Are You Ready to Make the Right Call?
Oh, don’t worry. It’s just your favorite game asking you to make a series of choices that impact the whole universe. No pressure! One of the best things about video games is knowing that you can go back and remake tough decisions. But not every game is kind, and some force you into a corner. You never know who will perish or what will happen, and that’s all part of the fun. Come with us as we explore which video games take every choice into account.
1. Life is Strange
You know something? Life is strange, especially when you can control time or have a little brother incapable of wielding his own powers. There’s nothing worse than getting slapped in the face by a choice you made two hours ago, but Life is Strange tracks everything you say and builds the story around your choices.
2. Disco Elysium
This guy’s one of the craziest RPGs to invest in—and one of the best. In a pretty dialogue-heavy environment, players are only privy to some information, which makes decisions that much harder. We won’t lie: the story is actually pretty linear, so it’s not like your decisions change that much, but they still carry weight.
3. Baldur’s Gate 3
BG3 has its fair share of decisions, all of which determine who stays in your party and which deity you swear allegiance to. Of course, you can also rat out your companions or romance several at a time. We don’t talk about the biggest decision against the Elder Brain ‘cause we’d never do that to our favorite nerd.
4. The Walking Dead
What’s the best way to reassure poor Clementine? Should you take supplies from an open trunk? Do you cut loose dangerous members of your group? Who do you side with? So many decisions, so little time, and they all make a massive difference.
ALEXANDRE LALLEMAND on Unsplash
5. Detroit: Become Human
Who knew this game would eventually become a reality? Sure, we aren’t talking about AI’s rights at the moment, but with the way technology is moving, who’s to say it isn’t a possibility? That makes all the choices in this game even more relevant, terrifying, and burdensome.
KniBaron from Bangkok, Thailand on Wikimedia
6. Mass Effect 2
We’d love to pretend that our biggest choice is when to romance Kaidan. But this is a serious game for serious people, and everyone’s life is on the line at the end. Depending on the choices you made—and continue to make—anyone could climb the stairway to heaven. Not only that, but you only see the effects of some choices in the third installment.
Alex from Calgary, Canada on Wikimedia
7. Cyberpunk 2077
Just when you think you’re doing the right thing, this game flips your choices on their head. Your decisions impact everything from the main story to the side quests, and you’re tasked with some pretty brutal options. Where do you send Jackie’s body? What do you tell Jefferson? Which ending will you get? We bet Keanu Reeves would make the right choice.
8. Divinity: Original Sin 2
One of the coolest (and scariest) things about this game is how simple actions can affect the story. It’s not always about a point-blank yes or no; anything from your combat strategies to dialogue options can come back to haunt you.
9. Frostpunk
All of humanity rests on your shoulders, and it’s a lot harder to save it than you think. What’s the best way to manage resources? Should you send children into the mines? Whose life is worth the greater good? Turns out, playing God isn’t as fun as we thought.
10. Oxenfree
Kids, what did we say about exploring haunted caves? Someone should’ve told Alex before ruining life as we know it. As you try to find your way home, you’ll be confronted with a slew of dialogue options that change the course of your life.
11. Catherine
Vincent just can’t catch a break, though we don’t feel that bad for him. After getting engaged to his high school sweetheart, he has a drunken one-night stand with a lady of the same name. Cue the insane decisions, all the different endings, and the horrifying game-over screens if you ever miss a platform.
12. Firewatch
Not every game punishes you for choices made. Not every one rewards you either. Some games only aim to reveal more about your protagonist’s personality, which is exactly what you’ll get in Firewatch. Your choices don’t necessarily affect the ending, but they do provide insight into Henry’s life.
13. GTA V
The biggest decision is the game’s climax. (Don’t you just love it when that happens?) Who do you actually side with? Who are your real friends? How will your decision impact existing relationships once the credits roll? It’s your choice: helicopter or fire. And yes, things will change.
Clastr Cloud Gaming on Unsplash
14. Until Dawn
Until Dawn isn’t a very long game. However, it still manages to squeeze dozens of choices into about ten hours of gameplay. Who will you save? How will you survive? Actually, forget about you—can you manage to keep everyone alive? It’s a nerve-wracking race to the finish line, but we believe in you.
15. Alpha Protocol
This RPG has everything: an incredible story, awesome characters, and split-second decisions that impact every aspect of the game. You can’t dilly-dally through choices; the game forces you to think on the fly, and even the time you take to answer plays a role.
16. The Dark Pictures Anthology
Alright, there’s some good news: not every choice matters as much as others. But the ones that do…really matter. In what’s basically the diving trip from your nightmares, players strive to keep as many main characters alive as they can. Try not to mess it up; your choices affect the ending.
17. Heavy Rain
Heavy rain? More like a heavy burden to carry. You play as several different characters, each trying to figure out who’s leaving all that origami behind. The thing is, you need to be quick on the draw; one wrong step could easily lead you down a bad ending.
18. The Stanley Parable
The Stanley Parable had so much clever sarcasm that most people fluffed it off as a joke. Others thought it was just plain boring. But this is so much more than a trip around the office—it’s an exploration of free will. Think of it like Every Day the Same Dream; if you only ever listen to what you’re told, who knows what you’ll miss?
19. Beyond: Two Souls
This story-based behemoth has over 20 different endings, all of which are decided based on your choices. To be honest, you already had a say over whose eyes were spared and whether date nights were successful, but the entire premise centers around your decisions.
20. Undertale
Don’t discredit the power of 8-bit games. They’re just as capable of forcing you into tough decisions, even as a small child. Undertale has a whopping 90+ different endings, and the path you walk is determined by choices you make right from the jump.
CERO, Nintendo, 8-4, Ltd, Temmie Chang and Toby Fox on Wikimedia
