Top 10 Video Game Decisions That Got You Killed (ft. Todd Haberkorn)
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VOICE OVER: Todd Haberkorn
WRITTEN BY: Kurt Hvorup
Try not to replicate these awful decisions in real life! For this list we'll be looking at some of the worst decisions in video games that eventually got you killed. We'll be looking at games such as Dark Souls, Nier: Automata and Mass Effect 2. What's the worst decision you've made in a video game? Let us know in the comments!
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In hindsight, maybe this wasn't such a good idea. Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the Top 10 Decisions in Video Games That Got You Killed.
For this list, we'll be looking at the choices that ended in death for player characters. We’re avoiding cases where the player can direct their avatar to commit suicide, instead sole focusing on the decisions with deadly outcomes caused by external circumstances. Fair warning, spoilers and immediate regrets will be plentiful!
“Dragon Age: Origins” (2009)
Sometimes doing the right thing means more than just a lost opportunity. Leading up to the final battle against the Blight, it’s made clear that the Grey Warden will lose their life immediately upon slaying the malevolent Archdemon. Morrigan; resident companion and possible romance option, then presents another option: partake in a sexual ritual with her so as to channel the Archdemon’s life force into their unborn child. For those players electing to follow a more virtuous path, the decision to refuse Morrigan and go through with the original plan only reinforces the bittersweet heroism of the Warden’s quest.
“Until Dawn” (2015)
Over the course of the gruesome events that make up this glorious homage to the campy slashers of the past, many a choice is made where the consequences aren’t always apparent until much later. One notable exception comes in the game’s ninth chapter, when Ashley is temporarily separated from the other survivors and hears a strange noise. Should you choose to follow the sound, it takes you to a trapdoor – and Ashley gets decapitated, with the possibility of Chris sharing the same fate. It’s quite possibly the most shocking moment int he whole game, both for the sudden brutality of its violence and because it handily illustrates how dire an outcome can result from one’s actions.
“Nier: Automata” (2017)
Games that partake in joke endings and half-serious death scenes never fail to be memorable, but our girl 2B might have set the new gold standard in messing with the audience. Among the assorted ways in which to prematurely end the plot, players can happen upon a vendor offering a portion of mackerel who warns of its devastating effect on androids. Immediately defying said warning by consuming the mackerel loads a short text sequence that explains how, despite being an enjoyable snack, it’s still predictably lethal. Take that lesson to heart, folks: when someone says not to eat a fish, maybe hear them out.
“Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus” (2017)
Look, we know it’s tempting, but there’s work to be done. Late in this Nazi-busting sequel, resistance fighter BJ Blazkowicz ends up in the middle of a film audition as part of his mission to infiltrate a Nazi base on Venus. Said audition is for the part of... BJ Blazkowicz, in a propaganda film conceived of and overseen by the now-senile and ailing Adolf Hitler. While players are expected to guide BJ to the performance booth for a scene, the reality is many folks couldn’t resist taking advantage of Hitler lying on the floor in a vulnerable state. Naturally, kicking that old fascist asshole in the head doesn’t really sit well with the nearby armed guards.
“Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic” (2003)
There’s a time-honored tradition of “Star Wars” rogues and villainous types establishing their credibility by intimidating or slaying their foes. It makes sense, then, that “Knights of the Old Republic” opted to do both when bringing bounty hunter Calo Nord into the fold. The player’s first encounter with Nord, set in a cantina in Taris’ seedy Lower City, sets the tone by having Nord cut down some persistent gang members. Between his monotone counting to three and clear ruthlessness, Nord is made out to be a very dangerous person not to be pestered... unless you enjoy unwinnable shootouts.
“Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines” (2004)
Central to the drama of this bloodsucking cult-hit is a mysterious sarcophagus containing what many of the game’s vampire factions believe to be an ancient vampire, or Antediluvian. Thus, the player is pulled between a variety of efforts to destroy or cannibalize said possible vampire for power, all the while trying to piece together the truth of the sarcophagus’ nature. It all comes to a head at game’s end where players can simply leave the sarcophagus for some other unlucky soul or attempt to claim it for themselves. Picking the latter option treats the audience to one final devious twist: a bomb in the sarcophagus, left there as punishment for those wicked enough to seek such twisted sources of power.
“Infamous 2” (2011)
Those following the Good Karma path likely didn’t expect to face one final morally complicated quandary, but nevertheless that’s what they got. Upon gaining enough strength to use the Ray Field Inhibitor device, Cole McGrath and company learn – in painful fashion – that its activation will kill all Conduits, not just their adversary The Beast. However, with their sacrifice they would cure untold numbers of people afflicted with a seemingly unyielding plague. While both conclusions to carry a bittersweet weight to them, seeing Cole resign himself to death in service of humanity is especially powerful. Rest easy, Cole, you did good.
“Dark Souls” (2011)
One’s life given to maybe save the world... hell of a choice to make. Various times throughout the events of “Dark Souls”, it’s made apparent that the Chosen Undead will eventually have to confront and replace Lord Gwyn in keeping the First Flame alive. Yet what exactly that entails isn’t made clear until after Gwyn falls in battle and the player is left to sit or walk away from the Flame. Players who opt for the former can only sit back and watch as their Chosen Undead is consumed by the Flame, their soul acting as fuel to keep the Age of Fire going. Adding to the haunting nature of the scene, it’s left ambiguous whether or not the sacrifice actually made a difference.
“Mass Effect 2” (2010)
Befitting a game where player choice and character interactions are vital to the experience, Commander Shepard can find himself deciding whether to kill companion Samara or her daughter Morinth during a loyalty mission. Morinth’s survival means she joins Shepard’s crew, at which point she’ll proposition Shepard to, ahem, ‘meld’ with her. The catch is, Morinth’s status as an Ardat-Yakshi means she fries the brain of anyone she mates with... but Shepard is totally able to survive any challenge in his path, right? Despite what Morinth says, going through with her proposal results in an instant game over. Hope those five seconds were worth it.
“Far Cry 3” (2012)
Now that's what you call a heart-breaker. Or, heart-stabber in this instance. Right when Jason Brody should be celebrating following his victory over Vaas and Hoyt, he’s instead lured into a confrontation with the Rakyat people. Their leader Citra, convinced that Jason is destined to be a great warrior, brings him before his captured friends so that he may kill them – thus ensuring he embraces his calling. Actually going through with this results in the audience, from a first person perspective, watching Jason get jiggy with Citra before being betrayed in a manner fitting with the tribe’s ethos. Winning has never felt so unfulfilling.
For this list, we'll be looking at the choices that ended in death for player characters. We’re avoiding cases where the player can direct their avatar to commit suicide, instead sole focusing on the decisions with deadly outcomes caused by external circumstances. Fair warning, spoilers and immediate regrets will be plentiful!
#10: Forgoing Morrigan’s Ritual
“Dragon Age: Origins” (2009)
Sometimes doing the right thing means more than just a lost opportunity. Leading up to the final battle against the Blight, it’s made clear that the Grey Warden will lose their life immediately upon slaying the malevolent Archdemon. Morrigan; resident companion and possible romance option, then presents another option: partake in a sexual ritual with her so as to channel the Archdemon’s life force into their unborn child. For those players electing to follow a more virtuous path, the decision to refuse Morrigan and go through with the original plan only reinforces the bittersweet heroism of the Warden’s quest.
#9: Investigate the Noise
“Until Dawn” (2015)
Over the course of the gruesome events that make up this glorious homage to the campy slashers of the past, many a choice is made where the consequences aren’t always apparent until much later. One notable exception comes in the game’s ninth chapter, when Ashley is temporarily separated from the other survivors and hears a strange noise. Should you choose to follow the sound, it takes you to a trapdoor – and Ashley gets decapitated, with the possibility of Chris sharing the same fate. It’s quite possibly the most shocking moment int he whole game, both for the sudden brutality of its violence and because it handily illustrates how dire an outcome can result from one’s actions.
#8: Eating Mackerel
“Nier: Automata” (2017)
Games that partake in joke endings and half-serious death scenes never fail to be memorable, but our girl 2B might have set the new gold standard in messing with the audience. Among the assorted ways in which to prematurely end the plot, players can happen upon a vendor offering a portion of mackerel who warns of its devastating effect on androids. Immediately defying said warning by consuming the mackerel loads a short text sequence that explains how, despite being an enjoyable snack, it’s still predictably lethal. Take that lesson to heart, folks: when someone says not to eat a fish, maybe hear them out.
#7: Kicking Hitler in the Face
“Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus” (2017)
Look, we know it’s tempting, but there’s work to be done. Late in this Nazi-busting sequel, resistance fighter BJ Blazkowicz ends up in the middle of a film audition as part of his mission to infiltrate a Nazi base on Venus. Said audition is for the part of... BJ Blazkowicz, in a propaganda film conceived of and overseen by the now-senile and ailing Adolf Hitler. While players are expected to guide BJ to the performance booth for a scene, the reality is many folks couldn’t resist taking advantage of Hitler lying on the floor in a vulnerable state. Naturally, kicking that old fascist asshole in the head doesn’t really sit well with the nearby armed guards.
#6: Pissing Off Calo Nord
“Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic” (2003)
There’s a time-honored tradition of “Star Wars” rogues and villainous types establishing their credibility by intimidating or slaying their foes. It makes sense, then, that “Knights of the Old Republic” opted to do both when bringing bounty hunter Calo Nord into the fold. The player’s first encounter with Nord, set in a cantina in Taris’ seedy Lower City, sets the tone by having Nord cut down some persistent gang members. Between his monotone counting to three and clear ruthlessness, Nord is made out to be a very dangerous person not to be pestered... unless you enjoy unwinnable shootouts.
#5: Opening the Sarcophagus
“Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines” (2004)
Central to the drama of this bloodsucking cult-hit is a mysterious sarcophagus containing what many of the game’s vampire factions believe to be an ancient vampire, or Antediluvian. Thus, the player is pulled between a variety of efforts to destroy or cannibalize said possible vampire for power, all the while trying to piece together the truth of the sarcophagus’ nature. It all comes to a head at game’s end where players can simply leave the sarcophagus for some other unlucky soul or attempt to claim it for themselves. Picking the latter option treats the audience to one final devious twist: a bomb in the sarcophagus, left there as punishment for those wicked enough to seek such twisted sources of power.
#4: Fighting the Beast
“Infamous 2” (2011)
Those following the Good Karma path likely didn’t expect to face one final morally complicated quandary, but nevertheless that’s what they got. Upon gaining enough strength to use the Ray Field Inhibitor device, Cole McGrath and company learn – in painful fashion – that its activation will kill all Conduits, not just their adversary The Beast. However, with their sacrifice they would cure untold numbers of people afflicted with a seemingly unyielding plague. While both conclusions to carry a bittersweet weight to them, seeing Cole resign himself to death in service of humanity is especially powerful. Rest easy, Cole, you did good.
#3: Linking the Fire
“Dark Souls” (2011)
One’s life given to maybe save the world... hell of a choice to make. Various times throughout the events of “Dark Souls”, it’s made apparent that the Chosen Undead will eventually have to confront and replace Lord Gwyn in keeping the First Flame alive. Yet what exactly that entails isn’t made clear until after Gwyn falls in battle and the player is left to sit or walk away from the Flame. Players who opt for the former can only sit back and watch as their Chosen Undead is consumed by the Flame, their soul acting as fuel to keep the Age of Fire going. Adding to the haunting nature of the scene, it’s left ambiguous whether or not the sacrifice actually made a difference.
#2: “Sleeping” With Morinth
“Mass Effect 2” (2010)
Befitting a game where player choice and character interactions are vital to the experience, Commander Shepard can find himself deciding whether to kill companion Samara or her daughter Morinth during a loyalty mission. Morinth’s survival means she joins Shepard’s crew, at which point she’ll proposition Shepard to, ahem, ‘meld’ with her. The catch is, Morinth’s status as an Ardat-Yakshi means she fries the brain of anyone she mates with... but Shepard is totally able to survive any challenge in his path, right? Despite what Morinth says, going through with her proposal results in an instant game over. Hope those five seconds were worth it.
#1: Siding With Citra
“Far Cry 3” (2012)
Now that's what you call a heart-breaker. Or, heart-stabber in this instance. Right when Jason Brody should be celebrating following his victory over Vaas and Hoyt, he’s instead lured into a confrontation with the Rakyat people. Their leader Citra, convinced that Jason is destined to be a great warrior, brings him before his captured friends so that he may kill them – thus ensuring he embraces his calling. Actually going through with this results in the audience, from a first person perspective, watching Jason get jiggy with Citra before being betrayed in a manner fitting with the tribe’s ethos. Winning has never felt so unfulfilling.
