Subjective List of Best Morality Systems in Video Games
Morality is like... well, everyone has their own. The morality systems in video games also come in various shapes and sizes. However, not all of them can be called interesting. Here, I list all my favorite ones.
Table of Contents
- Subjective List of Best Morality Systems in Video Games
- Demon's Souls
- Red Dead Redemption 2
- The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
- Disco Elysium
- Dishonored
- Mass Effect 2
- Black Geyser: Couriers of Darkness
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
- Genre: Action RPG
- Release year: 2015
The third Witcher – and the remaining parts of the series – does not have a morality system as such. There are countless choices in this game, but – with a few exceptions – it is difficult to consider any of them a typical choice between right and wrong. At best, you can try to balance the shades of gray.
However, the decisions we make have a huge impact on the story, and above all – the way the player perceives Geralt. To avoid major spoilers, we will use an example from the beginning of the game. After completing the prologue, we get to Velen and – at least theoretically – we go to the inn at the crossroads. During the conversation with the innkeeper, bandits come to the inn and start robbing the entire settlement. The witcher can take the offer from the innkeeper and flee to avoid any confrontation; or he can stay inside as if nothing was happening. In the latter case, however, there's no need for bloodshed either – Geralt can difuse the situation by buying a round of booze for the bandits, or exercise restraint when talking to them. The choices are up to the player, and they offer a minor consequence that we can see when we get to the Crow's Perch.
MORALITY AD 2077
In a quite similar way, CDPR solved the issue of morality in Cyberpunk 2077. Engaging in the stories of the main and side characters – such as Judy, Panama or Kerry – unlocked additional paths and separate endings. More important, however, was the relationship with Johnny Silverhand, which could be spoiled quite easily, thus blocking access to one of the hidden endings. Importantly, the overall number of decisions made by V – and their origin story – did not have much influence on the events. However, it significantly influenced the perception of the protagonist by the player.
