10 Amazing Video Games That Didn't Rely On Combat

Pacifists need entertainment too.

Portal 2 robots hug
Valve

We've all been there, lost in our screen as we pump round after round into the lifeless corpse of our opponents, and we've all (hopefully) asked ourselves that simple question. Why?

Combat in video games is oftentimes the core mechanic. And why shouldn't it be?

After all, giving players the chance to blow off some steam by engaging in a firefight with strangers online is much healthier than some of the alternatives, not to mention it's so incredibly fun.

But sometimes, we just want to settle down and play something wholesome, where there's no violence and no need to inflict pain on innocent (and usually pretty dim) A.I. Everyone likes a sword or gun fight, but variation is truly the spice of spice.

There are plenty of games that offer us a more peaceful experience, and there's so very much more to experience out there when you expand your horizons a little.

So, next time your grandma tells you that she's afraid of how violent your video games are making you, sit down and play one of these with her, and tell granny to chill out.

10. Firewatch

Portal 2 robots hug
Campo Santo

Set in 1989, Firewatch is a first person mystery-adventure in which players take control of Henry, a fire lookout in the Shoshone National Forest in Wyoming.

The game sees Henry interact with the environment, as well as with his supervisor Delilah via walkie talkie, as he attempts to unravel the mystery of the forest.

If that brief explanation hasn't sold you, then maybe Firewatch's gorgeous art style will.

The game was inspired by a painting by Olly Moss, the game's director, and its visuals certainly play like a love letter to the human eye; the colours alone are enough to make you stand perfectly still just to soak in what you're seeing on the screen.

Firewatch may have received some criticism due to technical issues and its ending, but the journey it takes you on is worth it for the experience alone.

Firewatch gives you something to remember, and all you're expected to do is explore.

Contributor
Contributor

Antisocial nerd that spends a lot of time stringing words together. Once tried unsuccessfully to tame a crow.