Okay, so let me get this straight here: these are things that I found very sad. So for all you people who will post "What about Aerith's death?!" or "What about The Boss dying in MGS3?" I've never played FF7 and I'm not connected to MGS as many people. Oh I know about them but it would feel like a huge lie to myself to put these on the list when they don't really mean anything to me. Does that make them better or worse? Not at all. If there are things I've missed, please remember this is stuff I've experienced. So lets get on with the list: and remember there are spoilers.
Spoiler:5. Shadow of the Colossus
Argo Dies (Kind Of)
I don't know if you guys have ever owned a pet, but losing a pet can be a terrible thing to go through. Argo was more than just a pet: he was your friend. He was always there to help you to on your quest. Because of the solemn and quiet nature of the story, you build up a relationship with him. And in the moment of ten seconds, you lose him. Without a warning or a foreshadow, he is gone. And now you must complete the final fight without him and you've never felt more alone then at that point. Of course he turns up to be alive at the end. But the moment and what led up to the ending, we all felt it.
Spoiler:4. Infamous 2
Killing Zeke
Everyone has a best friend. it is this fact that makes this part so hard to watch. Being one of the two endings to Infamous, Cole decides to bring forth the reign of the Conduits. One of the people who stands in the way is Cole's best friend, Zeke. Zeke is a normal person and stands little chance against Cole. Zeke tries, in vain, to stop Cole and fails at doing everything he could, which isn't much. The worst part is that the game makes you press the button to kill him, thus amplifying the feeling of sadness at what has just occurred. Not only that but you killed a man who never stood a chance. How does that make you feel?
Spoiler:3. Red Dead Redemption
John Marston's Last Stand
This is a moment that was being led up to for awhile after you finish your mission of killing your old gang. When you complete that, you think the game is over. But you do missions and tasks around the farm and you can feel something is coming. A storm, if you would. It also serves as the purpose of building a connection with the family John fought so hard for. And in the end, it is all snatched away. John lets himself die so to give his family a chance. It's a solemn moment. No slow motion fall to the ground or dramatic music. Just the sound of John, breathing with blood in his throat. And then he stops breathing. And all you are left with is sadness and rage.
Spoiler:2. Mass Effect 3
Betraying Mordin
Mass Effect 3 is filled with tons of sad moments. In the game, unless you follow a lot of specific stuff, Mordin dies. Whether it is by curing the genophage or by betrayal. And they are both sad. But his death from your betrayal is one of the most heart wrenching things I've seen. So I'll level with you: I never did this. It's not a thing of didn't have time or didn't do enough playthroughs: I couldn't do it. I couldn't do it because it takes a truly heartless person to betray Mordin like this. It was hard to hate Mordin. It sucks that you gun him down for doing what is right. It sucks even more to see him try in vain to cure the Krogans.
Spoiler:1. The Darkness
Jenny Dies
For those of you who have never heard of this game, I highly recommend renting or buying this from the used bin. The Darkness has probably one of my most favorite stories in a game. So go out and try out The Darkness and it's sequel if you haven't. The antagonist takes Jenny and Jackie tries to stop him. But The Darkness restrains Jackie and forces him to watch as Uncle Paulie executes her.
This wins the top spot for many reasons. The first one is the presentation. Everything from the motion, to the voice acting, and to the music were all top notch. The scene was just so well done. Secondly, it's a scene that hits us hard. Jenny is such an awesome and good character. Earlier in the game you form a connection with her by just being able to sit next to her and watch TV. It's very restrained and simple. So when she dies, you feel sad and angry at the same time to a high degree. Lastly, it is the significance of her death that makes this so sad. To Jackie, Jenny was everything. As a hitman for the mafia, Jackie's one connection to goodness was her. She was the brightness in his world and kept him from falling to complete darkness. And it was the one thing that kept him human. It is this sort of scene that shows how video games can be great.
That one had me red eyed for hours.