The concept of first-person shooters having an option to not kill anyone seemed alien at one point. After all, one of the biggest draws of this genre was the idea of players mowing through enemies — preferably in showers of gore — using the vast array of weapons in their arsenal. However, over time, developers realized that this perspective could be used for more immersive purposes that stretched beyond the bounds of pure shooting.
This led to the rise of immersive sims, horror titles, and games from various other genres that used the first-person point-of-view to great effect. Player freedom was prioritized, allowing players to either blast through their enemies or take them out with little to no casualties. Here are some of the best first-person shooters that allowed players to spare their enemies instead of forcing them to kill everyone in sight.
7 Deus Ex
The original Deus Ex still stands strong as one of the best games ever made, popularizing the immersive sim genre and paving the way for the future of interactive video game design. The title weaved in gameplay choices with story consequences in the best way possible, including the act of killing enemies or simply incapacitating them.
The non-lethal approach is far more challenging to carry out in Deus Ex, which is precisely why it's so rewarding to play through. JC Denton is either praised or reproached for his brutality in combat, and some players love the ultra-stealth approach mandated for a non-lethal playthrough.
6 Cyberpunk 2077
Cyberpunk 2077 is a game that was quite broken on launch but has slowly redeemed itself with post-launch updates over the course of the past two years. The title is now an absolute blast to play through and one of the best experiences anyone can enjoy if they want to delve into a deep and rewarding action RPG.
Cyberpunk 2077 offers many options for players to prevent any kills, including mods that render a weapon non-lethal even if it might be a roaring shotgun! These non-lethal options might seem rather superficial at first glance but actually have somewhat meaningful outcomes depending upon the approach a player takes in any given mission.
5 Fallout: New Vegas
Fallout: New Vegas combines the best of both worlds — namely, the amazing role-playing mechanics of its CRPG roots coupled with Bethesda's modern gameplay nuances. The end result is one of the finest RPGs ever made that players still can't stop harping about to this day.
Given the amazing freedom afforded to the player, it's a given that non-lethal playthroughs are quite viable in this game. Players will need to invest in stats like Sneak and Charisma, but going through the entire game without killing a single entity is very much possible.
4 SWAT 4
SWAT 4 is a tactical first-person shooter that is unlike anything modern gamers are used to in this genre. A core aspect of this game is taking out targets without killing them outright, and the game offers many non-lethal options to facilitate the same.
Killing enemies is still possible, but highly discouraged. Instead, players should use tear gas and other such tools to take enemies out instead, with a well-placed shot to someone's leg also serving as a last-ditch resort if the game becomes too frenetic.
3 Postal 2
Postal 2 is such a violent game that it generated a ton of controversy upon release. So, it's hilarious that a game that coined the phrase "Going Postal" can be completed without killing a single enemy!
This gets progressively harder over time, with players having to run through levels in record time while avoiding enemy gunfire. These enemies slowly get more damaging weapons over time, meaning that a player needs to have a ton of healing items at their disposal to stand a chance of getting through these grueling levels by the skin of their teeth.
2 Dishonored
Dishonored's inclusion on this list is definitely stretching the definition of a first-person shooter. However, players do gain access to various ranged weapons that can be used with proper aim to deal devastating damage, so this might be a good fit after all.
Non-lethal playthroughs are pretty much encouraged in this game, especially since a violent Corvo will tread on the path of a completely different ending that will be pretty dark. The fact that the lethal options in this game are so much fun makes the very act of not killing an enemy quite a chore in comparison, but players won't be complaining once they are rewarded with the game's good ending.
1 Alien: Isolation
A horror game that will genuinely terrify the player at every corner, props should be given to Alien: Isolation for finally capturing what it feels like to be trapped in a ship with a Xenomorph. While the weapons that players find may be almost completely useless against this horrifying alien, they still work against the many human enemies in this game.
However, players who want to pursue a non-lethal can choose to ignore these enemies and not kill them, which is pretty neat. The fact that there's an achievement for not killing a single human means that it's an actually viable course of action that can be taken for players who don't mind the extra challenge.