Violence is ingrained in games. The medium partly stemmed from a single hero fighting a malevolent villain. It's since expanded to portray entire wars. In addition, to go along with the bigger focus on narrative, many titles opt to show the costs of that conflict.
Players have seen several games demonstrating the impact of war on innocent people. After all, it's often the civilians who suffer the most. That misfortune manifests in various quests or in the structure of the in-game world. Some people would argue that such grim subject matter diminishes the fun of gaming, and they'd be right. However, it can also create a more engaging experience. If a conflict has consequences, then it strengthens the immersion of a setting. In turn, players have a greater investment in the story and themes. Showing the impact on innocents can enrich a game if done right.
5 The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
- Developer: CD Projekt Red
- Platform: PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PC, Switch
Nilfgaard invasions seem to be a regular occurrence in the Witcher world, but it never gets any easier for people on the Continent. The Witcher 3 explores this the most. No matter where Geralt goes, he sees citizens suffer. Roves of displaced commoners line the streets, weeping at their misfortune and wondering whom to blame. More often than not, they turn on their neighbors, and they only do so because they're a different species. The situation reinforces the Witcher series' themes surrounding racism, colonization, and moral ambiguity.
Those themes further manifest in the quests. Numerous people are willing to pay Geralt to help with their wartime problems. These range from finding someone's missing brother on a bloody battlefield to spiriting mages out of a city crawling with witch-hunters. The titular witcher wants to remain neutral. Like players, though, he can't resist the urge to intervene.
4 The Mass Effect Series
- Developer: BioWare
- Platform: PS3, Xbox 360, PS4, Xbox One, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PC
The Mass Effect franchise houses a vast galaxy of various aliens, but they all feel the consequences of war at one point or another. The Krogan race knows this too well. These battle-hardened warriors previously threatened the universe with their unhealthy appetites for conflict. The Salarians and Turians countered with the Genophage: a generational plague limiting the reproductive rate.
Sadly, the Krogan still feel the effects. Savage tribes fight for scraps on a ravaged planet. It's tough not to pity them (not that they want it). As bad as they have it, though, the rest of the populace soon faces a bigger threat. Enter the Reapers. These ancient machines emerge to purge the galaxy of all organic life, restarting a cycle they've maintained for centuries.
Mass Effect 3 brings their efforts to fruition in terrible ways. Millions of people meet their ends in this finale. The few survivors head for the Citadel, but the space station doesn't have enough room to accommodate them. As such, the refugees must set up makeshift shelters in a cramped docking area. It's an authentic portrayal of universal Armageddon and makes the Reaper threat much more real.
3 The Jak & Daxter Series
- Developer: Naughty Dog
- Platform: PS2, PS3, PS4
Though the first Jak & Daxter is a lighthearted fantasy, Jak 2 sends the heroes into the oppressive metropolis of Haven City. People here live under the thumb of Baron Praxis, who's used the war with outside forces to consolidate his power and essentially keep his citizens prisoner. Walls surround the city; armored guards patrol the streets. It's why the underground resistance movement recruits Jak, but these rebels have a sad side effect. Namely, their presence gives the jackboots cart blanche to arrest or execute anyone suspected of treason. It gets worse, though.
Jak 3 sees the war reach the city itself. Around every corner are evil robots and monsters battling the resident guards. The poor civilians can only run for cover, which is ultimately hopeless. Nowhere is safe. The once-great city has become a ruin, so the heroes can only try to save what's left.
2 Final Fantasy 7
- Developer: Square Enix
- Platform: PS1, PS4, Xbox One, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PC
Plenty of Final Fantasy titles have villains and/or evil empires that oppress the populace, but none are as notorious as the Shinra Electric Power Company from Final Fantasy 7. The monopolistic business essentially controls the city of Midgar, and the suits are constantly expanding in search of new environments to exploit. Avalanche--an eco-terrorist group--resists these efforts. Unfortunately, Shinra takes increasingly drastic measures to stamp them out and cement its rule. The clash comes to a head when the villains destroy a chunk of the city. It's a low point for the heroes and the place they call home.
Final Fantasy 7 Remakeintensifies that tragedy. It spends far more time with Midgar's citizens. Later, it puts players right in the thick of the destruction and aftermath, giving them an intimate perspective of the carnage. Survivors pack the pathways. Many of them are injured and displaced in other sectors. What concerns them the most, however, are the loved ones they lost in the chaos--either missing or dead. Some side quests lessen this pain, but the heroes can only do so much. Still, it's a small mercy.
1 Kingdom Come: Deliverance
- Developer: Warhorse Studios
- Platform: PS4, Xbox One, PC, Switch
Rather than a fantastical conflict, Kingdom Come: Deliverancetakes place during a real war. Wenceslaus IV and Sigismund fight over the kingdom of Bohemia, and peasants pay the price. There are the usual costs: losing homes and loved ones in the main battles. However, these turbulent times are also a prime opportunity for scavengers. Bandits and other unscrupulous individuals exploit easy pickings, knowing the troops are too busy to retaliate. Protagonist Henry tries to stop such injustices, and that heroism partially stems from his own misfortune.
Henry starts Kingdom Come as a commoner who is inadvertently thrust onto the front lines. Sigismund's forces burn his hometown of Skalitz and kill his family. Then, when he tries to retrieve his possessions, he loses them to looters. He comes to understand the downtrodden's plight all too well. In the process, players have a personal stake in the events. It's easy to empathize with an everyman and easier to hate those who do him wrong.