The Top 6 Games That Did Player Choice Right

Catherine

There’s a new girl in town, and boy is she the walking definition of bad decisions. Still, you can’t take your eyes off of her, which is problematic since you’re already spoken for. Unfortunately, you can’t have them both.

Your choices in Catherine reflect in your morality meter. Keep it towards the good end, and you and your current girlfriend named Katherine (with a K) will live happily ever after. However, if you deign to taste the new flavor of the week, you’ll find yourself in a bad romance with the other Catherine (with a C). Your choices throughout the game will lead you to one of eight endings and lots of stress along the way.

This post was originally written by Katrina Convey.

Fable

Fable takes the concept of visual change to the next level. In Fable, the choices you make will change your appearance over time. For example, if you eat healthier and exercise, you begin to see a change in your body. The same can be said for eating poorly.

The choices you make in game also sway your character in the direction of good or evil. What’s more is you have the ability to unlock missions that can only be played if you are aligned a certain way. You can be revered as a hero where townspeople shower you in gifts and worship the ground upon which you walk. On the flip side, you can align yourself with evil and rule over the town by striking fear into their hearts. You can also rock some pretty sweet horns. Bonus!

Life is Strange

In this player choice driven Square-Enix/DONTNOD title, you are a time travelling student photographer thrust into an adventure with a friend you haven’t seen in years. The problem is that said friend has a tendency to get herself into trouble and you’ve taken it upon yourself to be her guardian angel.

The ability to travel in time may take away from the intrigue of making decisions, but whether they effect the main story, or the people you’ve met along your journey, they will still shock you. It’s an emotional roller coaster ride all the way up to the game’s final choice. Everything you’ve done throughout the game, all of the bonds formed and knowledge you’ve gained, can be left behind, or you can continue to run away from the inevitable to save your best friend. Regardless of which option you choose, you’re going to feel the impact of your decision.

Mass Effect (Series)

Mass Effect hands you the definition of a true dilemma. Your choices as the main character throughout the game determines the fate of your crew, and in some cases, forcing you to choose which of your partners to leave to their death. Even the fate of entire alien races are in your hands at times throughout the series.

Something else Mass Effect does well is continuity. Decisions you’ve made in previous games can and will affect future games up through Mass Effect 3. Again, it doesn’t necessarily change the story, but it does change later conversations and spur different options later on. It’s this kind of consistency and utilization of player choice that has made it such a fan favorite.

Silent Hill 2

Silent Hill 2 will test your sympathy as you follow James Sunderland through a psychological journey. As you progress through the story and make choices, you’ll learn more about the character’s past and why he is the way he is. You’ll also come across some of the most frightening enemies in gaming history, but you have no choice on avoiding that fate.

Based on the answers you’ve given and how you’ve treated certain characters, you will receive one of three endings. The differences in the endings are overall minor, but in this instance, it’s the journey that counts.

The Witcher 3

The Witcher 3 uses your humanity and plays you like a broken fiddle. Like most player choice games, the main story remains the same, but how you get from point A to point B could be entirely different than someone else’s path. The difference with The Witcher 3 is how some of the decisions make players morally uncomfortable by forcing them to choose the lesser of two evils and ensuring no one in the situation walks away completely happy.

Your efforts will award you with one of three endings, which will hold a number of variables that are tweaked depending on the decisions you made.

What other games do you think should be on this list? Let us know in the comments below!