Top 5 the video games have much choices and consequences năm 2024

Most gamers appreciate a game with a good plot. However, the games that allow a player’s actions to influence the events of the game-world are almost always more memorable. It is so much more engaging when your actions have real consequences. A lot of games have a morality system; sometimes this system quantifies your decisions on a meter (or some visual indicator) ranging from good to bad.

Sometimes this system is more subtle and doesn’t give you a way of checking where on the moral compass their character lies. Most of the games/series on this list are for the current console generation, but there are a couple of games from previous generations with a morality system whose omission from this list would almost be criminal.

Updated February 19, 2023 by Jeff Drake: Often, it seems like the games that give you a choice of whether to be good or evil are the most beloved by gamers and critics. Maybe it's because this adds a scruple factor to the game that helps foster a more believable risk/reward decision. Maybe it's because these morality systems allow each player to have a different experience than others.

Performing an evil deed is usually easier, but may force a price to be paid later. Sometimes this price is making some quests unavailable; sometimes it affects what abilities your character can learn. This update will add additional entries to the mix. One of these new entries is for an older game. The other entries showcase more recent titles.

15 Black And White

This entry is for the Black and White game from Lionhead Studios (formerly Bullfrog), released in 2001. This is perhaps the best example of a God game...mainly because you play as a god. It's up to the player to decide whether they wish to have followers that love them, or fear them.

Players are also given an anthropomorphized animal avatar to train. The vanilla version of the game gave three choices (initially): Ape, Cow, and Tiger. You can train your avatar to frighten the people in your village, or be loved. The choice is all up to you.

14 The Fable Series

The games in the Fable series would probably be among the first that come to most gamers' minds when reading the title of this article. It should be no surprise to see it listed here. The alignment system in the Fable games is just about perfect. Almost every action taken by the player will affect their character's alignment. This even includes what type of food you eat.

The alignment of your character affects nearly all aspects of your interaction with the game. Alignment affects how NPCs act around your character; it even affects how your character looks.

13 The Sims

There isn't a morality meter in The Sims, or even a numerical value of how good (or evil) your character has behaved. There aren't quests with a good option or bad option either. No, the morality in The Sims is reflected directly through the player's actions.

There are many devious things most players probably never tried. Build a room and have a party; then, when your guests are in the room, remove the door - trapping them in your house. This can also be done with a pool by removing the ladder. This traps your guests in the pool until the Grim Reaper comes for them.

12 Undertale

This is one of the more recent games on this list, but definitely looks like the oldest. The retro 8-bit-ish graphics and presentation will immediately remind well-versed gamers of the Earthbound series. Unlike the Earthbound games, you have a choice of sparing your enemies at the end of a fight in Undertale.

Finishing-off or sparing your enemies will affect the character's morality meter. Some missions are made available depending on your character's alignment. The alignment even affects dialogue on subsequent playthroughs.

11 Crusader Kings Series

Loading Screen, Crusader Kings 3

This series began in 2004; however this entry will mostly cover Crusader Kings 3 (released in 2020). These games live up to their "grand strategy" billing. The game flows in real-time, but is pausable. Continuing after your character dies is only done if the player has secured an heir.

Within this game is a Dread counter. This reflects the evil deeds performed by the player in an effort to keep vassals in line. One method of increasing the Dread counter of your vassals is by torturing one of them. This game punishes you for going against established behavior; so, if you're going to go evil, go Roman (or Assyrian).

10 The Fallout Series

The Fallout games have always given difficult choices, and had those choices have an effect on the game-world. Even the first two Fallout games had this feature; with many players claiming Fallout 2 was the best in terms of rewarding or penalizing the player’s choices. Fallout 3 and Fallout: New Vegas continued this trend.

The fact that the game world was 3D in the latter two titles really helped make your choices more impactful. Sadly, Bethesda decided to only include a limited version of this morality system in Fallout 4. Actions still have consequences, but really only in regard to reactions from NPCs.

9 The Dishonored Series

The Dishonored games had an interesting morality system. These games keep track of how chaotic you have the protagonist act. Certain actions affect this chaos system – like killing enemies. Another action that affects this chaos system is hitting allies with friendly fire.

These games can be completed without killing a single enemy; fortunately, there are stealth mechanics in the Dishonored games to make this feat possible. The chaos level has a major effect on the game-world. It can cause changes in dialogue options, make certain missions available and increase or decrease the number of rats infesting the game-world.

8 The Infamous Series

The Infamous series has a karma system that has major influences on not only the game-world but the protagonist’s abilities as well. The karma level is displayed on a meter in the Infamous games; which allows you to plan the character’s progression better. As the player-character progresses, new abilities will become available to learn, and what abilities become available is determined on whether you have chosen to be good or evil.

The protagonists even look different depending on which path is taken. This system was expanded on for Infamous Second Son for the PS4. That game had a system where continued good or evil acts powered-up a special attack called the “Karma Bomb”.

7 Knight Of The Old Republic Series

This list would not be complete without a Star Wars game/series. The Force Unleashed series is much more recent than Knights of the Old Republic and has a light side/dark side choice for the protagonist. To be fair, The Force Unleashed series did a decent job of having choices between light side/dark side actions affect the story and available abilities – though not nearly as well as Knights of the Old Republic (or KOTOR for short).

The KOTOR series has returned; this game can be purchased on Steam for less the ten dollars. This is one of the best values in gaming right now.

Skyrim has a subtle morality system; there wasn’t a meter or stat that the player could check to see how good or evil their character was. With that being stated, this game is loaded with moments that force you to make a moral choice and imposed consequences for that choice. Destroy the Dark Brotherhood or join them?

After joining the Dark Brotherhood (an assassins' guild), you might eventually be given a mission to assassinate someone they need or like. The decision of what to do with Paarthurnax is another moral dilemma imposed upon you that has a major effect on the story.

5 Dragon Age Series

Although all the games in the main Dragon Age series are famous for forcing the player to make choices (Mage or Templar) that have wide-ranging effects on the game-world, this entry will focus on Inquisition. In Inquisition, the player-character is the Inquisitor of Thedas. An inquisitor acts as a judge of sorts; closer to Judge Dredd than Judge Judy.

As the Inquisitor of Thedas, you will have to judge people and decide what form justice will take. Inquisition has been criticized by some gamers for favoring the good side more than the bad. However, there is a “bad” story-line with missions/encounters that are not available if you choose to be good.

4 The Wolf Among Us

Telltale Games made a lot of interactive graphic novel games – the Walking Dead, and Back to the Future games are the most well-known. A hidden gem among these is The Wolf Among Us. This game was based on The Fables comic book series from D.C. and puts you in control of Bigby Wolf (The Big Bad Wolf in human form).

Bigby is the sheriff of Fabletown, and it is up to you as to how he goes about his job. Will Bigby be the gentle peace-officer or the renegade cop? As with most Telltale games the voice-acting is superb and helps draw you into the game.

3 Mass Effect Series

The Mass Effect series is famous (or infamous) for giving you choices that have far-reaching consequences throughout the galaxy. In the end, you discover that your choices only really affected minor story-lines and the main quest was pretty much the same for every player.

While the complaints regarding the consequence of decisions are valid, there were some genuinely tough decisions in the series that will make you put the controller down and think about what choice is best. Some of these difficult choices include curing the Genophage and subjecting a species (the Rachni) to extinction. Unfortunately, BioWare “watered-down” the morality aspect in Andromeda – much like Bethesda did with Fallout 4.

2 Prey

Prey is another game that uses a subtle morality system – called “empathy”. In this game, you control the protagonist Morgan Yu as he/she explores the space station orbiting the moon that is experiencing an alien infestation. Choices are given to test where your moral center lies, and often it is up to the player to decide if they made the right decision.

It is safe to say, without spoiling the plot, that in the end you are given a better understanding of the struggles Morgan just overcame. Any fans of the other games on this list who haven’t played Prey are missing out on a rewarding and enjoyable game experience.

1 The Divinity: Original Sin Series

Both games in the Divinity: Original Sin series are critically acclaimed role-playing games that clearing owe a lot to the Baldur’s Gate series from Black Isle. Both of the Divinity games also have a morality system; which is more of the subtle variety.

There is a tag system that can influence dialogue options; the Sebille and Red Prince origin tags will usually give more violent options when interacting with others. If you perform enough good deeds you can earn the Hero tag, and conversely, evil acts earn the Villain tag. This series is also famous for making it hard to determine which choice will lead to the greater good – or evil. A psychic will occasionally be encountered that will reveal how good or bad your characters have been.

What is the game where choices matter?

Games like Game of Thrones and The Quarry let your choices determine character survival and how the story plays out. In games like Divinity: Original Sin 2, Chrono Trigger, and Red Dead Redemption 2, your choices shape the overall experience and impact the narrative, character development, and game world.

What is the best decision

15 Great Games With Branching Decision-Based Stories.

8 Assassin's Creed Odyssey..

9 Telltale's The Walking Dead. ... .

10 Until Dawn. ... .

11 Nier Automata. ... .

12 Dragon Age: Inquisition. ... .

13 The Dark Pictures Anthology: Man Of Medan. ... .

14 Zero Escape: Virtue's Last Reward. ... .

15 Catherine: Full Body. ... .

What is a realistic game where you make choices?

Until Dawn is a fantastic option for those who like decision-based games, as every one of the playable characters can live or die depending on the decisions that players make. Although the gameplay has its issues Until Dawn is one of the best choices for those wanting a true decision-based adventure.

Is Life is Strange a choice game?

The games can be broken down into a series of major choices that have a major impact on the outcome of the story while other minor choices affect interactions with supporting characters. First-Time Life is Strange players will probably feel stressed when the game throws these choices at them.