I love games that are emotionally engaging. I admit that I haven't played a great number of them that could evoke much emotional response (not including raging over losses or frustrating mechanics), but there are some that have put my emotions to much better use than a vast majority of movies.
Right now, I'm playing Metal Gear Solid, and it's been exceptional. As I finished the first disc, though, it took all my resistance to hold back tears over the events and dialogues taking place at the time.
It'd be nice to see what games have tugged at your hearts in one way or another. So, please share as you see fit.
I love games that are emotionally engaging. I admit that I haven't played a great number of them that could evoke much emotional response (not including raging over losses or frustrating mechanics), but there are some that have put my emotions to much better use than a vast majority of movies.
Right now, I'm playing Metal Gear Solid, and it's been exceptional. As I finished the first disc, though, it took all my resistance to hold back tears over the events and dialogues taking place at the time.
It'd be nice to see what games have tugged at your hearts in one way or another. So, please share as you see fit.
MGS Solid is a classic. Cry? No but I'll admit the pacing is excellent. Just the right amount of plot twists without becoming convoluted (like the sequels did). Just the right amount of tongue and cheek moments without becoming cheesy (like the sequels did) and the excitement ramps up and down perfectly throughout it leading to an excellent denouement. The Psycho Mantis breaking the third wall bits are still talked about today. MGS feels more like you are in a good action movie than a game and that is a rare experience.
Unfortunately I think MGS was a fluke on Kojima's part. MGS's main character is pretty much ripped from "Escape from New York" (although I will admit MGS is better than Escape from New York). I can't think of anything else of merit Kojima has done and all the MGS sequels ride it's coattails. Even when he tries to be original in the sequel he adds Raiden, an extremely stereotypical Japanese character. On a side note I don't know if the original Nes game box art was an exclusively American release but it doesn't do anything to dispel the idea the Japanese copy things overtly, ummmm...
Oh yeah classic emotional games. Well any game I consider a classic with a significant plot would be emotional. Er, ah, off the top of my head...
Chrono Trigger
Final Fantasy II (4 in Japan)
Final Fantasy III (6 in Japan) (I'm not hating but every sequel after was just not as endearing, sorry!)
Personally, and it make look ridiculous but I'll put it up, Halo Reach and Halo 4 got to me. The story had me saying, "I finished the game! Oh man, I finished the game...". I thought the cinematics were great.
Ok, this is going to sound really dumb, but I have to say the Diablo III sub-story. Those are the ones you can only get if you go out of your way to talk to Haedrig, Kormac, etc. Haedrig's and Kormac's are actually my favorite, and the voice actors really did a superb job in conveying their emotions. Haedrig lost his wife and his family, and seems like a great guy (weird to say that of a PC) but has just been beaten down a lot. Kormac is a guy who questions his faith, and has to ask some tough questions. And then there's the scoundrel of course, his story is also really moving.
Personally, and it make look ridiculous but I'll put it up, Halo Reach and Halo 4 got to me. The story had me saying, "I finished the game! Oh man, I finished the game...". I thought the cinematics were great.
Totally agree on both. I did Reach solo, but did the entirety of Halo4 with a buddy and we were on edge waiting each week for our play session. The Cortana/MC banter was fantastic.
Not for a crying type of emotion. But I was definitely freaked out (aka scared) when running through the Cradle. The thought of an orphanage sharing space with an insane asylum gives me the willies. Not to mention, the fire. Of course, that was all in the past. Now it's only inhabited by the ghosts of the staff and the undead inmates. Not to mention, the building itself seems to be "alive". *shudders*
And the ending of the game was a rush (for me at least). I was running for my life from a hideous abomination because it had discovered my hiding place moments before. I ran full out for the final glyph with it close on my heels. As I reach the fountain where the final glyph is located I see two of the evil walking statues flanking it. I tag the glyph and leap into the fountain attempting to take cover. The game cuts to the final cut-scene. The story wrap-up concerning the glyphs is, in my opinion, excellent. Very satisfying.
The Mass Effect series. Up till the very last mission Mass Effect 3 was one of the most emotionaly engaging games I'd ever played. One or two of the missions in ME3 had me teared up. Supposedly the extended cut dlc fixed the ending a bit, but I've never been able to replay it that far since. Definitely should be played at least once.
Totally agree on both. I did Reach solo, but did the entirety of Halo4 with a buddy and we were on edge waiting each week for our play session. The Cortana/MC banter was fantastic.
Same here. I could feel myself choking up a bit at the end of both. I played most of Reach with a friend but completed it solo. I love the cut scenes that were created for those two games. Played out like a movie.
Spec Ops: The Line, while a linear and generic shooter, had an incredible story that takes a look at war that isn't 'OH BOY, LETS KILL EVERYTHIGN KUZZ ITS FUN1!1!!'. Was rather fantastic with the way it dealt with mature matter. I would reaaaally recommend people checking it out, or at least watching a Let's Play sometime, but language and violence is a constant.
Bioshock, lights off (okay, so it was when there was no sunlight in Alaska for a few months), headphones cranked, and door closed. Hoo boy, talk about creepy, that game scared me at times. But it even offended me at one point when a
man was forced to play a piano and he screamed out to not be killed only for a side-villain to blow him up... or was he set on fire?
The lack of sleep didn't help but that part really disturbed me when I was 19 or 20. Looking back now it doesn't anymore but wow, I hated the game for some time because of that scene. No game has been able to do that to me before.
Lost Odyssey, at first it felt like a generic JRPG, but the memories of an immortal had me in tears at times. The game had immortals who forgot their past, but they would live even after friends and family passed away. The game showed this with extremely classy... slideshows? Voice acting, writing, music, and even the art all convey something genuinely beautiful, and they never failed to impress. I can still recall a story of a shoe cobbler that made me tear up. A SHOE COBBLER.
Transformers: Fall of Cyberton, nostalgia for the series, and the game had an epic scope. Loved it. AND PETER CULLEN.
Half-Life 2: Episode 2, we all know the scene at the end. Talk about heart breaking. Didn't think I could like a video game character to the point that I got upset when they died. ._.
Saint's Row: The Third, yes, it's over the top. Yes, it's raunchy. And yes, it's immature. But it easily was one of the most fun experiences I have ever had in a video games. Writing is goofy, combat is insane, and there's a lot of explosions. Playing this in co-op with my brother is something I won't soon forget. Loved it despite the questionable content.
RAGE, made mad because the stupid thing doesn't work. And when it did, it's revolutionary texture junk was janky on my fast system. But when my brothers played it on their systems with GPUs from 2005? Ran perfectly. It hates AMD drivers. ._. Still have yet to beat it, but talk about frustrating. Shotgun felt awesome though~
Lost Odyssey aka There Will Be Tears. I still need to play the rest of that game. The memories are so sad (but often touching in their own ways). Yeah. So good.
@Bowser: You make me want to play D3 even more. I really like that game, and I like those characters; glad to hear things only get more engaging in that respect.
Another game that managed to really grab hold of my emotions, against all expectations, was Sleeping Dogs. With more violence and cussing than you can shake a cheesestick at, I expected another by-the-numbers mainstream action game. Though complaints about its content and general lack of originality can be fairly made, I still bonded with Wei Shen more than most protagonists. When he was betrayed, I felt betrayed. When he was enraged, I felt enraged. When he was sad, I was sad. When he was happy, I was happy. This game was the last place I expected such a thing, but it makes me glad I picked the game up and gave it a chance. Definitely not a game for everyone, but it was certainly good for me.
The Pokemon Mystery Dungeon series (Namely Blue and Time) both had me a bit sad. It's probably because you name the character you play as, so other characters say "No, Peter! Don't go!" and other such things. D:
Also for the GBA I don't know if anyone remembers Sonic Battle? The end of that one was real sad too.
Lost Odyssey, at first it felt like a generic JRPG, but the memories of an immortal had me in tears at times. The game had immortals who forgot their past, but they would live even after friends and family passed away. The game showed this with extremely classy... slideshows? Voice acting, writing, music, and even the art all convey something genuinely beautiful, and they never failed to impress. I can still recall a story of a shoe cobbler that made me tear up. A SHOE COBBLER.
holy tragic love story x1000. Never cried so much in a video game ever. Like all other movies and games combined would not compare to LO. Side note: that game had amazing animations.
This is a good thread.
I'll toss my two-cents in and say Final Fantasy 8 and Final Fantasy 10, both for different reasons. And also Chrono Trigger.
Those are really the only three that have engaged me enough to stir some emotion. It's not about graphics, but good story-telling.
