Games or game sections where you can avoid killing anything?

[StaceyPowers]

What are some games or sections of games where you can take a totally pacifistic approach and avoid killing anything at all?

[Akun]

Undertale is the only one I could think of off the top of my head. Pacifism was literally a significant part of its story and gameplay.

[Empire]

The first level in particular. When I first played the game, I treated it just like every other FPS at the time and went in guns blazing, almost smirking at the non-lethal option you are given. Because I had been told these were terrorists, they were the bad guys, they had done wrong things, so naturally they deserve no mercy. Then later on in the plot you see the other side, why they did what they did and what 'your' side has done to them; I immediately regretted my first playthrough and afterwards started again and used the tranquilizer darts exclusively.

[Justin11]

In GTA SA, when I noticed that everyone is after my character's life, I stay silent in some areas, and act as if I'm not the target man. Anything that makes me open a rampage, then it means, I am calling the attention of the crowd especially the metropolitan police men in the game, to burst my character's life. 

Edited September 8, 2022 by Justin11

[Kane99]

Dishonored games allow you to go through both games without having to kill anyone. You can use stealth instead and alter certain things to cause havoc in the world. It's really cool. I've been meaning to go through the game again and try the pacifist route. Should be interesting. 

[Heatman]

The Age of Decadence is one game that I can recall very easily that you can play without having or being forced to kill before making progress it. Although, it's quite tough in a way because not killing makes it a lot harder. 

[Kane99]

The new Sniper Elite 5 game even have options where you don't have to kill anyone. You could set things in motion to cause problems for them, much like Dishonored did. People actually threw a fit about this being in a Sniper Elite game, because since you kill Nazi's in it, they thought people who played with stealth in mind, were bad people for not wanting to kill Nazi's. Honestly I killed most of them, because I suck at stealth with these games. But I am tempted to try this game out again and see if I can go through without killing a single person, or if I have to, just the main targets. 

[Withywarlock]

8 hours ago, Heatman said:

The Age of Decadence is one game that I can recall very easily that you can play without having or being forced to kill before making progress it. Although, it's quite tough in a way because not killing makes it a lot harder. 

The Age of Decadence is a really interesting choice for this category. It's true you can beat the entire game without killing people... but it requires a lot of save-scumming because you can easily reach the point of no return. The game is often criticised for being short, but it has to be in order for you to reload a save where you can spend your skill points optimally in order to beat the game. Unlike the frequent criticisms levelled at Dishonored about one being "punished" for using all the cool tools, this game really does punish you by halting all progress if you make the incorrect skill choice.

TAoD explicitly states that its combat heavily favours enemies. You can still win but a lot of it depends on luck, and there's few build guides out there that work consistently well.

1 hour ago, Kane99 said:

The new Sniper Elite 5 game even have options where you don't have to kill anyone. You could set things in motion to cause problems for them, much like Dishonored did. People actually threw a fit about this being in a Sniper Elite game, because since you kill Nazi's in it, they thought people who played with stealth in mind, were bad people for not wanting to kill Nazi's

An interesting dilemma. I've not played the game so I don't know its execution of the concept, but I imagine for Sniper Elite 5 to be able to excuse not killing the Nazis it would have to feature significantly greater reward for targeting the greater evil. For example, I like the idea of shooting an officer and seeing the French Resistance hungrily surrounding their surrendering oppressors. But then, can you satisfy both me and the players who want to shoot the officer and the soldiers under their command? It'd be a tough balance to achieve, and I don't think Sniper Elite has a great enough audience to demand such elaborate ideas.

I forgot to comment to your first post here about Dishonored. Let's just say that a non-lethal route, while it reduces chaos, can still have haunting results. I recommend it.

[Yaramaki]

There are a few games i can think of where you don't have to kill anybody hmm let's see:

Watch dogs 2 -> would be a more out of the box answer but you can or atleast that is what i did do entire sections of the game stealthy with the use of your gadgets, since these gadgets get really overpowered once you level up a bit there is no reason to even cause a bloodbath since it's much more satisfying doing it the stealthy way. Watch dogs legion you could do also things stealthy but it was a lot harder to not get caught.

Mirror's Edge -> Great games, probably forgotten by now from what i can remember you can beat the entire game without killing anybody, as you have the option to toss an enemy there weapons and take them out with your fists. Can't remember a whole lot about the games but you have the option atleast.

Deus Ex: Mankind Divided -> while i do have a copy of this I never played it myself,  it had an achievement/trophy that you were awarded for not killing anybody, maybe somebody who played it can chimp in with more detailed information.

Kingdom come Deliverance -> Same deal as there is an achievement that awards you for not killing anybody, it's probably hard to achieve that since you pretty much going to have to flee from every bandit that attacks you. There is also a mission where you are part of a siege, which you can just do well nothing since you'll end up winning anyway.

Thief series -> I only played deadly shadows on the original xbox, again i've got of the reboot that came out in 2015 but never played it, so i'll just talk about deadly shadows. From what i remember on higher difficulty's you weren't even allowed to kill anybody or it was game over for you, since you are a thief it's probably wiser to avoid conflict alltogether.

I feel giving an honorable mention to Fall out new vegas aswell because i could swear i once saw a youtube video where you can beat the entire game without killing anything. I only played trough the game once myself and it's been quite a while so i don't remember much of it, sorry my brain isn't what it used to be.

[Heatman]

20 hours ago, Withywarlock said:

The Age of Decadence is a really interesting choice for this category. It's true you can beat the entire game without killing people... but it requires a lot of save-scumming because you can easily reach the point of no return. The game is often criticised for being short, but it has to be in order for you to reload a save where you can spend your skill points optimally in order to beat the game. Unlike the frequent criticisms levelled at Dishonored about one being "punished" for using all the cool tools, this game really does punish you by halting all progress if you make the incorrect skill choice.

One thing about some gamers is that that always complain and nag on just about everything. Does it really matter if a game is short or long? I have never seem to understand but anyways that's their opinion and don't care about it. It's actually the difficulty in completing the game without having kill that makes it fun. If it's easy, that's going to make it very boring. 

[killamch89]

On 9/8/2022 at 5:39 PM, Kane99 said:

Dishonored games allow you to go through both games without having to kill anyone. You can use stealth instead and alter certain things to cause havoc in the world. It's really cool. I've been meaning to go through the game again and try the pacifist route. Should be interesting. 

I usually try this in most stealth games but the bloodlust in me always just comes out at some point 🤣. The only game I can remember where I came really close was in Splinter Cell where I only killed the people I had to because of the plot.

[Ajibusu]

On 9/8/2022 at 11:25 PM, Justin11 said:

In GTA SA, when I noticed that everyone is after my character's life, I stay silent in some areas, and act as if I'm not the target man. Anything that makes me open a rampage, then it means, I am calling the attention of the crowd especially the metropolitan police men in the game, to burst my character's life. 

That us how that series is meant to be. You are a thief that is meant to steal in silence and not do things that will make a lot of people around take notice of your presence. 

[Justin11]

3 hours ago, Ajibusu said:

That us how that series is meant to be. You are a thief that is meant to steal in silence and not do things that will make a lot of people around take notice of your presence. 

I understand how the game works, and anything that makes my actions go viral, it will be bursted for my character. But since cheat came up in the game, users are now bypassing such kind of early elimination in the game, even if you drag attention to your character 'CJ. 

[Syntax]

Well, it depends on the genre and if this is a goal or a way to do it in a shooter game, to win the story for example. Otherwise racing games, Sim-related games, etc. you can play without a single death in a sense. For shooters, I think Splinter Cell is a good example or possibly the last of us?

[Ajibusu]

On 9/30/2022 at 7:39 AM, Justin11 said:

I understand how the game works, and anything that makes my actions go viral, it will be bursted for my character. But since cheat came up in the game, users are now bypassing such kind of early elimination in the game, even if you drag attention to your character 'CJ. 

Using 'cheat' has taken the fun away from most of those games. When the tension to win is not there, the drive to play reduces with time.