RPGs With The Best Morale Systems

Games that offer difficult choices might not be for everyone, but for fans of the genre, every title that does it well is extremely appreciated. Most people enjoy being the “good samaritan”, or the “hero” of a story, but doing positive things by choice makes it so much more meaningful than simply being told to do good.

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On the flip side, sometimes people want to experience the darker path. What is it like to be a villain in a crumbling world? And other times, people want to test themselves, and their roleplayed characters, to see just how far they can push it, and imagine just what they or their character would do in a tough situation.

9 Dishonored

Metascore - 88

Dishonored takes a very interesting approach to morale tracking, taking a simple “karma bar” to the next level. Instead of a simple number, the game’s world reflects the player's actions and choices, showcasing at every corner exactly where the player’s moral compass is leading.

As the player makes darker and more violent choices, the city itself begins to descend into chaos. Angrier guards pop up in greater numbers all over the place, the streets become infested with rats, and one can feel the very atmosphere begin to deteriorate.

8 The Banner Saga

Metascore - 80

The Banner Saga is a very unique RPG, with many interconnected systems, ranging from tactical combat to caravan management, difficult choices, and heartbreaking narrative sequences. Morale plays a key role in many of these systems, affecting how well the caravan can travel, how well-prepared characters are for fighting, and so on.

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By  Rhenn Taguiam

Players should keep a close eye on morale, lest they risk quickly running everything into the ground. It is a tough thing to balance, pushing the party to do what needs to be done, while keeping everyone at least moderately happy.

7 Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines

Metascore - 80

Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines is an older, albeit a great adaptation of a beloved TTRPG series. At the moment, many players are eagerly awaiting the return of this legendary franchise to the gaming scene, with the upcoming sequel looming on the horizon.

Both the video game and the TTRPG share a “humanity” system, one that tracks just how far a character has given in to their inner vampiric beast. Every dark choice or inhumane action will push them closer to their animalistic vampire nature, while staying on the good path helps keep one’s literal humanity intact.

6 Fable 3

Metascore - 89

The Fable series always did its best to reflect the many choices of a character, especially by using their appearance. A mage will begin to have more and more markings on their skin, a melee fighter will become bulkier as they improve their strength, and so on.

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By  Jonathan Rodriguez

The karmic aspect was not left untouched, and a player’s morale will slowly manifest itself into different visual aspects. From literal halos on a good character to horns and a dark aura for an evil one, it is a fun and engaging system that makes every choice feel impactful.

5 Mass Effect: Legendary Edition

Metascore - 87

Commander Shepard’s journey is riddled with impossible odds, morally grey choices, and often unpredictable outcomes. It is up to the player as to how they approach these hurdles, whether it be with grace and forgiveness, or ruthlessness and domination.

Certain choices or outcomes of the game are only available on a specific moral path, either Paragon or Renegade. This makes a lot of sense, as it is somewhat hard to imagine a goody-two-shoes suddenly lowering themselves to beating the truth out of a civilian. The path is long and hard and greatly reflects just how the player chooses to approach it.

4 Star Wars: Knights Of The Old Republic

Metascore - 94

Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic incorporates an intricate moral alignment system, which shapes the player character as well as the world around them. This mechanism dynamically responds to the player's ethical decisions, dichotomizing characters into the Light and Dark sides. Positive choices steer the narrative towards the Light Side, granting access to morally aligned Jedi powers.

On the other hand, self-serving or malevolent choices propel the player down the path of the Dark Side, accompanied by sinister abilities. It is a great look into the world of Star Wars and does a fantastic job of portraying the moral struggle within a character.

3 Pathfinder: Wrath Of The Righteous

Metascore - 83

The Pathfinder game series has always sought to emulate the TTRPG as closely as it can, and many systems were carried over from paper to the screen. From the magic system to attacks and Feats, many aspects were very well recreated, and the same goes for the game's Alignment Chart.

Due to the character’s actions, they will inevitably land somewhere on the chart, and every option has major consequences for the game. Each alignment opens a different Mythical Path, which can dramatically change the character’s powers, NPC attitudes, and even the tone of the entire game.

2 Red Dead Redemption 2

Metascore - 97

While not a traditional RPG, instead of karma or morale, Red Dead Redemption 2 utilizes what it calls an Honor system. Players’ actions will either lower or raise it, depending on how they decide to conduct themselves in the world. They can try to be as kind and helpful as possible, or become a notorious bandit in the endless wilderness.

Such choices inevitably affect the story in many ways, as well as how the character is treated by the NPCs in the world. It is a neat and dynamic system that does a fantastic job of making player choices feel important and impactful.

1 Fallout: New Vegas

Metascore - 84

Fallout: New Vegas still holds a very dear spot in many players’ hearts. The game went a touch deeper into the morals of the player, even beyond the existing Karma system, showcasing that, quite often, it is subjective to a particular point of view.

In that regard, the game tracks a character’s relationship with various NPCs and Factions, with each one reacting differently to the same situation. What may be bad for some will be a godsend for others, and this gray area was done incredibly well in the game.