Emotional Connection in Video Games: Give me a reason to care.

Digitalvideogamer writes, "Emotional experiences are quite interesting because they rely on a sense of wonder. They expect players to relate to the main character on a human level, understand their plight, and some games expect us to love the girl the main character may have lost to demon overlords: and that’s what’s perplexing."

[M-Easy]

If you didn't feel anything at the end of Snake Eater than your not alive.

[AntoineDcoolette]

I'd say the same for Red Dead Redemption. After seeing Marston haul ass like he did for the feds he deserved better.

[jessupj]

RDR's ending was not satisfying in the least. Best game of 2010 though. A good 'payback' ending would have made the game perfect.

[dangert12]

This is true for me.

I've been gaming since i was four but never completed a game until i was 17, This was because I just never had the patients to read or the cut scenes i never understood they was telling a games story and when i tried to watch them they just wearnt Interesting I remember watching all of the get aways's but as far as i got in the game but lost it before i could complete it.

This gen it become easier for me to watch cutscenes because of the massive jump in visuals and now because i know thats where the story lies i can go back to old games people speak highly of ala metal gear solid and complete them and have fun game play and hearing its exceptional story not did the gen kill my ignorance to cutscenes but games like fall out 3 got me into reading what games story has to say and now i am playing grandia and final fantasy 7

Mass Effect
Metal Gear Solid 4
Uncharted 2
Yakuza 3

are games with story's that go much deeper then the game and are actually in tune with our reality and this is what made me sit and watch and get into gaming even more so

[consolez_FTW]

@ jessupj
what u talking about RDR did have a good payback ending...Something tells me u quit the game right after John died.

[jessupj]

@ consolez

****SPOILER ALERT****

No, I made his son kill that head marshall, but it just wasn't satifying at all.

What would have been much is John surviving, healing up for a few weeks, then killing the marshall in the most painful way with him begging for his life.

[bloodybutcher]

Marston was a murderer and got what he deserved to be honest.there was no redemption,he tried to get away with everything he has done because he got a family.the fact that Feds were assholes as well doesn´t change that.at least he died protecting his family.and to all people who will disagree-know that despite what i think about Marston,i still enjoyed putting bullet(well,quite few of them) in Marshall´s old body.i killed his wife as well.shame that Jack was not able to say that to Marshall before the duel.

[morganfell]

I have to agree with bloodybutcher on this one. Throught the game, Marston reminds us several times that he is a former murderer and thug. Even though my first play though was as a "good guy" I never forgot that at the end of the day who Marston was and the fact there was a bill waiting to be paid.

On the other hand, for me the 2nd cutscene at the end of the credits in MGS4 tops the list of games that gave me a swift kick in the gut.

[Quagmire]

You're

[GameGoose]

There has always been an emotional link to video games. Be it empowerment, nostalgia etc. That is why we play them.

[consolez_FTW]

@ M-EASY
Exactly, I'll admit...Metal Gear Solid 3 ending is the only videogame that made me tear up and actually start crying. Saddest videogame ending ever? IMO MGS3.

[Chewy33]

Spyro. :'(

[jessupj]

Believe it or not but I had a real immotional connection with my character in Demon's Souls. Probably because I felt completely alone and the only thing not trying to kill me was my character it's self. I barely saw his face, he never spoke a single word, yet I felt it was like him and me together, fighting those hordes or merciless demon's together. We shared death and defeat, but also the amazing feeling of vanquishing an enormous boss.

[starcb26]

I just got finished beating inFAMOUS 2, and I wanted to cry.

[TheLastGuardian2010]

If you haven't felt an emotional connect yet in a video game makes me think that you haven't played that many video games.

Bioshock alone, so many emotional experiences there.

[newn4gguy]

If you didn't cry at the end of Shadow of the Colossus...

You don't have a soul.

[LOGICWINS]

Then I guess I don't have a soul. The good ending in Infamous 2 was emotional for me though.

[bloodybutcher]

i have never shared a tear over any game.connection to character?nah.only emotions i have are 1.satisfaction(sometimes mixed with laughing out loud) when there is some graphic,gruesome and visceral death and 2.disappointment mixed with frustration when i am crap at playing.

[CaptainSheep]

Crisis Core kinda got me really sad and so did inFAMOUS 2 (especially the evil ending).