No matter how you look at it, we love variability in games. Many gamers enjoy the fact that one of their decisions can drastically change the plot, flipping the narrative upside down. We decided to dig into projects where decision-making plays a crucial role, and often these decisions turn out to be quite strange. In these projects, you’ll definitely want to think carefully about what you choose in dialogues and key cutscenes, or else the game might go in a direction you don’t intend.
Hades
Release Date: September 17, 2020
Platforms: PC, PS5, XSX|S
Single-player only
Let’s start with Hades, a prime example of a game where everything is shaped by the player’s choices. This is one of the best roguelikes of the past 10 years, and as you might imagine, you can spend hours playing it. Consequently, you’ll need to decide for yourself the sequence in which you’ll tackle levels, taking full responsibility for your actions.
What’s also interesting is that Hades includes a full storyline, unlike many other games in the genre. This gives you the motivation to quickly get through key segments to gather useful information from NPCs or to watch fresh cutscenes. However, your choice of path will always weigh heavily on you, and whether you finish Hades in 10 hours or never get close to the end after 100 hours depends entirely on your decisions.
Wasteland 3
Release Date: August 28, 2020
Platforms: PC, PS5, XSX|S
Co-op for: 2
Wasteland 3 may not be a mega-popular project, but it has a dedicated fan base that appreciates its tactical turn-based RPG style. The developers were inspired by the first Fallout games, and because of this, difficult decisions are a key part of the gameplay. Throughout the game, you’ll frequently make choices that may lead your characters to unpleasant situations. For example, in Wasteland 3, some decisions don’t show their consequences until several hours later, and you might have to reload an old save.
What makes it even more interesting is the two-player co-op mode. You and a friend can explore post-apocalyptic Colorado and discuss various choices together. In the end, if you make a mistake, both of you share the blame, and you’ll approach decisions more carefully in future playthroughs. As you can see, Wasteland 3 is full of strange decisions, but it earned its place here not only because of that, but also because your hasty choices can wipe out hours of progress.
Hitman 3
Release Date: January 20, 2021
Platforms: PC, PS5, XSX|S, Switch
Single-player only
Another game where your choices directly impact the outcome of each mission, and those choices can sometimes be quite strange. The Hitman series reboot transformed from a linear game about a hitman into a true assassination simulator. Now, each level offers dozens of ways to reach and eliminate your target, and also to escape the crime scene.
Thanks to the variety, you’ll be making choices constantly, and sometimes these choices might seem odd. For example, only the player decides whether to kill an NPC, dress in their clothes, choose a weapon for the job, or even make it look like an accident. All of these are small parts of a bigger puzzle that makes up the gameplay of Hitman 3, and these details will keep you playing longer or replaying the same level to see all the possible endings.
The Quarry
Release Date: June 10, 2022
Platforms: PC, PS5, XSX|S
Co-op for: 8
As is typical in the interactive movie genre, you’ll constantly be making choices that directly affect the ending. In The Quarry, this is true, but given the plot, the characters sometimes make strange decisions that can lead them to their demise. Honestly, it’s a survival game where you try to keep as many people alive as possible, but in The Quarry, this is often not the case.
I chose this game as a great example of the genre because it’s one of the newest. You’ll definitely want to play The Quarry and see how varied the experience can be. You can also check out Until Dawn or The Dark Pictures Anthology—all of these games share one thing in common: choice. If you make the right decisions, the characters will survive. Otherwise, you won’t make it to the end because there will be no one left.
Persona 5
Release Date: September 15, 2016
Platforms: PC, PS5, XSX|S
Single-player only
Among jRPGs, the Persona series can confidently be called one of the best, as it skillfully juggles all the features of the genre while offering quite engaging gameplay. I recommend focusing on the latest installment, Persona 5. The reason being that it combines the best ideas from the developers throughout the series, and the project turned out to be so expansive that you can spend even 100 hours within it.
During all this time, you’ll face tough decisions. You’ll have to think critically and choose your responses wisely, or you might prematurely end the game without achieving much. This is also one of the few games that features a kind of timer. The game uses a regular calendar, and throughout the various quests, the protagonist makes marks on it, so you can complete the task within a set number of days. Initially, the time will be enough, but as enemies grow stronger, you might find yourself unable to meet the deadline. Persona 5 is filled with tough decisions that not only impact the storyline but could also end your run prematurely.
Cyberpunk 2077
Release Date: December 10, 2020
Platforms: PC, PS5, XSX|S
Single-player only
Arguably one of the toughest games in terms of decision-making, as your choices even affect side missions. The protagonist can mess things up during the main story and then be unable to fix it in any additional mission. Moreover, V constantly has to resist the advice of Johnny Silverhand, who resides in his head, or else follow the wishes of another character. As a result, the entire story can take completely unexpected turns.
If you enjoy Cyberpunk 2077 and want to stay in this world for as long as possible, I highly recommend focusing on side quests first. Only after that should you continue the main story. Otherwise, you might end up causing such chaos that you won’t be able to fix it later. There are also multiple endings, and all your choices contribute to a specific conclusion, which is something to keep in mind. For example, the easiest way to end things is by committing suicide, but if you do that, you’ll never find out how the game could truly end.
Starfield
Release Date: September 6, 2023
Platforms: PC, XSX|S
Single-player only
Another RPG from Todd Howard that turned out to be truly massive and diverse. You can explore the endless cosmos, which contains hundreds of planets, and visit each one of them. As with his previous works, you’ll constantly be making decisions, sometimes quite strange ones, which lead to various outcomes even within the same quest.
For example, only in Starfield can you finish a conversation with the leader of space pirates in several ways. In one instance, you’ll need to kill him and his entire gang; in another, he’ll let you go and even thank you. Alternatively, you can make it so that after the conversation, no one will harm you, and the rough bandit might even give you some money. This happens in virtually every quest in Starfield, which is awesome because a lot depends on your choices, and only you control how your journey in this world will end.
Baldur’s Gate 3
Release Date: August 3, 2023
Platforms: PC, PS5, XSX|S
Co-op for: 4 players
This project likely needs no introduction, as many became familiar with it through countless news stories and memes that flooded the internet since its release. The tactical RPG Baldur’s Gate 3 is a true phenomenon, as you’re constantly making decisions that determine whether the story moves forward or not. One wrong choice, and the game either ends immediately or becomes significantly more difficult. For example, if you accidentally attack the wrong people, you might have to clear a goblin castle filled with over 20 enemies, and you might not be strong enough. This happens frequently in Baldur’s Gate 3, so don’t expect the game to go easy on you.
An interesting feature is the co-op mode for up to four people. This allows you to make tough decisions with friends and then scream at each other when one of them messes things up for the whole team. In general, choice is paramount in Baldur’s Gate 3, so make sure to think carefully before choosing any dialogue options.
Disco Elysium
Release Date: October 15, 2019
Platforms: PC, Mac, PS5, XSX|S, Switch
Single-player only
Finally, we have a game entirely based on decision-making. In Disco Elysium, your choices dictate the direction of the story and whether you’ll even be able to finish the game. The game tells the story of a drunk detective who wakes up in a hotel room with no memory of his past. Gradually, his memory returns, but to uncover his history, you’ll need to interact with numerous NPCs, explore the city, and, of course, make difficult decisions.
In Disco Elysium, developers have taken things so far that if you prioritize physical strength early on, the protagonist can die from a severe hangover, and your playthrough will end right there. Such moments are frequent, and they all make sense within the story. You’ll understand why one choice seems dangerous while another feels safer, even if it doesn’t seem entirely right. Disco Elysium is for those who are ready to make tough decisions in games, even if they sometimes seem strange.
We’ve compiled a list of games where players regularly make choices, and those choices often have a significant impact on the continuation of the game. As you can see, this mechanic is found in games of various genres, and it’s great that some developers are actively experimenting with it. Let us know in the comments what you’ve played from this list and what strange decisions you made in these games!
