So Infamous 2 Made Me Cry...

[rob_simple]

I know it's a bit late, but financial strains mean I take a while to get through the latest batch of new games.

I just finished both endings of Infamous 2, and I have to say I was absolutely blown away. Sucker Punch are an offensively underrated developer in my eyes but the quality of story craft in this game was incredible. I was genuinely moved by the good ending, and had the horrible hollowness in the pit of your stomach feeling with the bad ending. It was probably the first game with a morale choice system where I actually, personally regretted my actions.

This brings me to the question: Has a game ever made you cry or, failing that, what game has brought out the strongest emotion in you (being angry at bad design doesn't count)?

 

[Allthingsspectacular]

Infamous 2 really is fantastic.

It pretty much fixed all the issues I previously had in the first game. The missions are fun, the powers are fun, the story choices are great, the endings are amazing (They even made the evil ending compelling. Which is pretty rare.) and all the characters are great. Especially Zeke.

I've beaten Infamous 2 many times and it still makes me choke up a little every time I get to the ending. If you weren't already convinced that Gamespot is full of ****, here's your proof.

 

[ScrabbitRabbit]

Everyone goes on about Uncharted being the PS3's golden child but for me it has always been Infamous. I hogged my little brother's PS3 for weeks playing those games. Infamous 2 is the best console exclusive of this generation, bar none, in my eyes. In story AND gameplay. If there's anything I'd get my own console for this gen, it's Infamous.

The strongest emotional reaction I've ever had towards a game is Planescape: Torment just because everything felt so personal. I wasn't fighting to save the world, my quest meant nothing to those outside my immediate circle... I just needed to find out who I was and why I couldn't die. The characters all felt very real especially in the way that, the more you talk to them, the more of their personality you see. I really did not like Annah at first, but over time she grew on me as it became apparent that she wasn't *really* that much of a *****, she was just a bit insecure and naive and didn't quite know how to deal with all these new things in her life.

The strength of the characters made the Fortress of Regrets one of my favourite bits of any game despite it's horrible gameplay.

Spoiler

Seeing your party members, these people you've come to *know* over the course of many hours fighting and inevitably dying for YOUR sake, because they care about YOU is one of the saddest and most touching moments in any media.

There are so many other moments in that game, too.

Spoiler

The text when you remember your name always gets to me:

"The sphere wrinkles in your hands, the skin of the sphere peeling away into tears and turning into a rain of bronze that encircles you. Each droplet, each fragment that enters you, you feel a new memory stirring, a lost love, a forgotten pain, an ache of loss - and with it, comes the great pressure of regret, regret of careless actions, the regret of suffering, regret of war, regret of death, and you feel your mind begin buckling from the pressure - so MUCH, all at once, so much damage done to others... so much so an entire FORTRESS may be built from such pain. And suddenly, through the torrent of regrets, you feel the first incarnation again. His hand, invisible and weightless, is upon your shoulder, steadying you. He doesn't speak, but with his touch, you suddenly remember your name... and it is such a simple thing, not at all what you thought it might be, and you feel yourself suddenly comforted. In knowing your name, your true name, you know that you have gained back perhaps the most important part of yourself. In knowing your name, you know yourself, and you know, now, there is very little you cannot do."

I'm making it sound like the game is nothing but depression... rest assured it's also funny as hell and that's what makes the characters so lovable. The more intense parts wouldn't be as intense if the characters couldn't make you laugh. It's similar to Infamous 2, the scene where Zeke and Cole are just sitting on the couch.... watching TV and knocking back some beers. It makes the characters more believable and, as a result, makes the tragic moments all the more tragic.

 

[Zhukov]

Y'know, I've never quite gotten the love for Infamous 2 (or the original for that matter).

Don't get me wrong, it wasn't a bad game. I had fun with it. However, I didn't get anything like the emotional impact other people describe. The good ending in particular didn't really do much for me, Cole was too much of a bland/blank character for his sacrifice to have any heft. The two female characters were undermined by their rather contrived 11th-hour role reversal. The evil ending encounter with Zeke was pretty damn good though. Granted, it was basically a glorified QTE, but it was a good one. Still didn't come close to making me cry though.

To answer the question, no, no game has ever made me cry. The combination of nigh-universally lacklustre writing and the uncanny valley prevent them from having that effect on me. It's kinda strange considering that movies can make me tear up at the drop of a hat.

 

[The_Lost_King]

Why did you do it John?! Why?!!!(Red Dead Redemption) That ending made me tear up a bit.

Zeke oh Zeke.

Spoiler

Why did I have to kill him oh why did I have to do it?!

The Evil ending was just so sad. I mean having to do that. It tore my heart out. The good ending was sad to.

Spoiler

Having to die and commit genocide to stop another genocide... well that is terrible. In either choice you have to commit genocide to save the other species and that is terrible. Evil Cole might not mind but good Cole had to wipe out his people just to save a bunch of ungrateful normal people.

That is all I can think of right now but there are others. I feel that games can be sadder than books and movies because you feel more involved with those characters. I mean just imagine Dragon Age: Origins watching your warden die to save the world. You created that character and guided them throughout the land of Fereldon(I always take the black sacrament, so I don't know what it is like but I can imagine) or in Mass Effect 2 watching as Shepard falls into the abyss as Joker calls out his/her name(once again never done but can imagine). Those hit harder than a book or movie.

 

[ScrabbitRabbit]

To answer the question, no, no game has ever made me cry. The combination of nigh-universally lacklustre writing and the uncanny valley prevent them from having that effect on me. It's kinda strange considering that movies can make me tear up at the drop of a hat.

I've always been kind of the opposite. I find that there are very few movies that can move me to feel any kind of emotion other than being "thrilled". With books and games I tend to favour slow-paced and character driven works, but with films I only tend to enjoy comedies or balls-to-the-wall action. I just don't feel they give me enough time to feel emotionally invested in the characters and I find that movie writing is often woefully inept. Of course there are exceptions (Grave of the Fireflies was one but I think that's because the entire films was spent on basically just two characters so you COULD get attached to them) and it does come down to personal taste in the end.

The remark about the uncanny valley does bug me about many games, though. It makes many of them less believable when you're just staring into the character's dead eyes during what's meant to be a heartfelt moment. I feel this is another strength of Planescape: Torment; it relies on text, not animation, to convey most of it's story. This goes for actions as well as dialogue and most of it is very well written. As a result, the "cut-scenes" happen in your head, helping to largely avoid the dreaded uncanny valley.

 

[rob_simple]

The good ending in particular didn't really do much for me, Cole was too much of a bland/blank character for his sacrifice to have any heft. The two female characters were undermined by their rather contrived 11th-hour role reversal. The evil ending encounter with Zeke was pretty damn good though. Granted, it was basically a glorified QTE, but it was a good one. Still didn't come close to making me cry though.

I actually agree with you about Cole being bland as a bowl of porrige, I think it was because I find Zeke such an appealing character that I enjoyed both endings so much since he was arguably the focus of both, (for obvious reasons in the evil and because he gave the speech in the good.)

 

[him over there]

The good ending in particular didn't really do much for me, Cole was too much of a bland/blank character for his sacrifice to have any heft. The two female characters were undermined by their rather contrived 11th-hour role reversal. The evil ending encounter with Zeke was pretty damn good though. Granted, it was basically a glorified QTE, but it was a good one. Still didn't come close to making me cry though.

I actually agree with you about Cole being bland as a bowl of porrige, I think it was because I find Zeke such an appealing character that I enjoyed both endings so much since he was arguably the focus of both, (for obvious reasons in the evil and because he gave the speech in the good.)

Zeke was a totally amazing character and perhaps the focal point of the whole story. I feel the fact that Cole was bland just let him stand out more. The story wasn't about somebody with super powers but a guy slowly losing his only friend. I think the evil ending really capitalizes on him the best, when he says "I have to try" it just made me so angry at myself.

 

[rob_simple]

Zeke was a totally amazing character and perhaps the focal point of the whole story. I feel the fact that Cole was bland just let him stand out more. The story wasn't about somebody with super powers but a guy slowly losing his only friend. I think the evil ending really capitalizes on him the best, when he says "I have to try" it just made me so angry at myself.

Totally, that whole scene was horrible because, despite Cole having very little characterisation, I really got a feeling for how strong their friendship was and that Cole was doing it because he felt he had to not because he wanted to, likewise with Zeke.

I got the feeling that the reason Cole is such a boring character to look at (I thought what little script he did have was well written and acted) is because we, as the player, are supposed to project onto him, so if he's more of a bland every man he's easier to relate to.

 

[him over there]

Zeke was a totally amazing character and perhaps the focal point of the whole story. I feel the fact that Cole was bland just let him stand out more. The story wasn't about somebody with super powers but a guy slowly losing his only friend. I think the evil ending really capitalizes on him the best, when he says "I have to try" it just made me so angry at myself.

Totally, that whole scene was horrible because, despite Cole having very little characterisation, I really got a feeling for how strong their friendship was and that Cole was doing it because he felt he had to not because he wanted to, likewise with Zeke.

I got the feeling that the reason Cole is such a boring character to look at (I thought what little script he did have was well written and acted) is because we, as the player, are supposed to project onto him, so if he's more of a bland every man he's easier to relate to.

I felt Cole was bland, but there was some semblance of characterization to him that managed to be consistent along each alignment. It wasn't much but he had a personality. Which was important for Zeke's sake in the story. He's really torn by his friend growing apart from him simply because of his unique and elite powers. Come to think of it the whole story is sort of analogous for somebody who's friend becomes famous or a celebrity, right down to the self destruction.

 

[Zhukov]

To answer the question, no, no game has ever made me cry. The combination of nigh-universally lacklustre writing and the uncanny valley prevent them from having that effect on me. It's kinda strange considering that movies can make me tear up at the drop of a hat.

[snip]

The remark about the uncanny valley does bug me about many games, though. It makes many of them less believable when you're just staring into the character's dead eyes during what's meant to be a heartfelt moment. I feel this is another strength of Planescape: Torment; it relies on text, not animation, to convey most of it's story. This goes for actions as well as dialogue and most of it is very well written. As a result, the "cut-scenes" happen in your head, helping to largely avoid the dreaded uncanny valley.

Yeah... I never really got into Planescape Torment either.

That old-school RPG format just doesn't do it for me. There's no voice acting and the little sprites can't emote in the slightest, so there's nothing there for me to "connect" with. The written text was too dry and clinical to make up the shortfall. No flair or imagery. The characters all felt too wooden and soulless for me to care much about them.

Sure, the writing and story was pretty good, but it was good in a "Huh, that's interesting" kind of way, as opposed to an "Oh, the humanity!" sort of way.

 

[Starik20X6]

Infamous 2 is a fantastic game on every level. I played good and man does it get to you.

Another game I can think of that made me shed manly tears was Skyward Sword

Spoiler

A lot of people hated her, but I teared up when it was time to say goodbye to Fi. Sure she could be a little overbearing, but I saw that more as her caring too much and found her quite endearing.

 

[RoyalWelsh]

I agree OP, the Infamous series is incredibly underrated. I don't really go for trophies but I platinumed the ass out of the second game, it was just so much fun and the storyline was really really good.

 

[Catfood220]

It's similar to Infamous 2, the scene where Zeke and Cole are just sitting on the couch.... watching TV and knocking back some beers. It makes the characters more believable and, as a result, makes the tragic moments all the more tragic.

Damn you and your Ninja ways, I was going to post this. But yeah, this is probably my favourite bit of the game, inbetween all the mayhem and death, its just two friends hanging out, drinking beers and not even having to talk and its just a really nice scene.

I've said this before, but I will say it again. The only game that has ever made me cry is Valkyria Chronicles. About halfway through the game

Isara is shot and killed and the subsequent funeral scene with Rosie singing

Was more than I could take and a few tears were shed. Then I cried again at the happy ending. Maybe I am just a soppy old git, but somehow Valkyria Chronicles made me care about the characters like no other game has managed to make me.

 

[ScrabbitRabbit]

That old-school RPG format just doesn't do it for me. There's no voice acting and the little sprites can't emote in the slightest, so there's nothing there for me to "connect" with. The written text was too dry and clinical to make up the shortfall. No flair or imagery. The characters all felt too wooden and soulless for me to care much about them.

Sure, the writing and story was pretty good, but it was good in a "Huh, that's interesting" kind of way, as opposed to an "Oh, the humanity!" sort of way.

I found the writing to be the opposite for me. It allowed me to really picture everything very clearly and I really got a feel for how the characters were acting and reacting; I felt really connected to the game world and the only other things that have ever made me believe in world so much have been books. I can see how it could be seen as dry and clinical, though, what with it's very dungeon-master like prose and the emotional power of writing can be extremely subjective.

The characters were my favourite thing about the game, but I actually know what you mean. I have to ask a question, though: how far did you get? The characters feel kind of wooden at first but they open up more and more as the game goes on especially if you keep badgering them whenever something interesting happens For example, Dak'kon felt really shallow and 2-dimensional at first, as though his religion was his entire character... but as you go on and as you question him more about his beliefs (especially as a high int. mage) his character really fills out and he becomes not only interesting but likeable and relatable as well. Or maybe that's just me

 

[Zhukov]

[snip]

I have to ask a question, though: how far did you get?

I finished the game. I was playing as a mage with high intelligence and wisdom stats, so I'm sure I got most of the dialogue, if not all. I'm pretty thorough like that.

I found the characters fairly interesting and imaginative, I just didn't give a damn about them. Too dry.

 

[ScrabbitRabbit]

[snip]

I have to ask a question, though: how far did you get?

I finished the game. I was playing as a mage with high intelligence and wisdom stats, so I'm sure I got most of the dialogue, if not all. I'm pretty thorough like that.

I found the characters fairly interesting and imaginative, I just didn't give a damn about them. Too dry.

That's fair enough, personally I find myself caring quite a bit for them but that was never going to be the case with everyone.

Captcha is "stand by me", why does this feel appropriate?

 

[Nerexor]

There may have been some manly tears at the good ending of inFamous 2.

Actually in both endings because...

Spoiler

Killing Zeke is the saddest thing I've ever done in a game and made me feel like a truly horrible person. Even if I do think the "Become Magneto" ending might be better for humanity in the long run (clean slate, eveyone left has superpowers... kind of awesome)

And do tears of rage and frustration count? In that case: Psychonauts. Specifically, the meat circus.

So. Much. Rage.

 

[The Last Nomad]

There may have been some manly tears at the good ending of inFamous 2.

Actually in both endings because...

Spoiler

Killing Zeke is the saddest thing I've ever done in a game and made me feel like a truly horrible person. Even if I do think the "Become Magneto" ending might be better for humanity in the long run (clean slate, eveyone left has superpowers... kind of awesome)

And do tears of rage and frustration count? In that case: Psychonauts. Specifically, the meat circus.

So. Much. Rage.

I only got the game a couple weeks ago (I'm late to the party too)
But during the evil ending

Spoiler

at the bit where you have to shoot Zeke, I literally stat there for 5 solid minutes doing nothing but screaming at Zeke to stop before I shot him once as a warning before waiting another couple minutes to shoot him again

They were the most difficult shots I've ever fired in a Videogame. Every time I've played it since, I've become very angry at myself for what I'd done. I wasn't playing particularly evil though the game but after that I stopped caring and just killed anyone I could out of anger.