Top 20 Video Game Moments That Made Men Cry

“God of War Ragnarök” (2022)

The brotherly bond between Brok and Sindri is not only one of the best in video games, but in all of media. Despite their differences at times, the two truly care for each other. When Brok starts becoming suspicious of Tyr, the Norse god fatally stabs him in the chest and reveals himself to actually be Odin. After the All-Father makes a quick getaway, Brok dies in Sindri’s arms, but not before telling him he forgives him for what he’s done in the past. If that wasn’t enough for you, the funeral scene after the games ending really hammers home what a great loss this is for poor Sindri.

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#19: The End of Zero

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“Mega Man Zero 4” (2005)

Zero did not have an easy life. While we had seen him temporarily destroyed in the X franchise, this time things were permanent. The evil scientist Dr. Wily has the maniacal plan of crashing the station known as Ragnarok into one of the final human settlements left on earth. Zero, knowing this is a one way trip, still decides to go to battle with Weil and disrupt his scheme. By the time things settle and the humans are saved, we’re expecting Zero to make a last minute miraculous return… only, he doesn’t. Ciel, who also held that hope, falls to her knees in anguish realizing that this story does not have a happy ending. That closing shot of Zero’s shattered helmet is still burned into our minds to this day.

“Final Fantasy X” (2001)

In Final Fantasy X, the monstrosity known as Sin has been the bane of everyone’s existence for a very long time. As it turns out Tidus had been summoned into existence by the fayth in order to defeat Sin. After the gang finally defeats the gargantuan beast, Tidus begins to fade away, with Yuna passing right through him. The two share one final moment together, with Tidus embracing her before he leaves to the other side.

“The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess” (2006)

After everything we’ve been through with everyone’s favorite imp, it was incredibly sad to see Midna go. Following the defeat of Gannondorf and Zant, Midna’s true form is revealed, and with that she must return to the Twilight Realm. After saying her goodbyes to Link and Zelda, Midna sheds a single tear, which she uses to break the mirror right before leaving through the gate. It’s a deeply touching scene and a farewell to one of the most popular characters in the franchise.

“Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag” (2013)

Throughout the story of Assassin’s Creed IV, alot of Edwards comrades meet their end, whether it’s by his own hands or another. In the game's conclusion, while waiting for his daughter's arrival, Anne Bonny sings a wonderful rendition of “The Parting Glass”. It’s at this very moment Edward sees a vision of his long departed friends sitting all together at a table and having a good time. The moment itself is very brief, but we’d be lying if it didn’t hit us like a brick and brought instant tears to our eyes.

“Marvel's Spider-Man” (2018)

Anyone who’s taken in any form of Spidey media knows that Aunt May is one of the most important people in Peter Parker's life. So not only was it incredibly shocking to see this scene unfold, but also downright heart breaking. After being infected by the Devil's Breath, Peter discovers that the virus has progressed too far for her to be saved. In her final moments, Aunt May reveals to Peter that she knows he’s Spider-Man and that she’s so proud of him. Seeing Peter in anguish as her monitor flatlines is a moment we’ll never forget.

“Halo: Reach” (2010)

We’re not gonna lie, there are so many sad moments in Halo Reach that you could probably make its own top ten. For this list however we’re going to focus on its incredible finale. In order to allow the Pillar of Autumn to escape the planet Reach (Which is housing Master Chief by the way!) Noble Six stays behind to fend off the covenant. After going through the credits you’re given but one objective: survive. After making a valiant effort against the never ending Covenant, Noble Six’s story comes to an end. But you are told that their sacrifice brought forth the events that led to humanities victory.

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#13: Arthur Morgan Succumbs to His Illness

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“Red Dead Redemption 2” (2018)

Earlier in the game, Arthur contracts Tuberculosis after beating up Thomas Downes, and as the story goes on, his symptoms get worse and worse. We would be remiss not to mention the scene where Arthur tells the sister he’s afraid of dying, as it certainly brought us to tears. The finale however hits even harder, as Arthur is trying his best to sort out all the drama that is unfolding with his gang. After helping John Marston get away, Arthur finally succumbs to his illness and passes away peacefully as he watches a beautiful sunrise.

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#12: The Protagonist’s Death

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Top 10 Video Game Moments That Made Men Cry

“Persona 3” (2007)

After spending almost a whole year at Gekkoukan High School this isn’t how we expected it to end. In order to prevent the return of Nyx, the protagonist sacrifices themselves in order to seal it away. However, in order to fulfill a promise to his friends, he retains his consciousness long enough to make it to graduation day. With his life slowly fading away, the protagonist spends his final moments on the lap of Aigis as all of his friends run to be by his side. If this moment somehow didn’t bring tears to your eyes, we guarantee the ending credits song certainly did!

“Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII” (2008)

While Aerith’s death in the original “Final Fantasy VII” hit us hard, the finale of its prequel “Crisis Core” hit that much harder. On the run with an injured Cloud, the Shinra soldiers finally catch up with Zack just outside of Midgar. From there Zack must defend himself from a never ending horde of enemies, as the system breaks down. The battle eventually becomes too much for Zack, with his final visions being of Aerith as he is executed. Many of us already knew this was coming after playing the first game, but Square Enix were able to take this incredibly sad moment to the next level.

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#10: Lee and Clem Say Goodbye

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“The Walking Dead” (2012)

It’s a fine day for video games when you realize that Telltale’s story was arguably better than both the show AND the comics. Score one for video game writing! “The Walking Dead” was chock full of sad scenes, but nothing tops the sheer power of Lee’s death from episode five. In this scene, Lee is succumbing to his bite, and you must make the decision to have Clementine leave him to die or shoot him and end his suffering. No matter the decision, the ending is a real downer, but isn’t that what “The Walking Dead” is all about? We don’t think we ever cried this much over a character from the TV show…

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#9: Eli’s Brain Is Sucked Out

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“Half-Life 2: Episode Two” (2007)

Is there anything that “Half-Life 2” DIDN’T get right? If it wasn’t too busy redefining the modern FPS, then it was giving us intensely powerful and emotional moments such as this. In this scene, Gordon, Eli, and Alyx are attempting to board a helicopter when a pair of Advisors stick a wrench in their plans. They restrain Eli and suck out his brain right in front of his daughter, leaving her to cradle her father’s body before the credits roll. And that’s how “Half-Life 2” left us.

“Shadow of the Colossus” (2005)

“Shadow of the Colossus” contains what is probably the saddest animal death scene in any video game - even though she doesn’t really die. Agro serves as your faithful companion throughout the entire game, but that is all upended right before battling the sixteenth colossus. The bridge Agro and Wander are riding on begins to collapse, and in a last-ditch effort to save Wander, Agro pitches him off to safety while she falls to her supposed death. This was a massive heartache for any first-time player, and even though we know she survives, it’s still an extremely unsettling and emotional moment to witness. Damn pets and their unflinching loyalty.

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#7: Dom Finds Maria

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“Gears of War 2” (2008)

Who knew a story about cartoonishly-sized macho men with chainsaw guns could be so damn emotional? After searching far and wide for his wife, Maria, Dom finally finds her in a Locust prisoner cage, and everything seems fine and dandy as they tearfully reunite. But then Marcus snaps Dom out of it, and we find that Maria is actually a disheveled, non-communicative, and vegetative version of her former self. Dom then decides to euthanize Maria to put her out of her misery. It’s a gut-wrenching and hopeless scene made all the worse by Marcus’s brief look of sadness. If he’s affected, imagine how the rest of us felt.

“Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3” (2011)

Say what you will about the “Call of Duty” series, but there’s no denying that they can tell a damn good story when they want to. In the climactic installment of the “Modern Warfare” series, Soap MacTavish finally bites it in Prague. We watch as the otherwise extremely badass and battle-hardened John Price tries desperately to save his friend, complete with anguished screams before Soap finally succumbs to his injuries. Soap and Price made a fantastic team throughout the series, and to see it end like this was a massive kick to the gut. We knew someone had to die, but it was still hard to handle.

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#5: Chief Lets Cortana Go

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“Halo 4” (2012)

The Halo franchise is home to some very emotional moments, but this one perhaps stands out above the rest. Cortana was in a bad state for much of the game, which was difficult to witness in and of itself, but the real kicker comes when she sacrifices herself and the long-time partners must say goodbye. We witness the otherwise stoic and emotionless Master Chief break down as he’s forced to say goodbye, complete with constant protests and a voice crack. Master Chief’s freaking voice is cracking from the emotion! One voice crack from him is equal to about ten man tears from anyone else. Goodbyes are never easy, even for John.

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#4: Sarah’s Death

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“The Last of Us” (2013)

Now that’s how you open your game with an emotional wallop. The beginning of this game sees Sarah, Joel, and Tommy attempting to escape from their hometown after a fungus turns people into ravenous beasts. After escaping the chaos, a soldier reluctantly shoots Sarah, and despite Joel’s tearful protests, she dies in his arms. Losing a child is an indescribable pain, and Troy Baker’s stellar performance throughout her death horrifically captures Joel’s agony and sorrow. “The Last of Us” is not your typical good-time zombie romp, and this opening scene lets you know. It is brutal stuff.

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#3: John Marston’s Last Stand

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“Red Dead Redemption” (2010)

Westerns have always found a way to produce the odd man tear, and “Red Dead Redemption” is no exception. After spending the whole game trying to find his redemption, John Marston finally enjoyed a happy, if hard-working home life with his wife and son. However, the government comes a-calling one last time, and Marston tearfully sends his family off to safety. He then goes out and takes out as many officials as he can before getting a body full of bullets. His family then discovers his bloodied corpse, “Bury Me Not on the Lone Prairie” plays during his funeral, and we all devolve into weeping messes.

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#2: The Salute

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“Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater” (2004)

“Snake Eater’s” ending is now the thing of video game legend, and for good reason. You are forced to pull the trigger on The Boss and put a bullet in her heart, and in the ending sequence, Snake visits Arlington National Cemetery to pay his respects. He places lilies and a weapon on the grave and salutes her patriotism, shedding a single tear in the process. Admit it, while he was shedding a man tear, you were shedding buckets. The image of Snake saluting the grave is now iconic in the world of video gaming, and it’s one of the most notable examples of emotional storytelling in the medium.

“Mass Effect 3” (2012)

Disappointing ending aside, “Mass Effect 3’s” death scenes were pure magic. Mordin’s death is a prime example of how to create an emotional send-off for a character. It contains the emotional climax of a well-developed and complete character arc, made even better by a gorgeous score and visuals. The scene contains some hauntingly sad lines, and Mordin singing to himself as a form of comfort paints him as both a sad and heroic figure. It really is just a hodgepodge of emotion. There are many ways in which the Mordin situation can unfold, but when it all comes together like this, it creates one of the most devastating and emotional moments in gaming.