As a Death Trope, there will be spoilers. Read on at your own risk.
Hesitant Sacrifices in Video Games.
- Darksiders II has this occur at the end, but in a twist Death isn't concerned about his own life being sacrificed to revive humanity and absolve War (he'd do that in a heartbeat if required). Rather, it's the realization that if he does this the nephilim's souls will be sacrificed forever that gives him pause, especially since the game has made it abundantly clear his betrayal and genocide of his race still haunts him and he originally refused to destroy their souls after the genocide out of his guilt for it, and the knowledge that the Well of Souls could revive his people if he so chooses, but saving one race will doom the other. Ultimately, however, Death goes through with it all the same.
- Dragon Age: Inquisition: In the Trespasser DLC, after the anchor starts acting up and starts killing them, in a conversation with the advisers, the Inquisitor can admit that they don't want to die.
- An important part of the backstory for a lot of the Fatal Frame games. A big reason why the Human Sacrifice needed to keep back the evil fails is that the sacrifice (or sacrifices) find a reason to live, usually because they fall in love. And then it gets worse.
- Final Fantasy:
- Final Fantasy Type-0:
- Class Zero, the young heroes of the game, have been preparing to sacrifice their lives for the war effort since childhood. But when the time comes and they're slowly succumbing to their wounds, they realise that not only is dying painful and scary but being child soldiers they've also never had a chance to truly live. Most of them break down in tears and confess they never wanted to die at this point... but they do, all twelve of them together.
- In the very first cutscene of the game, Izana Kunagiri, the elder brother of Machina, is gravely wounded during the Militesi invasion of Rubrum. At first, he seems ready to accept his fate, but as the last of his life ebbs away, he becomes fearful and starts to sob before he succumbs to his wounds.
- Final Fantasy XV's Noctis doesn't falter when the time comes to give his life to save the world, but he trembles violently at the idea of even wearing the ring that represents his fate for much of the game, looks horrified when informed of the nature of his sacrifice, and weeps openly when he tells his friends that he's going to die. In the end, his father Regis is the hesitant one; Regis' ghost refuses to look at his dying son until Noctis begs for his trust and passes him the sword that will end his life.
- Final Fantasy Type-0:
- Kuo, in Infamous 2, has this realization when it comes down to wiping out all humans to save the conduits, or wiping out all conduits (herself included) to save the rest of humanity, and winds up pulling a Face–Heel Turn. Once she's been beaten (assuming the player doesn't side with her), she breaks down crying.Kuo: You made the right choice... hell, Nix even made the right choice. I was... I am scared.
Cole: I am too. - The Sacrifice campaign in Left 4 Dead has one of the survivors sacrificing themselves to get the bridge working again so that their fellow survivors are out of harm's way when the zombie horde comes. When the chosen survivor leaps down to the street to restart the generator, they'll make a remark about their sacrifice. Zoey and Francis may sometimes express regret or doubt about their upcoming sacrifice with lines like "Oh god, I am so screwed" or "Don't let anyone stop me! ...Anyone?"
- Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne: "If Mona didn't find a window soon, I was going to die. For the first time in a long time, I realised I didn't want to die."
- Even being told he will turn into a living bioweapon in half of his expected life expectancy of six months and after an entire game of coming just short of actually putting a pistol in his mouth in Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots to getting himself killed, Snake can't do it. His clone father Big Boss is actually impressed and gives him a reason to live and tells him that he will not turn viral.
- In Nier, Emil's thoughts after staying behind to save his friends are that he's scared of death and just wants to see them again. Fortunately, he survives.
- Super Street Fighter IV has an occurrence of this during the Rival Battle between Guy and Rose. Rose (despite a) being the good half of Bison's soul, b) having failed on several previous occasions to kill Bison because their power is equal but opposite, and c) acknowledging herself that she is merely the teacher to Ryu, the true character destined to finally vanquish Bison) is dead-set on stopping her mortal enemy, even if it requires her going down with him. Guy, in a re-visitation of Street Fighter Alpha 3, is wholly devoted to stopping Rose from proceeding with what is essentially a suicide mission. He questions Rose's methodology with the words "Being prepared to die in battle is not the same as offering yourself to death willingly." Cue a very somber battle with much reluctance from both sides. One of Rose's remarks during the battle is this trope nearly word for word, and when the two aren't beating the tar out of one another, Guy is constantly urging Rose to reconsider her plans.
- Played With in Tales of the Abyss. At one part of the game, it's determined that either Luke or Asch needs to be sacrificed to destroy the miasma that's enveloping the world. Luke decides to go himself, as Asch has stronger abilities and will, therefore, have a better chance of succeeding at releasing Lorelei later on, which is crucial to saving the world from the Big Bad's plans. As they reach the point of no return in the sacrifice and Luke starts to feel his body disintegrating, though, he realizes that he wants to live after all. Fortunately for him, Asch jumps to help him, and they both survive. Unfortunately for them both, Asch was slowly dying anyway due to fonon interference related to them being perfect isofons, and the incident has greatly shortened both of their lifespans. The Gainax Ending suggests one or both survive and return two years later.
- In Valkyrie Profile, when recruiting Nanami, Valkyrie gets sidetracked to dispose of a ghost attacking her. The ghost is actually a close friend of Nanami, and Nanami stops the Valkyrie from destroying it.Valkyrie: Human. Surely you do not intend to take her place?
Nanami: I really don't want to...I don't want to die. But...I thought my anger and sadness were greater than anyone else's...
