Highlights
- Horror game protagonists face physical and emotional challenges, making for unforgettable tragic stories.
- Indie horror games like Devotion and Omori blend tragedy with terrifying themes for a powerful experience.
- From Mad Father to Pumpkin Eater, these games deliver gut-wrenching stories that stick with players long after.
When it comes to video game characters, there's a solid argument to be made that nobody has it rougher than horror protagonists. Just ask Ethan Winters about his hands if you want proof. That poor man has been through a lot.
Physical horrors aren't always the worst of the damage these characters face, though. Sometimes the stories themselves can be downright bummers, and oftentimes it's those tragic elements we didn't see coming that make our favorite horror games so memorable. As such, it's about time some of the best horror tragedies in gaming get their time in the sad, blue-tinted spotlight.
Minor spoilers ahead for some of the more well-known games, though rest assured we've made sure not to give too much away about any of the more obscure titles on this list.
6 Mad Father
Aya Didn't Deserve This
Mad Father feels like being in the middle of a nasty fight between your parents. On the one hand, her mother has every right to be angry given all the downright despicable things the titular father has done, but even so, the things Aya has to go through because of things that were absolutely not her fault can be downright sickening at times. Then again, that's probably why we remember this RPG Maker gem as well as we do.
Originally PC exclusive, Mad Father is now available on all sorts of platforms, including the Nintendo Switch, so if you're in need of a good scare on the go with a side of tragic circumstances and a frankly despicable villain, it's never been easier to get your fill of Mad Father.
5 The Snow Of Basidia
You've Met With A Terrible Fate, Haven't You?
The Snow Of Basidia is an incredibly short horror game which lasts only about eight minutes or so when played correctly. Still, that short run time doesn't stop the game, which was originally released as part of the Haunted PS1 Madvent Calender 2020, from being one of the most deeply tragic video game stories I've ever experienced.
On a night like no other, when in the fantasy town of Basidia it snows for the first and last time, a lone hero ventures to a cave while the rest of the town celebrates the exciting weather, only to uncover a dark secret behind the snow that changes everything. With visuals based on Majora's Mask, this is one hauntingly tragic experience you won't soon forget.
4 Devotion
When Family Falls Apart
Put in its simplest terms, Devotion feels like playing through the life of a family that has been lovingly tossed directly into a pressure cooker. When a child's disappointing loss in a singing competition leads to a downward emotional spiral, it's all we can do to watch as the once peaceful family begins to tear itself apart from the inside out.
The religious horror elements are terrifying enough given the real life history the game takes its inspirations from, but the saddening reality behind Mei Shin's condition and the way it pushes the boundary to the brink of despair is what really breaks my heart in Devotion.
Devotion has been de-listed on Steam since 2019, but it's still possible to buy the game directly from the developers, Red Candle Games, through its online store.
3 Omori
A Tragic Twist In An Already Sad Game
Coming off the heels of a rather infamous development, Omori was the surprise horror hit that took the idea of horror steeped in tragedy to a whole new level, keeping its saddening secrets until the very end of the game for a final twist that we've never been able to forget.
Outside of the ending, Omori's themes of loneliness and isolation were already enough to hit painfully close to home for many gamers, and as a result Omori has garnered a reputation as a tragic horror title that we argue is, if anything, a bit understated. If you haven't played Omori, we recommend going in blind as the game is a fantastic experience, tragedy and all.
Omori features themes of depression and self-harm. While the game is a powerful work of art that is important to experience, be advised that the heavier themes may be especially distressing for some players.
2 The Last Of Us
Never Fails To Make Us Cry
The Last Of Us is one of the most heartbreaking video games I've ever played. The way Joel and Ellie's story ultimately ends and the heart-shattering choice Joel makes at the game's conclusion has me in tears every time, and I'm not afraid to admit it.
Say what you will about the game's sequel, but the first game is both an incredibly tense and incredibly emotional cross-country road trip that we will never forget, with a gut punch of an ending so strong that it still has players reaching for the tissue box all these years later.
1 Pumpkin Eater
Peter, Peter...
Don't ask me why, but Pumpkin Eater has become a sort of Halloween tradition for me. No matter how many times I play it, the game's tragic story still deeply disturbs me, but something about the game haunts me to such a serious degree that it keeps me coming back every Halloween, no matter how sad I feel by the game's conclusion.
The game begins when the father of a nuclear family accidentally runs over the head of his son with his car, and rather than call the authorities, the mother instead replaces the boy's missing head with a carved pumpkin, and the family must pretend that all is normal while the body decays in what the game describes as a "medically accurate" way.
Be aware, you probably won't be the same after playing this one if you decide to check it out.
