These Video Game Moral Choices SUCK!

Moral Choices in General

However this is the issue, because as a moral choice simulator it really sucks, namely because there's actually no free will at all. Numerous small choices you make have zero impact on the story and after about 15 mins you realise that you really can't impact the story at all because wrong choices will result in the clock being rewound and you picking the "right" answer. Even the endings are laced with a sense of "no mate don't pick that one" with characters even resisting or commenting on sections that aren't advancing the plot.

So what does that mean? Well it actually means something much more than might first appear, for while it would be rich for me to sit here and bemoan a game about not giving me enough meaningful choices, it actually teaches you that you choices don't matter, that you cannot determine the outcome of some situations through will alone, that we exist within a series of machinations that keep us devoid of agency but with the illusion that we do, and that in a grander sense, that the very concept of meaningful choice does not exist. f**k.

Ok before my brain falls out of my ear let's move on and talk about the absolute gem that is Red Dead Redemption and yes I will be talking about late game spoilers so you have until I finish this amazing on the spot made up song to make like a tree and split....wait that's not right is it. Red Dead Red Dead Shooting People In The Head, Red Dead Red Dead My Horse Is Sleepy Go To Bed, Eat a Bullet, Throw an Ax, watch me play this imaginary sax. *sax solo*

*Spoilers for Red Dead Redemption 2*

We all know that Arthur Morgan is pretty sick and not in the oh that's a cool shirt kinda way, but in the you die in the end of the game way, so why when we are in the late stages of tuberculosis does the game attempt to present us with a moral choice of whether to save John Marston or make off with a tonne of loot? The logic isn't even sound to begin with as we know John will survive regardless as it's a prequel game, but Arthur is so very much on death's doorstep he's peeping through his windows and reading his emails, so what good would money do? You don't even get to keep the money either so it seems like a falsehood to even claim you have choice over the matter.

The game tries to present this moment as being something that will define Arthur's and John's relationship but seeing as Arthur dies AND it forces you to save John none of it matters at all, and for being an absolute masterpiece everywhere else this felt totally unnecessary. If that's the way that Rockstar wanted to end things they should have just told us that rather than present a false option. Now usually this would be where Jeremy would pop out because I'm feeling a little fizzy but I have neighbours here and my Mrs already thinks I have anger issues, so you know what let's calm down and call it a day.

For more These Things Suck videos click the link below to catch up!