Slaughtering wave after wave of space monsters (but in a nice way)

When I first played BioShock, I rescued all the Little Sisters I could find. When given the option to spare a character’s life in Grand Theft Auto IV, I did so. Even in Jetpack Joyride, I’d rather high-five a scientist than gun him down.

If a game allows me the option of making moral choices, you can count on me to make the “good” ones every time, at least on the first play-through. I don’t know why, because it’s not like I’m going to get in trouble if I don’t. Maybe it’s a way to feel like I’m making a positive difference in the world, even when all I’m doing is playing video games and patting myself on the back.

For me, the latest example is a game called Dishonored, which I hadn’t even heard of until my brother and his girlfriend gave me a copy. It’s a wonderfully rendered game, and although I’m still on the early levels, it looks like it’s going places.

Plus, it not only gives you the option of sneaking past characters or knocking them unconscious instead of killing them, but it also gives you lots of achievement points for making it through certain levels – or the entire game – without any blood on your hands.

Naturally, this is the strategy I’ve chosen. It’s a much bigger challenge, but that’s half the fun. Besides, at a time when gun advocates are yelling about violent video games instead of the many real causes of gun violence, it’ll be nice to finish a game like this and say “Look, I made it through the game without hurting any fictional people, because I made responsible moral choices.”

Actually, I guess a better argument would be “I butchered everyone in the most deliciously gory way possible, and then I continued to be a decent person who doesn’t kill people in real life.” Maybe I’ll save that one for the second play-through.

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