History HeroicBSOD / VideoGames

* Lampshaded in ''VideoGame/TheKingOfFighters XIII'':
** In their story mode, Maxima tells K' and Kula that he has trouble [[CyBorg rebooting]], K' asks "You're not gonna bluescreen on us, are ya?". Maxima says that he won't, but K' still asks him for a match to see what's going on.
** The one who ends up playing the trope straight, however, is [[spoiler: Elisabeth Blanctorche]]. And with good reason, since it happens [[spoiler: in her team's ending, when Ash Crimson explains his plans to her and basically [[RetGone gets himself erased from this world]] [[HeroicSacrifice to eliminate his arch-enemy and ancestor Saiki]], all to [[DeclarationOfProtection protect her]] because she's his OnlyFriend and [[TheChosenOne among those destined to fight the group led by Saiki]].]]
** In the KOF: KYO manga and games, which describe Kyo Kusanagi's daily life, both Athena ''and'' Kyo suffer these. The first has one after [[spoiler: catching a glimpse of Iori's DarkAndTroubledPast by accident]]; the second goes through this when he starts doubting his powers and streength [[spoiler: and is temporarily BroughtDownToNormal.]]

* In ''Franchise/MassEffect'', Wrex's race, the krogan are dying out due to a specially designed bioweapon used on them during a Krogan Uprising. On Virmire, he learns that on the base you intend to blow up [[BigBad Saren]] is developing a cure. He storms off; you either have to convince him that extinction would be preferable to his race being the indoctrinated servants of Saren, or you have to [[KilledOffForReal kill him]].

-->'''Shepard''': There's only so much death... only so much loss you can take... before...\\
'''Garrus''': Before your best friend pulls you up, dusts you off, and tells you you're the best damn soldier they've ever known.

* Luna in ''VideoGame/LunarSilverStarStory'' graces us with an epic one ([[FourthWallPsych almost as if she's staring right at you]]), complete with a dramatic close up. [[spoiler:This happens after she helplessly watched as Ghaleon sealed up the White Dragon in a tiny ball... and ends up becoming the DistressedDamsel for the rest of the game.]]

* ''VideoGame/AssassinsCreedBrotherhood'':
** During the ending, present-day protagonist Desmond Miles was possessed upon touching the Apple of Eden and [[spoiler:forced to stab his friend Lucy Stillman]], after which he [=BSoDs=] so hard that he went into shock, and despite being put back into the Animus in an attempt to keep his mind busy he ended up going into a coma, which he remains in as of ''VideoGame/AssassinsCreedRevelations''.
** If one starts the ''da Vinci Disappearance'' DLC after after one has already cleared the game's memory Sequences as opposed to before that, the opening dialogue changes to reflect the above [=BSoD=], although either way the ending dialogue is set after the [=BSoD=].
* In ''VideoGame/AssassinsCreedIVBlackFlag'', protagonist Edward Kenway suffers a mental and emotional breakdown after [[spoiler:Mary Read's death]], becoming a [[DrowningMySorrows drunken mess]] for what appear to be several months.

* In ''VideoGame/DragonAgeOrigins'', Alistair has one after the battle at Ostagar that lasts until you reach Lothering.
* There is a point in ''VideoGame/DragonAgeII'' where Hawke [[spoiler:arrives home to discover that his/her mother has been abducted by a serial killer. Unfortunately, no matter what you do, there is no way to arrive in time to save her.]] The following two scenes with [[spoiler:Gamlen]] and Hawke's love interest respectively depict Hawke completely shut off from reality.
** If Bethany is still alive and Hawke sides with the Templars, after [[spoiler: killing Orsino, she will, in despair, accept her fate as Meredith goes to execute her. Hawke can [[GoThroughMe prevent her from doing this]] or [[KickTheDog allow it to happen.]]]]
** At the conclusion of Merrill's final Companion Quest "A New Path", Merrill goes through one [[spoiler:after she is forced to kill her mother figure Marethari who had made herself into an abomination to save Merrill]]. She collapses to her knees and begs her gods to let this all just be a terrible dream.
--->'''Merrill:''' (falls to her knees) I didn't want this. I never wanted this! Please, Creators, let this all be a bad dream. I'll wake up, and she'll scold me for being an idiot...
** Fenris's final Companion Quest has this as a potential outcome. [[spoiler:If Hawke agrees to sell Fenris back to his old master, Fenris is so broken by Hawke's betrayal that he goes along with Denarius without even struggling.]]
* In ''VideoGame/DragonAgeInquisition'', [[UndyingLoyalty Varric]] goes through one if [[spoiler:Hawke sacrifices him/herself in the Fade to save the Inquisitor and the Grey Warden ally]]. After being told what happened, he is unable to even say anything, just walking away completely silently.

* Steve Burnside in ''VideoGame/ResidentEvilCodeVeronica'' gets a short one when he discovers that his father has been zombified, and he becomes unable to "kill" it. Only when Claire is threatened by the zombie does he finally turn his submachine guns on it, proceeding to drain his entire supply of bullets into the corpse, and his fingers remain locked into the triggers despite the clicking from the drained guns.
* ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil6'':
** Chris Redfield, after [[spoiler:his entire unit is killed]]. He runs off to Europe and forces himself to forget it, until [[spoiler:Piers comes and kicks his ass into gear and forces him to confront what happened]].
** Leon S. Kennedy just shuts down after Chris tells him [[spoiler:Ada was dead, not knowing it was actually her EvilTwin that died]]. It takes a long moment for him to [[HeroicSafeMode start functioning again]] and he doesn't really recover until [[spoiler:he sees Ada alive, piloting a helicopter]].
* Wonderfully averted in ''VideoGame/RivieraThePromisedLand'' after Ein's memory block is released and he remembers that he's a Grim Angel who is supposed to destroy the world: instead of [[WAngst angsting]] about it, he immediately vows to find a better way to defeat the demons, because the Sprites really aren't so bad.

* Fellow IdiotHero and VideoGame/TalesSeries protagonist, Luke fon Fabre of ''VideoGame/TalesOfTheAbyss'', also has an epic one when, after the first part of the game, he begins to realize the gravity of what he's done: [[spoiler:[[WhatTheHellHero killed thousands of people all at once]], [[NiceJobBreakingItHero sunk a huge portion of the world]], and refused to accept responsibility for it all until [[TearJerker the entire party turns their backs and give up on him. Even his best friend and the love interest]]. Oh, and by the way, [[CloningBlues he's a clone, and the party seems to like the original better]].]] He comes out of the [=BSoD=] with wide eyes and new resolution, [[CharacterDevelopment deciding that he'll do whatever it takes to become a better person.]] Indeed, throughout the rest of the game he completes his transformation from {{Jerkass}} to AllLovingHero.

* ''VideoGame/SlyCooper''

[[folder: Final Fantasy]]

[[folder: Metal Gear]]
* In ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid2'', Raiden quite understandably [[spoiler:suffers one hell of a [=BSoD=] when Olga is shot by Solidus. Her death was merely the spark which was fueled by previous knowledge that his role as a rookie was a lie... and that he was actually a child soldier with years of experience (and trauma). Add that to one secret after another revealed beforehand, and not knowing of the [[GambitPileup unbelievable mess]] that awaited him in the next scene... it's a wonder Raiden even recovered enough to duel Solidus in the end.]]

** Solid Snake constantly wrestles against the [=BSoD=] throughout the [[Franchise/MetalGear series]], suffering a literal barrage of conspiracies and mindbenders that could be named by the entire GambitIndex right to the bitter end. Yet somehow, Snake generally manages to keep it together and not crash (though he comes pretty damn close at times in four, when he's obviously reached his limit). A true blue soldier he is!
*** Although... between ''VideoGame/MetalGear2SolidSnake'' (second game) and ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid'', it's said that a [[LukeIAmYourFather certain event]] shook him up a bit to the point he disappeared into Alaska for a while. This ''may'' be an off screen slight [=BSoD=] he suffered. Said incident was in fact learning that Big Boss was his father minutes before Snake killed him in a particularly horrific way. Evidently, this disillusioned him so heavily that he couldn't deal with ''people'' anymore.
*** Snake can have an on-screen [=BSoD=] in ''[[VideoGame/MetalGearSolid4 Guns of the Patriots]]''; kill around fifty enemies (kill, not just knock out) and he'll have a flashback to his brother Liquid accusing him of enjoying all the killing he does before vomiting right then and there.

** ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid4'' relies heavily on this. With the Sons of the Patriot system, soldiers no longer experience fear or pain and are able to keep fighting effectively for much longer. But when the system is shut down, the emotion suppression immediately ends and everything comes crashing down on the soldiers, who never had to deal with their past or received any kind of counseling at all, sending every single one of them into a massive [=BSoD=]. [[spoiler:When Ocelot does just that, the only unit that is still in any shape to fight are the fresh recruits on a training vessel. Also Johnny always managed to evade getting integrated with the system and while it seriously hampered him in combat, he never relied on the emotion suppression and was the only one unaffected when the system was gone, giving him the chance for several BigDamnHeroes moments.]]

* ''VideoGame/AdvanceWars Days of Ruin'':
** Will has one [[spoiler: after Cpt. Brenner is destroyed by Caulder's new weapon.]] He snaps out of it when Isabella tells him that his happiness is her happiness. He then goes on to [[spoiler: become the new commander of Brenner's Wolves.]]
** Isabella has one [[spoiler: when Caulder tells everyone his daughters are clones and Isabella is one of them. Being kicked out by the civilians doesn't exactly help her condition. But after the battle on the Great Owl, Will tells her it doesn't matter what she is.]]

* In ''VideoGame/PlanescapeTorment'', a good-aligned Nameless One will, throughout his journey, hear and learn of the actions of one of his past selves, the Practical Incarnation. As he learns more and more of the Incarnation's various atrocities, he is clearly disturbed. This ultimately reaches a head when he recalls how [[spoiler:the Practical Incarnation played Dionarra's feelings for him like a fiddle, emotionally manipulated/tortured her, and ultimately deliberately sent her to her death, all without the slightest hint of feeling or remorse. Even worse, it turns out that Practical ''never'' actually loved her, and regarded her as nothing but a tool for him to use, just like everyone else]]. The sheer horror at what he once was and what he did causes the Nameless One to break down, complete with TearsOfBlood.

* ''Franchise7KingdomHearts'':

* ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsII''. When Sora learns that his killing Heartless is ''exactly what the Organization wants him to do''. He recovers ''really'' quickly, after a pep talk from Goofy, which basically boils down to "The Heartless still need to be stopped, because they hurt people."
** And a less plot-relevant example is given to Hercules when he finds out that Olympus Coliseum was utterly demolished by the Hydra that he didn't quite kill in his hurry to save his girlfriend. You would think he [[AllOfTheOtherReindeer suffered]] [[TrainingFromHell enough]] [[TheWoobie in the movie.]]
** Mickey, Donald Duck, and Sora all slip into a shared one in when Goofy is seemingly killed. It only lasts a few seconds before all three of them quickly transition into UnstoppableRage. After they finish [[RoaringRampageOfRevenge ruthlessly slaughtering every last Heartless and Nobody in the immediate vicinity]], Goofy catches up to them and reveals that he was not dead, only knocked unconscious.

* Lampshaded in ''VideoGame/TheKingOfFighters XIII''. In their story mode, Maxima tells K' and Kula that he has trouble [[CyBorg rebooting]], K' asks "You're not gonna bluescreen on us, are ya?". Maxima says that he won't, but K' still asks him for a match to see what's going on.

* Will has one in ''VideoGame/AdvanceWars Days of Ruin'' [[spoiler: after Cpt. Brenner is destroyed by Caulder's new weapon.]] He snaps out of it when Isabella tells him that his happiness is her happiness. He then goes on to [[spoiler: become the new commander of Brenner's Wolves.]]

* In the ending of ''VideoGame/AssassinsCreedBrotherhood'', present-day protagonist Desmond Miles was possessed upon touching the Apple of Eden and [[spoiler:forced to stab his friend Lucy Stillman]], after which he [=BSoDs=] so hard that he went into shock, and despite being put back into the Animus in an attempt to keep his mind busy he ended up going into a coma, which he remains in as of ''VideoGame/AssassinsCreedRevelations''.

* [[spoiler:Frank]] gets one in the best ending of ''VideoGame/DeadRising'' when he sees [[spoiler:the helicopter that was supposed to get him and the survivors out of the mall go down and explode]]. He's so out of it that he doesn't notice and/or doesn't care about [[spoiler:the zombie shambling up behind him. Thankfully, that isn't the true ending]].
** Then he has another one [[spoiler:after Isabella rescues him and he learns that he's infected]].

* Sera in ''VideoGame/DigitalDevilSaga 2'' gets one of these when she [[spoiler:watches Heat kill Serph, in a scene that mimicks the scene where [[MagnificentBastard other]] [[EtTuBrute Serph]] killed other Heat five years ago and threw her into her original [=BSoD=] that kinda started the destruction of the world. Unfortunately, watching this reiteration of the previous [=BSoD=] causing trauma caused God to decide to finish the job. Whoops.]]

* Laharl from ''VideoGame/DisgaeaHourOfDarkness'' suffers his [[spoiler:after Seraph Lamington kills Flonne. His only response, after a few seconds of silence, are a series of guttural growls followed by murderous rage.]] Afterwards, depending on what ending the player got, either [[spoiler:Laharl spares Lamington and it's revealed that it was all a test, and Flonne is revived]], [[spoiler:Laharl spares Lamington... in the sense that he's still BREATHING... and Flonne is revived, though Laharl is so apalled by his actions that he departs, never to be seen again]] or, finally, [[spoiler:flat out KILLS Lamington, only to go completely insane when the truth is revealed and kill himself.]]

** Averted in ''VideoGame/FireEmblemPathOfRadiance''. After [[spoiler:his father's death]], Ike seems afflicted with Heroic [=BSoD=] which manifests itself as insomnia. However, aside from appearing more tired than usual, the other characters do not notice. It doesn't affect his performance on the battlefield either. [[spoiler: When he finally avenges Greil, the narration describes Ike as sleeping well past dawn the next day.]]

** ''VideoGame/FireEmblemTheSacredStones'': Ephraim and Eirika both also suffer of this when [[spoiler: [[BigBadFriend Lyon]], their childhood friend, takes the titular Sacred Stone of their country, destroys it, and basically tells them that they HAVE to kill him to stop him]]. Either [[LargeHam L'Arachel]] or [[GenkiGirl Tana]], depending on which route has been take, manage to snap them out of it by the next chapter.

* It takes three games, but Geo, the protagonist of ''VideoGame/MegaManStarForce'', finally gets one in the third game when [[spoiler:his best friend is seemingly murdered in front of him.]] Just to rub it in, the villain immediately goes on to the EvilLaugh.
** Geo was having [=BSoDs=] waaaay before that. In the first game he had a [=BSoD=] for 3 years or so when his dad went missing. Then he has ANOTHER one when [[spoiler:Pat betrays him]]. And then ANOTHER one in the second game when he only manages to save just one of his friends from falling in a non-lethal hole of doom. Also, in the same game, [[RuleOfThree ANOTHER]] one when [[spoiler:Sonia / Harp Note, Geo's first person which who has formed a brotherband, betrays him and breaks their brotherband, due to a deal with the enemy to ensure Geo would be safe]]. Geo's the king of this trope, no kidding.

* Flint from ''VideoGame/Mother3'' gets one [[spoiler:halfway through chapter one. The good news? The Drago tooth his friend found would be an awesome weapon! The bad news? The tooth was found ''after it went through Flint's wife's heart!'' Flint literally has to be knocked unconscious after hearing the news and breaking down.]]
** He gets another near the end of the game, [[spoiler:when he finds out the Masked Man is Claus. He snaps out of it in time to [[TakingTheBullet take the PSI attack for Lucas.]]]]

* ''VideoGame/SilentHill2'' has James do at least 3 (maybe 4) of these: [[spoiler: when Maria is killed by Pyramid Head, when Maria is killed by Pyramid Head ''again'', when he remembers that he killed his wife, and (arguably) a brief one when the Pyramid Heads kill Maria YET AGAIN]].
** Let's not beat around the bush, [[spoiler: The entirety of the game is basically James having one massive [=BSoD=]. From getting out of the car...to the bitter end, it's all the awful truth catching up to a man in deep denial.]]

* Judging by [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9y2sSnRlrT4&feature=related this cinematic]] from ''VideoGame/{{StarCraft II}}'', Kerrigan's last act as a human is to have one, after realising that her allies have abandoned her and she has no ammo or energy. Then she sees a swarm of Zerg coming towards her.

* Edge Maverick from ''VideoGame/StarOceanTheLastHope'' gets a [=BSoD=] after [[spoiler: he introduced futuristic technology to a 1950's Earth that will bypass that of the nuclear age, therefore avoiding the nuclear war that would eventually nearly cause massive destruction to Earth in the future. However, the scientist he gives it to immediately puts it into a technologically inept reactor, causing the destruction of the entire Earth]].
** Pretty major case of [=BSoD=] at that, too. Reimi, his [[TheLancer Second-In-Command]], is forced to take over as captain because Edge has become unfit for duty. For a while, Edge says very little in cutscenes and says nothing at all after a victory in battle or leveling up. It isn't until [[spoiler: Reimi is afflicted with a sickness [[TakenForGranite that turns people into stone]]]] that he finally starts to snap out of it.

** Slightly subverted in ''VideoGame/SuikodenII'' to the little girl Pilika, whom after watching [[strike:her parents]] Polk get murdered in front of her by Luca Blight, is emotionally scarred and mute for the majority of the game. She eventually regains her speech when [[spoiler:she's reunited with Jowy.]]

* [[IdiotHero Lloyd Irving]] of ''VideoGame/TalesOfSymphonia'' does this when [[spoiler:he discovers that [[ChosenOne Colette]] is giving up her life to save the world ''and then gets a front row seat to watch her [[NotQuiteDead "die"]]'', the angel Remiel who had previously acted as a guardian angel for the group is actually evil, and [[TheStoic Kratos]], who had previously been traveling with them to protect Colette, turns out to be Remiel's boss. Poor boy practically needed a kernel reinstall to get over that, which hidden pseudo-ally [[HeelFaceTurn Yuan]] neatly provides.]]
** Doesn't Emil's realization from [[VideoGame/TalesOfSymphoniaDawnOfTheNewWorld the sequel]] that [[spoiler: he's actually Ratatosk, he murdered Aster, he was getting ready to destroy the entire human race, and to put the icing on the guilt cake, he used Marta as bait for his enemies]] count?

** It happens in any situation an Ethereal dies. And the commander didn't live, he joined the Ethereal in death
** Another case is from the earlier ''Dark Crusade'', when the objective in the Tau stronghold is to kill the Ethereal Aun'El. As Aun'El falls whispering "All is lost... all is lost...", a crisis commander begins to freak out before Shas'O Kais, barely keeping things together, announces "Fall back, now! All forces, fall back. Evacuate the city. We will return Aun'El to T'au for burial. There is nothing left for us here..."
*** Worth noting that about ''half the planet's population consists of Tau'' when they evacuate...

* [[spoiler:Higashizawa]] drives [[spoiler:Shiki]] into one in ''VideoGame/TheWorldEndsWithYou''. The next day, she is quite silent, not even saying her usual run-away-from-battle quips.