Some of my favorite games are the ones that force players to make tough decisions, especially the ones that drastically change that game’s world and the characters that live in it. It lets me feel like I truly have all the power, and in the end, that’s what playing a video game is all about.
These types of dilemmas aren’t specific to any certain type of game, which is another great thing. I’ve played many games of different genres that have given me some impossible choices.
Here are some of the ones I recommend to you if you’re looking for some tough decisions to be made.
Spoilers for the endings of multiple games are on this list.
10
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
Decide The Fate Of The Canvas
Kicking things off with the most recent entry on this list, the final battle of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 pits protagonists Verso and Maelle against each other in an emotional confrontation to determine what will happen to the world of the canvas that they’ve been living in for years.
If you choose Verso, the canvas and all your friends are erased, and Maelle/Alicia and the rest of her family are forced to confront their grief in the real world. If you choose Maelle, those lost in the canvas are restored (trapped?), and Maelle starts to deteriorate.
There is no “good” or “bad” ending, so you’re free to interpret both choices however you want. And I have to admit, I still have trouble deciding which ending I think is best.
Is Fantasy Dead?
Another turn-based RPG, Atlus’ Metaphor: ReFantaztio features a number of choices that lead to vastly different fates for the fantasy kingdom of Euchronia. All it takes is choosing one simple dialogue option over another at certain points in the endgame.
If protagonist Will either doesn’t embrace his identity as the true prince or sides with antagonist Louis before the final battle, Euchronia will be destroyed. Alternatively, you can also choose to reject Euchronia altogether and choose to live in a “utopia” where the perfect fantasy never ends.
The game makes it very obvious what dialogue choices it wants you to pick in order to advance the story. So, unless you’re just curious, you’d have to be a fool to accidentally pick one of the bad endings just mentioned here.
8
Elden Ring
What Kind Of Elden Lord Will You Become?
Your tarnished hero in Elden Ring has one simple task: to become the Elden Lord by recovering the fractured pieces of the Elden Ring. You can do this in a number of ways, but they all lead back to your character standing before the throne, ready to make the ultimate decision.
At that point, you could become the Elden Lord of your choice, let Ranni the Witch take you on a journey across the stars, or burn everything to the ground with the Frenzied Flame.
Personally, I found the Frenzied Flame ending the most enjoyable. After all the stress those incredibly hard bosses put me through, the Lands Between deserved to burn.
7
Dishonored
Does Revenge Solve Everything?
One of the ways that games make sure your decisions hold weight is by implementing a morality system. Dishonored is built around this, where the actions your stealthy assassin Corvo takes have long-lasting consequences for the Empire of the Isles and the overall story.
Choosing to eliminate your targets with stealth and non-lethal actions will lead to a brighter future for you, your allies, and future empress Emily. But becoming a merciless killer will leave a trail of death, disease, and the potential crumbling of the whole Empire at your feet.
If you’re someone like me, who tries to be stealthy but ends up being terrible at it and just resorts to killing everything, you’ll get stuck with the bad ending. But the beauty of Dishonored is that its morality system means multiple playthroughs are encouraged.
6
Infamous 2
Humanity Vs. Conduits
The Infamous series is also built around a morality system, as you can choose to turn your super-powered character into a hero or a villain depending on your actions. I believe the second game in the series, Infamous 2, arguably has the most impactful choice you’ll have to make in all the games.
Protagonist Cole MacGrath faces a moral dilemma right before the final boss: sacrifice himself and other super-powered beings in order to save humanity, or help the antagonist wipe humanity out and give those with superpowers a new future. What you choose will determine what ending you get, as well as what type of character you want Cole to become in the end.
While not as complex as Dishonored, I appreciate the fact that Infamous also encourages multiple playthroughs to make new choices. And unlike the former game, you’re not punished for being bad.
5
Deathloop
Breaking The Loop
Taking place within the Dishonored universe, Deathloop builds its premise around an island trapped in a time loop that assassin Colt must break by killing multiple targets within a single day. There is no morality system in place, but the choices you make in the final battle are huge.
Once you confront the final target, Colt’s daughter Juliana, you must make the decision on whether to kill her or not. Choosing to end her life, and yours, will break the time loop and set everything and everyone back to normal. Choosing not to do this keeps the time loop in place.
You could say that keeping the loop in place is some kind of meta commentary on keeping everything in the game in same so you can make another playthrough. Or maybe I’m looking too much into it.
4
Life Is Strange
Sacrifice Chloe Or Sacrifice Arcadia Bay
Interactive dramas like Life Is Strange are built around player choice, with each decision you make altering the story in some way. The original game ends with time-traveling hero Max Caulfield being forced to make a heartbreaking decision that will determine the fate of her best friend, Chloe.
If you choose to go back in time and let Chloe die, a chain of events that leads to a powerful storm destroying your hometown of Arcadia Bay will be prevented. But if you choose to stay with Chloe, the storm continues, and only you and Chloe survive.
Is the world of Life Is Strange worth letting go for the person you love? I’m still wrestling with that question to this day.
3
Detroit: Become Human
Each Android Has A Story
Deciding the fate of one character is hard, but deciding the fate of three is even harder. Detroit: Become Human puts you in the shoes of three androids in a futuristic city, where each of their choices directly affects the other and of those around them.
The individual stories of androids Kara, Connor, and Markus each have their own personal stakes. But within the narrative is a much bigger story about free will and Android civil rights that, depending on your choices, may or may not happen if you fail to keep them alive.
I was lucky enough to keep all three alive until the very end of my first playthrough. But that only scratches the surface of what Detroit: Become Human can become.
2
Mortal Kombat 11: Aftermath
Choose Your Final Destiny
The Mortal Kombat franchise revolves around a fighting tournament that is used to decide the fate of Earth. In the Aftermath expansion for Mortal Kombat 11, players were tasked with deciding the fate of not just the world, but of all reality itself.
If you choose to side with protagonist Liu Kang, the timeline is reset back to normal and all the characters are given new destinies. This results in a much more positive outlook for the endgame. But if you choose antagonist Shang Tsung, he becomes the ruler of time and all realities and forces all our heroes to be his servants.
It’s not a complex choice, but as a fighting game player, I appreciate that the campaign modes for this genre have evolved to where they feature moments like these to really shake things up.
1
Injustice 2
Which Superhero Will Reign Supreme?
Before Mortal Kombat 11 forced you to decide the fate of the universe, Injustice 2 made players choose between having freedom-fighting Batman or a dictatorial Superman repairing the world after defeating supervillain Brainiac.
If you choose Batman, the evil Superman is sent away, and Batman and his new Justice League are able to restore peace and freedom to everyone. But if you’re feeling particularly evil, you can side with Superman, reestablish his dictatorship, and brainwash Batman into becoming your servant.
Say what you want about NRS fighting games, but at least they know how to make a compelling story mode.
