As video games have become more complex, so have the stories they tell, which now boast multiple layers and greater attention from their creators.
Going from rescuing princesses without much context to delving into tales involving dozens of characters and plot points has been one of the medium’s greatest advancements, leaving us with unforgettable adventures.
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Video games are increasingly becoming aware of their infinite communicative possibilities, consequently bringing us countless stories that make us question the morality of our actions.
However, certain games strive to reinforce their story’s message through gameplay, as reflected in theseten games that punish you for being the good guy.
10Disco Elysium
Morality is Complexity
Disco Elysium
Unlike most video games,Disco Elysiumtends to address the moral impact directly on the player’s psyche, not the consequences on the environment.
While characters like Kim or Cuno are subject to our decisions,the one who is truly affected by them is the protagonistand, consequently, the player.
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Being a good person inthisunforgettable indie gemisn’t about making right or wrong decisions, but rather about recognizing our past and present mistakes and seeking to make amends.
The problem is thatthe process shows you the dark human being we embody. The detective has been a disconcerting individual, and dealing with his past is sometimes quite a difficult task.
Disco Elysiumdoesn’t penalize you for this, which is why I place it so high on the list. However,it’s such an interesting way of approaching morality in a title that I think it’s worth mentioning, especially considering how great of apoint-and-click adventurethe title is.
9Bloodborne
There Are No Good Endings in Yharnam
Bloodborne
Fextralife Wiki
Although the narrative in FromSoftware’s games is often fragmented and far from straightforward, our relationship with the characters inBloodbornepoints to a more than obvious reality.
With each newNPCwe interact with, we quickly conclude there are no good outcomes in Yharnam, asvirtually all of them end up suffering a fate worse than you could imagine.
You may believe you’re doing the right thing by sending them to a haven to protect themselves from the beasts or even directly preventing their deaths. Yet, in this world,losing your life isn’t necessarily the worst fate.
Bloodborneconstantly punishes you for trying to do the right thing, always showing youhappy endings left Yharnam long ago. It’s a painful way to reinforce its atmosphere, but there are no rewards for those who perform good deeds.
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While it’s not the most complex moral system of all time,BioShock’s approach to decision-making, closely aligned with the idea ofhow to survive corporate life, is quite striking.
In a Rapture where survival is everything,following the antagonists' trail and consuming the Little Sisters' ADAM brings a lot of power, making the entire game easier and even more fun.
On the other hand, if you decide to do the right thing and rescue them, you are much less powerful as a result, so you have to be more cautious about how you invest your resources.
The difference may not be that much for skilled players, but for me, someone who’s bad at FPS games,being the good guy cost me multiple visits to the Vita-Chambers.
Ambition is Irresistible
Having playedInfamouson both moral lines, I’ve always felt thatmaking malevolent choices offers a better and more entertaining gameplay outcome.
While avoiding harming innocent people is entertaining due to the tactical and meticulous component it adds to combat, it doesn’t compare to the pure fun of being a weapon of mass destruction.
As with other titles likePrototype,the gameplay key lies in the freedom of its power fantasy, and being the good guy limits you from what is probably the title’s most compelling aspect.
Of course, this varies depending on the player analyzing it, but it’s clear to me thatbeing the good guy inInfamous,even though it offers a more satisfying story,makes the mechanics less compelling.
6This War of Mine
The Hardest Thing About Surviving
This War of Mine
Being a good person in a video game is easy when you can deal with the consequences, which is precisely why the situation inThis War of Mineis completely reversed.
Survival is a concept that transcends morality, and this game reflects iton a small scale through the harsh lives of a few individuals in dramatic situations who have to do the impossible to stay alive.
Other games in this vein manage to express the same feelings, but the atomized nature ofThis War of Mine, centering on humans with names and stories, makes it feeleven more relatable and difficult to tolerate.
There certainly comes a point where, as I said at the beginning, you can deal with the sacrifices of being a good person, where the system breaks down a bit. However, until that point is reached, it’s quite difficult not to be immoral to be able to keep playing.
5Darkest Dungeon
Dehumanization Made Roguelike
Darkest Dungeon
Talking about being a good person inDarkest Dungeonis quite counterintuitive, as it presentsa world where moral precepts have no place.
In many ways, thisgreat rogueliketries to do the most you can with the little you have, butrationalizing mechanical decisions leads to committing acts that we could hardly consider good.
If you care about the well-being of your characters and attempt to give them a decent life within the context’s possibilities, chances are you’ll never be able to beat the game.
Everything pressures you to be relentless with your decisions, but it makes you doubt through the gameplay focus it places on your characters' minds.
The consequence of being a good person inDarkest Dungeonis that you can’t be a good player, especially given itsinsane difficulty spikes. If you want to be skilled in the game, you have to be malevolent, and that’s a pretty big punishment.
Resisting the Urge for Power
Metroidvanias with decision-making aren’t common, which makesSundered’s fresh take feel even more unique.
In this context, you can submit to the will of a supernatural entity to increase your power through shards scattered throughout the map, which is directly reflected in the difficulty of the game’s bosses.
If you refuse to submit to this being,the way Sundered’s challenge increases is unprecedented, trying its best to force you to turn to the side of evil to gain the abilities that will aid you in combat.
The gameplay and narrative blend beautifully, making youfeel firsthand the difficulties of facing interdimensional beings that surpass your power in every way.
Being good also grants you new skills, but they’re light years away from those you gain by being evil, so it’s clear which side inSundered is the most penalized.
3Frostpunk
The End Justifies the Means
Following in a similar vein toDarkest Dungeon,Frostpunkis the kind of game where every decision you make feels like the hardest in the world.
Do you take in a group of refugees and expose yourself to the burden of the diseases they bring, or do you limit their arrival, leaving some to their fate but increasing your truly productive workforce?
The questionsFrostpunkposes are complex on every level, placing you ina space where survival is the only conception of morality you can have.
If you want to follow your heart and make decisions you would make given ideal parameters, you’ll never be able to save your city.Frostpunkforced me to see a version of my humanity I never wanted to discover, and that’s why it’s incredible.
Being Good Is Difficult
Vampyris a title that places as much importance on its narrative as on its gameplay, which is why the decisions we make throughout the campaign affect both.
If we subject our protagonist to the vampire powers granted to him, we will become considerably more powerful, butthe story will take a series of absurdly tragic turns.
Conversely, if we reject these supernatural powers and embrace the humanity of our beloved Dr. Reid, the outcome of the story and its characters will be much more positive, butthe confrontations will be an ordeal of colossal proportions.
The difference in difficulty isn’t usually as marked in these contexts, butVampyrisn’t afraid to increase the challenge considerably if it allows it to empower the message it wants to send through its story.
However, being good comes at a price, and in this case, it’s quite a costly one. The game tests your morality to see if, like the protagonist, you will resist temptation or succumb to necessity, making it a truly immersive experience.
1Papers, Please
The Homeland or the Family?
Papers, Please
Papers, Pleaseis an indie masterpiece that does a lot with very little, and its perfection lies in its simplicity and precision.
Without the need for cinematics or complex dialogue, the title puts you in an unfortunate position whereyou have to make morally dubious decisions so that your family can survive.
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Dilemmas like accepting bribes, letting people in need cross the border even if it costs you your job, or rubbing shoulders with corrupt guards to make ends meet are commonplace inPapers, Please, which makes every day quite difficult.
Even though it just shows numbers, with no faces or stories to make us feel the consequences of our actions,the game conveys the experience of living in such autocratic conditions exceedingly well.
If you’re a good person, doing your job properly, following the law, but also being empathetic to everyone’s extraordinary situations,Arstotzka will arrive at your door with bad news, and you’ll hardly forget what happens after her visit.
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