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Games with needless, excessive depictions of violence to animals. (Spoiler tag, add to the list)
- Thread starter Nabbit
- Start date
Hmmm, this is interesting.. so if a bear or a wolf would attack those people in woods, wouldn't they defend themselves? Just curious when you mentioned that for them any violence against animals is unnecessary.. I know, this is a example of a extreme situation from RL compared to videogames, but in many the animals are those who are aggressive.. for example Witcher games, you don't have I think a mission where you need to kill some animal.. only I think in Witcher 1, where a bunch of wolves are attacking people from a nearby village.. in all other cases you don't really have to kill animals, you can bypass them, outrun them and so on (wolves, wild dogs, bears, pumas, etc) .. and you don't gain much from killing them either way.. other situation is when you find a animal killed by some monster in your investigation, which isn't in most cases a pleasant sight
Exactly. It's the same for me - it's not that I can't handle it, even though I'm definitely uncomfortable watching it, but it's the cheapest and creatively bankrupt way to elicit emotion. "Here, have this puppy... and now we'll rip the puppy apart, lol. Doesn't that make you sad? What art!"
I hate this bullshit in movies and I hate it in games. Writers instantly lose a ton of points with me for this.
Does it need to be caused by humans?
The Last Guardian is the one that disturbed me the most even if it's kinda mandatory and I recommend the game to any animal lover, but it has... graphically disturbing scenes.
Not like Wolfenstein 2 which feels unnecessary really for the plot and characters setting, imo.
And I'd put a category for just "hunting", as there's lots of games nowadays that do that, or just common animal enemies. Dragon's Dogma or every other rpg with a rats in the cellar quest, etc.
The Last Guardian is the one that disturbed me the most even if it's kinda mandatory and I recommend the game to any animal lover, but it has... graphically disturbing scenes.
Not like Wolfenstein 2 which feels unnecessary really for the plot and characters setting, imo.
And I'd put a category for just "hunting", as there's lots of games nowadays that do that, or just common animal enemies. Dragon's Dogma or every other rpg with a rats in the cellar quest, etc.
I can't believe Monster Hunter is in the second tier here... It is definitely the most gratuitous of all the games/series listed. Hell, if you capture an animal you then kill it viciously in an arena which has been rigged with traps (in MHW, at least). Despite all the desperate hand-waving the game does to try to convince the player they are some ecologically minded saint, it is clearly not that. Monster Hunter isn't about hunting for survival, it is about hunting for glory (and bludgeoning animals to death slowly in the process).
I guess I can understand LiS2 being higher on the list because of that one moment, but LiS1 let's you optionally kill a couple animals over the course of the game which I think is worse. (If you consider all choices to be canon because infinite timelines.)
Regardless LiS2 is some straight up bullshit. Then again, it's from the developers that
Regardless LiS2 is some straight up bullshit. Then again, it's from the developers that
thought making you "choose" between letting a queer woman die or a small town is quality storytelling. š
That was straight up bullshit too, but then again the series is full of contrived and gruesome deaths. š
The way I see it is MHW is kinda for science and previous MH are mostly for fun or a couple times village defense iirc.
Now, honestly, all of this happens to the humans too. It's just the kind of bleak world the game is going for.
I'd put Far Cry in the excessive category for incentivizing the player to actively hunt endangered species.
The other games had issues with that too, but World is the worst about that it's ever been. The rationales for hunts are literally things like "can someone kill this monster for me so I can get back to studying these plants?" Also the premise is dripping with manifest destiny.
I hated hunting in red dead 2 because if you didn't get a kill shot the animal would limp away in pain eventually bleeding out. Far cry games i find hard to like for that reason too. Yet in games like Sekiro it didn't bother me at all, i think the context and setting matters more.
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Thank you all for your thoughtful contributions to this thread. I've added all games mentioned.
I completely agree, it does not need to be caused by humans. Reading a detailed description of the scene(s) in The Last Guardian put me off playing it.
Doesn't Shadow of the Colossus have some mechanic where you kill lizards? So it should probably go in the second or third list, please let me know which as I haven't played it.
Sorry about that, I haven't played the games so I was just going by others' discussion. I've moved it to the first list.
I agree with you that the content in LiS 1, which also includes encountering various deceased animals, is rough also. I put it in the second list because you can choose to avoid further death to animals and when the protagonist encounters already deceased animals, they are treated with a lot of dignity and respect - all the more reason we were greatly disturbed to learn of the events in LiS 2 when we were partway through the first episode - and as a result, we stopped playing it. That said if you want me to move LiS 1 to the first list I'm happy to, just let me know.
Thanks for the info, I've moved it to the first list. I'm just not familiar with these games much as I've avoided them.
Let me know if you think RDR2 should go in the first list, I'm happy to move it.
I completely agree, it does not need to be caused by humans. Reading a detailed description of the scene(s) in The Last Guardian put me off playing it.
Doesn't Shadow of the Colossus have some mechanic where you kill lizards? So it should probably go in the second or third list, please let me know which as I haven't played it.
Sorry about that, I haven't played the games so I was just going by others' discussion. I've moved it to the first list.
I agree with you that the content in LiS 1, which also includes encountering various deceased animals, is rough also. I put it in the second list because you can choose to avoid further death to animals and when the protagonist encounters already deceased animals, they are treated with a lot of dignity and respect - all the more reason we were greatly disturbed to learn of the events in LiS 2 when we were partway through the first episode - and as a result, we stopped playing it. That said if you want me to move LiS 1 to the first list I'm happy to, just let me know.
Thanks for the info, I've moved it to the first list. I'm just not familiar with these games much as I've avoided them.
Let me know if you think RDR2 should go in the first list, I'm happy to move it.
The Last Guardian has a lot to love as an animal lover, which you literally won't find anywhere else, and the complicated scenes that depict cruelty and violence are more or less justified by the plot. It's just they're explicit. I'd recommend playing through it absolutely unless you imperatively cannot watch such scenes. Or, just play until near the end, the rest is ok I think save for the spears I'd say.
Shadow of the Colossus lets you kill small lizards with unrealistic and bland animations and that's totally optional, but there are some actual Colossi that resemble animals and you must kill those to advance. The lizards part is like light optional hunting but not remotely as crude/realistic as RDR2 or even Ass Creed. The other though is up to you.
I'd personally put SotC in the third list and can't decide if TLG really deserves the first list.
Also this
At least you can beat them up afterwards
I think a better way of phrasing the thread title would be "Games with graphic depictions of violence to animals"... that way games aren't excluded from the list simply because they arguably have a stronger justification for including said violence, since whether any given depiction is needless/excessive is subjective. And presumably if somebody's upset by depictions of animal violence to the point of wanting to avoid games that feature it, it probably doesn't matter if it has a purpose or not anyway.
As for an example, Nier features some pretty strong violence against wolves.
As for an example, Nier features some pretty strong violence against wolves.
Features scenes showing dozens of wolves impaled with spears, the final boss wolf is killed by having a spear stabbed through his eye.
View at your own discretion:
View at your own discretion:
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Reading the DoesTheDogDie.com disclaimer, seems Return of the Obra Dinn has significant story-related depictions of violence to animals, unclear if it's gratuitous so will add it to the second list.
LazyLain thanks for the suggestion, and for the addition of Nier. I see where you're coming from with the title suggestion, I suppose I was just extra-impassioned about the subject of depictions of gratuitous violence to animals when I made the thread.
LazyLain thanks for the suggestion, and for the addition of Nier. I see where you're coming from with the title suggestion, I suppose I was just extra-impassioned about the subject of depictions of gratuitous violence to animals when I made the thread.
Assassin's Creed 4 and Rouge have straight up whaling in them.
I just played Rouge and one nice thing is that if you have enough money (which you will, you get more than you can use by the end), you can just buy the hunting materials ylu need for upgrades, and can skip hunting completely.
I don't recall if AC4 had that option or not, but it was appreciated.
I just played Rouge and one nice thing is that if you have enough money (which you will, you get more than you can use by the end), you can just buy the hunting materials ylu need for upgrades, and can skip hunting completely.
I don't recall if AC4 had that option or not, but it was appreciated.
I hadn't seen this thread until now. Thank you Nabbit for this nice idea.
It especially bothers me when a game demands I kill animals myself in order to progress in the story or get any decent equipment (Tomb Raider 2013 and Horizon are examples that come to mind). I wish we could specify which games do that sort of thing.
I was so grateful that Breath of the Wild allowed you to just leave them alone.
It especially bothers me when a game demands I kill animals myself in order to progress in the story or get any decent equipment (Tomb Raider 2013 and Horizon are examples that come to mind). I wish we could specify which games do that sort of thing.
I was so grateful that Breath of the Wild allowed you to just leave them alone.
How in the world is Conker's Bad Fur Day not on any of the lists in the OP? Pretty much the entire game makes you see animals getting blown to bits or ripped to shreds. Granted, it IS a comedic game, but still.
I finally got to see that one scene for the first time that was cut out of the game yesterday. The one where those teddy bear doctors operate on a squirrel soldier who is still alive. Yikes........Holy hell. o_O Good thing they took that one out. Genuinely disturbing for a cartoony N64 game!
I finally got to see that one scene for the first time that was cut out of the game yesterday. The one where those teddy bear doctors operate on a squirrel soldier who is still alive. Yikes........Holy hell. o_O Good thing they took that one out. Genuinely disturbing for a cartoony N64 game!
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daTRUballin since it's a community-sourced list, some things just havent popped up yet. I'll add it now though. Thank you!
I guess Ancestors: The Humankind Odyssey have some violence to animals. You play as proto-humans that might have to kill other animals for food. You technically don't have to kill animals to play the game, but sometimes in encounters, it's easier to kill an attacking predator than to fend it off (as it will come back). The violence is somewhat mild and more hunter-like, albeit rather sloppy. Found some footage of an elephant hunt with killing and subsequent butchering
Start at 30:10
When? Beyond the typical pseudo-MMO side quest "Go to kill six boars" I don't remember any moment.
Monster Hunter is actually kind of gross at times. Felt that way about the monster fighting minigame in FFXV too where you're blowing a horn to psyche up the monster you bet money on in the pit.
Those aren't animals as much as they are ridiculous anthropomorphic cartoons. Id say the violence being excessive was sort of the point in that one.
Those aren't animals as much as they are ridiculous anthropomorphic cartoons. Id say the violence being excessive was sort of the point in that one.
Can someone give a little more insight into what the Plague Tale instance entails? Was gonna start it this weekend on Game Pass with my wife, but she isn't okay with any sort of realistic animal violence at all (the Wolfenstein 2 moment made her cry, yell at the TV, and leave the room. It was a bad scene.)
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Gonna basically spoiler the gist of it and when it happens
The dog scene is sad/disturbing but imo not terribly graphic or realistic (aside from the overall realistic graphics, you're basically watching a dog get dragged into a pit and devoured by an unseen rat swarm. It's presented as a sort of meat grinder scenario). There's some other animal violence but they also involve rat swarms that behave like a supernatural plague and didn't strike me as realistic enough to be off putting. The other scenes also aren't presented with the emotional weight of the dog scene. The dog scene would probably be most likely to be the dealbreaker. I'd just look it up on YouTube if you think it's an issue. The troublesome part is maybe 15-20 seconds long and it happens right at the beginning of an 8-12 hour game, so you won't really be ruining the experience or anything.
Uh, no? Many of the story quests in Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate are just "We need this monster part for our blimp/fortifying Dundorma". Gypceros hide, Green Congalala gas, Rathian wing membrane... In 3 Ultimate, Jhen Mohran is explicitly a symbol of prosperity that hunters go out to slaughter and mine ores from. Not to mention the game encouraged you to go out into Moga Woods to hunt monsters for resources.
Actual Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate quest description:
"The venue for my art gallery is missing its centerpiece: a stuffed Nerscylla to hang from the ceiling. Can you imagine a more arresting sight? I want it looking pristine so show some tact."
Monster Hunter in general has a weird dynamic between the series aesthetic focus on natural ecology and the core gameplay loop.
The first chapter of the game you have a dog that helps you hunt a pig. Hunting is pretty standard video game stuff, but near the end your dog gets lost, and he dies. Been a while, so I don't remember the specifics, but I think you find him half-eaten but still alive, then dragged into a hole by an unseen force.
At one point later, you need to guide a living pig into a barn as bait to be eaten alive by rats. There's mountains of animal corpses at some point, killed off to prevent plague, that you have to walk through and use in light puzzles.
At one point later, you need to guide a living pig into a barn as bait to be eaten alive by rats. There's mountains of animal corpses at some point, killed off to prevent plague, that you have to walk through and use in light puzzles.
Probably some other stuff in there that I can't remember, as I'm not really sensitive to that sort of thing. It's a horror game with some notably grody scenes.
...Wait why the hell is Shadow of the Colossus in the last tier.
The entire fucking point of the game is that that hunting down and killing the Colossi is gratuitous and excessive. One of the them never even tries attacking you. Not to mention you kill them by stabbing them with a sword with blood gushing out.
The entire fucking point of the game is that that hunting down and killing the Colossi is gratuitous and excessive. One of the them never even tries attacking you. Not to mention you kill them by stabbing them with a sword with blood gushing out.
There's a part where
you need to push a living pig into the swarm of rats to distract them and in the intro the main character's dog is killed by the rats.
In the Tekken series you beat up a bear and a panda.If you came in this thread to make fun of the premise of this thread or its replies, or give a joke reply, please do not post.
This thread is intended as a list of games that include gratuitous violence to animals, so those bothered by this can avoid these games. Even if the violence wasn't gratuitous but it bothered you or you think it could bother others, please post it, too.
If there's a game that bothered you in its depiction of animal violence, that you felt was included for shock value, or you think could upset others, please post about it so others can be spared the cognitive dissonance.
The aim of this thread isn't virtue signaling or moral superiority, but just as a way to compile these games into a list for those who prefer to avoid them.
Here are a couple on my mind to start off with.
Hollow Knight
You rescue all of the adorable grubs throughout the game and then once you've rescued all of them, they are eaten by the elder grub. The game sort of hints at this being a chrysalis stage for them but it's unclear and it's played as a gross joke.
Life is Strange 2
You bond with a puppy and then it is killed by a cougar in episode 2. If you choose to spare its life, it will drag the dog's body off with it.
Games mentioned in posts in this thread as having excessive, gratuitous or needless violence to animals (more details in individual posts):
A Plague Tale
Assassin's Creed Odyssey
Bad Mojo
Bioshock
Blair Witch
Call of Duty 4
Conker's Bad Fur Day
Days Gone
Divinity: Original Sin 2
Doom
Earthworm Jim
Fable series
Far Cry series
God of War series
Hollow Knight
Life is Strange 2
Maniac Mansion
Monster Hunter series
Overlord II
Postal 2 (ERA does not allow discussion of this game)
Rise of the Tomb Raider
Sekiro
Skyrim
The Last Guardian
The Last of Us 2 (unreleased)
The Walking Dead: Season 2
The Witcher series
Tomb Raider 1
Wolfenstein 2
Xenoblade Chronicles series
Yazuka series
Games that include significant violence to animals, with debatable intentions and may be considered by some to be not gratuitous (and by others to be gratuitous or disturbing) (for example, games with graphic depictions of hunting):
Castlevania series
Dragon's Dogma
Final Fantasy Type-0
Horizon: Zero Dawn
Life is Strange 1
Nier
Red Dead Redemption 2
Resident Evil series
Return of the Obra Dinn
Rule of Rose
The Last of Us
Games with mild depictions of violence to animals that may be considered disturbing (including cartoon violence some felt to be unsettling):
Banjo-Tooie
Breath of the Wild
Crash Bandicoot 1 (N-Sane Trilogy)
Luigi's Mansion 3
Mario Odyssey
Minecraft
Monster Boy
Shadow of the Colossus
Sega Bass Fishing
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
Please do a thread search for more information on the content discussed for any of the above games.
Thanks to Wintermute for mentioning there are also some games listed on this website (and many movies and TV shows):
DoesTheDogDie.com
Crowdsourced trigger warnings spoilers for movies, tv, books and more.www.doesthedogdie.com
In Mario 64 you can drop a baby penguin out of the stage which effectively kills it since it also kills Mario.
Breath of the Wild is full of animal hunting.
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Never played it, so just was basing it on people's prior posts. Will add to the first list. I'm going to put Pikmin into the second list unless you feel strongly otherwise.
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Which lists do you think these fit into best? I'm leaning to #2 for BOTW, #3 for Mario 64. Never played Tekken.
A lot of those games feature excessive violence toward human beings too? No complaints there? People and animals dying Is part of life. Sometimes it can be cruel and excessive, but at least in a game it's not happening for real
The point was to list instances so people can avoid them if they wanted to, not so you can tell everyone its no big deal.
Thanks for the help, guys. Think I'll leave it as a solo game, if I get to it. Definitely sounds like something she would be pretty upset about.
Animal violence has always been the one type of fictional violence I hate. I can sit through the goriest movies, and do the worst stuff to people in video games, and I know it's fake, so it doesn't bother me too much. But the second an animal gets brought into the mix I hate it. Even hunting animals for survival reasons doesn't sit well with me. I loved the upgrade to GTAV on PS4, but accidentally running over a cat or a dog realllllly put a downer on my psychopathic killing spree I would be on
