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Top 10 Most Depressing Games
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Not my list!
Just trying to share N4G's opinion on the Top 10 Most Depressing games ever.
There’s some seriously over the top games out there that make you basically shoot the crap out of anything that moves, there’s some great games, some grand endings, and in the case of this list, some seriously screwed up endings. Then there’s the games that really make you want to cry. This is a list of those games that really put you on a downer at game’s end:
Please note: This list WILL contain spoilers. You have been warned.
10) Grand Theft Auto 4
For all the flak the gaming press gives this game (the ability to go on killing sprees, and get chased by the army? Just because you CAN do that, doesn’t mean the game revolves around it), they never really looked at the story to this game. Niko Bellic wanted a good life in America, to follow the American dream. However, he did not count on being suckered into a life of crime. Niko is doing things that make him dangerous to the people around him, and come game’s end, someone will die. Either his girlfriend or his cousin, Roman. What sort of life is that to have in America?
9) Haunting Ground
In this game, nothing seems to go right. For starters, you (Fiona Belli) are caught up in a car crash that kills both your parents. From almost the get go, you are chased by a large childlike person, who seems to display a form of mental inability. You find a dog being tortured, and then proceed to be chased around a castle/mansion by oddballs. As it turns out, the big bad is a clone of your father, who has passed his “azoth” to you, whereas the big bad doesn’t. As a result, he wishes to plant his seed inside you (in short, knock you up), to make him immortal. His maid is afflicted with the same problem, unable to touch or feel any sensation. It’s just Fiona and her dog against all the odds…
8 ) Star Wars: Knights Of The Old Republic 2: The Sith Lords
You are the last of the Jedi. All of your brethren have been wiped out in one fell swoop. The Sith are sweeping across the galaxy, and you have forsaken your powers. A massive explosion fells the main fuel supply for a large planetary space station, and someone is chasing you. The characters all have their dirty little secrets, some of which are devastating to that character’s persona, and the history that surrounds both them and the entire game. Towards the end, you could potentially find out how you were personally responsible for the deaths of all of your teammates. Ending on a downer, huh?
7) Shadow Of The Collossus
Never have you ever felt so alone in any game world. You go around beating the Colossi, and absorbing them. Only they don’t want to fight you. The world you walk around is very haunting, and very beautiful, and the music is non-existent! Only apart from the sound of the protagonist, you don’t hear a thing, which adds to the loneliness and solitude of this world.
6) Heavy Rain
You didn’t seriously expect a game called Heavy Rain to be all fun and sunshine did you? The plot starts out slowly, with Ethan Mars doing what loving fathers do best…up until one of his children gets hit by a car and killed. Later on, rain starts falling profusely for several days, and during one of Ethan’s blackouts, his remaining other child gets abducted, and as a result, in order to find his child again, he must go through a series of trials, including drinking poison and killing someone. Kudos to Quantic Dream for the massive reveal towards the end, which is probably one of the most distressing scenes you’ll ever see (if you’ve ever had kids).
5) Fahrenheit
The second game from Quantic Dream on this list. Boy, these guys have some serious issues. And some damn fine stories in their repertoire. This game starts on a massive downer, and doesn’t let up. The opening scene is a murder, of which Lukas Kane had no control over himself. Then just as you think things are going to get better, the game throws something else at you. Lukas’ love interest gets flung off a rollercoaster and dies, and the world is freezing to death. But that’s not all. There’s the secret government of the world to worry about as well!
4) The Darkness
There is a scene in this game where you spend 10 minutes (or longer if you wish) watching the full film To Kill a Mockingbird, amongst other films, with your girlfriend. With a romantic scene like that, you could be forgiven for thinking this would be a nice, happy family game, but then you’d be wrong. Shortly thereafter, you get to witness the love of your life being murdered by trigger-happy gangsters. Your body is possessed by the so-called Darkness, and then there’s your subsequent suicide.
3) Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns Of The Patriots
It seems everybody here has a hidden secret, or a hidden agenda. From the big realisation that Naomi is using Nano machines to suppress her cancer, to the appearance of a certain Big Boss, this is far and away the most depressing entry in the Metal Gear saga. From the start, it’s apparent that Snake is dying, and is off on one final mission before he passes from the Earth. Right when you’ve spent all that time defeating each and every one of the Beauty and the Beast bosses, Drebin then fills you in on their heart-breaking stories. Up until the end, and probably even after the end, I don’t think there’s even a happy scene in this game, whatsoever.
2) I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream
This game isn’t so much upsetting, as simply just bleak, but given the source novel it’s based on, that’s not really a surprise. A computer has taken over the Earth and killed all but 5 of the human race. One of these barely even resembles his human form, as he has been changed by the computer into a horrifying ape-like creature. The humans are tortured, and kept alive day after day until the end of time by AM, the computer. Should you become witness to the bad ending, the canonical ending from the source material, your character has killed off all the other humans and is now the only person left on Earth. AM, in all its rage, turns you into a blob with smoke for eyes, and no mouth. Hence the †˜I have no mouth and I must scream’…
1) Silent Hill 2
I’m sure the entirety of the Silent Hill series could be featured here in one aspect or another, nee even have their own category. But Silent Hill 2 can be centred upon specifically, for the bleaker range of issues the game deals with. James has been given a letter from his dead wife, which should already start alarm bells ringing. This game deals with incest, domestic abuse, bullying and eventual murder. It is later revealed that you smothered your own wife to end the pain of her terminal disease, and Pyramid Head appears, based on the town executioner, as part of James’ visions of what could be considered retribution in his own mind for his crimes. None of the endings are particularly happy either, but given the rest of the game, would you expect them to be? Arguably the happiest is the ending in which he leaves for a new life with the little girl, though as an alternative you’ve got suicide. Tough break, huh?
And there you have it. This is a list of depressing, or otherwise bleak games. We at Splinter Gamer are not trying to be funny, or impressive by bringing you this list. This is merely our decision at what we would list as the most gut-wrenchingly upsetting and disturbing games you’ll play. If we could, we’d probably add another 20-odd to the list, but these are the ones a lot of you would probably agree with us on.
I wonder if the people who make these depressing games are depressed themselves.
Just trying to share N4G's opinion on the Top 10 Most Depressing games ever.
There’s some seriously over the top games out there that make you basically shoot the crap out of anything that moves, there’s some great games, some grand endings, and in the case of this list, some seriously screwed up endings. Then there’s the games that really make you want to cry. This is a list of those games that really put you on a downer at game’s end:
Please note: This list WILL contain spoilers. You have been warned.
10) Grand Theft Auto 4
For all the flak the gaming press gives this game (the ability to go on killing sprees, and get chased by the army? Just because you CAN do that, doesn’t mean the game revolves around it), they never really looked at the story to this game. Niko Bellic wanted a good life in America, to follow the American dream. However, he did not count on being suckered into a life of crime. Niko is doing things that make him dangerous to the people around him, and come game’s end, someone will die. Either his girlfriend or his cousin, Roman. What sort of life is that to have in America?
9) Haunting Ground
In this game, nothing seems to go right. For starters, you (Fiona Belli) are caught up in a car crash that kills both your parents. From almost the get go, you are chased by a large childlike person, who seems to display a form of mental inability. You find a dog being tortured, and then proceed to be chased around a castle/mansion by oddballs. As it turns out, the big bad is a clone of your father, who has passed his “azoth” to you, whereas the big bad doesn’t. As a result, he wishes to plant his seed inside you (in short, knock you up), to make him immortal. His maid is afflicted with the same problem, unable to touch or feel any sensation. It’s just Fiona and her dog against all the odds…
8 ) Star Wars: Knights Of The Old Republic 2: The Sith Lords
You are the last of the Jedi. All of your brethren have been wiped out in one fell swoop. The Sith are sweeping across the galaxy, and you have forsaken your powers. A massive explosion fells the main fuel supply for a large planetary space station, and someone is chasing you. The characters all have their dirty little secrets, some of which are devastating to that character’s persona, and the history that surrounds both them and the entire game. Towards the end, you could potentially find out how you were personally responsible for the deaths of all of your teammates. Ending on a downer, huh?
7) Shadow Of The Collossus
Never have you ever felt so alone in any game world. You go around beating the Colossi, and absorbing them. Only they don’t want to fight you. The world you walk around is very haunting, and very beautiful, and the music is non-existent! Only apart from the sound of the protagonist, you don’t hear a thing, which adds to the loneliness and solitude of this world.
6) Heavy Rain
You didn’t seriously expect a game called Heavy Rain to be all fun and sunshine did you? The plot starts out slowly, with Ethan Mars doing what loving fathers do best…up until one of his children gets hit by a car and killed. Later on, rain starts falling profusely for several days, and during one of Ethan’s blackouts, his remaining other child gets abducted, and as a result, in order to find his child again, he must go through a series of trials, including drinking poison and killing someone. Kudos to Quantic Dream for the massive reveal towards the end, which is probably one of the most distressing scenes you’ll ever see (if you’ve ever had kids).
5) Fahrenheit
The second game from Quantic Dream on this list. Boy, these guys have some serious issues. And some damn fine stories in their repertoire. This game starts on a massive downer, and doesn’t let up. The opening scene is a murder, of which Lukas Kane had no control over himself. Then just as you think things are going to get better, the game throws something else at you. Lukas’ love interest gets flung off a rollercoaster and dies, and the world is freezing to death. But that’s not all. There’s the secret government of the world to worry about as well!
4) The Darkness
There is a scene in this game where you spend 10 minutes (or longer if you wish) watching the full film To Kill a Mockingbird, amongst other films, with your girlfriend. With a romantic scene like that, you could be forgiven for thinking this would be a nice, happy family game, but then you’d be wrong. Shortly thereafter, you get to witness the love of your life being murdered by trigger-happy gangsters. Your body is possessed by the so-called Darkness, and then there’s your subsequent suicide.
3) Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns Of The Patriots
It seems everybody here has a hidden secret, or a hidden agenda. From the big realisation that Naomi is using Nano machines to suppress her cancer, to the appearance of a certain Big Boss, this is far and away the most depressing entry in the Metal Gear saga. From the start, it’s apparent that Snake is dying, and is off on one final mission before he passes from the Earth. Right when you’ve spent all that time defeating each and every one of the Beauty and the Beast bosses, Drebin then fills you in on their heart-breaking stories. Up until the end, and probably even after the end, I don’t think there’s even a happy scene in this game, whatsoever.
2) I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream
This game isn’t so much upsetting, as simply just bleak, but given the source novel it’s based on, that’s not really a surprise. A computer has taken over the Earth and killed all but 5 of the human race. One of these barely even resembles his human form, as he has been changed by the computer into a horrifying ape-like creature. The humans are tortured, and kept alive day after day until the end of time by AM, the computer. Should you become witness to the bad ending, the canonical ending from the source material, your character has killed off all the other humans and is now the only person left on Earth. AM, in all its rage, turns you into a blob with smoke for eyes, and no mouth. Hence the †˜I have no mouth and I must scream’…
1) Silent Hill 2
I’m sure the entirety of the Silent Hill series could be featured here in one aspect or another, nee even have their own category. But Silent Hill 2 can be centred upon specifically, for the bleaker range of issues the game deals with. James has been given a letter from his dead wife, which should already start alarm bells ringing. This game deals with incest, domestic abuse, bullying and eventual murder. It is later revealed that you smothered your own wife to end the pain of her terminal disease, and Pyramid Head appears, based on the town executioner, as part of James’ visions of what could be considered retribution in his own mind for his crimes. None of the endings are particularly happy either, but given the rest of the game, would you expect them to be? Arguably the happiest is the ending in which he leaves for a new life with the little girl, though as an alternative you’ve got suicide. Tough break, huh?
And there you have it. This is a list of depressing, or otherwise bleak games. We at Splinter Gamer are not trying to be funny, or impressive by bringing you this list. This is merely our decision at what we would list as the most gut-wrenchingly upsetting and disturbing games you’ll play. If we could, we’d probably add another 20-odd to the list, but these are the ones a lot of you would probably agree with us on.
I wonder if the people who make these depressing games are depressed themselves.
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Hentanize
rebaS
Drakengard and its notorious ending. I've never played it but I can see how depressing it is.
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NIER:
A Devoted Father trying to find a cure to save her sick daughter. Later he meets a magical book, mouthy sidekick, and a Halloween character which agrees to help him on his journey. Throughout the game, you explore the world around you and the background stories between all the characters give the since of despair and how they are all bound together.
The game has 4 endings total and all playthroughs gives more detail on what the world around you is and whats the real truth behind himself, people around him, and the fate of his daughter.
A Devoted Father trying to find a cure to save her sick daughter. Later he meets a magical book, mouthy sidekick, and a Halloween character which agrees to help him on his journey. Throughout the game, you explore the world around you and the background stories between all the characters give the since of despair and how they are all bound together.
The game has 4 endings total and all playthroughs gives more detail on what the world around you is and whats the real truth behind himself, people around him, and the fate of his daughter.
Spoiler:
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Autarch_Of_Flame wrote...
3) Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns Of The PatriotsEnd of game scene at Boss' grave. NEVER FORGET!
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to be frank, i think MGS 4 isn't particulary depresing you know? Look at the bright side?? When will you see a soldier like Johny appear again in MGS saga??? He is the man!! Johny rule!! Big Boss RULE!!!
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Hentanize
rebaS
sunsigil1 wrote...
NIER:A Devoted Father trying to find a cure to save her sick daughter. Later he meets a magical book, mouthy sidekick, and a Halloween character which agrees to help him on his journey. Throughout the game, you explore the world around you and the background stories between all the characters give the since of despair and how they are all bound together.
The game has 4 endings total and all playthroughs gives more detail on what the world around you is and whats the real truth behind himself, people around him, and the fate of his daughter.
Spoiler:
This too. Drakengard and NieR are related after all.
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Because I'm only a 'casual' gamer, I haven't played much depressing games, and those that I think are depressing are what could be only amounted to 'soft' depressing.
I've got:
1) 'Bad' endings of both Bioshock games so far
2) The ending Elder Scrolls: Oblivion
3) 'Dom scene' and 'Tai scene' in Gears of War 2
4) The ending of Halo: Reach
5) The entire Splinter Cell series ended with pretty low note.
... I feel like a nub.
I've got:
1) 'Bad' endings of both Bioshock games so far
2) The ending Elder Scrolls: Oblivion
3) 'Dom scene' and 'Tai scene' in Gears of War 2
4) The ending of Halo: Reach
5) The entire Splinter Cell series ended with pretty low note.
... I feel like a nub.
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Autarch_Of_Flame wrote...
2) I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream
This game isn’t so much upsetting, as simply just bleak, but given the source novel it’s based on, that’s not really a surprise. A computer has taken over the Earth and killed all but 5 of the human race. One of these barely even resembles his human form, as he has been changed by the computer into a horrifying ape-like creature. The humans are tortured, and kept alive day after day until the end of time by AM, the computer. Should you become witness to the bad ending, the canonical ending from the source material, your character has killed off all the other humans and is now the only person left on Earth. AM, in all its rage, turns you into a blob with smoke for eyes, and no mouth. Hence the †˜I have no mouth and I must scream’…
huh, didn't know they made that into a game... I almost couldn't read the story really. As for me, the most depressing game? Not to sure, haven't seen much, as Deadspace was stressful, but not depressing
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What about Half-life 2? In that game you're pretty much fighting a one-sided fight against an alien empire that's enslaving earth. Think about it, what's left of humanity (minus the resistance) is rounded up to live in cities where their daily lives are controlled by the Civil Protection. People are given uniforms to wear rather than typical street clothes, the CP harass humans and homes are raided at the slightest hint of dissension. The town of Ravenholm is also worth mentioning. Prior to the events of the game, the town was heavily shelled with headcrabs, which ran rampant throughout the town and turned the occupants (save for Father Grigori) into zombies. On top of that, the Combine set up a suppression field that drops the birth rate to 0% and effectively ensures that the current generation of humanity is also the last.
What I just listed was only the tip of the iceberg. If you look up the Combine on the half-life wiki, you can see that they're actually a lot worse than how I've described them.
Spoiler:
What I just listed was only the tip of the iceberg. If you look up the Combine on the half-life wiki, you can see that they're actually a lot worse than how I've described them.
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I'm surprised no one has mentioned braid... i don't think i need spoilers for
THE GIRL IS AN ATOMIC BOMB!
THE GIRL IS AN ATOMIC BOMB!
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Shadow of the Colossus
Red Dead Redemption
Bioshock 1
Halo Reach
Crisis Core Final Fantasy 7
Fallout 3
Phantom Brave
The ending of Shadow of the Colossus takes the cake though
Red Dead Redemption
Bioshock 1
Halo Reach
Crisis Core Final Fantasy 7
Fallout 3
Phantom Brave
The ending of Shadow of the Colossus takes the cake though
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gardeford wrote...
I'm surprised no one has mentioned braid... i don't think i need spoilers forTHE GIRL IS AN ATOMIC BOMB!
RageGuy.jpg
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Arc the Lad 1 & 2
There are lot of depressing events in the game. Especially the ending of the first one.
There are lot of depressing events in the game. Especially the ending of the first one.
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[color=green]Vectorman[/color].
I got to the last level on the Sega Genesis and lost my last life.
I cried for a week straight.
Might not seem depressing for any of you, but I was fucking upset.
I got to the last level on the Sega Genesis and lost my last life.
I cried for a week straight.
Might not seem depressing for any of you, but I was fucking upset.
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Demons Souls
You struggle for days against one boss fight to have another boss fight again and again until the end.The atmosphere,the lack of human life and dreary music make me feel like giving up.
You struggle for days against one boss fight to have another boss fight again and again until the end.The atmosphere,the lack of human life and dreary music make me feel like giving up.
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My replies to the mentioned games:
Actually yeah, half of them are. However, a lot of the time the other half are just doing it to get cheap emotional reactions because they're hacks. I live and write by a code where no story (unless it's a crime drama or something that deals with the subject) should end sad, since, to me, stories are meant to be enjoyed and leave readers with a smile. Endings can be bitter sweet for the most part, but a truly sad ending is just unnecessary.
_As a writer you realize that every writer is metaphorically the god of their work. They can make any situation happen, thus a story ending sadly is inexcusable, especially when said story takes place in a world of supernatural powers or abilities.
It can be realistic, but it doesn't need to be depressing.
Anyone ever hear of Pariah for the Xbox? Yeah, the game ends with the main character selling out his love interest to some evil scientists, then going back to save her, only to be found out by the bad guys. So what does he do? He shoots himself to spare himself from torture and she screams and a big explosion happens and end credits.
Youtube it if you don't believe me. You'll be just as confused.
Spoiler:
I wonder if the people who make these depressing games are depressed themselves.
Actually yeah, half of them are. However, a lot of the time the other half are just doing it to get cheap emotional reactions because they're hacks. I live and write by a code where no story (unless it's a crime drama or something that deals with the subject) should end sad, since, to me, stories are meant to be enjoyed and leave readers with a smile. Endings can be bitter sweet for the most part, but a truly sad ending is just unnecessary.
_As a writer you realize that every writer is metaphorically the god of their work. They can make any situation happen, thus a story ending sadly is inexcusable, especially when said story takes place in a world of supernatural powers or abilities.
It can be realistic, but it doesn't need to be depressing.
Anyone ever hear of Pariah for the Xbox? Yeah, the game ends with the main character selling out his love interest to some evil scientists, then going back to save her, only to be found out by the bad guys. So what does he do? He shoots himself to spare himself from torture and she screams and a big explosion happens and end credits.
Youtube it if you don't believe me. You'll be just as confused.
