Japanese poll shows which games are most likely to make you cry

byVirginia Glaze
Zach Fair from FFVII alongside Tidus and Yuna from Final Fantasy X.Square Enix

Japanese magazine Denfami polled 4,700 gamers to see which RPG made them cry the most, and the list is stacked with titles from one particular series.

Games are more than a way to pass the time — they tell stories, get us invested in their worlds, and (sometimes unhealthily) attached to their characters.

Some of the most highly-lauded games in the world are hailed for their captivating narratives, such as God of War and The Last of Us.

RPGs certainly fit into this category, being largely narrative-driven experiences, so Japanese gaming outlet Denfami set out to see which games in the genre moved players to tears the most.

Amaterasu stands by a guardian sapling in Okami.CAPCOM
Games like Okami, Persona and others made Japanese gamers cry the most.

Final Fantasy X is the game most likely to make players cry

They published their findings in an article on August 15, and a good amount of the top-ranked ‘most likely to cry’ games came from the Final Fantasy series.

In fact, Final Fantasy X took first place — and it’s not surprising, given it was the first Final Fantasy game to be fully voice-acted. Participants shared why the title made them tear up, with one writing: “I was able to empathize with the characters. Even now, characters pop up unexpectedly in my dreams, and every time I do, I realize they are still alive deep in my heart.”

“Everything from the storyline to the ending is so sad that it’s impossible to watch without crying,” another said.

Tidus and Yuna embrace in Final Fantasy X.Square Enix
Final Fantasy X was ranked as the game that made Japanese gamers cry the most.

Final Fantasy VII Crisis Core took second place. Following Zach Fair before the events of Final Fantasy VII, this is a classic game in the FF series that many millennial gamers hold near and dear to their hearts.

Persona 3 ranked third, with one participant saying they were “moved by how each character worked hard to find their own answers and weave the story together.”

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Zach Fair as he appears in CRISIS CORE –FINAL FANTASY VII– REUNION.Square Enix
Crisis Core was another game that many Japanese players said brought them to tears.

All in all, six Final Fantasy games made the cut, alongside other beloved classics like Okami, the ‘Mother’ series, and relatively newer titles like Nier: Automata and Omori.

The rest of the list is as follows:

  1. Final Fantasy X
  2. Crisis Core Final Fantasy VII
  3. Persona 3
  4. Okami
  5. Mother 3
  6. Tales of the Abyss
  7. Dragon Quest XI
  8. Final Fantasy IX
  9. Suikoden II
  10. Final Fantasy XV
  11. Tales of Legendia
  12. NieR:Automata
  13. Undertale
  14. Mother 2
  15. Xenoblade Chronicles 2
  16. Final Fantasy XIV
  17. NieR Replicant
  18. Omori
  19. Final Fantasy Type-0
  20. Dragon Quest V
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