Some of the best video games they contain complex stories full of seemingly crucial moral decisions. Multilinear narrative games are structured so that dialogue choices and key actions lead the player down different paths in a branching story that ultimately leads to a conclusion. However, it can be challenging to discern which choices really matter; that is, which choices define the parts of the game that move the player along a trajectory that is difficult or impossible to predict.
8 games that redefined player choice and its consequences
Many modern games now put player agency and the consequence of choice at the center, but there are some titles that helped define this gameplay mechanic.
The snowball effect of this election it may not be apparent at first, and sometimes the player may not know exactly where he went wrong. These are seemingly small decisions that send players into a corkscrew, often leading to the worst and most unfair endings in video game history. Be careful what you choose in these games, or throw caution to the wind and see what happens.
Undertale
Kill anyone, even once
At this point, it's common knowledge that there are two clear ways to play Undertale: The Pacifist Run and the Genocide Run. What many players didn't know when the game was first released was that a single kill would lock the player out of the pacifist path. If a player fails to read the room and anticipate the game's agenda, it can have lasting consequences in a game that steadfastly holds up a mirror to the violence of traditional game mechanics.
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Toby Fox is a ruthless developer and killing a single character instantly ruined the pacifist run. Many players found this out the hard way, probably when Toriel tried to stop them from leaving her home and they wouldn't budge. It seems like maybe this is one thing that can't be solved by hanging on without a fight. Unfortunately, this is not the case. Every life matters and every act of violence has consequences Undertale.
Quarry
The damn rabbit
Supermassive Games love to throw curves and encourage players to make decisions that turn into ticking bombs. Quarry has a classic example of this trick and it all involves a lost stuffed toy and a commercial freezer. The game centers around camp counselors trying to get home after the camp is closed for a year. One of the young campers has left behind a beloved toy, and camp counselor Abbey must decide whether to leave it at the cabin or take it with her to try to reunite it with its owner.
Those familiar with Supermassive Games will immediately identify it as a defining choice that will have huge consequences. The fact that the toy makes a noise will likely cause many forward-thinking players to abandon it in case the noise gives away their position later in the game, but they have no idea that they may have condemned an entirely different character to a slow, painful death. Later in the game, this rabbit will be the difference between life and death for Kaitlyn. Unless Kaitlyn gets infected with a werewolf, she won't survive without the toy she throws in the freezer. In many cases, this results in her trying to hide in the freezer and being locked inside to freeze.
Anthology The Dark Pictures: Man Of Medan
Julia's beer
Another cruel supermassive snowball choice appears Anthology The Dark Pictures: Man of Medan. After Alex proposes to his girlfriend Julia while scuba diving, things can quickly turn sour – especially if, fearing for his brother, he rushes to the surface after sensing signs of danger. This not only tightens things up, but also introduces the risk of decompression sickness, commonly known as “bends”, emphasizing how the choices pile up tension and consequences in the story.
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Transitioning from underwater drama to life back on the boat, what better way for Julia to unwind—literally and figuratively—after a stressful dive and an awkward proposal than with a cold beer? However, in The Dark Pictures Anthology, seemingly small choices can have devastating consequences. Julia's celebratory beer The Man from Medan is one of the first decisions that can set the player up for disaster. As the story progresses, Julia effectively becomes a ticking time bomb. Even if she survives pirates, hallucinogenic gas, and the dangers of a decaying ship, she still might not make it. By the time the consequences show up, most players have long since forgotten about the innocent-looking beer they drank hours ago.
Disco Elysium
Be nice to the weird kid next door
Every weird little choice Disco Elysium can have disastrous consequences. Sometimes it's a direct result of player choices, and sometimes it's just a simple dice roll. For example, at the beginning the detective's stats are so low that he can have a heart attack just from trying to dress up. In a game where you can walk into a storage container and get a small business loan from a transdimensional being, it might seem like you should be focusing on bigger things than managing your relationship with the local youth.
Who is that character?
Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.
Start
Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.
Easy (7.5s) Medium (5.0s) Hard (2.5s) Permadeath (2.5s)
Now, local menace Cuno isn't the easiest person to get along with. In fact, he can be downright menacing and horrible, but he's basically a brat kid in some pretty terrible circumstances. Manage not to punch the kid in the face and instead persevere in developing a positive relationship with him, and he could be there to save Detective Harry du Bois when he needs him the most.
Silent Hill 2
Don't forget Mary
IN Silent Hill 2James may be wracked with guilt and running for his life from psychosexual monsters, but he still needs some time to think and go through his inventory. Or at least it is Silent Hill 2 the developers would trust you. If you don't look closely enough at the photo of his dead wife Mary, it may affect what happens to James at the end of the game.
Looking at Mary's photo or the letter she wrote to James will increase the player's chance of the “Leave” ending, which many consider to be a good ending to the game. But beware: if the player looks at Angela's knife while going through James' inventory, it can destroy any hope of leaving Silent Hill in one piece.
Silent Hill 4: The Room
Pick Up The Doll
Silent Hill 4: The Room is focused on an apartment building, both in the real world and in the surreal Otherworld. More claustrophobic sequences and hauntings take place in Henry's apartment, the latter of which are varied and challenge his sanity. Limiting haunting is in the player's best interest. There are ways to deal with ghosts, but resources are limited and things can quickly turn the only safe space in the game into a very unpleasant place.
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Deranged and deeply suspicious, Walter offers Henry a doll that has provided him with great comfort, but the sneaky Silent Hill the developers are at it again. This time it's a little clearer what the right choice is: Will you marry a stranger's doll? Or do you reject his gift? Here, a polite person might take a doll so as not to offend a man, but a reasonable person does not take toys from strangers. This doll creates a specific haunting in Henry's apartment, in which crying babies (or dolls) emerge from the walls. Basically, if you don't want to end up on the wrong end, it's probably best not to get a doll.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
Snowball
Ciri's relationship with her father figure Geralt is a key part The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. It affects her morals, and more importantly, her decision making. Therefore, even though there are people to save and evil to defeat, it's important to spend some time with a healthy snowball. In the mission “Blood on the Battlefield”, Geralt has the option to encourage Ciri to either drink or playfully throw a snowball at her.
If they choose the second option, then the player has made a choice that can lead to a good ending to the game, but if they go for a drink instead, Ciri will be depressed and her judgment clouded. A simple snow globe to lift her spirits can literally be the difference between life and death for this beloved character.
Games that let you feel every choice — and live with the consequences
There are countless games on the market that can be played by those who like to make tough decisions and see the world change around them.
