RPGs That Allow Party Members To Be Killed

Key Takeaways

• RPGs vary in how they handle party member deaths, with some games allowing permadeath while others protect companions.
• Companions in games like Tyranny, Wildermyth, and Fallout: New Vegas can die permanently, adding stakes and tension to gameplay.
• Hardcore modes in Fallout: New Vegas and Darkest Dungeon offer challenges where party members can die, raising the stakes for players.

Role-playing games come in all shapes and forms. Some titles allow players to control a single character that is either pre-determined or created by the player, while others let people control a litany of characters who must work in harmony to take out the many challenging enemies that come their way.

Players form a bond with their friends as they embark on a grand adventure for the ages, and losing them is a hard blow to take. While some RPGs prevent companions from being wiped out, others aren’t as generous.

8 Tyranny

Party Members Die If They Get Ten Wounds

The CRPGs developed by Obsidian Entertainment in the modern era sport many common elements, and Tyranny is no exception here. The combat is largely similar to Pillars of Eternity with a few interesting changes and additions added to the mix.

As one would expect, Wounds and Permadeath systems are rife in this title too. Thankfully, the ten Wound limit is pretty generous and ensures that players won’t lose out on their party members as long as they rest regularly, but players will be singing a different tune if they check out Path of the Damned difficulty and watch their party members drop like flies after a few tough encounters without any respite.

7 Wildermyth

The Heroes Only Get Another Chance If Their Health Falls To Zero

Wildermyth is one of the best strategy RPGs players can check out that whisks them on a grand adventure. It’s a blast to check out procedurally generated scenarios where a player’s band of heroes either become lovers or rivals, allowing for unique dynamics to make an adventure more memorable than players would expect.

Party members are powerful but shouldn’t be thrust into a dangerous combat scenario. Losing all HP in one encounter means that characters return with injuries, but a second instance of the same will lead to their permanent demise.

6 Lisa: The Painful

Features A Ton Of Party Members Where A Decent Number Of Them Can Die

Lisa: The Painful is one of the darkest and most interesting RPGs players can get their hands on. Players will love the humorous writing that somehow fits right into this twisted world, with the main character rending everything in sight to save his adopted daughter.

During his adventure, Brad is joined by several party members who make things easier for him. However, they can also die at a moment’s notice during certain events that are hard to avoid, and players should save their game regularly if they don’t want a beloved party member to die after an inopportune series of events.

5 Mass Effect 2

Everyone Can Die In The Suicide Mission If Players Aren’t Careful

Mass Effect 2 was a massive improvement over its predecessor and cemented itself as one of the greatest video games ever made. Shepard’s adventure has higher stakes than ever before, and this can be seen in a final mission that is as stressful as they come.

While companions can die at other points in the story, the Suicide Mission is the greatest example of how a companion’s permadeath can elevate the tension in any given scenario. Players must make the best possible decisions in this mission to ensure that their friends don’t bite the dust, and failure can lead to some people dying for good.

4 Pillars Of Eternity

Maimed Party Members Die If Their Health Is Depleted To 0 Again

Pillars of Eternity is an excellent CRPG that whisks people on a grand adventure where players must uncover the secrets of the gods and stop Thaos in his tracks. The Watcher of Caed Nua is joined by several other companions along the way with unique powers and personalities of their own.

This is why players would prefer to keep their companions fit and healthy instead of leaving them debilitated with injuries. If a companion has been maimed, then resting is important. Failing to do so means that said Companion can die if their health is depleted again.

3 Darkest Dungeon

A Challenging Game Where Death Awaits The Party At A Moment’s Notice

Players should get used to the idea of losing their party members in Darkest Dungeon, making it important to prioritize the safety of characters that have leveled up considerably. This hardcore turn-based RPG takes no prisoners and punishes players whenever they get into a single encounter.

If the party pushes onward after suffering at the hands of numerous tough foes, then players can only blame themselves if they lose out on a powerful adventurer. Prioritizing certain characters over others and being smart while dungeon crawling is important to make slow yet steady progress in an indie gem with an oppressive art style.

2 Fallout: New Vegas

Party Members Can Permanently Die In Hardcore Mode

Hardcore Mode is an excellent way to up the stakes in Fallout: New Vegas. Not only will players be forced to think twice before taking on tougher foes, but they must also keep track of certain stats to survive in a cutthroat world that takes no prisoners.

An important thing to keep in mind about Hardcore Mode is that Companions aren’t tagged as Essential anymore. This means that the Courier’s friends can die in combat if they take on a foe that is well above their pay grade.

1 Kenshi

An Open-Ended RPG Where Death Awaits Anyone Who Steps Into An Area Where They Have No Hope Of Surviving

One of the most open sandboxes that throws players into the game and forces them to understand how its systems work, Kenshi is a game with a huge learning curve that can be challenging to overcome. However, players who put in the work will enjoy a video game that is unlike any other open-world RPG.

With no end goal in sight, players can either be a merchant, mercenary, bandit, ruler, or any other role they can think of. Players can control many party members in combat but these characters can die at a moment’s notice if the player bites off more than they can chew.