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What's your list of video games that moved you the most?
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I think it goes without saying that many of us found this community not just because the game is a ton of fun but because the story, message, the music, the vibe, dialogue, everything about the game's presentation has a powerful emotional effect as well. I know some of you are just here for the cool platforming and that's fine. But for those of us who like talking about how this game affected us, I want to see what other games had that effect and if this game is on the list. I think for me, it's at the top. Here's my rundown of games that hit me with something emotionally profound, and while I've played a lot of video games going all the way back to the NES, it's not a long list (and yes, you will see I am kind of a Nintendo fanboy and maybe a little more diversity would have helped me come across more games that would have made this list). It's usually not why I play games and I usually don't feel much from a game's story.

  1. Celeste - This game's story redefined how I look at my own life. Particularly the value of friendships and the worth of those pictures you take with them. Also I can't hear Exhale and not get choked up. The song seems to indicate that Madeline has finally found peace in her heart and maybe someday we will too.
  2. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina Of Time - the whole game, but the layers of beautifully bittersweet in the ending had a lot to do with it.
  3. The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword - The goodbyes in the ending for this one are gut-wrenching.
  4. Super Mario Galaxy - The only Mario game I can remember with a powerful story. Rosalina's origin story in the library, just how beautiful the world is and the sacrifice the lumas make in the ending.
  5. Star Fox 64 - Fox finding his dad in that final corridor when everything around him is going up in flames is the cherry on top of a game where seemingly every musical cue finds a heartstring to tug on. Not the type of thing you expect from an intergalactic rail shooter.
  6. Crystalis - NES Game hidden treasure Zelda style RPG had wonderful storytelling and world building. If you ever played this game, you will remember the fall of the town of Shyron and how heartbreaking that was to experience, especially in the 8-bit era.
  7. Mega Man X5 - the ending is a punch in the gut and the beautifully sad music in the credits just makes it worse.
  8. Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening - Finding yourself in a moral dilemma about whether its ok that by beating the game, you are ending the existence of all the NPCs you have come to care about, it's a trip.
  9. Mega Man II - When this game came out, video games didn't really know how to tug on the heartstrings. It's not much by today's standards, but the "4 seasons" ending cutscene with the melancholy music had an effect on me that I'll never forget. The intro was larger than life and the Wily 1 theme really drove me on to feel like I was playing something bigger and more profound that I had to complete.
  10. Little Nemo - Dream Master - The ending cutscene was surprisingly emotional and profound for an NES game when I revisited it recently.

Honorable mention to the immersive music (Stickerbrush Symphony, Aquatic Ambiance, anyone?) and atmosphere of the original Donkey Kong Country games, which I might have found moving if there was any semblance of a strong story to go with it but still had some kind of effect that stuck with me. At the end of the day though, it's still just a really good game about apes trying to get their bananas back. No depth there.

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1 year ago