Feature: The Saddest Games On Switch - Games To Make You Cry

Not too long ago, we published a list of the Best Funny Games On Switch, which showcased all the finest comedy and capers that the Nintendo Switch has to offer. But much like the iconic Greek masks of comedy and tragedy, it's pointless to have happiness without its counterpart, sadness.

Lightness needs darkness to exist, and so too does laughter need sorrow — and, you know, sometimes it's just really cathartic to have a nice big sob session. Whether your tears are triggered by starcrossed lovers, familial grief, or the existential pain of mortality itself, there are plenty of games in here to get you sobbing.

Grab the tissues and a pint of ice cream for these tear-jerkers...

What Remains of Edith Finch (Switch eShop)



What Remains of Edith Finch is a 'Walking Simulator' that doesn’t just tell an unforgettable story – it's genuinely unforgettable. As tragic as its tale is, it always manages to entertain. As one section ends and as you fight back tears, you’ll always carry on, because the next story is as engrossing as the last. If you want a strong feature-length story that doesn’t waste a minute, Edith Finch is the one you need.

Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons (Switch eShop)



As poignant, heartbreaking and memorable as it was back in 2013, Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons hasn’t lost any of its emotional impact in those intervening years. With a captivating soundtrack, an aesthetic design evocative of Fable and a genuinely clever take on co-op, you can really see why it’s held in such high regard.

The Walking Dead: The Complete First Season (Switch eShop)



What makes this season so unmissable is Lee’s paternal relationship with young Clementine, an eight-year-old girl left alone to face the end of the world. Its a setup that could have been cheapened in the hands of another developer, but here Lee’s growing coldness is gradually thawed through his newly adopted role as guardian, while Clementine becomes far more than another stock NPC in need of protection. The seeds of the woman we see in The Final Season are sowed in these first five episodes and you soon come to appreciate that you’re seeing this world as much through her eyes as you are through Lee’s. This first instalment bodes well for the tragedy and horror to come.

To The Moon (Switch eShop)



This is a short game – it's all over in a matter of four or five hours – but in that small amount of time it manages to make its players directly confront uncomfortable situations and emotions with which we'll all struggle at some point in our lives. It's written with a degree of sincerity and honesty that gives these moments real impact – we were left with tears in our eyes a few times.

Before I Forget (Switch eShop)



Before I Forget is a short, beautiful experience that nevertheless approaches a challenging and rather sombre subject. It takes creative bravery to share a game that represents the impact of dementia, and to do so sensitively and as accurately as possible; it achieves this goal. We not only suffer the disease with Sunita, but engage with the successes and joys of her life. Before I Forget finds a careful balance that is to be commended.

Ori And The Blind Forest: Definitive Edition (Switch eShop)



Ori is known for its mega-challenging Metroidvania platformer elements, but it's also worth calling out its heartwrenching intro, which is reminiscent of Up, AKA that movie that makes everyone cry in the first ten minutes. The mesmerising art style and musical score are the icing on the cake that makes the player actually care about the protagonist and want to keep playing to the game’s conclusion.

The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask (N64)



You can play this one through the Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack service — and you definitely should, because it's stunning. It's weird. And it's so, so sad. It's a tale of the loss of innocence, loneliness, grief, and learning how to move on, all of which are impressively deep topics for a Zelda game that was made in under two years. Play it already!

This War of Mine Complete Edition (Switch)



Particularly poignant right now, This War of Mine is a civil war survival sim set in a fictional country called Graznavia, which sees desperate civilians holing up as best they can in a city under siege. Tough decisions come thick and fast, exacerbated by inclement weather and dwindling supplies. Robbing vital provisions from defenceless people won’t sit well with everyone in your camp and morale isn’t simply an emoji here. At its heart, This War of Mine is a game about broken people. It forces you to make brutal, demoralising decisions to get by – stealing, killing, turning ‘useless’ people away. It makes you appreciate the escapism you have at your fingertips while giving you pause for the terrible reality it depicts.

Firewatch (Switch eShop)



Another candidate for the "Made Me Cry In 5 Minutes" award, Firewatch starts out heavy with a short story about how you became a fire lookout guy in the first place. You never quite meet anyone in this game, but with the company of Delilah, your fellow fire lookout, on the walkie-talkie, you manage to have heavy conversations nonetheless. Firewatch has that sorrowful end-of-summer vibe, with the sense that everything is about to change forever hanging over you the whole time.

Gone Home (Switch eShop)



Gone Home's story is told in snippets through diaries, letters, and notes, as Katie, the 21-year-old prodigal daughter, returns home to find her family gone. As you explore, you find things out about your family that you never knew before — your father’s younger years as he struggled to find a publisher for his books. or stories written by your sister, Sam, in elementary school that show the seeds of a troubled soul. You discover a side of your sister that you hadn't seen, as she makes the transition from child to adult, and finds herself in the process.

Little Inferno (Switch eShop)



An unusual pick for weepy games, given that it's largely a game about setting fire to stuff for fun, but Little Inferno hides a deeper, darker side amongst all the flames. It's cute, and it's creepy, and it's ultimately rather sad, if you pay attention to all the clues hidden within the walls of your safe, warm fireplace.

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt - Complete Edition (Switch)



How does The Witcher 3 make it onto all our lists? Because it's got it all — it's gorgeous, hilarious, and deeply upsetting in turns. Plenty of the side quests are immaculately written glimpses into how tough it is for the peasantry of Geralt's world, or a short story about someone's grief manifesting as a monster, or a brief fairytale about a man who wants to be with his wife, even if she is technically a wraith now. Playing The Witcher 3 is a lot like consenting to get punched in the gut over and over again. Enjoy!

Undertale (Switch eShop)



Undertale has plenty of its sad moments, but it doesn't get sadder than trying to play the game in either a Genocide or Pacifist run. The former requires you to kill everyone, the latter requires you to kill no one. They're both bloody hard, and not just mechanically! But the less said the better — just try it yourself, and we'll see you on the other side in a puddle of your own face-wets.

Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice (Switch eShop)



Drawn from Norse mythology, Senua’s journey to Helheim to avenge her lover has her confronting surreal enemies and constantly questioning what’s real or imagined. Although it does involve some chunky, satisfying swordplay, it’s a disquieting, exploratory experience – certainly not something to embark on lightly or if you’re simply after some relaxing, free-flowing video game violence.

Spiritfarer (Switch eShop)



Spiritfarer is a game about death. But not the grisly sort that games normally deal with — it's about helping the spirits of the already-dead to a calm and peaceful end, by keeping them with you on your massive barge until their unfinished business is ticked off. Fair warning: Some of the stories are really, really sad and surprisingly real, given that the characters involved are hedgehogs and frogs.

Valiant Hearts: The Great War (Switch eShop)



Valiant Hearts is a take on the First World War that somehow manages to be both historically accurate and wildly fantastical. It all looks quite beautiful and serves to tell a moving tale without ever devolving into the depressing slog that it could so easily have become. War games tend to be all about the brutal mechanics of war rather than the exacting toll it takes on people and places. Valiant Hearts: The Great War, by contrast, is one of the most humane war games you'll ever play.

Child of Light: Ultimate Edition (Switch eShop)



Child of Light begins with a child dying, and it only gets sadder from there. With a perfectly fairytale-like tone across its relatively short 10-12 hour runtime, accompanied by gorgeous, flowy watercolour visuals, Child of Light feels like a dream. The writing is quite clunky and the active-time battle can occasionally feel like a slog, but everything else about this game — especially the music — will grab a hold of your heart and twist.

The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening (Switch)



Would you wake up a big fish if it meant... well, no spoilers here, but Link's Awakening is easily one of the saddest Zelda games out there for no reason at all. It could have just been a normal adventure! Why do you do this to us, Nintendo!!

Unpacking (Switch eShop)



The remarkable thing about Unpacking is how it manages to tell a pretty in-depth story through nothing but taking items out of boxes and putting them on shelves. Moving house is an emotive, hopeful and perhaps traumatic experience, providing perfect story beats for the biography of this unseen person. The inherent intimacy of arranging someone’s toiletries and underwear is made incredibly personal by the feel of the items you come to know after unpacking and arranging several times. Get ready to cry over a stuffed pig, folks.

Last Day Of June (Switch eShop)



In Last Day of June, you are placed in the shoes of Carl, a man from a small village who is involved in a car accident with his wife, June. Unfortunately, the tragedy takes June’s life and Carl is left wheelchair-bound. Left to grow old by himself, Carl carries on life as best as he can until one evening he discovers he can change the outcome of past events using the magical power of his wife’s paintings. Desperate to prevent his devastating loss, Carl travels back in time by interacting with the memories contained within June’s works of art. Are you already crying? Us, too.

Night In The Woods (Switch eShop)



Make no mistake about it, Night In The Woods will stay with you. There aren’t very many games out there that manage to leave an imprint on the people who take the time to experience them, but Infinite Fall’s emotional adventure into rural isolationism, palpable Americana and the melancholy of long lost youth does just that. It’s both tongue-in-cheek and deeply tragic, with one eye winking at the audience and another turned inward at the very real growing pains of finding your very own place in the world.

Hopefully, if you've made your way here to this page looking for the weepiest games on Nintendo Switch, you've found what you're looking for — and hopefully, these games can get you through whatever it is you need to cry about. Big hugs to you, pal!

Source: NintendoLife