20 Most Powerful Gaming Moments Of All Time

Those moments that stay with you long after you put down the controller and return to everyday life.

Telltale Games

Since that first Computer Space machine landed in 1971, the medium of video games has been on an incredibly long journey. Back then, gaming was regarded as a trivial pastime to while away a few hours. Since those early days, a combination of technological and design developments have led to video gaming being held as an art form in its own right, in some quarters in the same esteem as Academy Award-winning film and Emmy Award-winning television.

Once over, you probably would have been laughed at for implying that a moment in a video game was powerful -€“ how could you have such a strong emotional reaction to evading those crafty ghosts on Pac-Man or clearing a level on Space Invaders? In contemporary gaming, it's a different story; it isn€™t uncommon to encounter these powerful, emotionally-charged set-pieces - indeed there were many, many candidates which almost (and easily could have) made this list.

Whether it€™s through intensely stunning graphics, a gripping crux in the narrative, or ground-breaking gameplay, there are numerous avenues through which these powerful moments can be achieved. Video gaming is without doubt the most rapidly developing artistic medium with its boundaries -€“ both technological and conceptual -€“ being pushed further each year. These developments mean that powerful, enduring, and unforgettable gaming moments will continue to be produced, and we will continue to enjoy and remember them.

Contributor
Contributor

Hailing from South East London, Sam Heard is an aspiring writer and recent graduate from the University of Warwick. Sam's favourite things include energy drinks, late nights spent watching the UFC with his girlfriend and annihilating his friends at FIFA.