I actually like pacifist runs in video video games – not as a result of I abhor violence, however as a result of it gives such fascinating puzzles and story choices. What are some video games which might be amenable to pacifist runs?
My absolute favourite second in any online game ever was from Fallout New Vegas: >!straight up bluffing Legate Lanius into taking his military house with him.!< That felt so extremely highly effective – I felt like I used to be in charge of the entire world only for a second. I actually loved that second. I do know it was scripted into the sport and it wasn’t notably troublesome to realize or something, however it was actually enjoyable as a result of I’m so used to gunning down the unhealthy man to perform an goal.
To that finish, I actually get pleasure from pacifist runs now – it provides you a puzzle to resolve. Some video games offer you a pacifist mode as a part of the story, similar to Undertale, however in different video games it is as much as you to determine how you can obtain the objective with out attacking, much like how velocity operating might be an goal with out being constructed into the sport. For sure video games it may be not possible to finish them as a pacifist run attributable to story or programming limitations, which is why in the end I made this put up – I hoped a few of you had solutions as to which video games make for good pacifist runs.
Comments ( 31 )
Dishonoured 2. Haven’t played the first personally but assume it’d be the same for that one too
Even if you can’t do a TRUE pacifist run, it’s fun to be able to do the minimal amount if attacks, only killing when mandatory.
The funniest Pacifist Runs are in Doom
Definitely the first two fallouts if you haven’t done those (and are open to CRPGs)
There’s the obvious ones like Dishonored or some of the Splinter Cell games, but I remember really enjoying playing non lethally in Watch Dogs 2. I would only use a taser, the compressed air shotgun, and the paintball gun to knock guys out. The only time I accidentally killed someone was when I redirected their car and they swerved into a gas pump. My bad!
Dishonored. Not only are the pacifist options often far more brutal and satisfying than just killing someone, they often take a lot of work and thought as well as planning and forethought to pull off. While doing a pacifist run in Dishonored means that you don’t get to use a lot of the cool powers that you get, it’s worth it. Plus, better ending.
I know you can do a pacifist run on the Deus Ex games. At some point it requires some sort of combat, but all the side stuff can have alternative ways from what I remember. Could be wrong though so may be worth you looking into.
Well you can’t spell “pacifist run” without mentioning Undertale.
The more recent metal gear solid games have some interesting options for pacifist runs
How about Undertale? You don’t have to fight anybody, you can just negotiate your way out of every conflict
Both Dishonoreds let you do this i think.
All Kojima games, Metal Gear Solid, Death Stranding, etc.
Deus Ex series
Hitman but killing strictly your target is fun and challenging
My friend beat Fallout New Vegas with zero people and zero creatures killed. Max leveled and everything. Basically you can talk your way out of everything story related and run away from everything else. This was on console (no mods). He still somehow ended up very evil I think because he stole so much shit.
I wouldn’t have believed it if he didn’t show me the stats screen. Zero humans killed I could kind of see having played a ton of new vegas with a speech build myself, but the zero creatures killed absolutely floored me
Dark Souls 3 or Elden Ring. Just heal and support your summons. Look up some of those runs on yt, great fun
Two of my favorite game runs are the dishonored 1 & 2, no kill no witness runs, it make you use ur powers in very interesting way.
Watch Dogs 2 with your main character. I did all no lethal gadgets and it was a blast. There is one mission where you do kill guards but it is as a different character and made sense for that character
Looks like Baldurs Gate 3 is seeking too add this
While GTA-V is certainly not amenable to pacifist runs in the traditional sense, there is a series on YouTube by DarkViperAU where he attempts it anyway. Some of the strategies are insanely complex and clever.
Dues Ex: Human Revolution is definitely worth a mention. It’s experience system is such that you’re actually rewarded more for being nonviolent and not killing anyone. There’s just something so fun about taking people out one by one and hiding their bodies.
Dishonored and dishonored 2. DeusEx
Deus Ex: Human Revolution has amazing pacifist runs, if memory serves there was one boss that you HAD to kill. I’m not positive on that though.
Undertale. In fact, there are multiple endings, and a pacifist run is one of those different endings.
Everyone keeps saying the same set of games so I’ll give you one that I don’t see mentioned. Iji was an older indie game that let you either go full pacifist or full murder. Some fights required special setups in order tobget the non lethal solution.
Vampyr’s pacifist run/achievement was really enjoyable for me. I usually play easy mode on games (here for a good time not a long tactical battle) but I went THROUGH it for the Mary fight and found the whole thing pretty rewarding and challenging.
Of course the next playthrough was total annihilation. Much shorter, equally as fun.
DOOM
Not really related, but I like when a game lets me just beat a “bad guy” up instead of outright killing him. GTA IV and RDR 2 satisfied this in some parts.
Postal 2 (2003)
I loved reading all the press back then about how violent the game is, when the simple fact is the game is only as violent as the person playing it.
The game will push you every way it can to make you “go postal”, but it is doable.
The expansion’s might not be doable though, zombies and what not.
You could do Diablo 2 and make a thorns paladin. It’s not really pacifist because you’re still killing demons…but it’s all reflect damage. So, in a sense, you’re a pacifist
Deus Ex human Revolution