10 Touching Video Game Moments You Probably Missed

6. Siegmeyer's Hollowing - Dark Souls

Anyone who's ventured into the moribund kingdom of Lordran, the setting for Dark Souls, will come out feeling tired, a little hollowed, and very wizened. It almost feels like a Rite of Passage for every person who claims that they seek to be challenged when gaming. The beauty of Dark Souls' story is that you can engage with it as much or as little as you like. The game stands perfectly well without it, but once you start speaking to the lonely knights and warriors populating the world, you become part of some incredibly poignant and tragic tales. Of all of these, the cheery Siegmeyer's story hits hardest (you may remember him as the fat dude in onion armour). Ever the optimist though not the greatest warrior, Siggy often relies on you to help him out of sticky situations. But every time you do so, you chip away at his confidence and sense of purpose, making him more and more hollow - essentially slowly turning him into a zombie. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k5XJqRIN9G4 Late in the game, Siggy leaps into a pit full of monsters to restore his pride by sacrificing himself for you. At this point you can let him die the death he wants, or jump in and help him, in the vain hope that you may prevent his hollowing somehow later on. Thrown into the mix is Siggy's daughter, who is looking for him to tell him his wife's dying words. If you help Siggy all the way through the game, then you condemn him to becoming hollow, and ultimately it will be up to his own daughter to put him to rest for good. You discover her standing over his body at Ash Lake, grieving his loss. This tragic story is the best of an excellent bunch, all of which embody the powerful themes of Dark Souls. Siegmeyer was one of the few beacons of light in this grim world, and his loss poignantly slams home that sad air of hopelessness that hovers over you for much of the game.