Player choice in gaming has become more and more common in recent console generations. It’s fairly standard for games to have at least two, if not several different endings that come about based on decisions the player makes, oftenat crucial moments in the narrative.However, these choices are often binary, with clear “good” and “bad” options that don’t allow for a lot of nuances. Many other narrative choices that come up in these games will cause the narrative to branch briefly but will still typically lead players in the same direction in the end.
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However, some games place a lot moreweight on the choices players make.In these games, it’s not often clear how these choices will affect the narrative, let alone the degree to which they will reshape the game world around the player’s actions. That’s what makes them so impactful. Players don’t realize how significant these decisions will be until they’ve already made them, and they can only look back and wonder how things might have gone if they’d made a different choice.
Spoilers ahead for all of the games listed!
8Greedfall - Kurt’s Betrayal
The pirate-themed RPGGreedfalltakes a lot ofcues from BioWare’s successful releaseslikeMass EffectandDragon Age,including giving the player a group of companions with their own quests for the player to pursue. One such companion, Kurt of the Coin Guard, can shift the balance of power in the world depending on the outcome of his quests.
Kurt’s sidequests “Missing In Action” and “Amongst The Ghosts” address a coup brewing within the ranks of the Coin Guard. If players complete these quests, the coup will be halted with Kurt’s help. However, if players begin the main quest, “The Prince’s Secret,” before completing Kurt’s quests, he will join the coup, betraying the player in the process. Kurt will be put to death, and players will have a choice to warn one of the game’s two main factions about the coming insurrection. The other faction will be usurped, and its leader exiled.
7Disco Elysium - Warning Kim
There will be several decisions players make throughoutDisco Elysiumthat will play into how this decision will play out. Investing in the Authority stat and ensuring that they haveearned the trust of Detective Kimbeforehand will help things go smoothly, but in the end, it will all come down to a dice roll.
When players eventually come to the Mercenary Tribunal, bloodshed will be inevitable. It can only be delayed (and somewhat lessened), but the bullets will start to fly regardless. When the shooting begins, Detective Kim will get caught in a vulnerable position. The player can try to warn him by passing an Authority check (aided by Kim’s trust in them), but if they fail, Kim will be killed. Players will awaken to Cuno breaking the news to them, and the young troublemaker will then become their investigative partner for the rest of the game. Cuno can even be deputized at its conclusion.
6Mass Effect 2 - Preserving Genophage Data
One of the rare examples on this list of a player’s decision in one gameaffecting the narrative of its sequel.During Mordin’s Loyalty Mission inMass Effect 2, players will recover data about the Krogan Genophage, a bioengineered virus that prevents Krogans from reproducing. Players can then choose to preserve the data or destroy it.
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If they destroy it, Mordin’s efforts inMass Effect 3to cure the Genophage will fail. Mordin will survive as a result, but the Krogans will refuse to sign a peace treaty with the Turians (who originally unleashed the Genophage virus) and will not join Shepard’s War Assets, dealing a significant blow in their effort to fight back against the coming Reaper invasion.
5Divinity: Original Sin 2 - Character Creation
Typically, significant player choices will take place somewhere in the middle of the game’s story. InDivinity: Original Sin 2,one of the most narrative-altering choices players will make is during their character creation process. This is due to the game’s “Origins” option.
Rather than simply providing a set of classes, races, and physical attributes to choose from, players can select a pre-designed character that comes complete with a unique backstory. That backstory plays into their character’s personal quest, which will play out consistently during the game’s entire main campaign and give a unique perspective on the overarching narrative. Each Origin also comes with a unique skill, as well as unique dialogue choices, making each playthrough an entirely new experience.
4The Witcher 2 - Iorveth Or Roche
While there are way more player decisions inThe Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, the vast majority only affect the eventual outcome of a quest. Meanwhile, inThe Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings,the character that players choose to side with at one crucial moment will determine not just the game’s conclusion (as well as that character’s opinion of Geralt inThe Witcher 3) but the missions players undertake from that point onward.
When Geralt is departing Flotsam, he can choose to side with Vernon Roche or Iorveth of the Scoia’tael. Siding with Roche will take Geralt on a quest to assassinate King Henselt of Kaedwen and rescue King Foltest’s heir. Siding with Iorveth will take Geralt to a completely different part of the world to aid a Scoia’tael uprising and rescue a dragon. They’reremarkably different ways to conclude the game,all hinging on a single choice.
3Dragon Age: Origins - The Fate Of Redcliffe
Another BioWare game and another player choice that affects that game’s sequels. In this case, it involves Redcliffe Village. During “The Attack At Nightfall” quest, the Darkspawn that have taken Redcliffe Castle will spill out into the neighboring village and start killing its inhabitants.
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If players travel to any other part of the world before engaging the Darkspawn, Redcliffe Village will be overrun, and virtually all of its citizens will be killed. This will not only cause the player to miss out on several sidequests later in the game, but Redcliffe Village will never be the same. Even in laterDragon Agegames, the village will still be in ruins, and what few inhabitants it has will not have fond memories of the player’s actions inDragon Age: Origins.
2Silent Hill: Shattered Memories - Psychological Profiling
TheSilent Hillfranchise has long prided itself on combining classic horror elements such as monsters and ghosts with psychological horror elements that make the player question the sanity of the game’s protagonist and if the horrors they’re witnessing are real or imagined.
Silent Hill: Shattered Memoriestook this concept to a whole new level with scenes set in the office of the enigmatic Dr. K. In these scenes, which occur periodically throughout the game, players will answer a series of questions about themselves; or, rather, their impressions of the game’s protagonist Harry Mason. Their responses to these questions will have a significant impact on how the game plays out, including altering its storyline and themes, the appearances of the Raw Shocks (the game’s main enemies), and of course, which ending they will witness.
1Detroit: Become Human - Peaceful Protest Or Violent Revolution
Developer Quantic Dream always makes games where player choice takes center stage. Branching paths aren’t just common; they show up in practically every scene, with many leading to significant changes to characters and events down the road. However, few choiceshave as big of an impactas the tone Marcus sets for the android revolution inDetroit: Become Human.
After the Jericho revolutionaries have seized the Stratford broadcast tower, Marcus will deliver a speech to the people of Detroit outlining the group’s demands. Players can choose what tone this speech will strike, and that choice will reverberate through the rest of the game. Taking the peaceful approach will improve the public opinion of Jericho and will eventually result in the President calling off the military during the android march later in the game. However, this route is much more difficult and makes it harder to keep Marcus' friends alive. Meanwhile, a violent tone will see the androids charge at the police during the march. It’s easier to stay alive this way (although some friends may sacrifice themselves for the cause), but good luck getting the military to stand down.
