Like any art form or work of entertainment, video games can be made or broken by their ending. No matter the medium a good ending gives sense of unity, with discrete narrative elements coming together to give a proper sense of closure.
Not all game endings tout an outlook of excitement or even hope. In fact, some of the most significant stories throughout gaming history feature endings full of heartbreak and sorrow. While this typically leaves players feeling depressed or hollow, these endings also offer the chance for fans to broach difficult topics and engage in deep, thought-provoking conversations.
Updated on December 23rd, 2022 by Tom Steel: A good video game that prides itself on its storytelling needs to have an impactful ending, but this doesn't always have to have a happy or satisfying resolution. There are plenty of video game endings that toy with a player's emotions, whether with a shocking twist, a devastating death, or a generally sad development. This list has been updated to include more of these incredibly sad video game endings and to see how they compare to the classics.
15 Black Flag Ends With Edward Remembering Those Lost Along The Way
Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag may have become lost in the shuffle in such a packed video game series, but it was way ahead of its time. The fourth mainline Assassin's Creed game delved into the life of a pirate, as it followed the devious and charismatic Edward Kenway.
Edward goes on quite the journey throughout Black Flag, both literally and figuratively. The game ends with Edward getting set to leave and meet his daughter, following word of his wife's death. The moment coincides with a ballad of remembrance. As Anne Bonny sings, other pirates listen intently and Edward sees all those who died along the way sitting at a table and getting merry. Black Flag does have another ending of an older Edward back at home with his children, but this is the true send-off that players want to remember.
14 Bioshock Infinite Unloads A Tragic Twist Right At The End
Ever since its debut in 2007, the BioShock series has been a hugely popular hit with a perfect blend of brutality and beauty to its storytelling and themes. BioShock Infinite joined the series in 2013 and excelled as another exceptional game. However, many were left shocked, sad, and confused by its ending.
BioShock Infinite ends with the startling revelation that Booker DeWitt is actually Zachary Hale Comstock, the main villain. As the concept of multiple realities is introduced by Elizabeth, one constant remains: Booker accepts a baptism and becomes reborn as Comstock. The game ends as multiple Elizabeths drown Booker at the moment of that decision, hoping to bring an end to the cycle, with ominous music accompanying panying as the other Elizabeths disappear. This ending is shocking and sad as players try their best to digest what just happened.
13 Before Your Eyes Is A Beautiful Yet Tragic Journey To The Beyond
Sometimes, there are incredible video games that try to tackle the most complex topics of all, namely death and acceptance. The year 2020 had the exceptional Spiritfarer, but 2021 saw the release of Before Your Eyes. Both cases take the sadness of death, but put a beautiful spin on it, as they are ultimately journeys into self-acceptance and finding peace.
Before Your Eyes follows the recently deceased Benny as he heads toward the afterlife. It is an emotional journey that ultimately ends with Benny arriving at the Gatekeeper's Sanctuary and being accepted beyond. Before Your Eyes has its sad and tragic moments through exploring Benny's life, but by the end, players will be crying because of how beautiful yet heart-wrenching this entire experience is.
12 Ghost Of Tsushima Ends With An Impossible Choice Over Shimura's Fate
Ghost of Tsushima will always be remembered as one of the best PlayStation exclusives of all time with its exceptional gameplay and dramatic storytelling of a samurai era. The player follows Jin Sakai and his journey, but the game's ending presents a heartbreaking choice.
Jin has to duel his mentor and father figure Lord Shimura, then choose between killing him or defying samurai code and sparing his life. From the music to the visuals, this moment is highly emotional no matter which path is chosen. But killing Shimura is a tragic way to bring the story to a close, not counting the Iki Island expansion.
11 Peter Has To Make A Heartbreaking Sacrifice At The End Of Marvel's Spider-Man
Since its initial release on the PlayStation 4 back in 2018, Marvel's Spider-Man has worked its way into the hearts and minds of players all over, as one of the modern greats. Marvel's Spider-Man hit everything out of the park, from its gameplay and characters to general pacing and compelling storylines.
As with any Spider-Man story, there is plenty of loss, sorrow, and sacrifices necessary to build more resolve and character befitting a hero. Still in the guise of Spider-Man, Peter Parker must make the horrific decision of choosing between the people or his sole remaining family, Aunt May. With her dying words, May reveals that she has known for some time that Peter is Spider-Man, and that she is immensely proud. This is a sad way to end before it cuts to a time skip and various credit scenes.
10 Tidus Fades Away At The End Of Final Fantasy X
Final Fantasy X revolves around Tidus and Yuna, a boy seeking a way home after being transported to Spira and a girl seeking the Final Aeon in order to defeat the malicious Sin that threatens her world. Throughout their journey, they discover that Spira is trapped in a vicious cycle where Sin is reborn after the Final Aeon is used to vanquish the preceding one.
Along with the help of their friends, Tidus and Yuna find a way to stop Sin's cycle of rebirth, but at the cost of Tidus' life – as it's revealed he's the physical manifestation of a fayth's soul that is freed with Yu Yevon's defeat. FFX closes with Yuna giving Tidus a tearful goodbye as he fades away, transcending into the Farplane.
9 Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons Builds Up A Great Bond Only To Rip It Apart At The Last Minute
Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons has reached unprecedented levels of success since its initial release back in 2013, but it is easy to see why. As the title suggests, the adventure game follows two brothers as they try to save their sick father, and they build up a strong bond through teamwork.
The gameplay is built around controlling both players with different sides of the same controller, but co-op was later introduced as an alternative. This brotherly bond is built up to the point where players are incredibly invested, only to have their emotions ripped apart when the older brother Naia is killed right at the end. The player grieves with Naiee, but thankfully the journey wasn't for naught as he revives his sick father and the pair can mourn Naia and the mother together.
8 That Dragon, Cancer Documents A True Story
While That Dragon, Cancer doesn't present the typical Triple-A game narrative, the story leverages a powerful real-world connection that makes even the most seasoned players shed some tears. Created by Ryan and Amy Green, the two-hour indie recounts the tragic tale of how their infant son Joel battled terminal cancer over the course of four years.
What makes That Dragon, Cancer more profound is that it is more than just a game: it's a way for the Greens to preserve their invaluable memories of Joel. That Dragon, Cancer doesn't focus on the inevitable tragedy that players know is coming, but instead questions what it means to live life to the fullest. It's that exact introspection that makes the final confrontation hit all the harder.
7 Max Faces A Terrible Choice In Life is Strange
Created by Dontnod Entertainment and published by Square Enix, 2015's Life is Strange quickly made a name for itself in the gaming industry with the original game's pivotal, heartbreaking conclusion. Players take control of Max Caulfield as she witnesses her childhood friend Chloe Price being killed after returning to her hometown of Arcadia Bay, Oregon.
The traumatic event triggers Max's ability to rewind time, which she then uses to save Chloe, but inadvertently dooms Arcadia Bay in doing so. Players are then faced with a terrible choice of whether to save Chloe or the town, knowing that Max will ultimately lose a bit of herself no matter what she chooses.
6 The Real Ending Of NieR: Automata Is Heartbreaking
One of the things that makes NieR: Automata unique among games is that the story features twenty-six different endings. While most of the endings are jokes and are not canonical, the "true" endings to Square Enix's eldritch franchise are downright bleak, outdoing even the morbid realization that humanity is long gone in 2B and 9S's reality.
Players follow the two androids across various playthroughs, eventually discovering that they are forced to confront 2B as 9S with Ending D: chil[D]hood's end. However, it's Ending E: the [E]nd of YoRHa that's regarded as the true ending, which allows players to sacrifice all their save data to help other players and restore the YoHRa to life.
5 Link's Awakening Ends With Link All Alone Again
The Legend of Zelda has amassed a wide variety of entries over the years, from iconic entries like Ocarina of Time to dark entries like Twilight Princess. However, Link's Awakening is often considered to be the most tragic game. Featuring no Zelda or Triforce, LA instead focuses on Link and his attempts to return to Hyrule while exploring Koholint Island.
As players grow acquainted with and accustomed to Marin and Koholint's inhabitants, they also gradually realize that Link's quest to wake the Wind Fish will result in the island and its citizens being erased. However, an undeterred Link strikes forward. The player is left with a feeling of emptiness when Link wakes up alone, realizing the whole experience was a dream.
4 The Boss's Real Role In Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater
Developed in 2004 by the legendary Hideo Kojima, Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater is often regarded as one of the greatest games of all time. Snake Eater sees CIA agent "Naked Snake" mount a rescue operation to save the Soviet scientist Sokolov with the aid of Major Zero, Para-Medic, and The Boss.
Unfortunately, things take a turn for the worse when the Boss announces her defection to the USSR, forcing Snake to kill her towards the game's end. However, EVA reveals to Snake that the Boss was actually a double agent who was implicated and needed to die to clear the U.S.'s name. MGS3 then ends with Snake tearfully saluting his former mentor at her gravestone.
3 Red Dead Redemption II Sees A Tragic End For Arthur
Both of Rockstar Games' Red Dead Redemption games are equally traumatic in their own way. While John Marston's last stand is an absolute icon among gaming culture, his death is avenged by the game's end. Arthur Morgan – the protagonist of Red Dead Redemption II – cannot share that peace of mind, unfortunately.
What makes RDR2 especially depressing is that players know Arthur is going to die, a fact made unambiguous when he gets told he has tuberculosis. While the means of Arthur's death is based on players' choices, those who choose the path of honor witness the protagonist succumbing to his wounds while watching a sunrise after a brutal fight with Micah.
2 Ellie Loses Everything In The Last of Us Part II
While Naughty Dog's post-apocalyptic world makes no secret of its sobering and bleak world with 2013's The Last of Us, The Last of Us Part II takes the darkness of this reality to another level. Following the barbaric death of someone dear to her, Ellie sets on a quest of vengeance that sets her on a crash course collision with the WLF's Abby.
The trope that revenge doesn't bring justice is beaten into players time and time again as gamers watch Ellie slowly lose everything she's held dear to her. Her inability to strum the guitar as the credits roll is the final symbolism that she's lost the one thing that could allow her to preserve Joel's memory.
1 Lee Perishes At The End Of Telltale's Walking Dead
It is a common consensus among gamers that Telltale Games' The Walking Dead: Season One features the saddest ending in gaming history. Inspired by the comic series of the same name, The Walking Dead: Season One features a post-apocalyptic world where the remnants of humanity struggle to find a way to survive amidst a planet of walkers.
The events of Season One follow Lee Everett and his efforts to protect a young girl named Clementine. After they endure several harrowing experiences, Lee gets bitten by a walker and begins to turn, leaving players with the gruesome, heart-wrenching choice to have Clementine mercy kill him or leave him at the season's end.