The most tragic main character death in a game (Spoilers)

[Mobax]

I'm probably be the only one who'd say Cole Phelps from "L.A. Noire". It was just so sudden and so fast that it added a huge weight of reality to it and yet it was so fitting to the whole story. I didn't cry but it was memorable.
Ratman's death from 'Portal 2' comic. I know, he is only a secondary character but still.

Cole's death annoyed me. Imo it was lazy writing to conclude the game.

As many people have already said, RDR's gunning down of John Marston was a tragic death, it provoked a genuine emotional response. I felt bad that he died, I was actually sad about it, and how it ends up corrupting his son too.

Also Modern Warfare, the first one,

Spoiler

when you die in the nuclear blast, that was shocking to me, especially since you crawl out of the downed helicopter, I was thinking, "Yes! I'm going to make it" And then you're dead. It's a shame they beat the 'kill the player character' horse to death in MW2 *gag*

 

[lunavixen]

I'm going to have to go with Cole MacGrath in InFAMOUS 2 (or Zeke's in the evil path), followed by Aerith in FFVII, Serah in FFXIII-2 was also saddening, especially as things were starting to look up for everyone.