5 Most Heartfelt Moments In Video Games

Video Games have come under scrutiny quite a bit throughout the years; they’ve been called, stupid, childish, we’ve been told by our parents that they’re a waste of time or that they will rot our brains. These notions however, all stem from the idea that there is nothing to be gained or learned from video games, but honestly, I feel that some of the most heartfelt moments can be found in video games. Video games are essentially interactive story telling; they offer a unique way to tell a story, and with that in mind I want to share with you the five most heartfelt moments in video games. (Spoiler warning)

(1) Vivi Ornitier (Final Fantasy IX)

Vivi is the cute and adorable Black Mage from Final Fantasy IX. He is trying to find his place in the world and discover who he is. He is clumsy, trusting and he lacks confidence. That is, however, until he meets Zidane, (the hero of FFIX) who is his complete opposite. Zidane tries to teach Vivi to be stronger and self-reliant by pissing off a cliff, but it isn’t until Vivi witnesses a terrible tragedy that he finds inner strength.

The Heartfelt moment comes as Vivi watches in horror, helpless, as some of his people are destroyed and tossed off an airship like mere ragdolls, the orchestral music along with Vivi’s sad expression broke my heart, and this was done with no voice acting and a pair of yellow eyes.

(Look at his little face)

(2) The Boss (Metal Gear Solid 3)

The metal Gear Solid franchise has always done story telling well and its characters are rich and varied, none more so than The Boss in Snake Eater, a strong female character who kicks ass from start to finish. The Boss fakes her defection to the Soviet Union; she gives her life and even eternally sacrificing her reputation, for her country. The sad moment comes at the end of the game, as the player is forced to shoot the boss as she lies dying among the flowers.  The thing that made this one stand out for me was the fact that the game wouldn’t progress until the player physically pressed the button to pull the trigger.

(3) Legion (Mass Effect 3)

Legion is the Robot A.I from Mass Effect 2, well he’s the one that walks and talks anyway, he joins forces with the player to stop the reapers from turning the galaxy into a shit show. Legion is pretty awesome in Mass Effect 2, but the heartfelt moment doesn’t come until Mass Effect 3, where, depending on your choices, he sacrifices himself to ensure the survival of his people while asking the question “does this… unit… have…a…soul”.

(Not since short circuit 2 have I felt this pain)

(4) Nanako (Persona 4: Golden)

Persona 4 is one of my all-time favourite games, it’s a story driven game with many interesting characters and loads of emotional moments, but the one that stood out for me was when the little girl Nanako (MASSIVE SPOILER) dies. It is a truly devastating moment in the game, this young child who has come to think of the player as her big brother passes away, it is a loss keenly felt throughout the group and each character has their own reaction. Of course if you do the correct things following her death you can bring her back, but it doesn’t take away from the emotional toll.

(She’s just so upbeat all the time)

(5) Lee & Clementine (The Walking Dead Tell Tale)

Okay for those who still haven’t played The Walking Dead by Tell Tale (seriously what’s wrong with you?) stop reading now. Okay, now that those assholes are gone let’s talk about one of the saddest moments in video game history. I’m of course talking about the scene were Clementine is forced to watch her best friend, and father figure succumb to a zombie bite and is forced to choose whether or not to shoot him, to end his suffering, or just walk away. It’s a scene made all the sadder as we watch Clementine struggle (tears in her eyes) to make this decision.

Well that’s our 5 guys, think we miss any or just disagree, leave a comment down below.