Close Menu
  • Gaming
    • All Gaming
    • Nintendo
    • PlayStation
    • Xbox
    • PC Gaming
    • Card & Tabletop
    • VR
  • Features
    • Editorials
    • Interviews
    • The Anime Pulse
  • Guides
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • Anime & Animation
    • Movies and TV
    • Books
    • Manga & Comics
    • Toys
    • Geek
    • Culture
  • Previews
  • Reviews
    • All Reviews
    • Video Game
    • Anime & Animation
    • Movie & TV
    • Comic Book & Manga
    • Tech & Gear
    • Food
    • Book
    • Toys
    • Tabletop and Card Game
  • Podcasts
    • A-01 Podcast
    • Nintendo Entertainment Podcast
    • Spectator Mode Podcast
  • Contact Us
X (Twitter) YouTube RSS Bluesky Discord
X (Twitter) Instagram YouTube Bluesky Discord
The OuterhavenThe Outerhaven
  • Latest
  • Features
  • Guides
  • Previews
  • Reviews
    • Video Game Reviews
    • Anime & Animation Reviews
    • Comic Book & Manga Reviews
    • Films & TV Reviews
    • Tech Reviews
    • Tabletop and Card Game Reviews
    • Toy Reviews
  • Gaming
    • PlayStation
    • Nintendo
    • Xbox
    • PC Gaming
    • Retro Gaming
    • Tabletop
    • Virtual Reality
  • Entertainment
    • Anime & Animation
    • Comic Books & Manga
    • Films & TV
    • Original English Light Novels DB
    • OELN DB
    • Culture
    • Books
    • Toys
  • Tech
  • Podcasts
    • A-01 Podcast
    • Nintendo Entertainment Podcast
    • Spectator Mode Podcast
The OuterhavenThe Outerhaven
Home»Features»What Happens When Gaming And Your Morals Clash?

What Happens When Gaming And Your Morals Clash?

By Keith MitchellJanuary 7, 2018

Or why can’t I be the bad guy?

For the longest time, there have been video games that simply let you do what you want to do. And while the vast majority of games have you being the hero (with a small percent letting you be the baddie), I’ve never felt so conflicted being the one on the wrong side. If given a decision to do either the right or wrong thing, I’d do the right thing. All the time! Or I’d that hero that comes in to save the day, even if I had the option to go drink a beer or something.

Even with my fondest memory being with the Mass Effect series and Alpha Protocol. Here we have games that let me be a complete and total ass. I can choose not to help people. I can be the guy who you don’t want to associate (but have too for reasons) and even hit people for no reason. Yet, for some reason, my moral code simply don’t let me do it. You see, I was raised to always be a good person. To always turn a cheek if people are being rude to me. To be a should for someone to lean on. And I’m fine with that, I like who I am. Well, mostly. But I do have an issue with this crosses over to my video game habits. Yet, for the life of me, I always had A thought in the bad of my mind that was yelling “Stop playing the good guy!”. Why haven’t I listened to it yet?

I found myself wondering this more and more as of lately. Maybe it’s due to my prolonged time playing Ubisoft’s The Division. In this game, you have a huge PVP area called the Dark Zone. Here you can go solo and kill mobs for points and loot. Or you can join a group and do the same thing. Or… you be that guy and go rogue. This lets you turn on your fellow agents and kill them for more points. You can even steal their gear. Yet I haven’t gone rogue. Well, not on purpose. There was that one time where I kept shooting someone because I thought it was an AI character. But when I did this, I enjoyed it. 

Sure I ended having 5 people suddenly setting their sights on me, to which a manhunt ensued. But it was fun. Here I was running for my life, trying to escape. While also killing toss who were not geared up enough to take me on. Ever since then, I’ve yet to purposely turn on any other agents. Why? That’s a question that I can answer – reluctantly. It boils down to this. I don’t like being the bad person.

Mass Effect What choice do you have

No matter how much fun I have had or could have, my moral code simply won’t let me. While others don’t even think about turning their soul over to the dark side. For me, there’s always this inner turmoil that comes into play if I even think about doing the same. It’s like this goodie-good angel is sitting on my left shoulder, while the bad angel is completely absent. Yet, when it comes to doing all sorts of nasty stuff to AI characters and NPCs, the sky is the limit. Hell, look at Dark Souls. I’d go on killing sprees by killing those poor souls. I also thought the one ending in Dark Souls III was pretty nifty (those who played it know what I’m talking about).

I wish I knew how to kick this dilemma as I’d likely have more fun. Perhaps even more fun when I’m coming to some poor players from getting ganked. Only to have them think about gunning me down for fun. Of course, when that happens, that’s your ass. Attack me and I will defend myself. I just need to figure out how to apply this to my gaming sessions when having the chance to be the pursuer/attacker/bad guy and don’t.

Brain, let me do bad stuff to people in my video games. Please!

What about you? Do you ever run into the same issues? If so, speak about your inner demons in the comments below.

asshole bad guy decisions moral decisions video games and moral code
Keith Mitchell - Headshot-PS_Gear_400x400
Keith Mitchell
  • X (Twitter)
  • LinkedIn

Keith D. Mitchell is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of The Outerhaven, where he has been covering video games and technology for more than 14 years. A lifelong PC gamer, he began building PCs at just eight years old and still loves talking about hardware as much as playing games. His passion for challenging experiences has made him a devoted Soulslike fan, having beaten nearly every FromSoftware release. Keith regularly attends major gaming and technology events to bring firsthand coverage to readers, and continues to enjoy writing about the games and gear that shaped his love for the industry.

Related Posts

Elden Ring Nightreign Deep of Night First Impressions – A Brutal New Challenge

How AEW Forbidden Door Highlights The Company’s Greatest Strength: Consistency

An Interview With The Team Behind Fate Trigger, The Anime Shooter Battle Royale

My Pitch To All Elite Wrestling: Make “AEW Con”

8 Exciting Video Games Releasing in August 2025 (Release Dates & Platforms)

Exclusive Hololive Interview with YAGOO and Ryota Aomi of Cover Corp

Leave a Reply

Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Latest Posts

Fist of the North Star: Elegy of Ken-Oh’s Army Grunts Receives Short Anime

September 13, 2025

Inherit the Winds Original TV Anime Announced

September 13, 2025

WWE Announces Wrestlemania 43 for Saudi Arabia

September 13, 2025

Capcom Reveals Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection for Consoles and PC

September 13, 2025

Victoria of Many Faces Receives TV Anime

September 12, 2025

Lynked: Banner of the Spark Comes To Nintendo Consoles Amid Publisher Concerns

September 12, 2025
About Us • Our Team • Contact Us • Privacy Policy • Review Policy • Ethics Policy 
Work With Us • Metacritic Reviews • Open Critic Reviews• CriticDB Reviews
Copyright @2025 The Outerhaven Productions

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.