The player

Some gamers are trying their damndest not to kill onscreen characters, even in combat games, writes JOE GRIFFIN

DEUS EX: Human Revolutionis one of the most critically lauded games of 2011, and deservedly so. But a strange controversy has emerged: some players are complaining that the game (a mix of combat and role-playing) doesn't always let you choose not to kill someone.

Let's not forget that in Deus Exyou play a head of security and former cop who's armed to the teeth. But part of the genius of the game is that you do have the option to carry out your missions without lethal force. Sneak by a security guard here, fire a stun-gun dart there, even give the odd concussion, and you can still complete your act of industrial espionage.

The bone of contention comes with the end-of-level boss battles. “All illusion of choice is gone. All playing styles are abandoned,” wrote John Walker on the site Rock, Paper, Shotgun. “Playing as someone killing no one, learning that the first fight at least, early on in the game, forces me to kill a man almost put me off the game entirely.”

However, Arts Technica gaming editor Ben Kuchera defends the occasional bloodiness of Deus Ex. "Just as characters created with a gift for violence can't open every safe, characters aimed at stealth or social skills will have more of an issue getting past this boss.

“To the game’s credit, that’s realistic: the designers clearly want to put you in a situation where you’re backed into a corner and have to fight your way out, and no matter how smart or sneaky your character may be; that’s bound to happen every so often in his line of work.”

It's interesting to see a debate emerge about certain games having unavoidable conflict. It's a reflection of how spoiled fans have become that they expect games to be endlessly versatile. The huge variety of choices (and even character augmentation) that games like Deus Exoffer sometimes makes us forget that options, while plentiful, are finite.

Also, this discussion reminds us of how gaming habits changed with the advent of the stealth genre. Even the Hitmanseries asks its players to wait patiently and use force only when necessary, as too much combat overwhelms you with security guards. And in the Thiefseries your goal is to avoid detection.

Could games actually be encouraging non-violence? Well, not all of them, but it’s good to know that some are out there.