Games That Will Make You Cry: A Gamer's Guide to Emotional Devastation

Look, I'm not ashamed to admit it – I've ugly cried at video games more times than I care to count. There's something about interactive storytelling that just hits different, you know? When you're the one making the choices, pulling the trigger, or walking away from someone you care about, it cuts deep in a way that movies and books sometimes can't match.

So grab some tissues (seriously, you'll need them) and let me walk you through the games that absolutely wrecked me emotionally. Fair warning: I'm keeping this spoiler-light, but if you're sensitive about that stuff, maybe bookmark this for later and go play these masterpieces first.

The Last of Us Series – The Gold Standard of Gaming Grief

Oh boy, where do I even start with this one? The opening twenty minutes of the first game should come with a mental health warning. I thought I was settling in for a fun zombie apocalypse romp, and instead I got emotionally sucker-punched so hard I had to pause the game and collect myself.

Joel and Ellie's relationship is gaming's greatest father-daughter dynamic, fight me on this. And don't even get me started on Part II – that game put me through an emotional blender and I'm still not fully recovered. The way it explores grief, revenge, and forgiveness? Chef's kiss and also emotional destruction.

Tissue Level: Bring the whole box

Life is Strange – Teenage Angst Meets Time Travel Tragedy

This game is sneaky. It starts off feeling like a quirky teen drama with some supernatural elements, and before you know it, you're making impossible choices that will haunt you for weeks. Max and Chloe's friendship feels so real and lived-in that when things go sideways (and oh boy, do they go sideways), it hits like a freight train.

That bathroom scene early on? Yeah, that's when I knew this game was going to mess me up. And the finale? I'm still not over those choices. Team Bae or Team Bay, we're all losers in the end because we're all crying.

Tissue Level: Keep a backup pack handy

What Remains of Edith Finch – A Masterclass in Interactive Storytelling

If you haven't played this gem, you're missing out on one of the most beautifully tragic experiences in gaming. It's basically a collection of short stories about a cursed family, and each family member's tale is told through different gameplay mechanics that perfectly match their story.

The Lewis story broke me. The baby bathtub story destroyed me. The swing story... okay, they all destroyed me. This game proves you don't need 60+ hours to create something emotionally devastating – sometimes two hours is more than enough to leave you staring at the credits in stunned silence.

Tissue Level: Just cry directly into your controller

Red Dead Redemption 2 – Cowboys and Feelings

Arthur Morgan deserved better, and I will die on this hill. What starts as a Wild West outlaw adventure slowly transforms into one of the most poignant character studies in gaming. Watching Arthur grapple with his mortality, his past choices, and his relationships with the gang members who've become family is absolutely heartbreaking.

That final horse ride with "That's the Way It Is" playing? I'm getting emotional just thinking about it. And don't even mention the "Thank you" scene if you played as a good Arthur. I'm not crying, you're crying.

Tissue Level: Yeehaw, pass the tissues

The Walking Dead (Telltale) – Clementine Will Remember That

Lee and Clementine. That's it. That's the tweet. If you know, you know, and if you don't know, go play this immediately and prepare to have your heart ripped out through your throat.

This game taught me that choice-driven narratives could be just as emotionally devastating as any other medium. Every decision feels weighty, every conversation matters, and when that final moment comes... well, let's just say I've never looked at a walkie-talkie the same way again.

Tissue Level: Industrial strength required

NieR: Automata – Existential Crisis Simulator

This game is weird, beautiful, confusing, and emotionally devastating all at once. It's like someone took philosophy class, anime, and robot feelings, threw them in a blender, and somehow created art.

Without spoiling anything, let me just say that Ending E will make you question everything about sacrifice, hope, and what it means to help others. Also, the soundtrack will make you cry even when nothing sad is happening on screen. Keiichi Okabe is a musical genius and also probably a sadist.

Tissue Level: Existential tears require premium tissues

Bioshock Infinite – Mind-Bending Heartbreak

"There's always a lighthouse. There's always a man. There's always a city." If you've beaten this game, that quote probably just gave you chills. Bioshock Infinite starts as a gorgeous sky-city adventure and ends as a mind-bending tragedy about cycles, choices, and redemption.

Elizabeth is one of gaming's best companions, and watching her journey from innocent to... well, no spoilers, but it hurts. The ending sequence is a masterpiece of interactive storytelling that'll have you staring at the screen long after the credits roll.

Tissue Level: Infinite tissues for infinite feels

Shadow of the Colossus – Beautiful, Lonely, Devastating

Sometimes the most emotional games are the ones that say nothing at all. Shadow of the Colossus is basically you, a horse, and a series of boss fights against majestic creatures that you increasingly feel terrible about killing.

Each colossus falls with such weight and sadness that you start questioning whether you're the hero or the villain. And that ending? It recontextualizes everything you've done in the most beautiful, tragic way possible. Plus, if anything happens to Agro, I riot.

Tissue Level: Silent tears are still tears

Why We Love Games That Make Us Cry

Here's the thing – we keep coming back to these emotional gut-punches because they remind us that games can be art. They can make us feel things, question things, and connect with characters in ways that are uniquely interactive. When a game makes you cry, it's proof that the medium has transcended mere entertainment and become something more meaningful.

Plus, there's something cathartic about having a good cry over fictional characters. It's like emotional exercise – it hurts while you're doing it, but you feel better afterward.

Your Turn to Suffer (I Mean, Play)

So there you have it – my personal list of games that turned me into an emotional wreck. If you've played any of these, you know exactly what I'm talking about. If you haven't, well, you know what your next gaming sessions are going to look like.

Got any games that made you cry that I missed? Drop them in the comments – I'm always looking for new ways to emotionally devastate myself through interactive media. Because apparently, I'm a glutton for punishment.

Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go hug my controller and maybe replay some of these just to feel something again.

Happy gaming (and crying)!

P.S. – Seriously though, keep tissues nearby when playing any of these. You've been warned.