Moved to tears by Ouendan

[Colonel Billy-Bob]

Just been playing that level with the dead boyfriend who's trying to reassure his girlfriend he still loves her, and I have to admit a big fat tear welled up in my eye right at the end when he appears in the mirror.

Aerith's death left me cold, but this was something else entirely - congratulations, whatever small gaming house that made this masterpiece, you've truly touched my heart tonight.

Anyone else been moved like this by Ouendan? Or indeed any other game? Apart from FFVII?

[Tig]

If the game can do this to people it must be amazing! I have to play this.

It's particularly special because, afaik, it's new emotional ground for handheld games.

*excluding that one time Fire Emblem nearly brought me to tears

[Silvergun X]

Now I was actually quite moved by the end of Zone of the Enders: Fist of Mars, on the GBA. I'm not sure if it's the bad ending, but it was the ending fighting against Ares, where after you've damaged his orbital frame, he decides that you really have grown stronger and 'independant', and sacrifices his own life to save yours.

It's one of those moments that has to be played through to be appreciated in my opinion. I played the game through to completion, and the whole atmosphere, telling of the ending and music just made me cry with a smile on my face.

[Wild_Cat]

Well, I have to say Max Payne 2 did the same to me. From Vlad's last words ("Max, dearest of all my friends... I was supposed to be the hero...") to Max's final soliloquy over Mona's dead body, the whole feeling of a bitter, pyrrhic victory, where nothing went right yet a victory nonetheless... I had a tear in my eye as the (gorgeous) ending song kicked in, marking the end of what I consider to be the most beautiful story I've seen in a videogame.

I find interesting and funny, in hindsight, that it had to be in a (very enjoyable and bullet-time powered) shooter, probably the last genre which I'd have expected to make me cry.

[importaku]

I defy anyone to watch the ending to klonoa and not cry, its so god damn sad.

Curses Namco at least give the poor bugger a happy ending for once.

[Ben-K]

I'm gonna be the predictable twat who mentions ICO.

[Geoff D]

I'm gonna be the predictable twat who mentions ICO.

In which case I shall be a predictable twat & agree with you.

[Concept]

I can't say I've ever been moved to tears by any game, but then again, I've never been moved to tears by any literature, film or theatre either. I tend to get strong shivers down my spine or my hairs standing on end instead.

As for games that can garner a slightly deeper response... ICO (3rd boring predictable twat to mention it), FFVII, Panzer Dragoon Zwei/Saga, Snake Eater (the very end specifically), Farenheit (recent I know, but there are several moments where you can genuinely sympathise and relate to the characters), Shenmue I/II (saying goodbye to everyone in Hong Kong/leaving Kowloon/reminicising with Shenhua), Silent Hill 2, Halo 2's meloncholy mood (mostly generated by the sensational score I admit) are all games which do this off the top of my head.

To be honest though, I think games can generate more of a subtle emotional response (which they often aren't given credit for) than the contrasts between either hungry destruction or touching delicacy.

Sons of Liberty features a classic 'what the ****? where am I being taken?' sensation towards the end. Manhunt too, possesses a very disturbing and compelling playground which stays with you after you've beat it, Otogi 1/2 transplant you into an etheral ghostly fantasy world that tends to seep off the screen, Majora's Mask whisks you away into a mysterious vividly-realised otherworld, Killer7 takes you into the recesses of a psychological nightmare and Jet Set Radio drops you into a brightly splashed world of hyper-built J-Pop.

I suppose what I'm trying to say is there are a vast amount of games that generate different moods and emotional responses that can be specific to themselves.

[Ben-K]

I've never noticed before, but doesn't Reggie look like Meat Loaf?

[Ish]

I've never cried at a game but I am frequently terrified by them these days. Books and horror films don't really do this to me but games can really scare the crap out of me to the point where I have to turn them off.

Best recent example would be the regenerators in Resi 4. The first time I saw one shuffling towards me with that horrible weird breathing I juist couldn't take it and it was two days (and full daylight) before I could bring myself to continue.

[Concept]

I've never cried at a game but I am frequently terrified by them these days. Books and horror films don't really do this to me but games can really scare the crap out of me to the point where I have to turn them off.

Best recent example would be the regenerators in Resi 4. The first time I saw one shuffling towards me with that horrible weird breathing I juist couldn't take it and it was two days (and full daylight) before I could bring myself to continue.

The hunters in the original version of Resident Evil did that to me. And Silent Hill got under my skin and ****ed with my head one late summer day I played it through from start to finish, even though half the playtime was in sunlight.

Like any media form, there's a huge array of spectrums games can have when it comes to stimulating people emotionally.

[Mr Fujisawa]

In which case I shall be a predictable twat & agree with you.

have to agree there too

[Wools]

Games have chocked me up before but the only one I cried over was Metal Gear Solid 3.

Once the Boss's legacy was told by Eva and Snake stood over her grave I just welled up and cried

[IanE]

Not sure if I played that Ouendan level once or twice, but I remember laughing madly when the girl was just annoyed or when he managed to break some of the cups. Ace song.

[Colonel Billy-Bob]

That's the thing about Ouendan - it's by turns moving, by turns genuinely hilarious.

And that level in particular, when it subverts the norms you've become used to over the rest of the game by making twinkling noises instead of bangs and whistles when you hit the targets, means the tenderness is truly unexpected.

In fact, I think I'm going to play it again right now.

Agreed about Resi 4, by the way. Only film that's come close to spooking me as much as that game is the excellent Wolf Creek.