Best Video Game Character Deaths

Obvious Spoilers for the tagged games!

Death is everywhere in video games. The body count of the typical Whitey McStubbly character is in the thousands. IGN estimates that Nathan Drake of the Uncharted games has killed just under 2,000 people in his three hit PS3 games, not even counting Golden Abyss. Death is taken for granted in video games. That’s why when one comes around that has an impact on you it’s special. We’ve all witnessed one. We’ve seen a comrade, a villain or even our own character shuffle off of the mortal coil in a scene that has stuck with us. Sometimes it sticks with us because of how shocking or unbelievable it is. Other times it’s because of brilliant writing or a wonderfully realized scene. Regardless, memorable video game deaths are something special. Here’s a look at some of the best.

Andrew Ryan – BioShock

Would you kindly take a moment to remember just how confused you were when Andrew Ryan made you beat him to death with his own golf club revealing that you had been under someone else’s control the whole time?? Yeah, me too.

Marlene – The Last of Us

Marlene’s death shocked me in a way no other death ever has. I thought Joel was done when he shot her and left her to bleed out but no he had to go back and while she was begging for her life shoot her in the face. Stone cold, Joel.

Jeff the Camera Man – Uncarted 2: Among Thieves

How could anyone forget?

Pikmin – Pikmin 3

There’s something tragic about the loss of a pikmin. The little ghost, the last gasp of life, the knowledge that the only reason that pikmin died was because it wanted to help you… (slowly removes hat)

Mother Brain – Super Metroid

The limitations of older consoles made compelling and deep stories challenging to create. That’s why when an NES or SNES game had a rich story with compelling characters it stuck out. Such was the case with Super Metroid. Mother Brain’s sacrifice was so weird, so unexpected that it couldn’t not stick with me.

 

 

Lee Everett – The Walking Dead Season One

I’ve come really close to crying a couple times over my years playing games. One of those times was when Lee got bit and I had to tell Clem to shoot him so he wouldn’t turn. Trembling Clementine shakily holding up the gun, crying. Lee looking straight into her eyes assuring her it’s okay. Masterful.

John Marston – Red Dead Redemption

As mentioned in my post on Most Memorable Endings John Marston’s death was so well done I thought that I had messed up and I would respawn as him. But I didn’t. He was dead and there was nothing I could do about it.

The Joker – Batman: Arkham City

Batman was trying so hard to save him. He risked his life countless times to get the cure to the Joker despite all the pain and suffering the Joker had caused him. But despite all of that, despite being so close

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What are your favourite video game deaths? Let me know in the comments! And for more awesome video game content check out the rest of our blog!