For Love of The Game

A feature from Gamespot this week is an interesting look at gaming moments that moved you as a player. Emotional moments for several of the editors are explored. From the article: "This isn't an article about violence in video games. It's a chance for us to consider some of the moments in our lives as game players that made us feel strongly about something that, in the grand scheme of things, is probably pretty trivial. These are cases in which games drove us to relative emotional extremes. This is both how and why we play." What would be a gaming moment that drove you to an emotional extreme?

Re:Commodore 64 and Thief

[Jakeypants]

Never had a C64, but I'm totally with you on Thief. Once you finish the main missions, hit TTLG [ttlg.com] for some killer additional levels. Some of the unofficial expansions have top-notch art and voice acting. Really makes you wonder how so many major studios manage to fuck those elements up. Must be because of the fans' dedication to the series.

So many...(potential spoilers)

[Eggman27]

--Chrono Cross, namely the FMV over the end credits and the music playing with it, and the fact that the key to getting the best ending is this little 7-note tune you've heard a couple times throughout the game - I was very moved when I saw it. Also, there's the scene near the end where you go back in time to the burning orphanage, and the scene where you see ghost likenesses of Crono, Marle, and Lucca.

--Metroid Fusion: there's this one spot a little more than halfway through where the power in the station goes off while you're on an elevator, and you have to get back to your shift by an alternate route. Shortly after that, you end up in a section of the station that is overgrown with plants and you have to find where the growth is coming from and clear it out, and as you make your way through this small passageway, you hear the SA-X's music and its footsteps, and you know there's an inevitable chase sequence coming up. I always CRINGE every time I get to that point, because I know the next 30-45 seconds are VERY stressful and it's a long way to backtrack if I fail.

--Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker, when you get to the frozen Hyrule Castle, everything is in black and white and immobile with this kind of soft music being played backwards in the background - CREEPY!

--Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, the escape sequence and the final battle - everything a final boss should be and a great rush of exhiliration to boot on Ganon's final appearance.

--Metroid: Zero Mission - not quite the same, but there's a HUGE rush of adrenaline and a feeling of complete and utter payback right after you get your Chozo Suit back with the high-powered Plasma Beam that cuts down those blasted pirates in a single shot - and the energized version of the Brinstar theme plaing the background helps too.

--Chrono Trigger: the scene where you go back in time to save Crono by replacing him with the clone - very moving.

--FF7, as someone stated below, the scene in the Shinra building where you follow the smeared trail of blood up to the roof - also creepy. I haven't played far enough to see Aeris's death yet.