5 Most Tragic Deaths in Gaming History

They say time is a remedy in itself, though some heartbreaks remain persistent even after a decade of experiencing them first-hand. Of course, video game characters are fictional works of art, and yet, that doesn't soften the blow all that much, especially if they're characters we've established a connection with over a number of journeys. And boy, we've seen an unfair amount of deaths over the years.

Death isn't a nice thing, that much is true. And yet, witnessing a character succumb to such an unavoidable fate first-hand hits that much harder. There are times, such as these five, that made us want to retire from gaming and shelve anything that featured anything remotely likeable, just out of fear that we'd eventually lose it. Games that immediately spring to mind, unfortunately, are the following.

Spoilers!

5. Dominic (Gears of War 3)

After spending what felt like a decade with the COG veteran Dominic Santiago in Gears of War, emotions were definitely running high when the brawny brother in arms made the snap decision to sacrifice himself for the sake of his squad. It was a cinematic nobody expected, which is precisely why it hit like a freight train, carrying nothing but an iron casket of bullets shaped like broken heartstrings.

Dom, unlike his level-headed brothers, had a counterweight, one that was only really explored after the first chapter. His love, of course, rested with his late wife, Maria. After finding her in the second game, transfixed and fractured in the pits of enemy territory, something snapped deep within his chest. Come chapter three, and his emotional state, to him at least, was beyond repair, and his only wish was to go out with a bang before reuniting with his dearly beloved.

4. Lee (Telltale's The Walking Dead)

It's rare that you'll connect with a character in a zombie-focused game. More often than not, every playable character is drawn by the thirst for survival, which is why Lee from Telltale's The Walking Dead was a real sight for sore eyes. Despite having come from a criminal background, he just about ended up transitioning into one of the most caring, hearty characters in the book.

After a solid five episodes of stomach churning twists and turns, heartbreak, and copious amounts of losses, as well as witnessing a blossoming friendship between Lee and Clementine, the protagonist finally met his bitter end. The worst part was, of course, that Clem had the task of putting the apple of her eye out of his misery. And those final words shared between the two—boy—tear-jerking stuff.

3. Joel (The Last of Us: Part II)

To this day, we blame Naughty Dog for leading us along a primrose path of false optimism. Once upon a time, we honestly believed that Joel would resume his role as protector over the up-and-coming survivor Ellie. But, The Last of Us: Part II had different plans, and it cared little about our prior connection to the protagonist.

In just a few hours, Joel departs the roster, and not in the most pleasant way, either. Out of the blue and totally uncalled for, the loveable lead bows out, leaving Ellie to pick up the pieces as the new and improved version of herself. The reason why Joel's death hit us harder, of course, was the nature of it. It wasn't gentle, or even considerate; it was barbaric, unjust, and pretty darn depressing. And to think, we all thought we'd be playing as Joel from beginning to end. In reality, the prologue really was the first and last moment we shared together.

2. Naia (Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons)

Although a great deal of time has passed since Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons launched, the blow from the first swing still hasn't quite frosted over. The two leading heroes, Naia and Naiee, portrayed one of the most heartfelt brotherly relationships in gaming, which was made even more impressive by the amount it explored in such a short amount of time.

After hearing of their father's inevitable fate, the two siblings step out to secure a remedy from the faraway treetop falls. Naia, the older brother, teaches you, Naiee, how to overcome the world and its many obstacles. By using teamwork to shovel their ways through the unknown, the story eventually reaches its climax. Though, to our surprise, it isn't one the player expects, and is far more bittersweet than the vast majority of story-driven games. The rest, well, I think you can probably string together.

1. Ezio Auditore (Assassin's Creed: Embers)

It doesn't matter how many protagonists Ubisoft hurl at the Assassin's Creed franchise, because the simple fact is—nothing will replace or even step into the same league as the beloved Ezio Auditore. His trilogy was a masterpiece in motion, and one of the biggest and most memorable highlights in the developer's portfolio. But, like all things, stories must come to an end, and Ezio's, sadly, was no exception.

Assassin's Creed 2 began with the player taking the role of a young adolescent Ezio, a figure that would eventually become a Master Assassin and elderly mentor to a new generation. Three games and a short movie later, and the grey hero eventually met his end on a park bench, surrounded by his family under the blazing Italian sun. Not quite the bang we expected him to go out with—but a pretty heartbreaking one nonetheless.

So, what's your take? Do you agree with our top five? Let us know over on our socials here or down in the comments below.