RPGs Where Saving Everyone Is The Worst Choice

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Many games involve heroes on a mission to rescue others. While it’s fun when games let you play as the bad guy, like in Destroy All Humans, it’s even rarer to find role-playing games where you can’t save everyone, or where the ending isn’t perfectly happy.

Difficult choices are sometimes necessary, both in life and in games. While making and living with those tough decisions isn’t easy, they can often make a game more memorable and impactful.

There will be spoilers.

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

Can’t Please Everyone

In the world of The Witcher, Witchers – monster hunters who are themselves mutated – rarely receive gratitude for their help. People often fear and distrust them, treating them as monsters despite their good deeds. This is further highlighted in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, where characters like Geralt and Ciri often face difficult quests with unsatisfying resolutions. The game itself is an open-world action role-playing game, and one example of a morally grey quest is “Whispering Hillock,” which involves a frightening tree spirit and a situation where there are no easy answers.

In this game, choices aren’t simple. For example, saving a tree spirit means dooming the village of Downwarren and a character named Anna, while letting the spirit die saves the village but harms children – a difficult decision for any player. Another instance is encountering a soldier facing execution; you can save him or allow the angry mob to carry out the punishment. Though it might seem wrong to fight a crowd, the soldier deserted to help his sick child, adding a layer of moral complexity. This highlights a core theme of The Witcher series: situations are rarely clear-cut, and there are rarely easy answers.

Vampyr

Stop The Bigger Threats

In the action RPG Vampyr, you play as Jonathan Reid, a doctor in early 1900s England who is unexpectedly turned into a vampire. He struggles to control his new urges, but manages to continue practicing medicine. However, the streets around his hospital are filled with dangerous creatures, and players must decide whether to uphold their Hippocratic Oath and protect their patients, or succumb to their vampiric instincts.

Lowering Jonathan’s strength will make it harder for him to improve, and a weak Jonathan won’t be able to face powerful vampires like the one who turned him. Players need to carefully balance killing some patients with avoiding too many deaths. If they kill too many, Jonathan will become a senseless killer, leading to a bad ending. Ultimately, to protect London and his own future, Jonathan must control his vampiric urges and prioritize the greater good.

Shin Megami Tensei 4

Obey The Law

In the role-playing game Shin Megami Tensei 4, you play as Flynn, a young samurai in the fantastical land of Mikado. This setting was a departure for fans of the series, which usually takes place in a post-apocalyptic version of our own world. The game reveals that Tokyo has been overrun by demons, but is contained under a dome. Mikado exists above this dome, acting as a sort of heavenly guardian. Flynn is sent to Tokyo with others to fight the demons and liberate the city. Throughout the game, your choices – whether lawful, chaotic, or neutral – will determine the ending you receive, and every ending involves difficult sacrifices.

The game offers three main endings. The ‘lawful’ ending sees players evacuate to Mikado before Tokyo is destroyed to eliminate the demons—and unfortunately, everyone still inside. The ‘chaotic’ ending involves an alliance with demons to attack the heavens, a dangerous gamble that could ultimately save more lives. The ‘neutral’ ending destroys Mikado, allowing its people to rebuild in a flourishing Tokyo. Regardless of the ending, even smaller decisions throughout the game can be difficult, as players will often prioritize saving as many people as possible, regardless of their overall approach.

Mass Effect 3

Don’t Go Fusion

Mass Effect 3 concludes a popular video game series, but its ending proved controversial. Players take on the role of Commander Shepard and face a critical choice: destroy the Reapers – powerful beings intent on wiping out all organic life – which would also eliminate all artificial intelligence, both benevolent and hostile. Alternatively, players can sacrifice Shepard to control the Reapers and repurpose them for good, though this option feels like a risky bargain with unforeseen consequences.

Choosing the option that saves the most lives is certain, but it might be exactly what the Reapers intend. It’s difficult to predict how Commander Shepard would be affected long-term by merging with the technology. Another possibility is uniting organic and synthetic life into a single new species, which would eliminate the Reapers’ threat. While this also saves many lives, it comes at the cost of individual freedom and uniqueness. It’s a difficult decision, and no one would want to be in Commander Shepard’s position, responsible for the fate of the universe. Ultimately, the Mass Effect trilogy focuses more on the experiences along the way than on the final outcome.

The Last Spell

Destroy Magic

The Last Spell offers a unique gaming experience, blending tactical combat with roguelike elements and RPG progression. The game is set in a world ravaged by magic, where a final, desperate spell is the only hope against deadly monsters. However, casting this spell will also erase magic from existence – a potentially dangerous outcome, as magic is also relied upon for survival. Despite these complex stakes, players must focus on protecting the wizard as they cast the spell during each playthrough.

Players can carefully position weapons around town and equip their team effectively. Winning is the top priority, and difficult choices may need to be made to achieve it. Failure means the entire world is lost, forcing a restart. Unlike other RPGs where choices focus on story, this game’s decisions directly impact gameplay, potentially making setbacks feel more impactful. However, succeeding in The Last Spell after such a tough challenge will be incredibly rewarding.

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2026-01-14 11:35