Are there any games that have made you feel guilty?

[J T]

JT, in my case, it was because after she lost the fight there is nothing you can do to keep her from becoming a whore. It was the feeling that no matter what you tried to do, her path was set and you could not change it. That is a terrible feeling and one that I was surprised a game could give me.

That's interesting too. I haven't played a Princess Maker game and so I don't know how they work. It reminds me of The Path where you guide several little red riding hood characters to their grandmothers house, but they encounter multiple symblic "wolves" along the way that represent the sexual, psychological, and physical dangers that young girls/women face. The game requires that you actually give up controlling the girl if you are to "win" (literally, you can't push any buttons on the controller), so you are left with the anxiety and possible guilt of leading her into the dangerous really world and having to trust that she will make the best decision for herself.

[Erik_Twice]

Removing the control from the player is the reason why GladOS taunting you at the end of Portal was so effective and remembered. It removed your ability to affect the game world, it made your "victory" against GladOS dissapear so as to speak.

Guilt appears when you are forced to do something you don't approve.

[J T]

Did you feel guilty killing GLaDOS? I thought it was sweet revenge for what she had put me through, even though she was trying to manipulate me into feeling guilty for attacking her.

I just thought that the victory was empty when she sings Still Alive and explains that she isn't mad that you killed her (and cut her to pieces... and threw each piece into a fire) because she is so happy for you for succeeding at all of the challenges presented for you. I also laughed hysterically.

[Balasubbie]

To counterpoint to quasi-cerebral tone, I'd go with Marvel vs Capcom 2. Specifically, when you've unlocked Servebot and are forced to kick the poor little mechanical soul (oxymoron, perhaps) in the face.

[BoringSupreez]

Did you feel guilty killing GLaDOS? I thought it was sweet revenge for what she had put me through, even though she was trying to manipulate me into feeling guilty for attacking her.

I just thought that the victory was empty when she sings Still Alive and explains that she isn't mad that you killed her (and cut her to pieces... and threw each piece into a fire) because she is so happy for you for succeeding at all of the challenges presented for you. I also laughed hysterically.

I have yet to play a video game with a more amusing credits sequence than Portal.

[brunoafh]

I might have to replay Portal or something.

I played it when it first came out, before all the hype. I friend told me I had to play it. I thought the whole concept with the Portal gun was cool, of course, but to this day I can't understand the mass amounts of praise that game gets. I didn't really find it that funny either. The cake joke wore off quickly, and the credits song just made me chuckle a little bit.

[jjjarrett]

While playing DA and ESP DA:2, I feel guilty for evil decisions... enough to make me indecisive for ~10 minutes :3

A game's never really made me feel guilty aside from those.

[Erik_Twice]

Did you feel guilty killing GLaDOS?

No, I didn't.

I just thought that the victory was empty

Exactly. The game mocks you and you can't do anything about it.

Now, imagine that after you beat Glados, instead of the game mocking you, the game shows how GladOS was just trying to prevent you, the next Hitler, from harming the word.

That makes you feel guilty, because they took your "work" and betrayed your intentions. For comparison, imagine you help a bleeding man that you crossed in the street. Then after he stops bleeding, gets his gun and starts killing people.

Of course, this is fallacious as you are not to blame nor have any kind of responsability but cause->effect still tends to leave that impression.

I tend find those examples poor writting because of it's fallacious nature and forced narrative tough.

[isiolia]

I frequently hear people who play Bioware games, for example, and they make a it point to play the game twice, once being completely good, and once being completely evil.

I've only done that once - with KoTOR. My general inclination is to play a "good" character - but playing the Dark Side there was actually fun in its own way. Maybe it was because I'd already seen the Light Side path, and it was just a deliberate thing to see what the other choices got me.

What gets me more is when there isn't really a choice that suits what I'd want to do. For example, Fallout New Vegas doesn't have that many options for the ending. I wanted a solution that just wasn't presented - effectively wound up turning on everyone.
Playing through the Witcher now, there are plenty of dialogues where Geralt is basically a dick no matter what.

[NeverGoBak]

Just realized one somewhat silly example.

Ever do a nuzlocke run on Pokemon? You practically end up bonding with the little guys, becoming friends and going through so much together. They develop psuedo personalities in your head. They come through against all odds and prove themselves. Facing hardship and such. Usually only so for one or two of your favorites. Then... usually because of a stupid decision you make... they die. It's quite saddening, and even moreso if you have a very active imagination, or have seen other player's nuzlockes go sour in story format.

I find that one very interesting, since you are practically putting yourself through the experience, as it's not part of the game.