8 Obvious Moral Choices In Video Games You Couldn't Make
4. Deus Ex: Human Revolution - The Missing Link – The Innocents, Or The Whistleblower?
The set-up: In the DLC mission, The Missing Link, players uncover horrific experiments being conducted on kidnapped civilians aboard the remote Rifleman Bank station. When a scientist offers to turn whistleblower in exchange for escape, the station commander decides to gas scientist and civilians both. You can only save one (a third option exists but is tricky to find) and the clock is ticking.
The obvious choice: Having infiltrated a lab chock full of evidence and with tens of witnesses available to testify, it makes little sense to sacrifice the witnesses in favour of one lone voice, however authoritative.
The reality: In typical Deus Ex fashion, Human Revolution leaves things murky. Fail to pay attention and you won’t realize that the area you explore is not the full extent of Rifleman Bank, so even if you took out all the guards that leaves plenty more to kill the hapless civilians. Also, the plan is to send off a distress call with the whistleblower. But if they’re dead? The game shows no sign of giving you the option otherwise.
Players are later told that the area is isolated and that the civvies are safe...for the moment. But placed on the spot? A lot to weigh, and few certainties to bank on.