10 Devastating Emotional Video Game Moments That Came Out Of Nowhere

Hello darkness, my old friend.

Shadow Of The Colossus
Team ICO

Games are great, varied, escapist fun. One minute you can be shooting up hoards of intergalactic space pirates, and the next you can be deep sea diving in a stylised aquatic adventure.

You can be experiencing a euphoric, globetrotting adventure, witnessing relationships blossom and the beautiful events of history unfold. But every once in a while, games decide that you've had too much bright and happy fun, kicking you right in the stomach before dragging you, kicking and screaming, back into the dreary realms of pure emotional turmoil.

For every high point, there are often even more soul-crushing moments that can remind you just how taxing experiencing these stories through direct control can be. Death, destruction and tears come in spades, and the best games have really poignant gut-wrenchers that stick around for a lifetime.

Everyone has a shed a tear for the likes of Aerith and John Marston, so today let's shine some light on those moments that are a little understated, yet back the emotional wallop of a steam train.

Death and emotional travesty prevail as I list ten of the most devastating moments that came out of nowhere, leaving us staring at the screen, struggling to comprehend what just happened...

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Contributor

I like video games, writing and writing about video games. Expect sarcasm and the dry wit of a Brit. And the occasional rant of a unhappy Scot. You know... the usual.