Most believe the plot of a video game to be clear-cut. The protagonist is introduced along with the current plight of the world. The protagonist goes on a quest or journey, steadily gaining power and knowledge of both the world and their apparent enemy. Finally, the protagonist encounters the enemy, they fight, they win, and the day is saved. While this may be the outline to most games, that's not alway all there is.
A good plot is far more complex. There's drama, there are shocking revelations, there are crucial battles, and, in some cases, tragedy. Not every good story has a happy ending, and sometimes a happy ending means the worst ending for another character. While everyone wants a pleasant conclusion, no one can deny the intrigue that tragedy causes. Out of all the tragic fates to befall a character in a video game, here are the ones that stand out above the rest.
8 Gardevoir: Pokemon Mystery Dungeon
Abandoned By The One They Sacrificed Themselves For
While Pokemon is no stranger to subtle dark themes, you wouldn't expect it in the franchise's first venture into the isekai genre. Pokemon Mystery Dungeon gave players a new experience in the form of playing as the colorful monsters they had been catching and training years prior. The game also introduced a tragic character, possibly without even meaning to.
Gardevoir, as we learn, was the partner of the original human Ninetales attempted to curse. Before that human could suffer Ninetales' wrath, Gardevoir took the curse in place of her master while they ran. It's never expressly said what the curse did, but whatever happened left the embrace Pokemon trapped in a limbo-like purgatory, only able to communicate with the protagonist through their dreams, and believing that her trainer had abandoned her.
7 The Animatronics: Five Nights At Freddy's
Tortured Souls Trapped In Suits
When it comes to Five Nights at Freddy's, there has always been a focus on lore. Questions like the identity of the "purple guy" or even the connection between the "Crying Child" and the Puppet have floated across the fandom for years now. There have been so many questions and little bits of lore for players to discover that the game's original secret has been almost forgotten. The animatronics are kids.
The reveal that the original cast of bipedal robotic animals was inhabited by the dead souls of children shocked players to their core. These children were lured away from their friends and families and have their lives cruelly cut short, and their bodies stuffed in the suits of their childhood heroes. While the games have diversified their playstyle, the foundation of this franchise has been built on those tortured souls.
6 Asriel Dreemur: Undertale
Cursed To Live As A Soulless Flower
The goal of the True Pacifist Route in Undertale is to reach the "happy ending". To not only escape the Underground but also to break the barrier. To bring the monsters back to the surface and save everyone. Or, rather almost everyone. There is one soul that, no matter what you do, cannot be saved. Asriel Dreemur.
As you progress through the Pacifist Route of Undertale, you learn the tragic tale of Asriel. How he befriended the first human to fall into the Underground. How he tried to bring that human back to their village and was subsequently attacked by its denizens. How Asriel died and was then resurrected as a flower without a SOUL due to the experiments of Alphys. While he is the final boss of this route, we can't help but feel for the young goat as, after completing the game, he remains trapped in the Underground as a flower.
5 Aqua: Kingdom Hearts
Lost Everything And Fell To Darkness
There is no shortage of tragedy to be found in Kingdom Hearts. From characters literally losing their hearts to characters realizing that they're not real. Even Mickey Mouse has a massive chip on his shoulder. However, out of all the heartbreak and pain that has transpired throughout this franchise, none of it comes close to what happens to Aqua.
Aqua, the only member of the Wayfinder trio to obtain the title of Master, lost far more than she gained. She lost her home, her master was murdered, one of her friends was trapped in a coma, and her other friend lost his body to a megalomaniac. The worst part of it was she fell to the Realm of Darkness while attempting to save her friend. There, she remained trapped for ten years, wallowing in her failure.
4 Joshua "Josh" Washington: Until Dawn
Either Killed By His Sister Or Made To Be Just Like Her
Navigating through the choose-your-own-adventure styling of Until Dawn can lead to some horrifying and gruesome fates for the game's list of protagonists. From falling off cliffs to succumbing to the ravenous monsters that roam the mountain, there is no end to the dangers that await this group of teens. However, out of all the potential outcomes, only one character has no happy ending.
There are only two possible outcomes for Josh. The first is that he is killed outright by his sister Hannah, who has been transformed into a wendigo. The second option is that Hannah recognizes him and drags him into the mines. Trapped, Josh will surrender to the Wendigo's curse and slowly begin transforming into the monster. Out of these options, death seems the kinder of the two.
3 Osiris: Destiny 2
Held Prisoner In Their Own Body
In a game that centers around warriors constantly coming back from death, it should be no surprise that many of Destiny's characters have experienced great tragedy. After all, being shot, stabbed, and exploded on a near-daily basis would cause even the strongest of people to crack. That being said, all of the bullets and explosions in this world can't compare to what is currently happening to Osiris.
Since the Beyond Light expansion, players have been struggling to understand Osiris' questionable actions and choices throughout the seasons. In reality, those choices were never his. They were Savathun's, as she has been possessing his body. Every action he took, every betrayal he incited, was her. The worst part of it all is that he has been conscious. Osiris was forced to watch as Savathun used his body and voice to manipulate and gaslight his friends, allies, and partner into fulfilling her design.
2 Corvus: Dragon Quest IX
Betrayed And Turned Into A Monster
At first glance, this rather cutesy-looking game doesn't seem like it would hold many dark themes or acts. Yes, there are monsters and elements of death, but these themes are more cartoonish in their portrayal. However, this game takes a rather sharp turn when Corvus' backstory is revealed to the Hero.
As the Hero of Dragon Quest IX, Corvus was a Celestrian who fell from the Observatory, landing in the village he had Guardianship over. Shortly after his fall, the village is invaded by the Gittish Empire. Corvus tries to fight back but is inevitably betrayed by the villagers and given to the evil empire. He is then imprisoned and left to wallow in his betrayal. Slowly, that pain evolves into hate as he too is changed. By the time the Hero finds him, Corvus has already become a monster.
1 The Baker Family: Resident Evil 7
A Small Family Corrupted And Forced To Perform Heinous Acts
The Resident Evil franchise is iconic within the survival horror genre. Time and time again, the franchise has created diverse yet equally horrifying monsters to torment and stalk players as they struggle just to survive. Resident Evil VII is the same. It introduced a new threat in the crazed Baker family and the Molded, creating what is widely considered as the scariest addition to the franchise. However, the Baker's are more than just a family of monsters.
While their actions are disturbing, they aren't to blame. As we find out towards the end of the game, the Bakers were once a normal family. They were corrupted by the Mold and turned into the homicidal monsters were are introduced to. The real Bakers are trapped within themselves and forced to watch themselves turn into literal monsters. (Well, except for Lucas, who was pretty monstrous before getting infected.)