Atreus remains" and Kratos seeing the final shrine showing a statue built in his honor with people giving him actual praise and worship and when Mimir asked what he saw he says "A path, one I never imagined" that got me so hard, like the man has FINALLY found true redemption for all his past wrongdoings. One of the greatest redemption arcs in all of video gaming.
Practically the whole 3rd act was full of emotional moments between Brok's death and Sindri's decent into rage and vengeance or when Kratos says "This isn't justice, it's vengeance. Every path I follow always leads back to vengeance" as they're preparing for war and he just sounds so broken as he says it plus of course the ending part with the "Loki will go, Atreus remains" and Kratos seeing the final shrine showing a statue built in his honor with people giving him actual praise and worship and when Mimir asked what he saw he says "A path, one I never imagined" that got me so hard, like the man has FINALLY found true redemption for all his past wrongdoings. One of the greatest redemption arcs in all of video gaming.
This entire game was rough to get through, not because it's bad or anything, but because it's such a well portrayed depiction of psychosis and that hits home due to some personal issues. It both saddens and disturbs me.
The scenes near the end with Shinpei Okubo and Yagami reconciling with each other.
Multiple times I cried, but the most notable were the bullying with Koda. When Sawa was talking about how she was forced to ignore Hoshino's bullying. Kuwana and Yagami's ending speeches and most importantly the very ending when Akane and Matsui break the cycle of hate and bullying by standing up for the girl being bullied at the end.
Aqua sacrificing herself and diving into the realm of darkness to save Terra really got to me when I was a teenager, hell it still does and people wonder why she's undisputed best girl? That's one incredible woman!
I've always loved you. Goddamn that ending hit like a ton of bricks, man
Tita defending Agate from Loewe, when Estelle and Joshua finally reunite and of course Loewe's death as well.
Kevin's backstory is beyond tragic and don't even get me started on Star Door 15 and Renne. What the actual fuck.
Anything to do with Renne, also Tio's backstory.
Anything that involved Arios and Shizuku.
Least sad Trails game overall, but there's still some moments that made me emotional, Machias' backstory being the number 1.
Market manager Otto's death and the destruction of Celdic during the civil war, also the entire tragedy of Crow Armbrust, his backstory, his vain struggle, his death, all of it. Plus Class VII saying their goodbyes and when Millium cries her eyes out, this hits especially hard if you do the bonding event with her where she says she's never cried before.
Why the fuck did they make us go to Hamel in the first fucking chapter? Goddamn the tribute to Loewe with Silver Will playing just hits so much harder if you played the Sky games so I'm really glad I did. Also Juna's speech for the independence of Crossbell, Claire's backstory and all the deaths at the end of the game, especially Millium and Olivert.
Easily the most emotional Trails game to me. Altina's reaction to Millium's death, Laura's reaction to Victor's death, rescuing Rean with new Class VII, learning Osborne's backstory and true intentions, the death of both Rutger and Arianrhod, the bad ending when Rean, Crow and Millium's spirit sacrifice themselves and the moment at the true end when Rean finally accepts Osborne and calls him dad. So many emotional moments in this game, Renne even has a moment where she interacts with her father for the first time in years.
You know how I originally said CS IV was the most emotional Trails game? Well Reverie somehow managed to top it. I don't even know where to start with this game. There's at least 3-4 scenes with Lapis and C that crushed me, scenes with Rean and Lloyd especially near the end of the game, but even side stories managed to make me tear up (Especially one of the post game ones all about Osborne and Rean) and man when those credits rolled I just couldn't stop the tears from flowing. I think that's partially due to the game being the conclusion of a 15 year long story arc and realizing I'm saying goodbye to so many of my all time favorite characters.
Where do I even begin with Lost Odyssey? Sakaguchi's entire aim with this game was to create a highly emotional game that explores the human psyche and he certainly accomplished it. All the 1000 Years of Dreams short stories hit hard and then there's Lirum's death and the spiritual funeral and that's just the tip of the iceberg of sadness for this game.
Otto Octavius the GOAT and that fucking ending bro.
She was...A true patriot.
One father's quest through a dying world to save his daughter, if that doesn't touch you I don't know what will. Almost every side character including the 'villains' themselves have tragic stories and the backstories of your party members Kaine and Emil are just icing on the most depressing cake you'll ever gladly eat.
Yeah turns out it's just as hard-hitting when the story is based around a brother and sister instead.
It wouldn't be a Yoko Taro game if it didn't rip your heart out. I don't even know where to start with this game there's so many sad moments much like the original NieR. Though the saddest moment is probably when you find out 2B is actually 2E and designed solely to kill 9S repeatedly and he even subconsciously knows this, but loves her so much that he just doesn't care.
Say what you want about the game, but you're lying if you tell me that ending and the final boss wasn't super emotional
Never thought I'd care so much about a pixelated cat. It may just be a story, like thousands of other stories, but I'll never forget you Niko
"Your eyes feel heavy..."
All the stuff with Maruki and Kasumi. Also Futaba's backstory.
A lawyer can only cry when it's all over
If you don't think a Pokemon game can make you cry I challenge you to play this one and not cry, good luck.
Paul's entire character is tragic as fuck and makes me sad. Also Read Beth's diary.
Man, I didn't even give a shit about Ethan in RE7, but this game somehow managed to make me like him and I never thought I'd cry over Ethan fucking Winters of all people, but here we are.
Capcom somehow made a death I was fully expecting and waiting for the entire game, something I thought I was completely prepared for be not only surprising, but legitimately heart wrenching as well. You were a fine knight Don Quixote.
Also "I trained you well Leon."
"That you did Major."
"That you did."
Also "I trained you well Leon."
"That you did Major."
"That you did."
The whole concept of having to re-watch your childhood friend die over and over and over is heart-wrenching enough, but the bad-ending when Okabe just keeps reliving the same day to stop Mayuri from dying and this basically drives him to insanity, that truly crushed me.
This story is just fundamentally sad, much like the original Steins;Gate there's more moments than I can count that made me emotional, but the biggest cases were definitely everything involving Amadeus Kurisu (Especially when she was delated) and Okabe's PTSD, these moments really got to me.
Velvet's mental breakdown when she's finding her reason to live again broke me and I still think about it even years later, such a powerful scene. Plus the ending of the game is so tragic, I mean I love it and it fits the game, but it doesn't make it any less tragic.
Nate's relationship with his brother hit hard and felt realistic as fuck
So many moments throughout the game, but especially the whole Bloody Baron questline and Geralt's relationship with Ciri.
"He was a boy who accepted everything, but had nothing."
"She was a girl who threw it all away, but never lost a thing"
Me: 😭
"She was a girl who threw it all away, but never lost a thing"
Me: 😭
Fiora's death, Shulk and Fiora's reunion, Egil's death, basically anything to do with Melia and also the ending. Lots of sad moments in this game that tugged on my heartstrings.
Another game that has so many scenes that made me emotional that it's hard to name all of them, but the scene with Kiryu and Nishiki by the road has to be the one to top them all.
Kiryu and Nishiki's relationship hits harder after playing 0
The truth about Kaoru and Ryuji and their relationship with each other. The final fight with Ryuji.
Rikiya's death.
"To me Kazuma Kiryu is family"
The entire epilogue, but especially Daigo calling Kiryu his father and the final scene of Kiryu walking away from Morning Glory. Hirose's death was another moment that got me too.
Tia's backstory and motivations for being the primary villain.
I'll say this and only this...Dana forever 💙
Those themes of self-discovery and embracing the future while not letting your past define you hit pretty damn hard, not gonna lie. The ending wasn't even sad, but I still couldn't help but cry while the credits played after going on that journey with the characters.
Man the writers at Spike Chunsoft really love giving their characters fucking tragic backgrounds and I'm such a sucker for that shit and will probably get emotional 9/10 times, this game was no exception.
Saddest game of Sudoku that you'll ever play.
There were a few small moments throughout the game, but few things hit as hard as Luna's ending does.
