8 Saddest Video Games of All Time

A narrative and powerful dialogue can bring a tear to the hardest gamer’s eyes, thanks to our ability to relate and empathize with the characters we’ve grown alongside. These are the games that tug on your heart strings, put a lump in your throat, and open the flood gates. Like thinking about things you regret, a life that could have been, and getting reminded of a loved one or the one that got away; sadness comes with happiness and video games like to remind us of that.

If we were judging the saddest endings of all time, then Telltale Games: The Walking Dead Season One, A Plague Tale: Requiem, and Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons would surely make the list. While there are strong contenders with What Remains of Edith Finch, SOMA, Shadow of the Colossus, and Firewatch for handling difficult themes with powerful imagery and script, I was left in awe of these experiences for their beauty, rather than bawling by the time the credits rolled.

This list is subjective for each entry’s inclusion is there because it had a powerful impact on me at the time of playing them. I’m curious to hear what you’d pick. These games are harder to revisit now that I’m older, where themes of mental struggle, love, loss, and grief bring tears to my eyes even though I know what to expect.

1) Before Your Eyes

Showcasing that life truly flies by in the blink of an eye, observing the events in Before Your Eyes is difficult due to its realistic portrayal of reality. The mundanity of life, enjoying the little things that fill our time, and seeing how regret can plague us; Before Your Eyes tells one of the strongest narratives in its unique gameplay choice.

Tracking your blinking outside of the game, your story jumps from milestone to milestone, watching your life pass by in a blink of an eye. Before Your Eyes forces a retrospective into your own life, regardless of your age. There’s so much beauty in its imagery, narrative, and art design that it’s hard not to tear up at its message: time waits for no one, so try to enjoy it.

2) Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 deals blow after blow from its opening act to the ending, feeling as though you’re carrying the heavy burden of responsibility throughout. Where it grows strength after strength is in the continually developing narrative, which alters our perception of the world and its residents. This title genuinely feels like emotional blackmail as we become invested in the characters, only to realize the actions of the few can impact the many.

Clair Obscur beautifully captures themes of love and loss, showcasing how grief impacts everyone differently. It’s a story about denial and acceptance; how your actions don’t just affect you, but those surrounding you, and shows how far a person will go to overcome their personal battle.

3) Clannad

For a cute slice and life visual novel, Clannad sure packs an emotional punch. Having an anime that I had to give up on very early on in the first season because I found it too upsetting, I knew the source may just finish me off (and it did). This entry is realistic for showcasing the good, the bad, and the normalcy of a regular life. It’s one of those games you need to stick with for the slow burn and build up has an excruciating climax. It isn’t afraid to hit you where it hurts, especially in After Story.

The slowness can be off-putting, but it’s there for you to develop and grow with the characters, just to see them fall and break. Clannad is devastating for what the characters have to go through. It handles grief and moving on in ways that can impact even the strongest of us.

4) Red Dead Redemption

The all-round package of Red Dead Redemption will leave you in awe of its character development, arcs, and overall story. This rich world is full of life and death, showcasing Rockstar’s masterful ability to craft a realm where escapism is guaranteed. You feel the consequence of actions strongly in these games, for crime is second nature for our band of brothers. Aligning with the cast is incredibly easy because the writing is sublime, but it’s through seeing their experiences that sobbing over each tragedy comes naturally.

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It isn’t trying to use shock material to manipulate you into feeling sad, like a lot of modern films do. Instead, we’re given flawed characters in a movie-like setting where the realism in its storytelling can sometimes feel too much. Comradery and family stand tall, but these pillars start to develop cracks that slowly dwindle into nothingness, much like life itself. Red Dead Redemption‘s dialogue will stay with you from both games, being titles you will never get for their flawless storytelling alone.

5) Silent Hill 2

It’s easy to get distracted by the monsters that are plaguing the once peaceful town that used to comfort married couple James and Mary. The demons that roam hit a little too close to home. Masters in subtlety, what makes Silent Hill 2 so memorable is its powerful love story about a man’s guilt and denial. Grief manifests in different ways, demonstrated by the lost souls wandering Fog World, all battling their own demons.

The abstract horrors tell a far darker story, where scratching the surface reveals a more disturbing truth. Silent Hill 2 is a melancholic entry in the franchise that stays with you both for its reveal and realization that the things you’ve been evading, beating, and outsmarting are all part and parcel of James’ psyche. The terror isn’t in its imagery alone, but understanding what each monster represents. A river flowed from my eyes when the truth came out and the letter was read in full.

6) The Last of Us

One of the most brutal and realistic portrayals of a zombie apocalypse is The Last of Us. Both parts show humanity’s resilience and strong desire to have purpose in existence. Themes of love and loss tell a powerful story in both parts, with complexity to its characters who are struggling with adapting and surviving in this punishing new world. Civilization as we knew it is long gone and what remains are people living each day as if it’s the last, desperate to reach the uncertain tomorrow with their loved ones by their side.

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The Last of Us is a depressing and ridiculously realistic series that will either leave you in tears or angry at the world. Love and loss are inevitable, but it’s what you do with your limited time that counts. Survive and endure, spend what little time you have with one another, because you never know when time’s up. With themes that are all too relatable, The Last of Us is a killer that will stay with you whether you like it or not.

7) This War of Mine

A slow-burn experience full of bleakness, This War of Mine is a difficult title to get through. All about survival, life on this war-torn land is unsurprisingly a very dark one. Full of moral choices that can both depress and disturb you, This War of Mine stops at nothing to kill any small chance you might have had at enjoying what you’re playing. I wouldn’t blame you if you chose to play Don’t Starve or Resident Evil 4 over this because it can all feel too much at times.

There’s nothing that happens that could make you feel particularly hopeful, which only makes This War of Mine all the more realistic and difficult to play. It’s compelling for the choices you have to make, where regret and second-guessing act as a mere bump in the road as you’re forced to move on to the next dilemma, and not question who you’re becoming along the way. It’s definitely not for everyone, but this game is very clear that it’s not trying to please you, but instead immerse you in its horrifying realism.

8) To The Moon

One of the saddest narratives in a video game is told in the RPG Maker title, To The Moon. Bringing it back to the basics, To The Moon focuses purely on dialogue, delivering emotional impact through text on screen. Much like any other game, you’re told a story and invited to enjoy the ride. It is wholesome, bittersweet, hopeful, and depressing, wrapped in pretty paper. How pixels on a screen feel so real, I don’t know, yet To The Moon managed to capture so much when it’s really just a glorified book.

With walking and talking as the only gameplay, To The Moon manages to deliver a profound story told through a dying man’s memories. Like seeing life flash before your eyes, the journey to the end is full of good and bad, each milestone affecting your view of the world, your life, and what you end up doing with it. The difficulty in watching this tale unfold depends on where you are in your life, but everyone can relate to some part of Johnny Wyles’ story.