Summary
- Open-world games allow players to wreak havoc and ruin lives, offering a cathartic experience.
- Games like GTA 5, Red Dead Redemption 2, and Sleeping Dogs let players go on killing sprees.
- Players can make decisions in games like The Witcher 3 and Fallout: New Vegas that have far-reaching consequences.
Video games give players an outlet to do things they normally can't in real life. This leads to several games sporting violent gameplay loops to keep fans engaged, which can make for a cathartic experience.
Some open-world titles can go almost overboard in this department and let players ruin the lives of everyone around them, from important characters to regular NPCs. The sheer chaos they can cause with their actions and decisions can be downright catastrophic for people. Of course, if players want to take on a morally dubious or even evil role in a game, that can be part of the fun.
8 Grand Theft Auto 5
The Protagonists Can Kill NPCs By The Hundreds
Grand Theft Auto 5
- Released
- September 17, 2013
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ due to Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Mature Humor, Nudity, Strong Language, Strong Sexual Content, Use of Drugs and Alcohol
- Genre(s)
- Open-World, Action
Grand Theft Auto 5's amazing open-world mechanics are something fans are familiar with, since they love to go berserk in these titles. From meaningless destruction that attracts the cops' attention to Trevor's Rampages that lead to numerous casualties, there's no shortage of ways players can ruin lives in the game.
This is the draw of Grand Theft Auto 5, with players being able to wreak havoc with no strings attached. This translates to story beats too, with the three protagonists having no problem with making other people's lives a living hell if anyone crosses them.
7 Red Dead Redemption 2
Arthur Can Go On A Rampage And Pay A Meager Fine To Clear His Name
Red Dead Redemption 2
- Released
- October 26, 2018
WHERE TO PLAY
Red Dead Redemption 2 is another Rockstar game where players can go wild on innocent folks. As an outlaw, Arthur can rob stagecoaches, hold up an entire train, and antagonize everyone around him. Players can be especially heartless in a Low Honor playthrough, ruining the lives of everyone around them for fun. It leads to players controlling a version of Arthur Morgan who is far from likable, but this is the price that most people pay if they keep the protagonist's Honor as low as possible.
6 Sleeping Dogs
Innocents Can Become Collateral Damage
Sleeping Dogs
- Released
- August 14, 2012
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ / Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Use of Drugs
- Genre(s)
- Open-World, Action
Sleeping Dogs is one of the best action-packed open-world experiences. While players control an undercover cop, that doesn't stop them from going bananas on the road and killing many innocents in the process. The main story focuses heavily on triad violence, meaning that Wei Shen is bound to cross a heinous character's path and make them pay for their crimes. Ruining people's lives may be collateral damage in this game, but players don't mind as long as they get to shove an enemy's head into a vent and jump from one car to another mid-chase to hijack it.
8 Best Open-World Games If You Want To Unleash Chaos, Ranked
If you are looking for a game that lets you wreak havoc and destruction, these open-world titles are perfect options.
5 The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
Geralt's Actions Can Potentially Doom The People Around Him
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
- Released
- May 19, 2015
WHERE TO PLAY
The Witcher 3 is one of the greatest video games ever made, which fans can't get enough of to this day. A huge part of this reason is the many role-playing opportunities and fleshed-out quests that players can enjoy. There isn't a morality scale in The Witcher 3, but it's not required because of how gray the game's decisions are. However, there are times when Geralt can go out of his way to ruin the lives of people. And in the majority of these instances, his actions are somewhat justified.
4 Cyberpunk 2077
V Can Screw Over Many People In Their Quest
Cyberpunk 2077
- Released
- December 10, 2020
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Nudity, Strong Language, Strong Sexual Content, Use of Drugs and Alcohol
Night City is a cold and ruthless place that spits out anyone not willing to abide by its lawlessness. Cyberware is rampant, and so is crime, which can be seen in the many gangs that operate out in the open.
Playing as V, gamers can squash innocents and attract the attention of cops on a regular basis. They also participate in quests where their decisions can either make or break the lives of many people. Players are forced to walk a dark path at times to ensure that their body can be recovered before Silverhand's engram takes over.
3 Fallout: New Vegas
The Courier Can Be A Paragon Of Justice, Or A Harbinger Of Death
Fallout: New Vegas
- Released
- October 19, 2010
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Use of Drugs
- Genre(s)
- RPG
Fallout: New Vegas was lauded for its amazing role-playing gameplay, and understandably so. The Courier can make major decisions in and around New Vegas that have far-reaching consequences. Vault dwellers can be doomed with the single push of a button, good-natured companions can be sold as slaves to Caesar's Legion, and players can obliterate hundreds of innocents with their actions in the DLCs. These are just a few of the many ways lives can be ruined by the Courier's actions in Fallout: New Vegas.
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2 Watch Dogs
Aiden Pearce Cares About No One In His Quest To Avenge His Niece
Watch Dogs
- Released
- May 26, 2014
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature // Blood, Game Experience May Change During Online Play, Intense Violence, Nudity, Strong Language, Strong Sexual Content, Use of Drugs and Alcohol
- Genre(s)
- Open-World, Action, Adventure
Watch Dogs alienated many players when it launched, who realized this game wasn't all it was cracked up to be. It didn't help that Aiden Pearce was far from a likable protagonist, although it did make it easier to believe that he could sacrifice hundreds of people if it meant that he could locate the person who killed his niece.
This dark, brooding character can man vehicles, run over pedestrians, and use hacks to disrupt modern life with ease. He may justify his actions, but there's no denying that he has ruined many lives in his quest for revenge.
1 Far Cry 4
Both Leaders Of The Golden Path Aren't As Great As They're Made Out To Be
Far Cry 4
- Released
- November 18, 2014
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood, Intense Violence, Nudity, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, Use of Drugs
- Genre(s)
- FPS, Open-World
Throughout Far Cry 4, Ajay Ghale is made to believe that the Golden Path is the right choice for the people of Kyrat. This is why he takes down Pagan Min and his underlings, giving the people of this country a fighting chance. However, regardless of whether players choose Sabal or Amita as the leader, it turns out that both characters are horrible in their own way. Either way, Ajay's actions will always ruin the lives of people in Kyrat, whether he wants them to or not.
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