From the scripts to the scenes, video game creators work hard to make players feel strong emotions and dive into the worlds they’ve built. They use everything they can, from making players laugh to even making them cry.
Some games have moments that make players feel sad, but only a few can make players cry right from the start. Here are some of the saddest opening scenes in video game history. Get your tissues ready.
5. BioShock 2
BioShock 2 starts in the underwater city of Rapture in 1958. You see from a first-person view a Little Sister holding a Big Daddy doll. You realize you are a Big Daddy because of the reflection in the window. You and the Little Sister seem to have a close bond.
Suddenly, the Little Sister senses some ADAM, a special substance, and runs off. You, the Big Daddy, find her again, but she is surrounded by dangerous, ADAM-addicted splicers. You fight off the splicers to protect her.
Then, Sofia Lamb appears and tells you that the Little Sister is not your daughter, but her real daughter, Eleanor Lamb. Sofia then makes you kneel and shoot yourself with a gun. As Eleanor cries out “Daddy,” you pull the trigger, the screen goes black, and the BioShock 2 title appears, looking like it’s dripping with tears.
4. Stray
At the beginning of Stray, three cats wake up and watch a thunderstorm together. They live in a world that looks old-fashioned with lots of pipes and open wastelands, perfect for cats to explore and jump around.
Players feel close to these cats because they do cute things like drink water and nuzzle each other.
The story gets sad when the three cats try to jump across a squeaky pipe. The cat you control is the last to jump, but the pipe breaks and the cat falls.
The other cats meow in fear as they watch their friend struggle and then fall into the darkness. You wake up as the cat, far away from the world you knew, with the worried meows of your family echoing around you.
3. That Dragon, Cancer
That Dragon, Cancer” is a short but very emotional game about Ryan and Amy Green, and their son Joel. Joel was diagnosed with a rare type of cancer called an atypical teratoid rhabdoid tumor when he was only twelve months old. Doctors said he had only four months to live, but Joel surprised everyone by living for four more years.
In the game, you explore different scenes that show the real-life experiences of the Greens as they took care of Joel and his brave fight against cancer.
You play from both first-person and third-person perspectives in 14 short stages, each showing important and emotional moments from Joel’s life. This game honors Joel Green and has deeply touched many people around the world.
2. The Last Of Us
In The Last of Us, the game makes players feel deep emotions right from the start. At the beginning, you play Joel’s daughter Sarah. You wait for Joel to come home from work, and you see how close they are. The game shows the scary outbreak of zombie-like creatures from Sarah’s point of view.
You experience small moments with Sarah, feel the safety of their home, and understand Joel’s fear as things get worse.
When Sarah dies at the end of the story, it’s very sad. They try to reach a safe place, but Sarah is shot by a soldier and dies in Joel’s arms. He can’t save her. This moment deeply affects Joel and hints at his bond with Ellie later in the game.
1. Ori And The Blind Forest
Ori And The Blind Forest starts with a very sad beginning that makes many players cry. Players feel very connected to the characters Naru and Ori, who are similar to Studio Ghibli characters. The Spirit Tree tells the story and makes the game feel more real. Naru and Ori become close friends, and Naru takes care of Ori like they are her child.
The forest where they live is peaceful and beautiful at first, but then the Spirit Tree starts to die. This makes the world around them empty and sad. Naru gives Ori her last piece of food and then falls. Ori goes outside to find more food. When Ori comes back with apples, they see memories of Naru.
Ori hopes Naru will wake up and gives her apples, but Naru doesn’t wake up. She has died, probably from not having enough food. Players watch sadly as Ori hugs Naru one last time and then leaves their home, feeling very sad and without any reason to stay.
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