My favorite part about open-world games is that you can do whatever you want. Well, maybe only most of the time. In any case, they are often pretty realistic when it comes to facing the consequences of your actions, and this is often quite entertaining, since not everyone is interested in being a goody-two-shoes.
In fact, some open-world RPGs take player freedom very seriously, even when it comes to killing other characters. Of course, just like in real life, doing something like this often has major consequences. You might not necessarily lose your freedom or get arrested, but you will have entire factions turning against you, or even worse, ruin the game’s ending.
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Even The Most Plot-Critical Characters Are Vulnerable
Image via Bethesda Softworks
Image via Bethesda SoftworksUnlike many modern RPGs, The Elder Scrolls 3: Morrowind does not really care about protecting important characters from the terrible decisions players often make. In fact, Bethesda deliberately allows players to kill even the NPCs that are most essential to the storyline. One notable example is Caius Cosades, an Imperial agent.
Rearrange the covers into the correct US release order.
Easy (5)
Medium (7)
Hard (10)
Start
Rearrange the covers into the correct US release order.
Easy (5)Medium (7)Hard (10)Start
He becomes your initial contact with the Blades and introduces you to the investigation of the Nerevarine prophecy, so killing him before completing his assignments will derail the normal progression of the main storyline. The truth is that the consequences of killing this character are quite significant, and finding a workaround requires a lot of experience. However, at least you can count on the game to send you a message and encourage you to reload a previous save if you feel like you will not be able to continue in this situation.
If you’ve found yourself in a bind where you’ve already killed Caius Cosades, and you don’t know what to do, don’t panic. There is an alternative route, but make sure you arm yourself with patience, as you’ll have to track down Yagrum Bagarn. This is the only way to obtain Wraithguard and have any chance at all of defeating Dagoth Ur.
Kenshi
One Dead Leader Can Change Who Controls An Entire City
Image via: Lo-Fi Games
Image via: Lo-Fi Games
Image via: Lo-Fi GamesKenshi is an open-world sandbox RPG that takes place in a post-apocalyptic world. What sets it apart from other games is that it does not have a central storyline you have to follow. Instead, you are free to become a trader, an explorer, a mercenary, or even a conqueror. However, you need to be aware that if you kill certain NPCs, you can fundamentally alter the game world.
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This happens because of a mechanic called World States. It tracks the fate of important characters and determines how their deaths could affect their factions or cities. For instance, there is a powerful faction called the Holy Nation, led by Holy Lord Phoenix. If you kill or imprison the faction leader, you risk the collapse of the faction, which in turn would allow rival groups to occupy its area.
Of course, most factions have multiple important figures, so you actually have to eliminate more than one leader before the organization truly collapses, but even attacking NPCs in the wrong order can provoke some dangerous consequences. Moreover, keep in mind that when a settlement changes its ownership, many of its buildings, shops, and general services may change, which could have an economic impact on the world.
Kenshi
Released
December 6, 2018
Gothic 3
Killing Too Many NPCs Can Turn Entire Factions Against You
Image via: Piranha Bytes
Image via: Piranha Bytes
Image via: Piranha BytesIn Gothic 3, you will step into the shoes of the Nameless Hero and arrive on the mainland of Myrtana to continue the events of Gothic 2. Even if you have experience with the franchise and your progression is generally going well, killing the wrong NPC could immediately make the game turn against you. One very famous mechanic in Gothic 3 is the three-city rule.
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It means you can liberate or control settlements by killing their occupiers, but liberating three of them can cause the faction leadership to recognize you as an enemy. In this case, it’s not so much about killing one NPC but about eliminating a certain number of them, which could lead to unpleasant consequences. You also need to keep in mind that liberating Cape Dun and Trelis before finishing their associated quests can create problems if you still want to work with the Orcs elsewhere.
Generally, Gothic 3 is an unforgiving game when it comes to liberating settlements and killing characters without understanding the political consequences. Overall, the safest approach is to complete all the available quests for different factions before destroying anything.
Elden Ring
Killing Important NPCs Can Permanently Lock Entire Endings
Image via: FromSoftware
Image via: FromSoftware
Image via: FromSoftwareElden Ring will take you to the Lands Between, and as a Tarnished, you must defeat your enemies, collect Great Runes, and determine the future of the world. Even though most people would expect the most terrifying enemy to be a boss, sometimes it turns out to be a relatively harmless-looking NPC. One good example is Fia, the Deathbed Companion, whom you will encounter at the Roundtable Hold.
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She may seem ordinary, but she is connected to one of the game’s possible endings, and you need her in order to uncover more information about Those Who Live in Death and eventually unlock the Age of the Duskborn ending. However, if you kill Fia before completing all the steps necessary to reach the ending, some of the steps towards this outcome will be permanently locked during your playthrough.
Moreover, what makes Fia’s questline so important is that it is meant to lead you to Lichdragon Fortissax. Even though this is an optional boss encounter, killing Fia before reaching it can cost you a lot more than just an ending; you can say goodbye to both this unique boss fight and the associated Remembrance rewards that come with it.
Kingdom Come: Deliverance
Murder Can Ruin Your Reputation
Image via Warhorse Studios
Image via: Warhorse Studios
Image via: Warhorse StudiosKingdom Come: Deliverance focuses heavily on historical realism. In this game, the protagonist isn’t a legendary warrior or someone with supernatural powers; he is the son of a blacksmith whose life changes after his village gets attacked. If you have never played Kingdom Come: Deliverance, then this is your sign from the universe to do it.
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When it comes to the game’s NPCs, players can attack and kill them, but doing so may damage Henry’s reputation significantly and create issues with the local authorities. In other words, you may get arrested and face the appropriate punishment.
However, what could make the situation worse is killing an NPC that is associated with an unfinished quest, because if they die prematurely, you will never be able to complete the associated activity. Nevertheless, Kingdom Come: Deliverance is probably the most forgiving game on this list because some ordinary NPCs eventually will respawn, and the main storyline generally protects the most important characters.
