Emotion through game mechanics?

One of the things I've came across while researching games is conveying emotion through game mechanics. It seems the traditional way of conveying emotion through video games is with the use of cut-scenes which is basically film. For exmaple, I loved Final Fantasy X, I thought it was an amazing game and there's a lot of emotion portrayed through the characters, however it's all done through cut-scenes... now there's nothing wrong with that but conveying emotion through game mechanics is very interesting because the emotion comes from the players themselves, not what they see on screen. The emotion is simulated rather than elicited by the individual. Imagine a video game where you're constantly playing but it's very emotional. It may seem a bit strange I know... but video games are a young medium; they are maturing and expanding away from what we know them as. Films are great at what they achieve but imagine interactive content which delivers the experience but it differs enough to not be classed as a film. I'm looking at Heavy Rain here. It's a great game which does well what it sets out to do but there is next to no gameplay. 

Okay enough rambling. I would like to give an example of emotion through game mechanics and I'm using an old popular game here with a lot of respect to try and reach out to a big audience. 

Shadow of the Colossus - Team Ico (2005)

That's right, Shadow of the Colossus. If you don't know what Shadow of the Colossus is then I'd advise either checking it out or getting a copy for yourself. I'll dive straight into the emotion through mechanics stuff now.

Example

In Shadow of the Colossus you travel across vast landscapes in order to reach the colossal giants with your horse. This is basically your 'move faster' mechanic in order to get around quicker. However, players can't help but feel some form of companionship with the horse... an emotional bond where they actually care for their horse. This is exactly what I mean when talking about emotion through mechanics. It's just a game mechanic but the context in which it has been put in (the horse) has made the player appreciate the creature a heck of a lot. 

There's a bunch of other examples but I'd be here all day. Can you think of any game mechanics from games which elicit emotions from the player or even your own personal experiences? 

Cheers, 

Gavin