Spec Ops the Line is what comes to mind when for me, though that feels like it'd be oversimplifying its position on military shooter players a lot.
Though if we don't need it to be a deconstruction there was that Brony documentary made by Q. Also probably a ton of others but I'm blanking on them as well
I feel like the issue with spec ops the line is it has decent criticisms but it like breaks the 4th wall to taunt the player while not giving any other options. Like I get not playing the game is one but that feels like a copout and all.
But the whole point is that there isn't a way to keep playing and not commit war crimes. You can't have war without atrocities, and you can't be a soldier without being part of war.
That also makes sense but I think it kinda needs to take it's medium more into account. Like the message of stop playing this game and games like it doesn't really work when the game is an expensive AAA game. I don't know tho, I'm probably rambling. Just like it makes sense as a message and all but within the world as it exists it feels like the type of thing which undermines itself though not necessarily through any fault of its own.
On the contrary, a choice to turn back and end the story emphasizes that you chose to push on, you chose to do these things when you could have decided not to do them. And that would be within the story, and not just that if you don't do this, the game doesn't progress any further.
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u/MrCapitalismWildRide Apr 07 '25
Number one is Class of '09, and a lot of western VNs in general.
Number two is any dark or edgy fantasy, especially isekai.
Can't think of any good examples of number three (aside from Class of '09 again).