10 Video Game Tragedies That Elevated Stories
2. Finding Maria Santiago - Gears Of War 2
Across three games and a spin-off it thrilled many an Xbox 360 owner, becoming a franchise fully synonymous with the brand. Its story was no slouch either, telling of a brutal struggle for humanity on the planet of Sera.
Gears of War 2 took things a step further; it goes a lot darker with its story and the threat the locust pose to humanity is far greater. One of its more emotional moments comes from Marcus's best friend Dom Santiago. In the first game, Dom briefly mentioned he was looking for a missing woman, but this was mostly left to the background.
It turns out to be his wife Maria. In the latter half of Gears 2, Delta Squad is able to find her in a Locust prison cage on their way to the enemy's hollow. Dom is overjoyed when she steps out, but it turns out he's hallucinating. Maria has been tortured and malnourished to the point of catatonia. After months of searching, Dom is forced to tearfully kill his wife to end her suffering.
With this plot thread, Gears of War 2 successfully takes steps into more emotional territory, something that hammers home humanity's struggle for survival. This same tone would continue into Gears of War 3.