Notgames Forum

I don't like it when a game presents me 2 choices, like kill the puppy or let it live happy.
Or any other choices. I don't care about choices. They are superficial, I feel.

I want the game to present me to dilemmas like the trolley problem.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trolley_problem

Make me think, game.

I think the obsession with choice is just part of the addiction to power and control that game developers and gamers have. If games were properly authored, any choice would be an opportunity to explore different aspects of a situation. In other words: the choice itself should be irrelevant, as a moral action or whatever. Choice should offer another opportunity for play, not a way to judge the player or make some kind of big statement. Any path chosen should be interesting in its own way.

I can quite like choices in games (or the illusion thereof) when done right. It's a very valid technique but one often overemphasized as if it was the only way to achieve depth.

I think this is absolutely essential when doing choices. One should not feel like being cheated by the game for doing what one believes in. There can be "wrong" answers but they shouldn't lead to a lesser experience, just a different one. This is just one of the reasons why choices are not some quick-fix to add depth but incredibly difficult to pull off right.