The Most Emotional Deaths In Gaming

The most poignant stories come with their share of tragedies, and video games are no exception. The death of game characters, however, can sometimes seem a bit more personal than other mediums. Perhaps it's the interactive nature of these titles, which unfold in a less passive manner than shows or film. 

You often spend hours with these individuals, walking in their shoes, making decisions for them, shaping how their lives play out in irrevocable ways. You stand with them when they are at their worst, rejoice when they prevail, and mourn them when they don't. Given the incredible highs of camaraderie and companionship you experience, the losses become even more painful. But would you have it any other way?

Here are some of the saddest deaths in gaming history. Tread carefully. You'll find a large amount of spoilers ahead.

Eli Vance will return to your computer screen in Half-Life: Alyx, taking the fight to the Combine side-by-side with his daughter. Because the new game is set before the events of Half-Life 2: Episode Two, fans are all too aware this might be their final chance to see him in action.

Eli was a physicist at the Black Mesa Research Facility where he worked in the Anomalous Materials lab. He was a founding member of the City 17 Resistance, and a single father who looked after Alyx after his wife, Azian, died during the events of Half-Life. He later perished at the hands of a grub-like but super-intelligent Combine creature called Advisor as he tried to keep Alyx safe. Eli was always a fan favorite, and there has long been speculation about whether he could yet be alive or be revived.

No matter how many times you replay the opening chapter of The Last Of Us, when young Sarah dies in her father's arms just minutes into the game, only the stoniest of hearts remains unmoved. Not only did The Last of Us hit players with this heart-breaking event, it also moved thousands with a stellar narrative that arguably redefined the standards for immersive, emotive gaming stories.

The premise of this post-apocalyptic survival horror title from 2013 focuses on a infection that turns humans into aggressive, cannibalistic hosts called the "Infected." While fleeing the hordes of Infected, Joel carries his injured daughter into the forest, away from the madness. They encounter a soldier, but instead of helping them, he shoots at them. Joel attempts to save Sarah, but she gets shot in the stomach and dies. What the game deserves credit for is the way the scene plays out. You can hear Sarah, but you don't see her death. Not that it makes it any easier.

Red Dead Redemption is set in the American Wild West in the early 20th century. The game tells the story of ex-outlaw John Marston who buys his family's safety in exchange for hunting down his former gang members for the Bureau of Investigation. Agent Ross of the Bureau double-crosses him after John fulfills his end of the contract, and John is cornered at his ranch. After sending his family to hide, he walks out to his final gunfight to give them time to escape — arguably one of the most heroic and tragic moments in gaming.

Though Red Dead Redemption gives you a chance to fight back, John Marston ultimately falls. It's a gory, cruel scene, for he is vastly outnumbered. Yet, even after taking multiple bullets, it's a good half a minute of so before he finally succumbs to his injuries. The cruelty of the scene is exacerbated by the camera focusing on Ross lighting a cigar as he waits for John to die.

Even though you know from Halo 5 that Cortana lives, it doesn't make her "death" in Halo 4 any less poignant. Not even when you consider that she was never really "alive" in the real sense of the word.

During the course of Halo 4, Cortana reveals she is experiencing the state of enhanced self-awareness called the "rampancy" that will eventually claim her. At the end of the game, Cortana sacrifices herself to save her companion, the human super-soldier John-117, and also the human race. Her loss, though, is much more than a machine being snuffed out, because at that point you know her as no different from a living, feeling creature. Her last words, "Welcome home, John," are a testimony to her bond with her friend, as well as her humanity.

This concept of rampancy was borrowed (albeit in a modified form) from the Marathon games, and refers to a point when an AI can over-ride its programming and begin to think for itself. You might view this is a good thing, as it makes them more human-like, but it is actually a death sentence. As per Halo's rules, any AI that survives for longer than seven years becomes rampant, and eventually dies.

This one is complicated, as the Joker is most definitely a bad guy and perpetrates all kinds of atrocities. Yet, his death is one that invariably comes to mind when you think of the saddest deaths in the history of gaming. Perhaps this is because, as antagonists go, he is definitely in a class of his own. He is one of the most iconic villains in pop culture, the perfect foil to Batman. Little wonder that he was immensely popular with fans.

The Joker's downfall comes in Batman: Arkham City during the final face-off with Batman, but it is his own actions that cause his demise. Batman has the antidote that will cure him, but, in a moment of panic, the Joker stabs Batman, making him drop the vial containing the antidote. As a horrified Joker starts to wither away, Batman tells him, "Even after everything you've done, I would have saved you."