Most notably, when playing Outer Wilds. I was playing it during the pandemic and had lost two friends, my grandfather and my cat within the span of around 3 months. I was struggling with depression and I got to one specific spot in the game and the revelation caused me to just sit there and cry for like 10 minutes, I was so emotionally shut down at the time that the tears felt like a life preserver. I had to stop playing for a bit, but it definitely helped me process my grief.
I also cried during a couple of quests in FFXIV. The post-Shadowbringers content especially, not because it was sad, just very poignant. And again in the last area of Endwalker, where Masayoshi Soken’s incredible composition combined with some very emotional content just got to me (especially the Endwalk, jfc).
I think I cried a bit at the end of Journey just because it was a powerful experience, but I had an amazing partner in that game who stayed with me through the whole thing.
Outer Wilds got me too, for sure, and stayed in my thoughts long after I finished. The music from the slideshow at the end of the DLC still makes me well up a bit. Such an incredible game. I still think of “the universe is and we are” from one of Solanum’s logs all the time.
Haven’t been the same since I finished the game a few years ago. Andrew Prahlow dominated my Spotify playlist for two years following and now I have an emotional aversion to pulling the game open, after having played through it (and the DLC) three or six times over the course of 90+ hours gameplay.
10/10 would recommend lol
I had some friends I convinced to play through it and they just didn’t get anything out of it. Couldn’t believe it tbh
If only I could replay Journey as a new experience again. There were so many revelations at the end for someone who went in knowing nothing about it that really made it a powerful experience.
Outer Wilds’ ending was, to me, a beautiful meditation on confronting loss, the ending of things, and coming to peace with it.
Shadowbringers was along a similar theme. It was interesting emphasizing with Emet, and yet still realizing he’s wrong (“cool motive, still interdimensional genocide”). It was a combination of feeling unbearably sad for him, and yet thankful for stopping him. Also, seeing Ardbert during the camera pan in the Crystarium at the end.
Endwalker’s final walk had to have been designed in a lab to generate waterworks. What an experience.
My reaction to both The Dying Gasp and Seat of Sacrifice fights was “Can’t I feel good about winning just once?” and then speaking to Seto at the end was full on waterworks.
A few times.
Most notably, when playing Outer Wilds. I was playing it during the pandemic and had lost two friends, my grandfather and my cat within the span of around 3 months. I was struggling with depression and I got to one specific spot in the game and the revelation caused me to just sit there and cry for like 10 minutes, I was so emotionally shut down at the time that the tears felt like a life preserver. I had to stop playing for a bit, but it definitely helped me process my grief.
I also cried during a couple of quests in FFXIV. The post-Shadowbringers content especially, not because it was sad, just very poignant. And again in the last area of Endwalker, where Masayoshi Soken’s incredible composition combined with some very emotional content just got to me (especially the Endwalk, jfc).
I think I cried a bit at the end of Journey just because it was a powerful experience, but I had an amazing partner in that game who stayed with me through the whole thing.
Outer Wilds got me too, for sure, and stayed in my thoughts long after I finished. The music from the slideshow at the end of the DLC still makes me well up a bit. Such an incredible game. I still think of “the universe is and we are” from one of Solanum’s logs all the time.
Haven’t been the same since I finished the game a few years ago. Andrew Prahlow dominated my Spotify playlist for two years following and now I have an emotional aversion to pulling the game open, after having played through it (and the DLC) three or six times over the course of 90+ hours gameplay.
10/10 would recommend lol
I had some friends I convinced to play through it and they just didn’t get anything out of it. Couldn’t believe it tbh
It’s no exaggeration to say it changed my perspective about life, I still can’t hear Final Voyage without tearing up.
My sister tried playing it and didn’t get very far, but her preferences are for highly character-driven material so I think it’s just not for her.
If only I could replay Journey as a new experience again. There were so many revelations at the end for someone who went in knowing nothing about it that really made it a powerful experience.
I was just about to mention exactly these games!
Outer Wilds’ ending was, to me, a beautiful meditation on confronting loss, the ending of things, and coming to peace with it.
Shadowbringers was along a similar theme. It was interesting emphasizing with Emet, and yet still realizing he’s wrong (“cool motive, still interdimensional genocide”). It was a combination of feeling unbearably sad for him, and yet thankful for stopping him. Also, seeing Ardbert during the camera pan in the Crystarium at the end.
Endwalker’s final walk had to have been designed in a lab to generate waterworks. What an experience.
My reaction to both The Dying Gasp and Seat of Sacrifice fights was “Can’t I feel good about winning just once?” and then speaking to Seto at the end was full on waterworks.
I cried for a good thirty minutes when I beat Outer Wilds, such a wonderful and bittersweet ending.