Within the last 20 years or so, video games have become increasingly cinematic. As a result, it has allowed a level of connection to the stories and characters comparable to movies and television. The stories have grown more complex, the worlds more rich, and so on and so forth. I cried multiple times playing Death Stranding 2 just because I was so connected and immersed in its story. However, while some games will get accused of being more like interactive movies due to the fact that they’re so cinematic, games have a very unique way of telling stories. By putting us in control of the character, we feel a deeper connection and are implicated in the character’s actions.

It also makes it feel a bit striking when a protagonist dies. It’s someone you’ve been in control of for many hours. Someone you’ve upgraded, someone you’ve cared for, and someone you’ve felt the struggles of because they were also your struggles. With that said, we’ve rounded up a handful of games where the main character is abruptly killed off.