10 Games With The Saddest Endings

Sometimes, sacrifices have to be made for the greater good, no matter how hard they are. In Life Is Strange’s deeply enthralling narrative, you have to make choices that impact Max and her best friend Chloe. As the game progresses, you get familiar with the bond between the two friends and how they tackle the impending doom about to hit Arcadia Bay. It’s a classic coming-of-age story that emphasizes the strength of friendships.

With only two goals in mind, to protect Chloe and save Arcadia Bay from the upcoming disaster, Max does whatever she can with her otherworldly powers. But, even then, her priority is to save her one and only best friend.

Of course, the game is mentioned on this list, so you know things don’t turn out so jolly. In the end, you have to make the ultimate choice between saving your friend or your hometown. Whatever you choose, it’s sure to be heavy on your heart.

Related: 13 Best Games Like Life Is Strange For Story Rich Adventures

4. Brother: A Tale Of Two Sons

Brother: A Tale of Two Sons is a unique puzzle game that follows the story of two brothers on an adventure to find a cure for their father’s sickness. The gameplay isn’t that complex, as you mostly solve puzzles. On the surface, it looks like a wholesome game that showcases brotherly love. You will find yourself rooting for both brothers as they overcome massive hurdles just to cure their father. All of this is set in a fantasy medieval world inspired by the Lord of the Rings.

Sure, the game has its grim moments, but the last thing you would expect is the emotional gut punch at the end. The older brother dies, and that too in a gruesome way, leaving the younger brother alone to complete the adventure they set out on. The epilogue drives the dagger deeper as you see the younger brother paying respects at his brother’s grave.

3. Red Dead Redemption 2

Red Dead Redemption 2 is by far one of the best open-world games to ever exist. Gameplay aside, a good portion of the credit goes to the brilliantly written character Arthur Morgan.

To put it simply, Arthur’s redemption story will always remain one of the best protagonist stories of all time. From blindly following orders and performing immoral acts to understanding the concept of mortality and trying to redeem himself, he goes through it all. So, when you see him sacrifice himself for John, a close friend and brother, you understand the depth of Arthur’s character.

Are you going to shed tears as Arthur stares into the sunrise? Well, that depends on you, but one thing is for sure: RDR2‘s ending will hit your heart like no other.

2. The Last of Us Part 1

The Last of Us is a tragic tale of sacrifice and survival. It follows the story of Joel, who is tasked with escorting Ellie across a zombie-filled America. The twist here is that Ellie is immune to the virus and could help engineer a vaccine.

Along the way, the bond between Ellie and Joel deepens as they face not only zombies but also humans, who are sometimes worse than the zombies. Being someone who has lost a daughter, Joel is given a chance to be a parent again. And you see this father-daughter bond forming as the game plays out.

This bond also explains the ending and why Joel decided to choose Ellie over humanity. As someone who has gone through the pain of losing a child, Joel couldn’t bring himself to go through it again, choosing to be a father rather than a hero. It’s a sad and complex conclusion.

1. Walking Dead: Season One

The Walking Dead is one hell of a rollercoaster. It’s an episodic and emotionally layered adventure of Lee Everett (an ex-criminal) and Clementine (a young girl).

Lee becomes a guiding light to Clementine and helps her to survive a world infested with the undead. It’s the beautiful father-daughter relationship that sprouts between Lee and Clementine that makes Walking Dead such an enthralling experience. Lee is somehow given a chance for redemption, leaving his criminal past and protecting this young kid who’s lost her family in a world full of monsters, undead, and humans alike.

It’s also why the ending feels like a stab in your heart, watching Lee ask Clementine, who has lost her family once, to lose it again, and this time, by her hands. The entire sequence of Lee asking Clementine to end his life is painful to watch. Even while dying, Lee’s first priority was to protect Clementine.

And those are the 10 games with the saddest endings.