Best/worst Morality systems in games

[Shycte]

Mass Effect had a very good moral choice system as choices actually made some kind of IMPACT.

What? I NEVER felt that any of the choices made a diffrence. The side quests didn't matter because they just ended and then, well they were gone without a trace.

But as you said, maybe you'll see the consequences in the second game.

 

[veloper]

Of all games out there KOTOR 2 probably did the morality thing best. Too bad there was so much bad in the game to ruin the good. That's an impressive achievement by Obs considering the otherwise so cookie-cutter black and white starwars universe.

The vampire Bloodlines humanity meter was also interesting. Low humanity resulted in real in-game advantages here aswell as disadvantages and lot's of inhumane actions weren't just the stupid variety, but choices you really had to consider as a vampire.

I would've like to say Fallout, but the karma system was, not only bugged, but only served to punish thieving players, so it was not much better than alignment a game like BG2 in that regard.

So the best in this regard are kotor2 and VTM.

The worst by far is... Fable and it even advertised the feature.

 

[jasoncyrus]

I dont bother with morality systems. They are irrelevant and pointless because unless both sides have equal advantags etc, people are always going to go with the side that gives most bang for your buck, usually 'evil'.

 

[dunnace]

I think Oddworld was the best, because you actually had to care to get the good ending, it wasn't forced on you, it was something you actually had to go out of your way to do to get the good ending.

 

[Fallen_Hitokiri]

KOTOR

 

[SmilingKitsune]

Fallout 3's karma system was good, some of the decisions were actually difficult to make.

 

[Get Jiggy]

Fable 2 had a bad system because there was no point in being evil your character looked crap if you were evil and the best way to make money in that game was to buy buildings and rent them out. The problem with this was being evil affected house prices and stuff negatively so you got no money from rent so it was in your best interest to be good, stupid system.

 

[Oneirius]

I really liked Mass Effect's attitude. Instead of the "Pussy/Smart/Bloodthirsty Psychopath" system so common in Bioware games(Sorry, Bioware), in Mass Effect your character is ALWAYES the hero. You only get to choose whether he is a noble hero or a cynic anti hero.

 

[Phoenix Arrow]

Silent Hill 2. Most subtle I have ever seen, where your morality choices were all determined by how you actually played the game, and not just answering some questions.

I'd say more Silent Hill 3. Contrast it with Homecoming. "Do you want your friend to die? Yes or no?" Awful character he was too. It was like like put a black man in so it's not racist and let's make him say the most stereotypical phrases ever. SHEEEEEEEET.

 

[xHipaboo420x]

Silent Hill 2. Most subtle I have ever seen, where your morality choices were all determined by how you actually played the game, and not just answering some questions.

This, dammit. All these games with a 'morality bar' just annoy me. It turns the system into a mechanical thing like XP, when in actual fact it should be a much more progressive, dynamic process. Silent Hill 2 took stock of everything you'd done, not just if you'd saved X number of men from being robbed.

EDIT: also, it's kinda jarring in games when a little pop-up tells you if what you just did was a good thing or a bad thing. In a perfectly-implemented system, it should be evident to the player. Indeed, they would have done that particular deed knowing the repercussions one way or the other.


/mild rant

 

[Iron Mal]

The best morality system I've seen in a game has to be either from Mass Effect or The Suffering.

The former is good for thge reasons that many people have said already, it actually reflects your morality (rather than judging you by the abstract conceptions of 'good' and 'evil', you always are the 'good guy') and doesn't have too great an impact on the game (you are somewhat more persuasive/intimidating if you are fully heroic/ammoral which is exactly what you would expect).

The latter was good because the choices you made were rather subtle or hidden (putting mutilated people out of their misery is a kind action while tormenting the ghost in the electric chair is somewhat cruel) rather than the epic, monumental choices most other games require you to make (save the small innocent village from a great evil? or join in the raping and pillaging?).

 

[Herb sewell]

As far as morality systems go Jade empire, fallout 3 and mass effect were some of my favorites.

Fallout 3s....meh....you could do 1 good thing like i don't know trim someones lawn(nothing dirty!)....and then you could kill a whole city and still be good, or at most neutral

I thought that was weird too but saw it as them trying to offer you a chance at redemption or corruption . Judging by your name I'm guessing your a Kenshin fan so if you wanted to be something considered horrible like an assassin (or Unlicensed city demolition expert) you'd have a similar chance to kill less, do good and turn yourself around.

 

[Fallen_Hitokiri]

As far as morality systems go Jade empire, fallout 3 and mass effect were some of my favorites.

Fallout 3s....meh....you could do 1 good thing like i don't know trim someones lawn(nothing dirty!)....and then you could kill a whole city and still be good, or at most neutral

I thought that was weird too but saw it as them trying to offer you a chance at redemption or corruption . Judging by your name I'm guessing your a Kenshin fan so if you wanted to be something considered horrible like an assassin (or Unlicensed city demolition expert) you'd have a similar chance to kill less, do good and turn yourself around.

Yeh I am a rurouni kenshin fan...but i got my name from my own knowledge of japanese, from even before i watched kenshin
Even though its freakin swwwweeeeet
and who cares bout redemption!1
KILL ALL!
Fallout is so very boring if you are good all the way through, cept doin the good thing of helping out Faux

 

[6PrinceofDarkness6]

Silent Hill 2. Most subtle I have ever seen, where your morality choices were all determined by how you actually played the game, and not just answering some questions.

I'd say that (an ending based upon how much health you averaged throughout the game...woah), and Fallout 3 like everyone else.

meh, I wouldn't mind the subtlety of Silent Hill 2's morality system so much if I knew it existed. I mean, almost guranteeing the suicide ending just for studying the knife?? c'moooon XD

I agree there. At the least, they should have made it interesting- Or have it as a different ending, like saving her from the burning hotel and becoming her emotional crutch so she can be happy.

 

[Herb sewell]

As far as morality systems go Jade empire, fallout 3 and mass effect were some of my favorites.

Fallout 3s....meh....you could do 1 good thing like i don't know trim someones lawn(nothing dirty!)....and then you could kill a whole city and still be good, or at most neutral

I thought that was weird too but saw it as them trying to offer you a chance at redemption or corruption . Judging by your name I'm guessing your a Kenshin fan so if you wanted to be something considered horrible like an assassin (or Unlicensed city demolition expert) you'd have a similar chance to kill less, do good and turn yourself around.

Yeh I am a rurouni kenshin fan...but i got my name from my own knowledge of japanese, from even before i watched kenshin
Even though its freakin swwwweeeeet
and who cares bout redemption!1
KILL ALL!
Fallout is so very boring if you are good all the way through, cept doin the good thing of helping out Faux

I agree with you one hundred percent on them kill em' all approach, I just wish the townies were less touchy when i killed they're friends for mouthing off, or looking at me, or having something I want, or standing in my line of sight.

 

[The Jono]

Fable 2 had a mind-numbingly inane morality system. I got full evil and full corruption and managed to get back to full good and full purity by EATING TOFU. Forgive me if I'm wrong, but not even vegetarians will forgive mass-murder if you chow down on quorn.

 

[The_Prophet]

Mass Effect. The only game which really allowed me to play with my style. Awesome and Good most times but evil when someone pisses me off.

 

[Arrers]

Mass Effect handles the moral choice thing the best so far, although I did think that Fable II was on toa good thing with the Purity/Corruption idea, where less acts of good or evil are sepparated form village massacres.

I didn't get why Fallout 3 bothered with the Karma system, it didn't affect gameplayand it only applied to what you did when you got a choice to be good or evil in a quest.

 

[Fallen_Hitokiri]

As far as morality systems go Jade empire, fallout 3 and mass effect were some of my favorites.

Fallout 3s....meh....you could do 1 good thing like i don't know trim someones lawn(nothing dirty!)....and then you could kill a whole city and still be good, or at most neutral

I thought that was weird too but saw it as them trying to offer you a chance at redemption or corruption . Judging by your name I'm guessing your a Kenshin fan so if you wanted to be something considered horrible like an assassin (or Unlicensed city demolition expert) you'd have a similar chance to kill less, do good and turn yourself around.

You know what?
When they release a morality game where you can kill all the god damn children you want without a mod
That will be the best morality system..wait screw that...best game


Yeh I am a rurouni kenshin fan...but i got my name from my own knowledge of japanese, from even before i watched kenshin
Even though its freakin swwwweeeeet
and who cares bout redemption!1
KILL ALL!
Fallout is so very boring if you are good all the way through, cept doin the good thing of helping out Faux

I agree with you one hundred percent on them kill em' all approach, I just wish the townies were less touchy when i killed they're friends for mouthing off, or looking at me, or having something I want, or standing in my line of sight.