Open-World Games That Are Perfect for Pacifist Playthroughs

Whether it’s for moral reasons or just for the additional challenge, pacifist runs are a great way to shake up gameplay and add an extra dimension to the game. Some games actively reward pacifist runs with achievements and stat boosts, and others make it incredibly difficult. This second category can be the most satisfying.

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While there are open world games in which combat just isn’t an option (Eastshade is a great example of this), these are games that allow players to actively choose the pacifist route. To wake up and NOT choose violence.

7

Sea Of Thieves

True Pacifist Possible

Systems

Released

March 20, 2018

OpenCritic Rating

Fair

The open-world of Sea of Thieves allows players to play as a pacifist in multiple ways. Now, let’s be clear, we’re not talking about a Safe Seas private server run here. That would be too easy. A pacifist playthrough is absolutely possible on open servers, players will have to pick and choose which guilds to accept quests from. Obviously, the Order of Souls is out of the question as they require killing skeletons.

Some would argue that skeletons aren’t alive, so they can’t be killed. But if players want to avoid violence of all kinds, sticking to merchant quests is the safest choice. This is a true chaotic good choice that leads to strangely wholesome encounters with other players at best, and continuous respawns on random islands at worst.

6

Cyberpunk 2077

Limited Pacifist

Released

December 10, 2020

OpenCritic Rating

Strong

The open-world of Cyberpunk 2077 presents interesting challenges for those playing as a pacifist. Not only are there a few unavoidable NPC deaths, but there are quite a few drone antagonists that become a serious issue for player progress. Players will need to decide where they draw the line on who or what they can kill or harm.

There is also the issue of friendly NPCs who will open fire (albeit ineffectively) at the enemy. AbraHamSandwich ingeniously used static discharge to do passive retaliatory damage to enemies that are unavoidable in their pacifist run. Which means when the enemies attack, they take damage. It’s up to the individual player whether they still classify this as passivism. All in all, it is possible to do a very limited body count pacifist run using stealth, creativity and diplomacy.

5

Watch Dogs 2

No Kill Playthrough

Open-World

Action

Adventure

Released

November 15, 2016

OpenCritic Rating

Strong

Watch Dogs 2 is an open-world game that offers a few different means of dealing with any given situation. Objectives can be achieved through hacking and other means, rather than killing NPC antagonists. It is entirely possible for players to complete a no-kill run of Watch Dogs 2. There are, however, certain concessions that need to be made.

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Like many open-world games that can be completed in this way, stealth is the player’s best friend. Stealth and a taser. A Watch Dogs 2 true pacifist run would be invalidated within the first of Marcus’s missions in which he attacks two security guards in a brief cutscene.

4

Fallout: New Vegas

Limited Pacifist

Systems

Released

October 19, 2010

Fallout New Vegas is an open-world ripe for a pacifist run. The branching dialogue options and non-linear nature of much of the game offer multiple approaches to completing objectives. That doesn’t mean that it’s easy. A no-kill playthrough can get incredibly tedious, especially if players don’t fudge the rules a little to allow for companions to help take out the enemies.

It also brings up a similar issue to Cyberpunk 2077; what is considered a kill in a world full of machines? That having been said, with enough Charisma and Luck the player can get through the vast majority of the game without shedding any blood.

3

Kingdom Come: Deliverance

Merciful Playthrough

Released

February 13, 2018

Developer(s)

Warhorse Studios

OpenCritic Rating

Fair

While Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 has a pacifist perk and the Advisor playstyle seems perfect for a pacifist run, many players are still feeling their way through the game. There are some early conflicts that are difficult to get around. However, it is possible to do a limited pacifist run in the original Kingdom Come Deliverance.

A pacifist build is absolutely a viable way of approaching Kingdom Come: Deliverance. There is even an achievement called the “Merciful Achievement” which requires the player to go through the game with zero kills, with one notable exception. It is difficult, but for those looking for a pacifist challenge, it is one of the more rewarding experiences.

Limited No-Kill Run

Systems

Released

September 1, 2015

OpenCritic Rating

Mighty

Metal Gear Solid is a series that is liberal with its definition of pacifism. It might be more accurate to call it a limited no-kill run (not withstanding the long-term brain damage and debilitating injuries Snake is likely causing).

There is one canonical death that can’t be avoided. But the depth of the open world of MGS5 affords many opportunities for stealth approaches rather than going in guns blazing. In fact, the game actively rewards it and the joy of watching enemies getting dragged into the sky and back to Mother Base with the Fulton Device never fails to be hilarious.

1

The Legend of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild

Limited Pacifist

Systems

Released

March 3, 2017

Developer(s)

Nintendo EPD

OpenCritic Rating

Mighty

The open world of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild provides the player with tremendous scope for adapting their general approach for a pacifist run. There are some key exceptions. Players will need to kill Ganon; there’s no verified way of avoiding it. This presents more than one issue for pacifist players who will be approaching the fight extremely underleveled.

Not only does the player have to kill all Ganon forms, but the Malice Eyes also present a significant issue. Killing them appears almost unavoidable. Otherwise, the main issues will be a lack of gear that could be acquired through violence of any kind and Link’s comparative vulnerability. But there is nothing stopping players from tearing across the fields, half naked, pursued by Moblins.

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