Whether you’re playing Mario or Monster Hunter, video games put you in control and ask you to make decisions. But while there are plenty of games that give you options, it can be hard to find games with choices and consequences that matter.
If you enjoy virtual-decision gaming, these 10 choice-filled games should be right up your alley. Whether you’re solving a mystery, exploring a fantasy world, or sailing on the high seas, you’ll have a real impact on the outcome of these games.
Herald: An Interactive Period Drama
If you miss Telltale Games, you might want to check out Herald: An Interactive Period Drama. This point-and-click adventure game is set during an alternate version of the 19th century, but its stories and characters feel surprisingly down to earth. Your decisions will sometimes have deadly consequences, and replaying the game with new choices will often cast characters in a different light. So far, two books in the Herald series have been released, with more on the way.
Herald: An Interactive Period Drama is available on PC, Mac, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox One.
Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines
To call Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines rough around the edges would be an understatement. The game is virtually unplayable without mods and unofficial patches. If you can look past its janky exterior, however, you’ll find a title with unparalleled depth. The now-delayed sequel to Bloodlines was one of our most anticipated games of 2021, and if you play the original title, you’ll quickly understand why. Bloodlines may be riddled with bugs, but it’s also filled to the brim with choices and charm.
Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines is available on PC.
Disco Elysium – The Final Cut
The first time I played Disco Elysium, I managed to die of a heart attack within the first five minutes. While I’ve made (slightly) smarter choices in subsequent playthroughs, I’m frequently amazed by how much even minor changes can shift the tone of the game. Disco Elysium can be a black comedy, a tragedy, a redemption story, or something else entirely based on how you choose to approach the game. Anyone that enjoys choice-based games owes it to themselves to play Disco Elysium more than once.
Disco Elysium is available on PC, Mac, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series S/X.
Until Dawn
Until Dawn is a game designed for anyone that’s ever yelled at their screen during a horror movie. While the gruesome deaths in Until Dawn often feel inevitable, it’s possible to make it through the game without losing a single character. Of course, the opposite is also true. If a character is killed off — or if the entire cast is dead by the time the end credits roll — every one of those deaths is on your hands.
Until Dawn is available on PlayStation 4.
Undertale
Normally, when you make the wrong choice in a game, you can start over and fix your mistakes. In Undertale, however, your decisions are never forgotten, even if you go back to the beginning. You can play Undertale as a pacifist, a bloodthirsty sadist, or something that falls in between those two extremes, but no matter what you choose to do, the game will always remember what you did in your earlier playthroughs.
Undertale is available on PC, Mac, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox One.
Long Live the Queen
Long Live the Queen doesn’t just ask you to make tough choices. It asks you to anticipate what those choices will be and prepare for them ahead of time. If you challenge someone to a duel and you’ve never bothered to learn how to fight, you shouldn’t expect to last long. Long Live the Queen is a game about learning from failure. If you die enough times, you’ll eventually be prepared for every decision that you’re asked to make.
Long Live the Queen is available on PC and Mac.
Pathologic Classic HD
In many choice-based games, it feels like you’re the only one making decisions. That’s not the case in Pathologic. In this survival game, everyone has to make tough choices, and everyone has to deal with the consequences. Pathologic is incredibly strange, but it’s one of the most immersive games I’ve ever played. If the original Pathologic is a little too messy for you, you can get a more polished experience from Pathologic 2.
Pathologic Classic HD is available on PC. Pathologic 2 is available on PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.
Overboard!
Overboard! begins with a decision you can’t take back — a deadly murder carried out by you. From that point on, the reins are in your hands. Will you frame someone else for your crime? Will you confess? Will you go back to bed and hope that everything blows over? Overboard! is a deceptively simple game with near-endless possibilities.
Overboard! is available on PC, iOS, and Nintendo Switch.
Lisa: The Painful
Not every choice-based game has a happy ending. In Lisa: The Painful, a turn-based RPG, you’ll find yourself forced to make tough choices that don’t have a good outcome. Whether you choose to make personal sacrifices or hurt other people, you won’t be able to ignore the consequences of your decisions. You’ll carry the weight of your choices throughout the game. Lisa: The Painful has been described as a miserable, life-ruining experience, and it definitely does its best to live up to its name.
Lisa: The Painful is available on PC and Mac.
Wildermyth
In Wildermyth, you won’t just see the immediate consequences of your actions. In this procedurally-generated tactical RPG, you’ll be able to follow characters over the years and watch them grow. Your characters will age, and you might see some of them die before the game is through. While Wildermyth is still in early access, the current version allows you to play through a story that’s completely your own.
Wildermyth is available on PC and Mac.
