How Can Videogames Make Us Cry?

[Rofl-Mayo]

COD4 when Captain Price died. I just ended up tearing up, lol.

 

[Jubilant]

In Silent Hill 2, where Maria gets a spear shoved through her chest in front of James, I burst into tears, because the game was just so UNFAIR to the poor guy.

My friends and I played and got the Mary ending. Friend burst into tears. Spent 5 minutes trying to comfort her, even when shedding a few manly tears. Felt like a hero when she calmed down.

 

[ethaninja]

The ending to Mafia was pretty sad.

 

[DkLnBr]

Cried?
No.
Shed a few tears? Yeah, happens sometimes. I only get that response from the same thing once, so I guess I must lack a soul.

Ya its the same as me. I haven't cried in a game, I've only gotten a little teary-eyed. But I know what you mean about "I only get that response from the same thing once", a movie can bring a tear to my eye many times, but a game can only do it once. So far there have been no exceptions

Now to reply to the thread. I didn't cry, but i did get a little teary-eyed when i first saw the ending of ME1 (the "save the council" version). What can I say? It was a powerful scene

 

[InsaneOne10]

For games to cause any strong emotions they need 3-dimensional characters, stories without any major plot holes, and gameplay that makes you feel a part of your character.

 

[axle 19]

Ending to MGS 3, FFVII are particularly sad for me.

 

[Jangles]

Video games should be, at their core, novels where you can control the main character.

Take for example, Final Fantasy VII (Because I just loved it that much), the game was so amazing, not because of the turn-based combat, but because of the story telling elements.

Final Fantasy successfully familiarized the player with all the characters well enough so that when one of them died, Aeris for example, the player felt as if someone that they had known for more than 10 minutes had died.

Furthermore, Aeris was an extremely amiable character.

Most of the Final Fantasies, Lost Oddysey, and etc. Are the most ready examples of good story telling and tear evoking games.

- In conclusion we don't need a game developer telling us how to make good games, but a good writer.

It didn't even have to be as drastic as Aeris I Was even upset when Biggs, Wedge, and Jesse died in the beginning of the game. But agreed Square Enix knows how to make you care about a character.

OMG Aeris DIES? Use spoilers next time...

Seriously though, welcome to the Escapist. May your stay be a long one. =)

OT: It all comes down to the writing. You can have the best looking game in the world, with the most awesome gameplay, but if your writing means that all your characters are made of cardboard then there's not going to be the emotional attachment needed to evoke emotional responses.

Although games have made me feel sad at points (such as the afforementioned Aeris) I have never payed on that has made me cry.

Completely agreed; Many people think that Fallout 3's characters were simply dioramas. However, perhaps I have an overactive conscience, but even while I was TRYING TO GET ACHIEVEMENTS I very nearly could not help myself continue to save everybody I could because of the in-game consequences of killing people, and Three Dawg's resultant comments when you do

P.S. How do you do a spoiler alert like Citrus Insanity pulled off?

 

[Jangles]

Okay, I'll man up and admit it. Metal Gear Solid 4 actually brought me to tears on my first playthrough, especially Act 4. Walking in such a familiar area, looking at the broken security cameras, and listening to The Best Is Yet To Come and I just sat there, reflecting on how far the series has come.

It was an emotional moment as I thought about playing the NES port of Metal Gear as a child. I thought about my elementary school friend introducing me to Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake. I thought about the day I was browsing the racks at Blockbuster to find Metal Gear Solid, then taking it home and beating it in one day, completely blown away by it. I thought about the day I rushed home from school just so I can pick up a copy of Sons of Libery. I thought about how, despite the deception, I grew to like Raiden. I thought about the day I found a copy of Metal Gear on NES at a garage sale for $0.50, rushing back home to relive the memories. I thought about dominating the forests of Russia in Snake Eater, playing as Solid Snake's father and hilariously meeting Johnny's grandfather (who I spared). And here I am again, as Solid Snake, back in Alaska staring at a broken camera, listening to audio flashbacks, dodging guards that weren't there anymore, and spending the whole level on top-down view (1000 points!).

The hand-to-hand fight between Solid Snake and Liquid Ocelot had it's own emotional weight as well. Two men, who experienced things that no normal solder could imagine. Two men who fought, bled, and gave every ounce of their existence for what they believed. Solid Snake, the hero. Ocelot, the anti-hero. Adversaries for decades. And this was their last duel, their final mission. Only one of them was walking away alive.

Then in the next minute, I'm watching Snake at the cemetery, ready to take his own life. At that point, I couldn't hold back anymore. This was Snake. A character hero since my childhood. A character I played from a pixelated green blob to what he is now. This wasn't just any regular game character, this was my character. And when that screen went black, I sobbed like a *****. Needless to say I actually cheered to see the final ending, the real resolution. I cheered when Big Boss showed up, and I hissed when Zero died. This was a great conclusion to a brilliant series. And it sure went out with a bang. I know there are more Metal Gear Solid games coming out, but Snake's tale is over.

The only game that ever came close to making me feel like this was Episode 4 of Tales of Monkey Island. I had a similar reflection, looking back at all the adventures I had with Guybrush Threepwood, from when my friend introduced me to the series up till now. After that, I was hanging on the edge of my seat waiting for Episode 5 to come out.

I completely agree with your MGS4 comment. Bravo

 

[Omegatronacles]

*snip*

P.S. How do you do a spoiler alert like Citrus Insanity pulled off?

You use the following tags, but take out the *

[*spoiler=Warning text goes here]Actual spoiler goes here[/spoiler*]

That turns into this

Spoiler: Warning text goes here

Actual spoiler goes here

If you don't put warning text in, then you get the default "Spoiler: Click to view" warning instead, like this

Spoiler

Actual spoiler goes here

 

[major28]

the only time i ever cried in a video game was when aeris died ... WHY SHE WAS YOUNG

 

[MiserableOldGit]

Punishment needles in game pads should do it - it's like a rumble feature, only you get stabbed by needles that shoot out of the pad when you don't do very well.

 

[scnj]

The first time I completed Silent Hill 2 I got the "In Water" ending. Damn, that was brutal. Brought me completely to tears.

 

[FloodOne]

The only things to make me almost cry are good TV shows, movies and books.

I am immune to video games because as soon as I hit reset, guess what? Everything is as it should be, no one has to die and everyone can hold hands and sing songs. Till I decide to watch said person die again and again, because clearly this person was a token thing meant to instill emotions into me.

But you can start all those things over and decide to watch/read someone's death as well.

I'll refrain from any spoilers, but as a dad myself, the ending I received in Heavy Rain almost brought me to tears.

 

[StriderShinryu]

I can't say I've full on rained down tears, but I've definitely been choked up numerous times. Square games were always able to do it to me. Even going back to the SNES days, FF4 had some real sad moments (even if they retracted them later) like Palom and Porom sacrificing themselves. FF6, SoM, Chrono Trigger, FF7, FF8, etc. they all got me fighting back tears at one point or several.

 

[TheGreatDirectorWatanbe]

Love Lost Ending of Silent Hill Shattered Memories, This made me shed a tear and feel so depressed, although I think it was mostly that song Acceptance (forget Artist). I actually used that song for a Photostory project about Child Mortality in my Social Studies class.

 

[duchaked]

if only I had played FFVII back when it was released originally (and having had half the plot and plot twists be told to me)
I was probably too young to appreciate the story then anyway tho