The recently released Sifu is a perfect example of death making a difference in the video game world and a prime candidate to be discussed later. The mechanic of dying is of course a major component of almost every gaming title that involves combat or dangerous scenarios, but often a death is inconsequential.
What if dying truly meant something though. What if the deaths of the character or surrounding NPCs changed the narrative or perhaps even made a difference to the gameplay? That's a novel idea and one that isn't often applied to titles, however, these video games went above and beyond to include the concept.
Honorable Mention - Arcade Side-Scrollers
Back in the days of arcade gaming, deaths genuinely mattered. It usually meant some hard-earned cash had been wasted, with the player dying right at the last moment. It's a frustrating element of retro games and one that side-scrollers continue to bring back now.
Cuphead, take this approach to death. If the player dies during their adventure then it's straight back to the beginning they go. All that hard work is instantly crushed, but the player gets better each time around.
Middle-Earth: Shadow Of Mordor/Shadow Of War (2014/2017)
Middle-Earth: Shadow Of Mordor and Shadow Of War, from Monolith Productions, IUGO, and Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, introduced the Nemesis System to players. When the protagonist Talion dies in combat, the landscape changes to reflect this Orc victory.
There's a hierarchy in place amongst the villains, which sees Talion's murders promoted thanks to their triumph. Death also meant that personal rivalries were started, with the player coming across their former nemesis that bested them in battle. Even the Orcs could come back to life and would their gruesome death with a hateful vengeance.
Sifu (2022)
Sifu, from Sloclap and Microïds, has become one of the most notable recent titles for significant deaths. Each time the player dies in combat, the leading character will return, but aged up a little. After so long they simply can't age anymore and will die completely. That ticking time bomb is always in the player's mind.
Every encounter feels more significant and the death mechanic, much like Shadow Of War, is built into the narrative of the title. It's a genius use of it and the visuals of the game match as well, with the changing appearance of the chosen lead acting as a reminder of their deaths.
Hades (2018)
Greek mythology has influenced plenty of games, but very few have utilized the Underworld as part of their narrative. For the RPG Hades from Supergiant Games, death is just another path toward a different area of this fictionalized, legendary landscape.
When Zagreus dies he is welcomed back into the Underworld with open arms. The player will have to embark on their mission once more, but they can look around this hellish landscape for upgrades and other items that might help them out next time. Sometimes it's quite a useful addition to the title and one that keeps with the lore of the ancient Greeks.
State Of Decay (2013)
Unusually, Zombie games don't use intriguing death mechanics more often, considering the concept of the undead is baked into the narrative itself. The State Of Decay made the idea of becoming a zombie far more terrifying thanks to the hard work of developers Undead Labs.
Throughout the State Of Decay, the player is trying to create a safe community, recruiting characters to their ranks to defend them as a unit. However, after trust is earned these NPCs will become playable. That means trust can be lost as well. Each death will affect morale, lead to the loss of characters, and of course add to the growing Zombie army. This is as real as an apocalypse can get in a video game.
Death Stranding (2019)
plenty of questions after the initial title, but this death-based gameplay option will be familiar.
When the player dies in Death Stranding, the soul of Sam is removed from his body. Gamers can control his soul and can explore the world, without the fears of a mere mortal. They can then reunite the soul and Sam's physical form, to continue on their mission.
Fable III (2010)
The Fable series from Lionhead Studios, in this case, has been known for pushing the genre forward and adding a range of exciting gameplay concepts. Fable III, in particular, introduced the idea that deaths can be carried with the player, as a consistent reminder of the dangers they face.
Each time the player dies in an area a scar is added to their protagonist. While only one scar can be added in each location and they can eventually be removed if the gamer chooses to, it's a unique touch that allows for a physical representation of the battles lost.
XCOM 2 (2016)
Turn-based tactical games can be incredibly stressful at the best of times. However, hypothetically, the army is completely out of use when it gets destroyed. That's what players have to face in the These alien antagonists are far more threatening than most because of this.
It's easy to get attached to the soldiers in a player's ranks, which is why their deaths feel so much more disturbing. What's more, a mission can go awry if any member of the team perishes. They might have been carrying suitable weapons or equipment that was planned out in advance, which now means the mission cannot be completed!
Until Dawn (2015)
Until Dawn will see players trying to help their characters survive through the night against a murderous force. Supermassive Games and Sony Interactive Entertainment have created a Multiverse of options for the audience to play through, each of which could lead to the death of one of their characters.
With the players controlling multiple characters at once, it's almost impossible for them all to survive. In this thrilling horror title, each decision could end in the death of another character. It's like a slasher movie come to life, but where the player feels responsible for these gruesome kills!
Heavy Rain (2006)
Heavy Rain from Quantic Dream is an incredibly cinematic experience where death continues to genuinely matter. It's a more story-driven title, where once again choices can make such a huge impact, and might just lead to a favorite character getting killed off.
With a murderer on the loose, this mystery has to be solved through the player's methods. There are plenty of endings to choose from, but some of them end in the demise of significant figures. It's so easy to get caught up in the unfolding events that these deaths just hit harder and remove a character from the narrative.
