Most Depressing Games

Games are entertaining not depressing. No game depresses me since I am not such a pussy. lol
 
Does A:CM count?

I was pretty fucking depressed after spending $60 @ launch for that POS...
 
trick0502 said:
Half life 2 ep2.
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Agree with half life 2.
the story is just amazing and really locks you into this world.

the beginning is very depressing and kind of keeps that hopeless feel throughout the game.

i really need to run through hl2 again.
 
What kind of pussy are you then? :p

I agree that games do not ever "depress" me, but some are obviously more sad than others. I remember getting a little chocked up during some of FFIX during scenes featuring Vivi. Full out crying? No. It sucks because I love extremely hard-hitting stories that reduce me to a puddle of tears. I'm that kinda pussy, for sure :)
 
I don't think the OP was looking for games TO depress him. I think he was looking for depressing settings with downtrodden denizens, bleak overall feel, or feelings of isolation. Look at the list of games he cited as an example, and look at the first few pages of suggestions. Most are post-apocalyptic, dystopian, Lovecraftian, etc. with a nice thick atmosphere. I think that's more what he was going for, and is also what I look for in a lot of games. IMO this sort of game tends to pull one in more, by making you feel things like isolation, oppression, etc. If a game is doing that, then it's doing its job well, suspending disbelief. If you think that letting a good piece of story telling pull you in, and make you think or feel a bit is being a pussy, then I think you might be doing it wrong tough guy.
 
KickAssCop said:
You spotted irony in that statement? Dafuq! Do you wear tampons to work? lol
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I'm so embarrased that I cannot recall the name of this game, but there were scorpions jumping out of what looked like to be assholes (in the ceiling) and vaginas (on the walls), and at the end of the game your girlfriend had been captured, and turned into some half human, half scorpion, and she begged you to kill her, I have to admit that I got wet eyes of that. :p

What was the name of that game ? there were indians, and you got to some "limbo" state, didnt play it much so dont recall clearly.
 
I'm guessing it was Prey? That was actually a pretty cool game. One of the first (if not the first) games to use portals. There were some really cool levels/parts to the game. Some of the imagery was a littlle... odd... to say the least, but still a good game.

Spoiler...
I LOVE the part where the bar from the beginning is on the ship, only turned sideways or upside down, and Barracuda is still playing in the background from the jukebox. Walking down the hall before you get to it you start hearing the music, then you get into the actual bar again. Pretty nuts!
 
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Yeah, sounds like Prey. I'm still a bit miffed that it got removed from the Steam catalog. I have a disc "copy" of the game but I'd love to have it on Steam. I wonder if I could purchase it cheap somewhere and then register the key on there.
 
imyourzero said:
Yeah, sounds like Prey. I'm still a bit miffed that it got removed from the Steam catalog. I have a disc "copy" of the game but I'd love to have it on Steam. I wonder if I could purchase it cheap somewhere and then register the key on there.
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I believe I did this originally. Had the physical game, then registered it on Steam. However, that was before they pulled it. It's still in my library, but I can't buy more copies. Luckily I bought 6-7 of them on sale for my friends before it was pulled so we could play multiplayer. Some of the gravity and portal mechanics were pretty fun in multiplayer. However, the weapons were a little odd. I didn't like them as much as with some games.
 
Playing singleplayer hide the salami.

It always ends the same :(
 
Syberia I and II
To The Moon
Shadow of the Colossus
Silent hill I/II
The last of us.
 
Most of the games listed here don't really seem like depressing games. They have some depressing moments sure. Memorable moments of course. Depressing?
 
Netrat33 said:
Most of the games listed here don't really seem like depressing games. They have some depressing moments sure. Memorable moments of course. Depressing?
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I'd re-read the op, and early replies. I think it's more heavy oppressive/isolated atmosphere he was talking about. More the setting than anything. His responses to later replies seemed to reflect this as well. Maybe the thread title should be updated. :D

The games with the most bleak settings or some-such.
 
Haven't played it but my choice for a depressing game would be "The Binding of Isaac".

Just looking at those mutated monsters/former humans is a downer...
 
Yeah, the F.E.A.R games were pretty cool, (the original especially) with pretty good atmosphere. I'd classify it slightly differently than most of the stuff in this thread, but definitely a good atmosphere-heavy game. I wonder how the original holds up these days. It's probably been long enough for it to have a couple of semi-surprises again.
 
J3RK said:
I'm guessing it was Prey? That was actually a pretty cool game. One of the first (if not the first) games to use portals. There were some really cool levels/parts to the game. Some of the imagery was a littlle... odd... to say the least, but still a good game.

Spoiler...
I LOVE the part where the bar from the beginning is on the ship, only turned sideways or upside down, and Barracuda is still playing in the background from the jukebox. Walking down the hall before you get to it you start hearing the music, then you get into the actual bar again. Pretty nuts!
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Holy fuck...yes Prey was one of the most unique single player experiences in the past 10 years. Can't believe it was the same company that did Duke Nukem series before finally caving on Forever.

Start out the game and watch as thousands of people including your Indian grandfather are mercilessly slaughtered like cattle to feed a living spaceship and the aliens on it. Your Grandfather accepts his fate and gives you sage advice before being torn to shreds. So depressing. One of the few times I shed a small tear in a video game over virtual people.

Then the scene soon after as you learn the portal and weird gravity flipping systems. You hear Heart's "Barracuda" through the corridors setting the mood and getting you charged up to fight. You drop down out of the portal after the song ends to see the bar from your hometown teleported and semi-absorbed into the alien spaceship. "Barracuda" ends, and Judas Priest's "You Got Another Thing Coming" starts blasting out of the jukebox as you begin blasting waves of Aliens.

That was pretty fucking epic.
 
I also love his comments throughout the game. You get one of the weapons, he turns it over in his hand a bit, and says "This'll rock some shit!" :D I actually ripped that sample, and added it to an acid track I made once. :D

Might have to install this sooner than later now.

Edit: And well written account of that scene!
 
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J3RK said:
Yeah, the F.E.A.R games were pretty cool, (the original especially) with pretty good atmosphere. I'd classify it slightly differently than most of the stuff in this thread, but definitely a good atmosphere-heavy game. I wonder how the original holds up these days. It's probably been long enough for it to have a couple of semi-surprises again.
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I've replayed the original fear and the expacks about a dozen times. I'm still surprised to see Alma appear and looking at you in the strangest places. Sometimes you see her in the reflections in the glass across the office...places you never expected to see her. Every time you get a crackle in your audio, she is appearing somewhere in the room with you.

Now the sequels are a different story. Since this is "most depressing games" thread, I will share that the ending to FEAR 2 was depressing indeed. That was about the most literal version of the phrase "mind fuck" I've seen as the undead corpse of Alma rapes your character in both spiritual and physical realms. It was depressing because you don't get to see undead nipple or snatch the entire time.
 
KickAssCop said:
You spotted irony in that statement? Dafuq! Do you wear tampons to work? lol
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Was just pointing out your shunning of op's request. Tbh I see your refusal to accept a depressing setting as fear. That is the irony I see. OP doesn't want to be depressed he just wants a depressed setting. Happiness can be derived from such a setting, bro. To hell and back etc.
 
I found this thread while searching for 'walking dead'. I started season 2 and everything is intentionally screwed. This game is my only exposure to The Walking Dead so I don't know what the show or comic is like, but damn, this game really wants to make you feel like crap. I did some YouTube research and found that regardless of what decision you make, the same people are likely to die. Now I'm just going through the game responding exactly how I feel instead of carefully thinking through responses.
 
djoye said:
I found this thread while searching for 'walking dead'. I started season 2 and everything is intentionally screwed. This game is my only exposure to The Walking Dead so I don't know what the show or comic is like, but damn, this game really wants to make you feel like crap. I did some YouTube research and found that regardless of what decision you make, the same people are likely to die. Now I'm just going through the game responding exactly how I feel instead of carefully thinking through responses.
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The comic is a lot like that, and I don't really watch the show much but I think it's getting there just from bits I've seen online talking about it. There's stretches of hope (sometimes) but something always has to go REALLY badly. The comic is great though, and I definitely recommend reading it. It'll keep you on edge hard if you get into it, even if there isn't any immediate action happening.
 
Dreamfall: The Longest Journey
That was emotionally charged! Too much to process for a male gamer. ;) Enjoyed it nevertheless.

Fallout3 and New Vegas got kinda depressing, but the vibes from some of the New Vegas DLCs took things to a deeper level. I felt feelings I never really felt.
 
djoye said:
I found this thread while searching for 'walking dead'. I started season 2 and everything is intentionally screwed. This game is my only exposure to The Walking Dead so I don't know what the show or comic is like, but damn, this game really wants to make you feel like crap. I did some YouTube research and found that regardless of what decision you make, the same people are likely to die. Now I'm just going through the game responding exactly how I feel instead of carefully thinking through responses.
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The show was complete garbage until recently. A lot of it had to do as usual with the studio fighting with the producers lot of cut corners on budget and content. They "appear" to be getting better but its not a solid show yet. I hear the "Z" show is more what zombies fans wanted to begin with though I havent watched it yet.


The game is spot on with the comics which uses the zombies as a foil for experimenting with social situations but keeps things moving a long at a reasonable click unlike the show. Your decisions don't "hugely" impact the story so much as they impact the way people treat you and act towards others. Its hard to describe. Season 1 had only 2 main endings however Season 2 has something like 6 to 10 endings. I liked them both. In season 1 the characters are more human and thoughtful. You connect more. It hasn't sunken in how bad things are going to get through most of it. In Season 2 things are really dark and its more about survival choices, most of the people you are with are scummy jerks. Season 1 has more climactic sad moments. Season 2 is more draining and depressing.

I've been trying to finish this game "i am alive" for a while now thats super depressing but kinda hard.

If you guys want a really complicated depressing game that will change the way you think about life I recommend getting a divorce. I've put a few thousand hours into it and its really absorbing.
 
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piscian18 said:
If you guys want a really complicated depressing game that will change the way you think about life I recommend getting a divorce. I've put a few thousand hours into it and its really absorbing.
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0/10 would not play. :C
 
Deadlight is probably the most depressing game I've ever played. The normal ending set you up with what seemed like a noble ending. But if you beat the game in Nightmare mode or, more likely, vicariously watch the alternative ending on Youtube because Nightmare mode is just way too much trouble, then it's such a downer you wish you'd never played the damned game.
 
Some good suggestions on games with 'bleak settings'. I also choose to interpret the OP's title to mean 'bleak' rather than 'depressing'. I'd rather not get depressed while playing a game, RL has ample opportunity to do that for you.

Stalker series - great setting, great game. Nice & bleak.
Fallout 3/New Vegas - another post apocalyptic setting.
Max Payne - don't think anyone mentioned this one. Bleak as hell. the graphic novel cut scenes were a nice touch. Having those flash-backs to witnessing his wife & kid get murdered were a bit brutal.
Homeworld & Homeworld: Cataclysm - damn I miss you. Great setting, awesome story & even better gameplay. It's been over a decade and no other game has come close to recreating the feel of Homeworld, now that's depressing.
Don't Starve - title says it all. I think all rouge-like games are a bit sad.
Game Dev Tycoon - think someone mentioned this earlier. Not really bleak tho the posters reason for mentioning it was hilarious.

Plenly of games that got me considering suicide tho they usuly fall into the 'shit games I purchased and wasted bandwidth on downloading' category. Think everyone's steam list is littered with these travesties of software gaming. Now that's a really depressing thought, titles we have not interest in ever looking at again will forever be attached to our steam accounts. Unless I'm missing something, trash games cannot be removed.
Steam account forever uncleaaaan!
 
I know this was put in the PC sub-forum, but I gotta give a nod to The Last of Us. I can't recall any game that was as emotionally gripping as this is, and some moments were quite sad.
 
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