10 Video Games That Messed With The Player

In a time where the video game industry was oversaturated with generic shooters, you would be forgiven for thinking that 2012’s Spec Ops: The Line was just another war game. Quite the surprise then, when not only was it excellent, it took players on an uncomfortable journey that they hadn’t been on with a shooter before.

Throughout the early part of the game, players kill enemies one after another, like they have done in so many games previously. Gradually though, it becomes clear that all is not well with protagonist Martin Walker, and by extension the player, who has killed scores of enemies without thinking twice. This comes to a head at around the mid-point, with Walker mistakenly killing a huge amount of innocent people with white phosphorus, leading to him losing control of his sanity, empathy and grasp of reality.

It also comes as a shock to the player, making them question their actions up to this point, and bringing the realisation that killing in video games and playing the hero of the story are not always compatible. Who says games can’t teach you things?