Video games and fighting are no strangers to each other. Most games have combat mechanics built into their design, and so many video games have stories of battles between the forces of good and evil, wars fought between nations, or simply protagonists who need to resort to aggression to achieve theirs. targets.
But sometimes we see video game characters who reject this view and do everything they can to avoid violence, whether it is to react only when absolutely necessary, or to find alternative ways to defend themselves. These are the pacifists of video games, the characters who avoid conflict even in worlds full of it.
10 The Bard (Wandersong)
Produced by indie developer Greg Lobanov, Wandersong is a game about a hero who saves the world from destruction. However, the goddess who invokes the prophesied hero calls a bard instead. This bard is not interested in combat and instead relies entirely on the power of song and dance.
This doesn’t stop them from embarking on the mission to save the world, however, as they realize the world can be saved by picking up the pieces of a mystical song that will prevent destruction. To see also : Video games that teach empathy. Relentlessly optimistic in the face of danger, The Bard shows the world that violence isn’t always the way to become a hero.
9 Chozo (Metroid Series)
Chozo’s presence is felt throughout the Metroid franchise, with many of their ruins making up areas for Samus to walk through and explore, and Samus herself is even raised by people of the bird race. On the same subject : Video games could improve your health. Although rarely seen directly, it is clear from the documents and circles what kind of people they were.
With the exception of a few warrior tribes, the Chozo prioritized knowledge over war, wishing to study an analysis of the universe and fighting only for defense. They walked the line between a nature-respecting Druid race and a race focused on highly advanced technology. However, this focus on technology may also have been their undoing, as they created the Metroids and did not foresee how much of a problem they would become for the galaxy.
8 Phoenix Wright (Ace Attorney Series)
As a defense attorney, Phoenix Wright has always preferred to fight his battles in the courtroom. See the article : The biggest new video games released in the week of 7/11/22 • AIPT. His weapons are evidence and testimony, his counterattack is a cordial “Objection!” and it is driven by a determination to do good by its customers.
However, his pacifist nature becomes very evident in Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3, where his attacks don’t change much, using evidence, pointing and shouting to attack opponents who are gifted with martial arts skills and superpowers. Even when facing aggressive enemies, he still prefers to enforce justice in a legal, not a physical way.
7 Professor Layton
Professor Layton is a brave and heroic character with a love of fencing, so clearly he must be a noble sword fighter who fights to protect others. Except he’s not, preferring to tackle problems with his love of puzzle solving.
He is a refined gentleman who is a professor of archeology at Gressenheller University and uses his knowledge to help people in need with his apprentice Luke in tow. Layton can always be relied upon in any situation where intelligence about violence is required.
6 Dandelion (The Witcher)
Also known as Jaskier in the Polish original novels and Netflix series, The Witcher’s Dandelion is a bard who travels frequently with protagonist Geralt. Despite this closeness to the titular witcher, he does not tend to fight much himself, preferring poetry and song.
An educated but cowardly man tends to avoid direct physical conflict, relying instead on his wits and charm to get him out of difficult situations. However, he remains a faithful friend of Geralt and his companions and proves useful at times with non-violent actions such as distractions.
Hal “Otacon” Emmerich is a popular character in the longtime Metal Gear franchise, billed as the lead scientist behind Metal Gear Rex and quickly becoming Solid Snake’s primary confidant and information provider. However, while supporting Snake on the ground, he does so reluctantly, unhappy with the need for war and violence.
It might seem strange to the man who designed a walking tank, but as he admits in Metal Gear Solid, he agreed to help him build it for the sake of mecha souls, not because he wanted to hurt people. He is a little naive, but his heart is always in the right place.
4 Luigi (Super Mario Series)
Mario’s younger brother is undoubtedly one of the most famous pacifists in the games. However, it is less due to a ferocious refusal to fight and more to a more cowardly behavior from his heroic brother.
Not that Luigi will never be involved in a fight when necessary, as he has shown that he is able to face his fears and face ghosts to save his brother on three occasions. He is just more likely to lag behind and be more cautious of Mario’s dangers. Except perhaps on the kart track, where Luigi is much more inclined to choose violence.
3 Gandhi (Civilization)
Mohandas Gandhi, better known by the title of Mahatma Gandhi, was a well-known Indian lawyer who famously employed non-violent resistance to push his country to gain independence from the British. He is also a recurring character in the Civilization series, billed as the leader of India in all games to date.
Just like his real-life counterpart, he prefers to use diplomacy over violence to achieve his goals. As a rival AI player, Gandhi will never declare war and is much more likely to declare friendship with other nations, unless that nation is a warmonger. However, it should be noted that despite his reluctance to start wars, he is notoriously much less afraid of using nuclear weapons to end them.
2 Abe (Oddworld)
The face of the Oddworld series, Abe first appeared on PS1 in the acclaimed Abe’s Oddysee. Originally a scrubber employed at the RuptureFarms meat factory, Abe learned that he and the rest of his race, the Mudokons, were in danger of being turned into meat products, leading him to flee and become a freedom fighter for the Mudokon enslaved.
Abe tends to cause explosive damage to many institutions founded by the Glukkons capitalists, which causes quite a bit of indirect death and destruction. However, Abe’s goals are not to kill, but to take down the system and he will rarely fight his enemies directly, preferring stealth and cunning to achieve his goals.
1 Frisk (Undertale)
While Undertale gives players the choice of playing aggressively or as a pacifist, it’s clear that the pacifist race is far more memorable and rewarding, suggesting it’s the canonical way to play. In fact, the pacifist ending is the only time the protagonist’s name is revealed to the player.
Undertale is a game where the power of friendship matters more than physical strength. As Frisk, the player finds new friends in unlikely places, heals a divide between humans and monsters, and goes on a date with a skeleton, proving that sometimes the peaceful option is the best option.
Other: Stray’s secret ingredient is healthiness
