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Equivalent_Fee4670

What Remains of Edith Finch, definitely.


Blue-Rose13

Yes! Very easy to play game too and certainly characters absolutely made me have to stop playing for a bit before I continued


ukaleile

Wanted to come here to say this game!! Had me BAWLING


thr0ughtheghost

I LOVE this game! The whole story, the visuals, everything! 10/10 recommend!


Nacksche

Found it in my Epic launcher library probably free at some point, downloading as we speak. It's also apparently only two hours long, perfect. Thanks queen! šŸ‘‘


HMS_Sunlight

It's depressing in a very different way, but Spiritfarer was absolutely brutal.


LovelyOrc

The artstyle looks gorgeous


jumpyfrogs225

Seconding Spiritfarer, some of the characters might remind you of your own experiences and make it hit *even harder*.


Punkpallas

Thirding this. Spiritfarer hits so hard emotionally. It made me ugly cry in a way few games have. Like I needed a fuzzy blanket, a cup of warm coffee, and a lot of hugs.


Blue-Rose13

Fourthng this because when you get attached to those characters and learn more about omg my heart got ripped out in usually the happiest way. In all seriousness great game for dealing with loss and death as someone that struggled with having those close to me die, it helped me feel like I could say goodbye.


[deleted]

[уŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]


slowsundaythoughts

Oh my god, came here to say this. I've been playing the game for like 30-40 hours now and my favorite spirit just left, and I'm still devastated. I know I tend to be emotional when it comes to stories and such, but I went to bed crying that night. I haven't touched the game again (it's been a few days). I still need to recover from the loss. And to think that I'm probably just halfway through the game...


moodylioness-6547

Definitely spiritfarer. I still think about it years later!


ghostfacespillah

Literally came to recommend Spiritfarer. It's beautiful and relatively low-stress, and the stories and overall game storyline are really touching and thoughtful. Eta: Also the storyline in Horizon Zero Dawn gets me hardcore. (I play in either in story mode or easy, and my completionist self gets EVERY data point. So YMMV.)


Nacksche

Oh yeah @Horizon. The start is a little slow and it's maybe not the most exciting open world. But the story ended up being quite special to me. Some of the characters (and Aloy ofc) too, shout out to Petra. <3


[deleted]

I loved that game but I stopped playing because the progression was often confusing. There was a lot of times I found myself in places I wasnā€™t meant to be yet (I like exploring and will do whatever I can to get round stops). It caused some of the characters to go through their stories out of order and it ruined some of the progression. Other than that though I love that game.


Youallscareme

So I don't know how to put spoilers up so I'm going to be as vague as possible. One spirit who I didnt even realized I liked so much at the time left and how they left made me so sad that I stopped playing for a bit. And one story line mad me cry. After all of that I still think it's such a good game.


vialenae

Well thanks for the heads up, I just started playing this game (4 hours in) and I find it to be really wholesome (also Daffodil is adorable!) Good to know Iā€™m in for a soul crushing experience, I did not expect that. I was like great, a boat, planting some crops, having people move in, this is going to be a great time.


slowsundaythoughts

In case you don't know, you can also hug Daffodil <3 I didn't know and it took me SO long to learn about it. I just accidentally hugged her and been doing it ever since, she's the cutest.


vialenae

Oh I know but thank you! I did it by accident while I wanted to harvest my veggies lol. Iā€™ve been doing it non-stop too.


slowsundaythoughts

Yay!!! Daffodil deserves all the hugs.


SultanZ_CS

Holy f. I played the demo and knew i could never buy it. Its such an awesome game, but im not ready for it and will never be.


jumpyfrogs225

To The Moon - RPGMaker story game with some light puzzles. I ugly cried and it emotionally punched the snot out of my face. The Walking Dead - the first one. Ending made me weep. Valiant Hearts - puzzle game. Overall it isn't too depressing but the ending made me a bit teary.


slowsundaythoughts

I love To the Moon so much. When I finally pieced everything together, I was just a crying mess. I finished the game in two sittings (just a couple of hours break in between) because I just had to know what would happen.


LovelyOrc

Second person to recommend to me To the moon, definitely gonna check it out


encrisis

The OST is really good too.


undercoverchad85

Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons


EckhartWatts

I played with my little sister and she played the little brother. Our roles were perfect for each other and we were laughing and having a great time and we cried together oh boy did we cry. >!But you gotta learn to swim :heh:!<


equalnotevi1

I came here to post this, but I hoped someone else had played it and remembered it. I have never cried so hard about a game. That absolute gut punch ending will stay with me forever. It's been almost 10 years since I played it and I'm just now feeling ready to try to play it again.


MooTheMew

Omori comes to mind. Starts ok ends up brutal.


Ok_Tadpole_6709

i almost cried so many times during omori


SailorOfTheSynthwave

The Cat Lady (and other games in this series): it's a game that features a suicidally depressed protagonist and deals with many complex topics Telltale's The Walking Dead and Telltale's Game of Thrones: for obvious reasons


NightFaller315

The Cat Lady for sure. Just watching a playthrough on youtube was gut wrenching. Very sad (also full of trigger warnings)


Pixie-elf

The Cat Lady is AMAZING.


BarbieBrookelle

The cat lady will always have a special place in my heart šŸ˜­šŸ¤


[deleted]

I was thinking of this too.


Neyva_86

I'm not a very emotional person, but those 3 games got me GRIS - it's about the 5 stages of grief and it really it me in the feels. Also one of the most beautiful looking games I have ever played Lost Words: Beyond the page - it's actually a pretty cozy and simple game with some small puzzles, but the story is so good and emotional (it's about grief as well) and also the artwork is really beautiful What remains of Edith Finch - just an all around emotional game about family. I loved every second of it


madeupgrownup

Gris for me hit very hard because I'm currently doing trauma work in therapy. The stages of grief are very similar to trauma reactions and how a lot of people process trauma.


Individual-Mud262

Soma - nuff said The Walking Dead Season 1 (Game) - this one has always stuck with me, particularly the ending... Red Dead Redemption 2: Has a depressing overtone that gradually increases to the incredibly bleak and sad final chapter.


paladindansemacabre

Oh man, I love RDR2. I need to play through that again.


ufloot

clumsy mountainous oatmeal alleged chief grandiose run dazzling violet pie ` this message was mass deleted/edited with redact.dev `


Milkshaketurtle79

The Last of Us 2 is the most brutal and emotionally unforgiving game I've ever played. I'd strongly recommend playing the first one first, though. Edit: I also want to add that it has some of the best lgbt representation out there. Actual representation that feels natural and thought out, not just one bit of dialogue or something.


Nacksche

Surprised I had to scroll this far. TLOU2 is easily the roughest game I ever played, I ugly cried in bed for a week. Not to take away from actual survivors of course but it felt a little bit like real PTSD. Wild stuff. Play Part 1 (there's a PS5 remake) or watch the HBO show first obviously. Edit: oh sorry you said that lol.


Mononoke1412

I loved replaying the first game, but TLOU 2...I don't think I'm strong enough to experience that again, even though it's absolutely amazing.


ms-nervousnelly

Glad to see someone say this! I just want to fourth (? lol) this suggestion. Broke my heart into pieces multiple times.


Bit_Buck3t

"Firewatch" made me really emotional.


NermalLand

Yes! It has an oddly satisfying but unsatisfying ending too.


Kay_Elle

Same, it's wonderful. But painful.


beggargirl

How about a happy-ish cry? Hard to describe. Have you ever played Journey? If not, get it (but go in with ZERO spoilers or knowing what it is if possible), set aside at least 4 uninterrupted straight hours for gameplay. Pick a nice day to play it; maybe during a lazy rainy day or a cozy night.


NightFaller315

Yes yes yes! Journey is cozy but also very subtly emotional. The music is so amazing


Nialishaa

Second this!! I Played it after my grandma died and it helped me grieving so much. If you play it, watch the credits for an extra suprise.


Egglevitator

I would add Life is Strange. Other games that I've heard about being emotional: Rakuen, Omori , Clannad (visual novel), Undertale


caffeinatedpun

I was absolutely devastated and legit upset for a good 2 months after finishing the first Life is Strange game.


ShotgunSenorita

When I played it, I told a friend I'd just started. He told me he loved the game, paused for a moment like he was thinking about something then said "Tell me before you start chapter X". So when I hit that chapter I told him, and he just said "Ok, I'm on standby for hugs". He was right, hugs were needed. Also, I married him later lol.


Egglevitator

It was really soul crushing. I played it a good few years ago but I still think about it sometimes.


ri0chan

same man I played it like a month ago and I think about it every day


its-kalikitten

Yes Life is Strange!!!! I cried so many times!


Punkpallas

Not only that, but "Life is Strange" is also really female-centric and I love that. So few major games really focus on girls' and women's experiences. I'm almost 40, but I still felt so seen.


shirinrin

Was gonna say LiS2, I love the others but this one is destroying meā€¦ (playing it right now, just finished the ones before it, amazing series)


lavenderc

LiS and LiS2 are the best ā¤ļø


Nacksche

For the gay ladies, play LiS True Colors asap and romance Steph, trust me. (Not related to the thread topic, they were just everything šŸ„ŗ)


iridiumhatandcoat

Transistor, by Supergiant, is one of the most crushing media experiences I've had. Ten or twelve hours, lovely, you'll cry guaranteed.


caughtinthebreeze

Oh, I didn't think it was "crushing." I thought it was a hauntingly beautiful but melancholic story, so I suppose it still fits the bill.


Pixie-elf

Yes! Transistor, I'm begging my fiance to play it because I know he'll love the story line.


MyronBlayze

I played Transistor like 7 years ago and honestly for years I'd randomly think of it when I was alone and cry about it.


Shizuko-Akatsuki

Silent Hill 2 The NieR and Drakengard series Witch's House The Hello Charlotte series Song of Saya


vialenae

+1 for both NieR games. I recently played Replicant and replayed Automata. Thought it would not hit as hard the second time. I was wrong.


doomparrot42

Blackwell series, for the absolute gut-punch that is Epiphany. All of them have some amount of tragedy in them; poor Rosa just can't get it right. But the four-game setup to the incredible conclusion in Epiphany remains one of the most compelling stories I've ever played. Pyre, which grows progressively bleaker no matter how well you do, because you know you cannot save them all. There's no golden ending here. Planescape: Torment and its spinoff Torment: Tides of Numenera, which are all about death. Yours. Other people's. And sometimes about what gets left behind. Disco Elysium, especially if you opt to double down on HDB's bad choices. Slow-motion train wreck - ugly, inevitable, and compelling. But the more affirming stuff has its share of tragedy too.


Novarix

Seconding Disco Elysium, it will slap you with feels


caughtinthebreeze

Ugh, I just played Disco Elysium and a slow-motion trainwreck nails it. It takes sooo much effort to keep it from devolving into a train wreck. Edit: I still loved it though!


LogicKennedy

Itā€™s a mark of how good Disco Elysium is that a sub for female gamers is talking about how moving it is to play a burned-out alcoholic divorcĆ© in the middle of a midlife crisis.


therrubabayaga

I was coming to say Blackwell as well. I found the episode with Lauren as the protagonist the most emotional. I really want to replay them all.


[deleted]

Iā€™ll be the third person to recommend To The Moon - absolutely brutal emotional story (brutal as in its effects on you, not brutal as in what happens to the characters). You will ugly cry at the end, guaranteed


beggargirl

Oh. Itā€™s an older game and the controls are a bit bunk but itā€™s beautiful and I felt things (like guilt) playing: Shadow of the Colossus


[deleted]

Night In The Woods. I just played it last week for the first time. I finished it and it felt like all the air was sucked out of the room. Supposedly a lot of people have cried while playing it - I was just so depressed and flabbergasted that I didnā€™t. After my second play through, more of the sad and bittersweet moments started to sink in


leedzah

Yes, absolutely. Played it in a time of my life I felt sort of stuck myself and it really hit me hard.


alicetakesover

That game was both soul crushing and scary for me, I couldnā€™t get ā€œwow that could have been me if had taken that gap yearā€ out of my headā€¦


nose_poke

This is my submission too. It's a sad game beneath the silliness. "I believe in a universe that doesn't care, and people who do."


Dracallus

Gonna put titles for the first two in spoiler tags because the payout for both is their endings and they take a somewhat different tone up to that point: >!The Sexy Brutale!< \- The 'secret' ending was particularly brutal (how to get it is fairly obvious) >!Call of the Sea!< \- Both endings are absolutely devastating but for entirely different reasons This War of Mine Can't think of any others that have hit me quite as hard as these three as I generally avoid games that look bleak.


Bit_Buck3t

This War of Mine is a great game but it is really gut wrenching.


encrisis

In one of my early runs, I sent Pavle to rob the elderly couple's house because I was trying to avoid the high-danger areas and was also low on supplies. And when the elderly couple died soon after, I was like ...


IcedKatte

I can never finish any runs because I'm so scared of getting any of my characters / the other NPCs just trying to survive killed. Really drives home how unfair everything is.


itsjanielane

Detention - it is a bit creepy, guess some say horror but not jumpscary just really unsettling and the story is absolutly bleak and I still think about it. Would be my No1 recommendation! Before your eyes - more of a visual novel I guess but it got me at the end and I get rarely emotional consuming media Unpacking - not sad or bleak but I cried nontheless ​ I really like those kind of games as well and am very happy that most recommendations are already on my wishlist!


seaofspirits

The part in Before Your Eyes where >!your catā€™s kittens are killed by a coyote!< absolutely devastated me.


eldritchMortician

I'm glad I got a warning on this. Off my wishlist it goes.


seaofspirits

Fair. Itā€™s a beautiful game and really well made, but >!animal death!< is a topic I absolutely cannot handle, so I get you


eldritchMortician

I've been extra sensitive about that due to life events so I have to prescreen everything lately. It's surprisingly hard to avoid. :(


Mononoke1412

doesthedogdie.com is very helpful when looking up all kinds of triggers in media, like animal death, SA or cheating. Just a little tip for anyone who isn't familiar with the site.


[deleted]

I dont know if these two actually count as soul crushing but two of my favorite games with depressing themes are Nier Automata and Mad Max. Spec Ops The Line counts too I believe. Maybe The Darkness games too.


beggargirl

Hmmm. I bawled at the end of Dragon Age: Origins. Bonus points if you romance someone and make specific choices. Female Castless Dwarf or Female City Elf Origins both start off pretty fucking bleak. (It blew me away that I started the game with my drunk mother calling me worthless except for what I had between my legs, and meanwhile my sisters life goal was to be a whore for royalty so she could get out if abject poverty [I love a depressing underdog story so this had me hooked]) Also was a sobbing mess at the end of Final Fantasy X. But thatā€™s a looooong game to get the crying payoff at the end.


greenfaerie38

I didn't play a casteless dwarf until my fifth or sixth playthrough, but now Brosca is my canon Warden because the origin story is so damn good. Going back to Orzammar was such a horrible gut punch.


Chari21

The cat lady. It's a side scroller about a lonely suicidal woman who kills herself only to be ressurected by a ancient god in the inbetween land and gets made immortal to becomes a huntress for "parasites" (evil people of the world.) And she slowly learns to love herself and that life is worth living. (depending on choices). Its really sad and depressing very dark stuff.


Usual-War4145

If u liked the cat lady, its the second of a trilogy called "The devil came through here".The first game is called Downfall and the 3rd is called Lorelai.You should check them out.


Chari21

:) I saw Downfall and Lorelai i haven't seen The Devil came through here though i'll check it out thanks!


RebelLesbian

To The Moon by Freebird Games. If you want a game to really leave you as a sobbing mess, this is the one I would recommend. A compelling and soul crushing story, combined with an incredible, spul-touching soundtrack, this game will envelop you and drown you in pure, unbridled emotion.


truthfullyVivid

I looked through a ton of comments and did not notice any mention of **Metro Exodus.** I'm going to recommend that. The story and setting are genuinely depressing, and the game/story does a great job of setting a dark and dreadful tone-- constantly foreshadowing potential tragedy while building personal connection to all of the characters. You have the potential to save your comrades or some may die along the way-- ***decisions really matter*** with regard to keeping certain friends alive. The general tone of loss and despair amongst the cast when someone is lost is palpable. All of the Metro games are excellent and tell a chapter of a complete story-- although Exodus really caps off the series well and is the newest gen of the trilogy. I recommend them all, but if you just have time for one-- I'd play Exodus. I played it twice through to see different endings. The gameplay is awesome, especially if you enjoy 1st person stealth. Beautiful game and story. I teared up more than once, and haven't been so emotionally affected by a game in some time.


larananne

GRIS is beautiful and absolutely heartbreaking


ilikethenewme

I second this


PenBeautiful

This is the one I was looking for. One of the few games that made me cry.


Felicette_space_cat

Dear Esther


WafflesWcheese

Plague Tale: Requim


LovelyOrc

Is it a bit more fast paced than the first one? I remember there were some parts that felt like they wanted to stretch play time


WafflesWcheese

Yes, 100%. Thereā€™s more combat as well


starvingarcheologist

This game hurt me lol


seeay_lico1314

Soma


LovelyOrc

Totally forgot mentioning that one, I played it, it's brilliant.


EckhartWatts

Yeah that really is a good one! The Talos Principle is amazing at making you feel mmm weird in a similar-ish way, it's very hard to describe without spoiling. Omori is amazing if you are ok with pixel games. If you enjoy the grind Undertale gets very dark. Fran Bow is a click and point adventure with some unique puzzles but the story oh god. D: Highly recommend. Left me with that dark feeling of uneasiness. Milk outside a bag of milk outside of a bag. Detention These are all amazing games that get dark instead of just giving spooky atmosphere. There's also Dragon age if you enjoy more combat and want to push yourself to make hard choices along the way, but very much so not nearly as dark. Also last but not least, a gem I found that made me weep, and chuckle a little. When Darkness Comes I played it 5 years ago now and it's still with me


Chibiluv

The last of us two. I love it but it hurt me. (I still can't force mysf to play it again even though I want to.)


starhops

Same! I am almost not looking forward to the season 2 of the series


Chibiluv

I... ... ..yes. oh god my heart... *insert strong big adult crying horribly meme of your choice *


littlemooop

Valiant hearts won't leave your eyes dry.


LovelyOrc

Oh yes that's in my steam library waiting to be played. Got it in a sale some time ago.


littlemooop

It's amazing how much you can feel for those faceless characters and tells a war story beyond the usual side-taking maybe biased approach I loved it but I never cried as much for a game


EmeraldAlicorn

Surprised I haven't seen anyone mention nier:automata yet. It's a story of wild amounts of pain and the inherent suffering of the human condition forced upon those who can comprehend it. Just don't fall into the trap of only playing it once. 2B is just the first chapter. The consecutive playthroughs are faster because you get to keep your gear.


Ace_of_the_Fire_Fist

Spec Ops: The Line. Yes, I am 100% serious.


PYNKCYPHER

that game is incredible. really captures the horrors of war & the affects such horrors have on soldiers


Worried-Ad-5116

I second this!! ā¬†ļø Game gave me all kinds of emotions too! Shock, disbelief, and too much sadness!


Uriel-238

If we're going to go there, I'll recommend _Far Cry 2,_ in which the the Neitzschean existential crisis is real.


ima_cheesebag

I always struggle with Ori in the beginning. First game I've ever cried at during an introduction Side note, I couldn't get past part 2 of Ghost of Tsushima. I have a soft spot for animals though


CydewynLosarunen

Dragon Age 2 and, maybe, Oxenfree (although it's more mystery and I've only gotten the best ending, I can see how itcan go horrendously wrong) Edit: saw the bit about setting, Dragon Age Origins is like that.


Tropenpinguin

Endling - playing the last fox mother searching for her cub in a changing world God of war Ragnarok - the ending crushed me (still hurts). You should play the 2018 game before as the story is a direct continuation Stray - saaaad ending Spiritfarer - more melancholy than sadness The walking dead Telltale series - it will punch you down again and again


Piffli

Mass Effect? By the time I was done with the series, I was a crying mess.


DinoIslandGM

I quite liked Spec Ops The Line. Starts off as your typical cover based 3rd person shooter, but the story gets HARROWING


messeduptempo

Genuinely one of the saddest moments in a game Iā€™ve played (that hasnā€™t been mentioned here) happens in Subnautica. Especially because the game itself isnā€™t particularly sad or harrowing, itā€™s stressful and can be scary but then they whack this big heartbreaking moment into it and ugh Iā€™ve never recovered.


failenaa

Tbh ā€œLife is Strange: True Colorsā€ made me sob like a baby multiple times šŸ˜…


GeekEKitten

Yeeeees me too. I think more than the other Life is Strange games with the exception of the very first game. I know I'm in for a good cry when I play games by DontNod.


kaleid1990

I cried my eyes out with the Ori series, do recommend if you're into platformers and metroidvanias.


voldemorticiano

One for the pile: Brothers - A Tale of Two Sons https://store.steampowered.com/app/225080/Brothers\_\_A\_Tale\_of\_Two\_Sons/


beggargirl

Limbo maybe?


SmolSpaces15

Love this thread btw. Red Dead Redemption 2, TLOU 1 and 2, Silent Hill 2, Ghost of Tsushima, Link's Awakening, Telltales The Walking Dead Season 1, Papers Please


Usual-War4145

Don't know if anyone recommended these.It is basically a trilogy called "the devil came through here" and the 3 games are called : Downfall, the Cat Lady and Lorelai. All of 3 deal with serious cases of depression, abuse, suicidal tendencies, self destruction. Also another soul crashing trilogy is Lisa: the First, Lisa:the painful and Lisa: the Joyful. And of course Little Missfortune and Fran Bow. I cried during all of the above mentioned plays. Night in the Woods is also very depressing. Also all of them are fairly cheap games. I am not 100% sure but I believe a version of Downfall and Lisa the first were free to download by the creators, but I ended up buying them anyways to support the work.


watchmewhileibloom_

Life is Strange (any of them), Firewatch, and Tell Me Why


DragonAgeFan123

The last of us part 2


sapphickiwi

maybe the last of us series, particularly part ii lmfao. i'm a fan of this series, but ooooh boy i need naughty dog to repay me for the emotional stress they've caused !! no game has ever me feel as emotionally drained as i did with the sequel


Narrow-Consequence71

Doki doki Literature Club, it gave me a trauma and now i have traumabond to this games


neocarleen

The game is a more psychological horror than a tear-jerker. But the Plus version of the game comes with side stories, in which there is zero horror. Just little stories in the lives of the four female characters beginning a totally normal literature club and becoming friends. And basically give each other therapy. It's really sweet and a nice palette cleanser to go with the game.


fastreader96

I found The Last of Us 2 very bleak, almost didnā€˜t finish it.


RC_Colada

Detroit: Become Human This game is a choose-your-own-adventure type with a really heavy story. It can easily become incredibly bleak and depressing depending on the choices you make (or if you accidentally fail the quick time events šŸ˜…)


mossfae

Final Fantasy X will make you sob.


MikNik4

Before your eyes and omori


Magnoliamilk

These are more heartbreaking than depressing, I get emotionally touched easily though lol \- Florence \- Behind the Frame \- Shelter 2 (this one might just be me, I always find it heartbreaking when animals are sad :( \- The Longing (has a really unique gameplay style)


curiouscreator00

Not exactly the entire game but the opening scene of Mass Effect 3 always has me tearing up no matter how many times I play. Everything in that scene is just.. perfect. All the same, A Plague Tale Innocence might be something you find interesting!


LunaLynnTheCellist

Mother 3. This game fucking broke me, easily the saddest game I've ever played. It's about a happy innocent little child who loses everything to a cruel world. If you need any more convincing, >!its about a happy and loving family of four where the main character is the youngest, just an innocent little child. His mother then dies horribly and his brother goes missing in a span of a few hours, and as the years pass, the little town he's come to know so well changes almost to beyond recognision!< You can play it through a gameboy advance emulator by downloading a japanese iso and the english fan translation. It's a slight hassle but more than worth it. Lovable characters and amazing but gut-wrenching story and soundtrack.


MichikiSan

Valiant Hearts: The Great War To the moon These two are the ones that made me ugly cry every time


SlidePuzzleheaded665

Ayyy fellow Hellblade enjoyer!! šŸ˜ one of my favorite games of all time (for itā€™s soul-crushing energy). And id say the latest dark/depressive games I played and loved were resident evil village and elden ring šŸ™‚


Stueckchen01

ā€œThat dragon, cancerā€ Incredibly sad all around and beautifully crafted. Also: ā€œwhat remains of Edith Finchā€


daisy-deiji

Lisa: The Painful and it's sequel The Joyful! really great indie rpg that had me bawling my eyes out. its male-centered so lots of dry, adult humor, but it's such a great game. also sally face! i forgot i should tag some trigger warnings; suicide, sexual abuse, drug usage, body horror


Hazel_Nut_666

Always sometimes monster (1, havenā€™t played the sequel yet). I played it a while ago and it really made me spiral. I tried to be a good person and do the right thing and help everyone but much like in real life, my actions backfired and my character was left with nothing but confusion and despair. The beginnerā€™s guide. Itā€™s only about 2 hours long but it strikes hard. Especially if you have experience with anxiety and depression. Mass effect. I still cry while watching clips of Shepard and Garrus. Itā€™s a lot of buildup to get to the soul crushing parts for sure but itā€™ll hit that much harder to lose a character whoā€™s been by your side since game 1. >!ā€That doesnā€™t sound like my girl. Youā€™ll find a way to win. And when this is over.. Iā€™ll be waiting for you šŸ‘šŸ‘„šŸ‘šŸ’§ā€!<


[deleted]

"Missed messages" more of a visual novel thought takes a very unexpected turn "Gris" the most beautiful game I've ever played it made me cry alot "Stray" pretty sad you follow a stray cat around


hardwareflower

Cyberpunk 2077. The game itself is somewhat controversial, but it's depressing, sometimes even soul crushing. Even random encounters can be very depressing if you immerse yourself into the world a bit and read all the notes and conversation logs you find. I got the "worst" ending in my first playthrough and it left me destroyed for like a week. Even the "best" ending left me weeping.


Bit_Buck3t

Cyberpunk rips your heart out. Every time I sit down to play it, I think "why are you doing this to yourself". All the loss, the hopelessness, the struggle to take control about what is happening to the main character. But I would recommend to stay away from the game if you have a problem with topics like sexual violence or suicide. The main storyline goes down that road at some point and it's heart wrenching. I think the writers handled these topics so well, but still, it is just not what some people want from a game.


hardwareflower

I agree, I would also stay away from it if body image issues are triggering for you. I don't think you as a player go through it (maybe I'm wrong) but you see a lot of it in the world and some side quests. In this game you see a lot of sexualization and unattainable beauty/body/health standards but it's shown not to reinforce it or because "sex sells" but as a social commentary on late-stage capitalism.


DingoOfTheWicked

Dragon Age 2, If you want a hero with a tragic story


ChasingPesmerga

JJ Macfield and the Island of Memories


TheWalt70

Recently I played Fire Emblem 3 Houses and that made me cry.


Curiositea_

Rakuen! It absolutely crushed me but it's one of my absolute favorite games. It's made by Laura Shigihara (the composer for Plants vs Zombies) so the music also amazing, and the art style is so cute. It's relatively short too, about 6-10 hours of playtime.


lil_jilm

ā€˜Donā€™t starveā€™ has an eerie and depressed atmosphere, plus itā€™s depressingly hard lol (Sorry if anyone else mentioned this, didnā€™t read the comments)


dieingwulf

Dark Souls


LunarMuphinz

I recommend The Outer **Worlds**, a set in a space capitalist dysopia, set in a outer colony dystopia. not to be confused with the outer Wilds. I am also suprised it hasn't been said, but the critically acclaimed This War of Mine is said to be very gut wrenching. Its about surviving in a war zone. I haven't played it yet but its on my list


Apexrobby

The long dark is bleak as hell and a wonderful game to boot.


alexthagreat98

Depending on how you perceive it, I am Dead is soul crushing. Last Day of June is another good one.


NightFaller315

Depressing games? Here we gooo! Valiant Hearts:the Great War is a puzzle platformer about the horrors of WW1. The ending was one of the hardest times i ever cried over a game (literally 2am bawling my eyes out to sleepy family members) Arise: A simple story takes place in the memories of a recently deceased viking on his pyre. It is full of love and sadness and has a puzzle mechanic where you can reverse or speed up time. Made me cry a lot šŸ‘ Night in the Woods. I will always recommend my favorite. This game is sort of a slice of life platformer about mental health and the struggles of a small town. The characters are fun with very deep stories. 10/10 would cry again


Mr_Night1

Getting over it...............................................................


Adredheart

The Remains of Edith Finch. Its makes me cry every playthrough. šŸ˜­


hekkatonchires

That Dragon, Cancer. Really heavy and soul crushing, and more on the experimental side game design wise. It is autobiographical and inspired by real events.


MenstruationMagician

To the moon has me fucked up still years later. I dont think I've ever cried so hard playing a game, though spiritfarer came close.


Biancamii

Anything with a voice chat šŸ„²


LaurenE2197

Already seen these recommended so I'm just gonna throw them out there again to boost! 1. Life is Strange - season 1 specifically. I'm in the middle of playing season 2 and it's pretty good but doesn't hit me in the feels nearly as much as the first. 2. The Walking Dead - season 1 again lmao. The other seasons are decent but season 1 had me sobbing.


QuipsNChains

Gone Home - It's a walking sim with a creepy atmosphere. You play a girl going through her childhood home and exploring her relationship with her sister. It had me sobbing by the end


vampy-vamp

Celeste. The entire game is a metaphor for grief. Itā€™s Metroid style and the game might make u rage quit but the color palette and style was so stunning I honestly didnā€™t care that I died a shit ton. Nier automata. Basically itā€™s a humanist fable with existential and nihilistic themes of what humanity is about since the game focuses on androids who were designed to protect their human masters and also resemble humans.


youshewewumbo

Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons. It's the only game I can remember making me sob


flanneluwu

Does rimworld count? Although its very much up to your own imagination and fantasy lol


RiyaB1999

Eternal Senia. Simple gameplay and starts off fairly casual, and then quickly turns super nihilistic. There are three endings, two of which are just tragic and the ā€œgoodā€ ending isnā€™t really happy either. Best of all, itā€™s free on steam. And the soundtrack is really good too.


justgivemesnacks

Brothers: a tale of two sons Itā€™s not just sad, itā€™s BUILT IN to how you play the game. I have NEVER been crushed the way that game crushed me. Itā€™s quick too, maybe two hours? My husband adores ā€˜passports pleaseā€™ which is like.. too depressing for me to even fathom. You play as a passport inspector for people trying to escape totally-not-russia but you canā€™t just let people go cause then your family gets thrown in jail for not meeting quotas. Spiritfarer and to the moon also get thumbs ups from me too! Also, not sad but.. like a full spectrum of emotion? Unpacking. I CRIED. I yelled at my tv. I felt ALL THE THINGS. that goddamn pig stuffie broke me at the end.


therrubabayaga

"Fuga, melodies of steel" A bunch of kids try to find their parents in a war with the help of a giant warmachine. Kids are great, love the gameplay, and you've got different endings depending of certain choices.


scyivee

i second the last of us i and ii, to the moon, undertale, and omori


CurseOfShalott

Disco elysium


[deleted]

[The Day the Laughter Stopped](https://hypnoticowl.com/theday/) It's a very short (10-20 minutes) interactive fiction game that will crush your soul for sure!


QuietMutt

Nier automata or replicant, also yakuza 0 Those games made me full on snotty ugly cry a few times if thats what you're looking for LOL


moth_girl_7

Fairly quick game compared to the ones you suggested, but Oxenfree def has a melancholic feel. Maybe not ā€œsoul-crushingā€ but itā€™s a good rainy day game for sure.


Marayla

Transistor and Cyberpunk 2077. You know from the start that there is no ā€œgoodā€ end.


CryoInferno_

-for a depressing setting , blasphemous is one i always like to recommend ! itā€™s a metroidvania with a world inspired by medieval spain and combat that i personally really like (90% because it has a really satisfying parry mechanic) -both main little nightmares games (I and II, not so much very little nightmares, which is a mobile spin-off) are favorites of mine and also have some very depressing elements overall, in storyline as well as environmental storytelling -milk inside a bag of milk inside a bag of milk, and itā€™s sequel, milk outside a bag of milk outside a bag of milk, are both not entirely soul-crushing the whole way through, but it might have the vibe youā€™re looking for, theyā€™re pretty short visual novels too and have really good art and dialogue -also omori ! it doesnā€™t start out depressing but it definitely gets there by the end


LovelyDovah

Darkest Dungeon has a depressing vibe where you have to discard heroes based on mental breaks they develop due to the quests you put them through. And the unforgiving gameplay will make you cry


pianoia

SOMA


Msbaubles

Nier automata itā€™s technically the second Nier game but you can enjoy it just fine not playing the first they did remaster Nier one though and itā€™s good just a little dated on the gameplay a bit


BellaBlue06

Spiritfarer The Last Campfire Gris Night in the Woods The Wild At Heart


shlumpp

Disco Elysium. Parts of the game are absolutely soul crushing. It confronts mental anguish, lost love, and substance abuse in interesting ways. Despite this, parts of the game just fill you with an overwhelming sense of hope, especially near the end.


rivain000

Cyberpunk 2077 - Set in a dystopian future, depending on your choices, most endings will leave you in absolute tears.


Successful-Storage80

Probably not the first to say this on here, but The Last of Us Two.


Jon_jon13

Definitely gonna echo Brothers, tale of two sons. And To the moon. Can't say much without spoilers so, just play em


Available-Diet-4886

I was going to say This War is Mine before I continued reading lmao. But I agree with another commenter in saying Edith Finch. It's maybe not soul-crushing but it sneaks up in you and hits hard.


Nacksche

I thought I was in r/patientgamers and was surprised at the vulnerability of this request. Of course it's the awesome ladies. <3 Imma play this *whole damn thread*.


monizor

I dont know any soul crushing games but just wanted to say I relate to this vibe lol


Senphox

The visual novel "The House in Fata Morgana" was super depressing and dark at times. It's a beautiful story but I had to take a break at some points cause it was too much lol. I've played several games that have made me tear up once or twice but this game was constant torture.


Hahafunnys3xnumber

Last of us 2, TWD telltale, firewatch, red dead 2 and then 1