25 Most Powerful Video Game Quotes of All Time

Ask yourself, is it really possible to memorize a masterpiece without a compelling quote to strengthen it? Well, yes, yes it is. But how many of those catalogued masterpieces can you honestly say are worthy of a place among the greats — without an iconic saying to fortify it? Of course, the majority of games that do tend to go down in history often contain a slogan of some sort — even if they are brushed from the shoulder at the time. But then, there are the others; the ones that secure a spot in the back of our minds for life, with quotes so powerful we refrain from ever discarding them.

We've heard plenty of famous quotes play out over the years, though nothing captured quite as much as a select twenty-five. And while they aren't tear-jerkers as such — they do tend to strike all the right chords to make us feel somewhat powerful. But that's just our opinion, of course. Chances are, you've heard a one-liner that tops our selection, which, honestly, wouldn't really be all that hard, considering how many games employ a well-rounded saying. But for us, we'd have to plaster these twenty-five quotes as the most powerful of the bunch.

“We're not tools…”

25.

“We’re not tools of the government or anyone else. Fighting was the only thing I was good at, but at least I always fought for what I believed in.”– Metal Gear Solid

24.

“The healthy human mind doesn’t wake up in the morning thinking this is its last day on Earth. But I think that’s a luxury, not a curse. To know you’re close to the end is a kind of freedom. Good time to take… inventory.” – Call of Duty: Modern Warfare

23.

“All men dream – but not equally. Those who dream by night, in the dusty recesses of their minds, wake in the day to find that it was vanity… But the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act their dream with open eyes, to make it possible. This I did.” – From T. E. Lawrence’s Seven Pillars of Wisdom – Uncharted 3

22.

“The world fears the inevitable plummet into the abyss. Watch for that moment and when it comes, do not hesitate to leap. It is only when you fall that you learn whether you can fly.” – Dragon Age: Origins

21.

“Hope is what makes us strong. It is why we are here. It is what we fight with when all else is lost.” – God of War 3

Kratos, telling us how it is, plain and simple.

20.

“You mustn’t allow yourself to be chained to fate, to be ruled by your genes. Human beings can choose the kind of life that they want to live. What’s important is that you choose life… and then live.” – Metal Gear Solid

19.

“Time passes, people move. Like a river’s flow, it never ends. A childish mind will turn to noble ambition.” – The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time

18.

“Right and wrong are not what separate us and our enemies. It’s our different standpoints, our perspectives that separate us. Both sides blame one another. There’s no good or bad side. Just two sides holding different views.” – Final Fantasy VIII

17.

“Our world, with its rules of causality, has trained us to be miserly with forgiveness. By forgiving too readily, we can be badly hurt. But if we’ve learned from a mistake and become better for it, shouldn’t we be rewarded for the learning, rather than punished for the mistake?” – Braid

“Our world, with its rules of causality, has trained us to be miserly with forgiveness.”

16.

“Reliance upon others is a weakness for the strong but strength for the weak. Wisdom and balance lie in knowing your nature over time.” – Thief II

15.

“Only a mind free of impediments is capable of grasping the chaotic beauty of the world.” – Assassin’s Creed

14.

“No matter how dark the night, the morning always comes.” – Final Fantasy X

13.

“Force answers force, war breeds war, and death only brings death. To break this vicious circle, one must do more than just act without any thought or doubt.” – Metro 2033

If there's one thing Kingdom Hearts isn't short on…it's memorable quotes.

12.

“Curiosity is essential to carving your own path through life. Get too curious, though, and it'll be a short walk.” – Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days

11.

“They say… hope begins in the dark. But most just flail around in the blackness searching for their destiny. The darkness, for me, is where I shine.” – The Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena

10.

“Men are but flesh and blood. They know their doom, but not the hour.” – The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

9.

“It’s a funny thing, ambition. It can take one to sublime heights or harrowing depths. And sometimes they are one and the same.” – Dishonored 2

8.

“Courage need not be remembered, for it is never forgotten.” – Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

7.

“Part of growing up is doing what's best for the people you care about, even if sometimes, that means hurting someone else.” – Telltale's The Walking Dead

Well, here come the waterworks all over again…

6.

“It's more important to master the cards you're holding than to complain about the ones your opponent was dealt.” – Pokemon Black & White

5.

“To say that nothing is true is to realize that the foundations of society are fragile and that we must be the shepherds of our own civilization.” – Assassin's Creed: Revelations

4.

“The genius of the hole: no matter how long you spend climbing out, you can still fall back down in an instant.” – Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne

“After all, you're a Croft.”

3.

“A famous explorer once said, that the extraordinary is in what we do, not who we are.” – Tomb Raider (2013)

2.

“The thing about happiness is you only know you had it when it’s gone. I mean you may think to yourself that you’re happy. But you don’t really believe it. You focus on the petty bull****, or the next job, or whatever. It’s only looking back, by comparison with what comes after, that you really understand that’s what happiness felt like.” – Fallout 4

1.

“Life isn’t just about passing on your genes. We can leave behind much more than just DNA. Through speech, music, literature, and movies… what we’ve seen, heard, felt… anger, joy, and sorrow… these are the things I will pass on. That’s what I live for. We need to pass the torch, and let our children read our messy and sad history by its light. We have all the magic of the digital age to do that with. The human race will probably come to an end sometime, and new species may rule over this planet. Earth may not be forever, but we still have the responsibility to leave what traces of life we can. Building the future and keeping the past alive are one and the same thing.” – Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty

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