Summary
- Games with emotional narratives like Persona 3 & The Witcher 3 leave players in tears, creating poignant and unforgettable experiences.
- Stories in games like Final Fantasy 15 & BioShock Infinite evoke sadness, with heartbreaking endings and impactful character arcs.
- Games like Life Is Strange & Red Dead Redemption 2 offer emotional rollercoasters, compelling narratives, and tearjerker moments.
The idea that a video game can make players grow emotionally attached to the characters involved in its story is incredible on its own. They have an uncanny ability to punch fans in the gut with a story so overwhelmingly depressing and meaningful that gamers can't help but wipe a tear from their eye. Still, they enjoy the journey every step of the way. While some games have their share of depressing aspects, others genuinely get more and more upsetting the longer one thinks about them.
Given how many games include a wealth of stories for players to get lost in, it takes something truly special in terms of narrative design to get players hooked on a story to the point where tears are freely flowing down their cheeks. These games are emotional rollercoasters and make for poignant, melancholic experiences that fans will remember long after finishing these amazing titles.
Beware of spoilers.
Updated on February 24, 2025, by Mehrdad Khayyat: It's indeed difficult to tell a story that gives players enough reasons to immerse themselves in its world and sympathize with the characters, but video games have somewhat made it easy by letting the players have an active role in the story.
That being said, playing a role is not enough to make the story immersive. It does take a lot of effort to design a narrative that could captive the player in the opening of the game and keep them engaged with it emotionally till the last seconds.
37 Persona 3 Reload
A Story That Deals With Themes Of Loss And Acceptance Ends On A Melancholic Note
Persona 3 Reload
- Released
- February 2, 2024
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- P-Studio
- Franchise
- Persona
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch 2, PC
- Genre(s)
- JRPG, RPG, Life Simulation, Strategy
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
Persona 3 Reload is a game that fans loved to get their hands on, allowing a lot of people to finally check out the game that cemented the modern Persona formula fans love. The fact that Persona 3's story was already established before Atlus improved the formula means that the pacing in this game is all over the place, but defeating the major Shadows helps the plot move forward in new and interesting directions.
Persona 3 Reload deals with the concepts of death and moving on, with these themes personified in the game's heartbreaking ending. After pushing himself to the limit and sealing Nyx's destructive power with his own life force, the protagonist stays on borrowed time as he strives to fulfill the promise he made and meet his friends one last time before passing away.
36 The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
Depending On The Ending Players Get, Geralt And Ciri's Story Can Have A Rather Sad Ending
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
- Released
- May 19, 2015
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- CD Projekt Red
- Franchise
- The Witcher
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is one of the greatest RPGs ever made, featuring strong writing across the board in both the main questline and the various sidequests that players would love to mess around with. When players reunite with Ciri, the game barrels through several narrative threads before moving to the ending.
Based on what players do, Ciri can either become a Witcher, assume the role of an Empress, or succumb to the White Frost. The first one is the only "happy" ending and feels too good to be true. The Empress ending is a sobering conclusion that hammers in just how important Ciri's role as a member of the royal family really is. However, the saddest ending is the one where Ciri dies, with Geralt taking care of loose ends by killing the surviving Crone before seemingly losing his life to the monsters closing in.
35 Crisis Core -Final Fantasy 7- Reunion
Zack Fair's Story Is As Tragic As They Come
Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7 Reunion
- Released
- December 13, 2022
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Square Enix, Tose
- Franchise
- Final Fantasy
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
Most people are both saddened and relieved to hear that Crisis Core is not canon for the retelling of Final Fantasy 7. The member of SOLDIER inherited the Buster Sword from Angeal and sacrificed his life in the end to ensure that Cloud survived at all costs. It's an emotional ending that will make many people cry after spending a lot of time with this boisterous personality.
Watching Cloud beg Zack to stay alive is heartbreaking and makes it easy to believe why his mind was fractured at this point. Instead of accepting Zack's death, Cloud deludes himself into thinking that he'd taken Zack's place all along, removing this man from his memory altogether and refusing to accept that a good friend sacrificed his life to save him.
34 Valiant Hearts
A Heartfelt Story About War, Family, Dedication, And Revenge
Valiant Hearts: The Great War
- Released
- June 25, 2014
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Ubisoft Montpellier
- Platform(s)
- Android, iOS, Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One
- Genre(s)
- Adventure
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
When it was released back in 2014, Valiant Hearts was a small game published by Ubisoft without a big marketing campaign, but the game truly delivered one of the most impactful stories about World War 1 by depicting strong relationships between multiple characters.
Emile, the main protagonist of Valiant Hearts, still remains one of the most beloved characters in video games, and his unfortunate fate in the game after he went through will not be forgotten so easily.
Valiant Hearts depicts a story within the chaotic moments of World War 1 from characters that accidentally run into each other but make strong relationships and help each other at any cost to stop the war machine and reunite with their families again.
33 Life Is Strange
An Interactive Drama That Forces Players To Make Some Tough Choices
Life is Strange
- Released
- January 30, 2015
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Dontnod Entertainment
- Franchise
- Life is Strange
- Platform(s)
- Android, iOS, Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One
- Genre(s)
- Adventure
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
Don't Nod has made a name for itself in the video game industry with a bevy of engaging titles, but it's Life is Strange that has become one of their most popular IPs to date. The game's emotional narrative and endearing characters were a huge hit with players who resonated with the game's compelling story.
The story of Max as she uses her time-travelling powers to save her hometown from being obliterated by a mysterious disaster is a riveting one. The game's episodic narrative ends in an emotional climax where players must either make the ultimate sacrifice and let Chloe die or let this natural disaster destroy the town of Arcadia.
32 Final Fantasy 15
A Heartbreaking Narrative With Numerous Emotional Moments
Final Fantasy 15
- Released
- November 9, 2016
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Square Enix
- Franchise
- Final Fantasy
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
Final Fantasy 15 is a game that many fans are fans of despite its troubled development cycle. The game's story may be fragmented, but players who were invested in the multimedia storytelling of this game were more than invested in a story that was rife with sad moments every step of the way.
The ending of this game is bound to make people shed a tear, with players forming an unbreakable bond with Noctis' comrades along the way. Despite its problems, Final Fantasy 15's emotional narrative is bound to hit a note with players who were glad to see the series make a triumphant return after staying dormant for the longest time.
31 Endling: Extinction Is Forever
The Story Of A Mother Fox Who Does Everything To Keep Her Children Safe
Endling - Extinction is Forever
- Released
- July 19, 2022
WHERE TO PLAY
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Android, iOS
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
Telling a beautiful story about a mother's endless love for her children, Endling: Extinction Is Forever delivers a heartfelt narrative full of emotional twists that leave players with difficult decisions to make, altering the ending of the game.
On one side, there is a mother fox who tries to save her cubs from hunters and an evolving fire that has forced her out of the forest, while on the other hand, players witness the story of a young girl who tries to help the mother fox, but also deals with a deadly disease. The bond between humans and animals results in some big dilemmas for the player.
30 Before Your Eyes
A Story About Valuing Life No Matter How Short It May Be
Before Your Eyes
- Released
- April 8, 2021
WHERE TO PLAY
Before Your Eyes is one of those stories that will surely make its players think about it over and over after finishing the story. It's a game about afterlife, where the protagonist is questioned about what they did with their life, which was an opportuinity for them.
The game uses an innovative gameplay mechanic to move forward in the story, but in the end, players shouldn't expect challenges or difficulties when playing the game, as the gameplay is just at the service of the story to make it even more impactful.
29 BioShock Infinite: Burial At Sea
A Story-Heavy DLC With Shocking Moments And A Morose Ending
BioShock Infinite (dupe)
- Released
- March 26, 2013
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Irrational Games, 2K, Aspyr
- Franchise
- BioShock
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Microsoft Windows, macOS, Linux
- Genre(s)
- Action
The original BioShock Infinite could've been a contender for one of the saddest video games around as well. However, its post-credits scene provides a glimmer of hope for players who might be feeling melancholic after this epic adventure. However, BioShock Infinite: Burial at Sea pulls no punches when it comes to evoking a sense of sadness and hopelessness in the player.
After Booker's death, the player takes control of Elizabeth as she roams the haunting halls of Rapture. Unfortunately, all her efforts are for naught as she's beaten to death near the end of the DLC, right before Jack makes his fated appearance in the city. It's a sad way to end a DLC that boasted some excellent narrative chops.
28 Bloodborne
In Typical FromSoftware Fashion, The World Is Dark, Depressing, And Doesn't Feature A Single Objectively Good Ending
Bloodborne
- Released
- March 24, 2015
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- From Software
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 4
Hidetaka Miyazaki is an expert when it comes to crafting a bleak setting where players need to fight against overwhelming odds to grasp a sliver of hope. However, in the case of Bloodborne, all three endings end up saddening the player no matter what... Which is par on the course with a FromSoftware game.
Submitting to Gerhman means that the player will be released from the night of the Hunt, but this is easily the most unsatisfying ending of the lot. The other two endings involve the player either taking Gerhman's spot in the Hunter's Dream or becoming an Old One. Regardless of the outcome, the lore and journey that players undertake through the world are going to be so morose that both these endings just feel like one of the many emotional punches in the gut that Bloodborne is especially fond of giving.