Moments in gaming that truly made you understand what Video games were as an artistic medium

[Ottservia]

Video games are an artistic medium that much we’re all aware of but I ask you what moment in a video game truly made you understand that fact? What moment in a video game left with you with such an unforgettable experience that it left you shaking, speechless, feeling emotions you could never describe with words. A moment in a game that made you truly understand what this medium was capable of doing. 
 

For me, that moment was Fatalis’s boss fight in Monster Hunter world iceborne. It’s kind of hard to describe if you haven’t played yourself. But that fight, oh boy. No game I have ever played in all my years of living has even come close to making me feel the pure level of adrenaline and hype that fight filled me with. Everything about the fight just hit so perfectly. The music, the animations, the challenge, etc. it was a fight that truly tested my skills as a hunter. I had to be completely aware of everything. My health, stamina, weapon sharpness, positioning, items, materials, everything. I was fighting the king of monsters and I couldn’t let my guard down for even a second. He pushed me and my friends to the absolute limits of our abilities. As Fatalis’s torrential flames swept through the ruined city, we cowered in fear behind various barriers. We blasted him with cannons, shot at him with dragon pods, and balistas. we did everything we could to gain an advantage but he was tough and withstood it all. It was then that the dragonator was ready for use. I pulled the lever and thought I missed but then I see the damage numbers as Fatalis crashes to the ground. My comrades and I let out war cry as proof of a hero begins blaring in the background. The fight continues as we try desperately to take Fatalis down. A teammate falls and then another. We have two carts left and with five minutes left it seems all hope is lost. But not even a minute after the five minute warning drops down we rush Fatalis with everything we have and the “Quest complete” notification drops down as the mighty black dragon falls to the ground dead and defeated. The sheer amount of adrenaline and hype I felt in that moment was indescribable. I was speechless. It took so many hours and so many attempts and when we thought the battle lost we emerged triumphant. Like it truly was such an unforgettable experience to cap off an amazing game.

[Benice]

Hm...For me, it was probably either the end of Majima's arc in Yakuza 0 or the final chapter of YK2.

I absolutely adored Majima in 0, and his interactions with a certain spoilery character. It really showed his humanity and how he became the Mad Dog as a sort of mask; everything about the arc was beautifully done, right down to the bittersweet ending. He's probably my favorite fictional character, even if he is weaker in the next entry.

As for YK2's final chapter...There were so many plot twists, and it just knocked me off my feet. Everything came together at the last second, and I was on the literal edge of my seat as it unfolded. It was executed really, really well. The Majima saga was a really great bonus, finally giving closure to *spoiler*. And also Majima's karaoke song. After watching a playthrough of Y0...Man...That song made me cry, I'm not gonna lie.

EDIT: Oh yeah, and the song absolutely slaps.

 

Otherwise, I really adored the Demise fight in Skyward Sword. SS is my favourite game of all time, and the final boss is part of why. He's been built up over the course of the story as a terrifying figure, and the fight is simply so epic; the music, how powerful Demise's moves LOOK, the story...It just felt like the fate of the world was on the line right there, and that you stood no chance of winning but tried anyways.

Edited January 21 by Benice

[Glennstavos]

Ocarina of Time. I think I was ten years old. I played plenty of games before then, like Smash, Pokemon, GTA 3, Mario, but Zelda really immersed me in that world and made me want to save that world. I swapped tips with friends at school, then rushed to play more of the game when I got home. For me, the biggest hurdle was the game's creepier imagery and locations. Beneath the well, the Shadow Temple, and those freaking redeads waiting for you every time you boot up the game. I grew up watching all kinds of R rated movies, but it's different experiencing horror outside of a passive medium. Like Link, I was a dumb stupid kid that had no choice but to brave an unkind, awful world as an adult. Ever since then, I had looked at games completely differently. Suddenly every game I could get my hands on was a treasure. Every story they had to tell was a new life experience. I think within a year of finishing Ocarina, I was scratching my head at MGS2, which is pretty far down the rabbit hole of "what games are capable of", haha.

[Etrurian emperor]

Most things about Nier Automata, really. 

[Maof06]

The ending of Final Fantasy X.

[Wraith]

Final Fantasy VI in general.

[Samz707]

I guess the moment for me is from Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway for a very good emotional moment.

Spoiler

Where the game kinda pulls a cruel monkey paw situation for one of your squad members (protagonist of the second game as well) Joseph "Red" Hartsock, since long story short he's a soldier who wants to back to his daughter safely, he gets his ring finger blown off (in first person!) in Earned in Blood so he's not exactly having a fun time before the third game starts.

Essentially the good news is, he gets wounded and he can go home, the bad news is that he's wounded because he took shrapnel to the spine and can now never walk again.

So it's cruel because sure he gets to go home and be with his daughter but he'll never walk again and you're even left in limbo unaware if he's going to live or not for several missions straight so it's cruel since you think he's gonna be okay but then it turns out that he's paralyzed for life.

 

[Sooks]

All of Undertale.

.....okay fine, the stroll through new home you take near the end of the game before fighting Asgore, where you get the current state of affairs’ full backstory, essentially, and the theme I always shill plays. 

 

[lightcosmo]

The ending scene of Final Fantasy Type-0. That was truly a masterpiece, imo. On an emotional level, the most.

[Jingilator]

On a serious note: 

On a more comical note: 

 

[Sir Sexington]

Arthur's redemption in RDR2. The whole mission. The ultimate climax of all the antagonists and protagonists done in the perfect manner. If you choose to save John like I did, then the entire ending of Arthur's life is the perfect reflection of how he finally came to stand for something at the end of his blood ridden path, and found solace in that selfsame punishment as a final atonement and rest. Truly a beautiful conclusion to my favorite character in all of fiction.