Games Where You Have to Compromise Your Values to Survive

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Creating a great video game often requires developers to take risks. While players readily accept stomping on enemies like Goombas in Mario, similar actions against humans in another game could be problematic. A little bit of controversy can be acceptable, though, as long as the game’s purpose is understandable.

Players are often willing to do questionable things in games if the experience is enjoyable. The following games require players to make difficult moral choices and sometimes even act against their own values to succeed. These games can be quite dark, and sacrificing morality is often necessary to progress and stay strong.

Manhunt

Kill Or Be Killed

Rockstar’s Manhunt is known for being one of their most controversial titles. The game puts you on an island, trying to escape a dangerous movie director who’s forcing you to participate in a real-life snuff film. Each mission involves being hunted by killers, and the gameplay focuses on stealth – you’re largely defenseless and must rely on environmental objects to take down enemies.

The game features disturbing acts, like choking someone with a bag. While the graphics aren’t particularly advanced by today’s standards, Manhunt is likely to still make players feel deeply uncomfortable due to its depiction of violence.

Palworld

Catching Servants

Like many monster-catching games, including Pokémon, Palworld has some issues. The core gameplay involves catching creatures called Pals using special balls. Players can then use these Pals to fight, work, or even ride as a means of getting around.

In the game, you can give Pals jobs around camp. If a Pal isn’t doing well or you simply don’t need them anymore, you can even cook and feed them to your team. Perhaps the strangest feature is the ability to capture humans! These unusual elements combine to create a truly unique monster-catching experience, but remember these Pals are digital creatures, and you’ll need to utilize them strategically to succeed.

Cult Of The Lamb

For The Good Of The Flock

Cult of the Lamb is a unique game that blends the charming village life of Animal Crossing with the dark themes of building a cult and the challenging gameplay of roguelike adventures. You play as a lamb who, after being abandoned by the old gods, must gather followers and build a loyal flock. By exploring dangerous dungeons, collecting resources, and saving villagers, you’ll gain the power needed to confront and ultimately challenge those who betrayed you.

You can put rescued villagers to work to help maintain your settlement, but be warned: sometimes you’ll need to make sacrifices. You can offer villagers as sacrifices to gain benefits, and surprisingly, your followers will usually support these harsh decisions, even if it involves consuming others. This game is definitely darker than the typical Animal Crossing experience, but it’s still enjoyable to play the role of a charming cult leader.

Fallout: New Vegas

Morality Means Nothing In The Apocalypse

What makes Fallout: New Vegas so good is the freedom it gives players to create the character they want. You start the game after being shot, and your main goal is to find out who did it. While it begins as a revenge story, the game’s karma system lets you become either a helpful hero or a ruthless villain in the harsh Nevada desert.

Every player’s experience will be different, with plenty of quests and groups to join. Given the game takes place after a disaster, it’s logical to play a self-serving character – resources are limited, and being a bit of a villain can actually make the game easier, even if it doesn’t align with how players normally like to play.

Silent Hill f

Damaging Yourself And Town

Silent Hill f features a particularly disturbing and unsettling storyline, rivaling even the iconic Silent Hill 2 and surpassing the events experienced by James in that game. The story unfolds in 1960s Japan, in the small village of Ebisugaoka, where Hinako and her friends embark on a desperate journey to escape a spreading plague.

Players can easily understand why Hinako fights monsters, even if it’s violent. However, some of her other actions towards her friends feel out of place. Hinako undergoes a huge transformation throughout the game, both in how she looks and how she feels. Those who have played know what we mean, and revealing more would ruin the experience. Just be warned: you’ll never look at Japanese masks the same way again.

Destroy All Humans

Evil Alien Conquerors

The 2020 updated version of Destroy All Humans lets players fully embrace the role of a villainous alien invader. You play as Crypto, an alien sent to Earth in the 1950s with the goal of taking over, beginning with a small, rural town. Players can use their spaceship to wreak havoc, blasting towns and farms with lasers.

The aliens can defeat humans with strange weapons, either vaporizing them or, disturbingly, removing their brains with telepathy. While a game like Mortal Kombat might show this brain removal in a graphic way, its over-the-top and cartoonish style makes it less shocking. This could mean players are more accepting of taking over Earth in Destroy All Humans because it’s not as visually violent, but everyone still has a point where they find things too extreme.

Prototype

Mr. Tentacles

Prototype is set in New York City and follows Alex Mercer, a genetically engineered human who escapes from a secret lab. Thanks to advanced nanotechnology, Alex gains incredible superpowers – he can run on walls, destroy tanks with ease, and even transform his body into weapons like blades.

Players can temporarily absorb the identities of people they encounter, using them to heal or blend in and avoid detection. While essential for survival and staying undercover, harming innocent civilians will negatively impact the player’s morale. However, eliminating large numbers of enemies – soldiers, mutated creatures, and vehicles – is expected and contributes to the game’s empowering feeling of being an incredibly powerful superhero in complete control.

Schedule 1

The Evils Of Dealing Drugs

Schedule 1 focuses on the drug trade, starting with marijuana. Players will find customers, create different types of weed, and try to avoid the police. As their business grows, they can expand into making more dangerous and addictive drugs in a lab.

These drugs create a difficult situation for players, making them uneasy about their involvement. While there’s financial gain and initial satisfaction, the addictive nature of the drugs leads to customer dependency. It’s a harmful pattern many understand, but ultimately, it’s still a business.

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2026-02-20 04:36