5 most heartbreaking deaths in video games

The death of a character is a tough moment that many gamers experience while playing their favorite video games. Some of these shocking events are essential to the plot, while others appeal to excessive sentimentality. Beyond how these deaths fit into the story, some are heartbreaking, causing numerous tears. In this article, we will talk about some of these sad moments, especially the most horrible ones. From the least expected deaths to the ones that trigger a character's attitude, one of these surely brought a tear to your eye.

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Most heartbreaking deaths in video games

1) Sarah Miller - The Last of Us

Sarah Miller's death is heartbreaking (Image via Sony)

A 12-year-old girl dying in the first moments of a zombie apocalypse is unexpected. However, this event triggers a radical change in the personality, interests, and principles of Joel Miller, the protagonist of The Last of Us.

The little girl is the first playable character in the video game until her fateful end. The Miller brothers try to escape with her from the crisis that arises after the first alarms about the infection. Shortly after that, they encounter several obstacles and are chased by one of the people infected by the virus, which is part of this story.

A soldier saves them, only to discover a wound on Sarah's foot and believe she is infected. Upon realizing this, Joel tries to escape with the little girl. Unfortunately, he is hit by a bullet, while another shot hits the girl's abdomen. Finally, Sarah dies tragically in her father's arms, ending the first story arc and beginning one of the most successful video games in history.

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2. Lee Everett - The Walking Dead

Lee Everett's death affects his daughter (Image via Telltale)

In The Walking Dead video game, this character's death affects Clementine, his adopted daughter. In this touching situation, the little girl will have to decide whether or not to end Lee Everett's life after he is allegedly infected with the zombie virus.

Likewise, in this arc, the little girl will face the difficult decision of ending her mentor's suffering. Either leave him locked up and chained to his fate or give him the coup de grace and prevent him from becoming a monster.

This dilemma will keep the player in suspense throughout the game, as they will have to make this emotional decision through the avatar of the very young girl. After this trance, Clementine will take on a more significant role.

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3. Arthur Morgan - Red Dead Redemption 2

Arthur Morgan's death is touching in video games (Image via Rockstar Games)

Arthur Morgan's life will undoubtedly be turned upside down in the second part of Red Dead Redemption game. Afflicted with tuberculosis, the game's developer went so far as to include up to three deaths for the character.

His alternate endings include a gunshot to the head, a severe stabbing, or a beating that aggravates the delicate health of his lungs. However, before dying in any of these ways, Arthur faces a redemption arc in which he saves the life of his brother John.

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4. Aerith Gainsborough - Final Fantasy VII

Final Fantasy video games have a lot of memorable characters (Image via Square Enix)

The death of this Final Fantasy VII character is considered by many to be unprecedented in video games history. Aerith is a Cetra, the first race to inhabit the planet of the saga, and a member of the Avalanche gang with several mechanics available.

Her tragic loss comes when Sephiroth stabs and pierces her with his Masamune. This poignant event is followed by Cloud's vigil and care of the young woman's body. No matter how many times you have played this game, tears will eventually flow at this point.

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5. María- Gears of War

When Dom finds his wife, her unexpected death happens (Image via Epic)

This death is simply heartbreaking. After a long time of trying to save his wife, Dom, the protagonist of Gears of War, manages to find her. Maria has been in the hands of the Locust, subjected to horrific tortures that have left her disfigured and crippled.

In an act of mercy and heartbreak, Dom ends his beloved's suffering. How he holds his wife's lifeless body is one of the most overwhelming scenes that will remain etched in the players' retinas forever.

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This was our list of heartbreaking deaths in video games. You can see our article about RPGs with bizarre storylines if you want to read more listicles.