30-day VGC: Saddest game scene
There are probably sadder scenes to be found in video games, but this is one that stuck in my mind over the years. I think in part that’s because it was one of the earlier video games I remember playing that actually had a deep plot and pretty terrific voice acting to help its scenes hit home. I’m talking about Grandia II, an older JRPG that I originally played on Dreamcast. I used to think it was an obscure title because no one I talked to had ever heard of it before, but I suppose it must have had some sort of cult following, because they re-released it on Steam with updated HD textures.
_Not the exact scene in question, but leading up to it. ©2000 Game Arts_
The specific scene I’m referring to is a part of the game where the main character Ryudo becomes gravely injured in a battle with his demon-possessed brother. Of course, being the main character, he pulls through in the end, but there’s some intervening chatter where Elena pleads to both her own god and essentially the devil to save him at whatever cost, and the devil answers. Luckily said devil, Millenia, is part of Ryudo’s harem (hey it’s a JRPG) and decides not to eat Ryudo’s soul for Elena’s foolishness. That’s grossly oversimplifying it, but you get the gist.
Probably the best part of the whole scene is a bloodcurdling “NOOOOOO” from Jennifer Hale as Elena (yes, that Jennifer Hale) when Ryudo first hits the ground.