Summary
Open-world games are often vast and extremely versatile in terms of what they offer players. Many of the universes in this genrefocus on quality, combat mechanics, interesting NPCs and exciting side quests that provide hours of fun. Some titles even feature complex morality systems that allow players to make various decisions that can change the story.
The choice between being good or evilis one that everyone must make at one point. And while making this decision is tough in real life, doing so in a video game is also a challenge. To dive deeper into this, here are some of thebest open-world games with evil routes.
Following in the footsteps of its predecessors and other titles of a similar genre,Dragon Age: Inquisitionpresents players with multiple choices throughout the story that will determine whether they are good or evil.
There will be many instances where players will come across a situation that will test the mettle of their character, and lead to consequences that will affect them and others. While this title doesn’t have the most complex morality system out there, it does allow for some interesting outcomes andsome peculiar romance options.
Fallout 4is arguably the title responsible for making the franchise have such a mainstream appeal, as it presents players with an interesting story and a vast open world full of vicious mutated creatures. As a Bethesda title,Fallout 4has various dialogue options that allow players to get different outcomes depending on their decisions.
Players can choose toaddress situations from a standpoint of crueltyand selfish behavior, which will have an impact on their companions and the perception they have of the Sole Survivor.
While basic,Fable 2features a very interesting Morality alignment system, as it not only affects how the world around them views players, but also changes their appearance, making their hair turn black and their eyes red.
Both the Good and Evil morality options have their advantages and disadvantages and will give players discounts in different areas, which presents an interesting premise where actions not only have consequences during an interaction, but also throughout the entirety of the game.
On top of this, players’ dogs’ appearance will also change, making them look more intimidating and giving them black hair to match their owner’s.
The adventures of Geralt of Rivia have been told for more than a decade at this point, but neither the firstWitchergame nor the second one ever came close to the amount of successThe Witcher 3: Wild Huntenjoyed.
Like other RPGs, this titleallows players to choose their dialogueto approach different situations in any way they please. While some occasions might call for a peaceful approach, others will be better handled with the clashing of swords. Players can choose to be evil by squeezing peasants for more money as a reward for ridding their town of a monster, or by remaining indifferent to the calls for help of the innocent.
Baldur’s Gate 3is one of the most complete and complex fantasy RGPs of the last 10 years, which is why it’s unsurprising that it won Game of the Year in 2023. Presenting players with multiple dialogue options, severalinteresting party membersand dozens of different missions to approach however they like, the game never disappoints in terms of the fun it offers.
Throughout the story, players can choose to listen to The Dark Urge, which prompts them to commit the most atrocious acts against those who don’t deserve it, those who do, and even the tiniest, most innocent creatures in the land. Following The Dark Urge storyline will introduce players to Sceleritas Fel, a proxy of Bhaal.
WhileThe Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrimdoes not feature a traditional Good and Evil system like other RPGs on this list, there are still many options for players to let their darkest thoughts take over. As they progress through the game, players will often find themselves in situations where they can choose to heed or ignore someone’s cries for help or steal from the poor.
Players can also choose tojoin the Dark Brotherhood, an infamous assessing group that operates in Tamriel with little regard for the innocence of their targets or their right to live.
Besides being one of the most (if not the most) complete Western video games in history,Red Dead Redemption 2also offers players the chance to make their own choices and decide how Arthur Morgan lives his life.
This title features an Honor System, which will go either to the left or to the right depending on players’ actions. Things like beating up or killing innocent people willlower Arthur’s honor, placing him closer to the Evil side, whereas something as simple as continuouslygreeting NPC strangersthroughout the world will quickly make players honorable.
The Honor System affectsRed Dead Redemption 2’s storyline significantly, as shown by one of the missions given to Arthur by Leopold Strauss, where Arthur will either keep collecting money from the poor for Strauss or kick the Austrian debt collector out of the camp, depending on players’ Honor alignment.
