Just for the heads up, this thread will probably have a lot of spoilers. I’m gonna try to go vague on spoilers for anybody that hasn’t played Hotline Miami 2. If you’ve played the game, you’ll probably know what I mean, but I’m going to say some purposefully esoteric shit to keep it out of full spoiler territory.
My pick has to be Richter’s plotline from Hotline Miami 2. One part that makes me cry is when Richard, arguably a god of death, helps Richter escape from his previous entanglement. In these games, Richard doesn’t show up to help. He shows up when someone did some fucked up shit. Richard consistently shows up to help Richter though. He just tells him “run” in that moment and you feel the fucking urgency to get out like nothing else. One of the harder levels I’ve ever played, but holy shit I wanted Richter OUT. I was so frustrated with the game but I just would not stop until Richter had escaped.
Hotline Miami is a series of bad endings, but there are 2 happy conclusions in the sequel, both are direct consequences of Richter and his love for his mother. His ending isn’t even THAT happy. But there’s something about his final conversation with Richard that just made me fucking bawl the every time I played. Richter’s indifference to what Richard is saying. He barely got any time to enjoy what he had been fighting for for years. But when he knew it was over, he was comfortable because he was just vibing with his mom in Hawaii like they had always wanted. He was just happy that he got to spend his last days with the person he loved the most.
His love for his mother can even give Evan, the writer, a happy ending where he picks up the letter instead of the pen. Richter’s plotline manages to poignantly deliver the point of Hotline Miami 2 in one short and digestible bit. Love the people you hold close. Wanting violence only brings violence. The only way forward to true peace is accepting whatever terrible situations you’re in and just going forward.
I could rant about this forever. It was just such an amazing part of the game. What are your favorite emotional moments from games?
The beginning of The Last of Us.
The end of Final Fantasy X.
The entirety of disc 3 of Final Fantasy VIII.
The entire hour-or-so-long finale sequence of Tears of the Kingdom is ASTOUNDINGLY good. It hits ALL emotions: fear, joy, suspense, sorrow, elation. Also, the Dragon Tears Quest throughout the regular game.
The Dream No More ending of Hollow Knight. I felt that in my soul. Largely due to the musical score.
The ending of Outer Wilds made me feel an emotion I really had trouble describing. Bittersweet, maybe? Mixed with awe? Same for the DLC ending, but with a distinctly more sorrowful vibe.
Subnautica had me literally drop my jaw, with the Sunbeam questline, midway-through the game.
Plus more that have already been mentioned.
Rosalina’s story in Super Mario Galaxy.
I haven’t played the second version, so idk if it’s there.
Not me, but my little sister was bawling at the end of Undertale.
For me, it’s maybe beating Sword Saint Isshin. I think I almost cried in relief, since I’d been hitting my head against that wall for like a week.
I also liked the Dragon Age Inquisition endings, the one DLC with the Qunari and the palace and going threw Elven ruins shattered through space. The song on the mountains when you find the new headquarters was cool too.
Walking into Erana’s Peace for the first time in Quest for Glory 1 (1989). For a more recent example, walking or driving into safety with a massive load in Death Stranding, as well as most of the rest of the game.
