Within the world of video games, anything can be possible. Depending on the game, players can fight god-like beings, travel to other universes, and defy the laws of physics. Some games even allow players to tap into their dark side by giving them the power to kill anyone.
Whether it's for fun, for revenge, or just to get someone out of the way, the power to kill other NPCs can be appealing to some players. There are some games that are particularly great for players looking for a way to quench their bloodlust or just to mess around without consequences.
Kenshi
Created mostly by a single person, Chris Hunt, over 12 years, Kenshi is a 2018 open-world RPG that takes place in a post-apocalyptic world. When players start the game, they have absolutely nothing and there is no story to follow. Instead, players can do whatever they want and create their own narrative. This includes leveling up their character's stats by doing various activities and exploring the extremely large world filled with multiple types of environments, cities, and people.
Since players have the freedom to do anything, this also includes killing anyone in the game. With all the items and skills, there are plenty of ways to kill the thousands of NPCs in the game's world. But players need to be aware that they too can take damage if they go this route. Kenshi is merciless, and if the player is not careful, they can easily be the one to die instead.
Undertale
Inspired by several iconic games such as the Mother series, the Touhou series, and Moon: Remix RPG Adventure, indie developer Toby Fox released the 2015 RPG Undertale, which became one of the most influential games of the last decade. The player controls a human child who accidentally fell into a world beneath the surface called The Underground. This realm is where all monsters were forced to live after a war occurred between humans and monsters.
In order to return to the surface, the player must decide whether to spare or kill the monsters they encounter. Unlike many RPGs, the player can actually decide to kill every single NPC in Undertale, which even leads to its own ending. But the game will also have some serious consequences for these actions as the player is shown to die as a result of taking the "soulless" approach.
Dark Souls
Created as a spiritual successor to Demon's Souls, the Dark Souls trilogy is a series of action RPGs that are known for their high level of difficulty and signature gameplay style. The games take place in a dreary medieval fantasy setting where the player must decide whether to rekindle the First Flame or allow it to fade, which will determine whether the undead curse, known as "Darksign," will continue to spread.
Although the game has a dark setting and a gloomy plot, players can still choose to mess around and kill any NPCs they meet. But this does mean that players may miss some items and experience because they will lose the quests from those Dark Souls NPCs, which can be detrimental in these difficult games.
Baldur's Gate
Baldur's Gate is a series of RPGs that started in 1998 and have continued to the present day. While the original games and the later Dark Alliance games both follow different plotlines, they all exist within the Forgotten Realms campaign setting of Dungeons & Dragons. Because of this, the games are heavily influenced by the player's choices.
One of the choices players can make throughout the games is whether to kill other NPCs or not. Although there are a couple of exceptions, most of the characters can be killed, and some of these characters can even be killed multiple times throughout the games. The one downside is that killing other characters can lower the player's in-game reputation, which can make certain sections more difficult.
Deus Ex
The Deus Ex franchise is a cyberpunk dystopian action RPG series that centers around various secret societies trying to take over the world. These mysterious organizations are based on real-life conspiracy theories and groups, and these games also look into the possible implications of future technological advancements. There are six games in the series, but the later games are prequels to the first game.
Since players have plenty of freedom in these games, players can absolutely kill tons of NPCs. In some of the games, choosing to either kill or not kill NPCs can actually give the player special in-game achievements.
GTA
Grand Theft Auto (GTA) is a series of open-world action games that have become a major staple of the genre. In these games, the player completes various missions across the large map that usually include plenty of shooting and driving, which progresses the loose story. But, the main draw of the games is the freedom players have to do other side activities and cause random chaos.
With the large assortment of weapons and vehicles the player has access to, all the NPCs in these games can be killed in many different ways, which are sometimes used in meme gifs, videos, and compilations. Players just have to be prepared for cops chasing after them as soon as the deed is done.
Saints Row
Saints Row is also a series of open-world action games with lots of shooting, driving, and chaos. The games center around a fictional street gang known as the 3rd Street Saints, who originally had their main headquarters in the Saint's Row district, as they fight against other groups. But unlike many other games in this genre, the Saints Row series increases the chaos by adding in more humor and extremely over-the-top elements such as aliens.
Because these games include plenty of pop culture references, absurd moments, out-of-this-world creatures, and even superhuman abilities, it is no surprise that players can kill many NPCs in some fun ways. The wide variety of options makes it so that players can mess around for hours and not get bored.
Hitman
Because the Hitman series is all about killing NPCs, it is obviously one of the best games for players who want some bloodshed. This stealth game series follows Agent 47, who is a genetically engineered clone, as he carries out orders from the International Contract Agency (ICA) to eliminate certain targets while also learning about his origins and developing his own humanity.
Ever since the first game was released in 2000, the series has been known for its wide array of stealth options and high-quality artificial intelligence. This combination leads to some interesting in-game killing possibilities along with some hilarious costumes to wear in Hitman. One memorable method to killing all NPCs is present in Hitman 3, where Agent 47 can gradually knock out all the characters in the level, drag them into a giant grape winery press, and crush them to death with one press of a button.
Dishonored
As one of the most notable new video game IPs of the 2010s, the steampunk action-adventure Dishonored series provides plenty of interesting ways to kill NPCs. The games follow either Corvo Attano or Emily Kaldwin as they attempt to reclaim the throne from outside parties that wish to steal it. While progressing through the missions, players can either be lethal or non-lethal towards other characters.
Since the series exists in a universe where technology and supernatural abilities co-exist, the player is able to kill NPCs using magical powers, which adds to the killing possibilities. But the story is affected by whether the player is violent or not, which means there will be different missions and outcomes.
Far Cry
Originally developed to demonstrate the CryEngine software, the Far Cry series has become an incredibly popular open-world FPS that has spanned multiple games. Although the games do not share the same narrative, they do all consist of the player character finding themselves out in the wilderness fighting against animals and other humans.
While the stories in each of the Far Cry games have all had mixed responses, the open-world sandbox gameplay of the series is one of the best in the genre. As the player moves through the large map, they will encounter all sorts of interesting weapons and ways to kill NPCs for both survival and for fun.