Summary
Few games can offer players as much variety and possibilities as theRPG genre. Not only does it typically feature tons of different characters, in-depth customization for party members, weapons, armor, and even character appearance, but it also implements daring mechanics that would probably not work in other genres.
Failing in a video game is expected, especially when it’s a difficult one that pits players against considerable challenges. That said, sometimes the cost of failure is much greater than just having to try again and again to defeat a boss or emerge victorious from a battle. In some cases,game mechanics like Permadeathraise the stakes, making every move players make extremely important. Here are some of thebest RPGs with permanent consequences for failure.
Darkest Dungeonis a great title that will have players explore various dungeons as they lead a band of four heroes through the dangers of such secluded, damp places. Along with formidable, merciless enemies, players will also have to deal with their own psychological stress, as well as hunger, disease, and darkness like they’ve never experienced before.
Darkest Dungeonfeatures Permadeath game mechanics that make consequences and carelessness serious, punishing players who do not strategize their every move. This helps raise the stakes and make the experience even more wonderfully stressful. Players who’ve already completed the first installment of the franchise should tryDarkest Dungeon 2to keep the party going.
As far as long-awaited franchise sequels go, few took their time as much asWasteland 2. The original game,Wastelandwas released back in 1998, and it wasn’t until 2013 that players finally got the chance to enjoy a new experience in its universe. Followinga squad of desert rangers,Wasteland 2will task players with exploring the land to activate a few radio beacons in order to locate a group of criminals.
Set in 2102, this title follows the events of its prequel and presents players with the opportunity to challenge themselves as they face various obstacles that are only made more dire through the implementation of Permadeath mechanics. Failure is no option when it comes to playingWasteland 2, and those who want to complete it will have to plan out their strategies very carefully.
XCOM 2presents players with an interesting story about world domination and humanity’s incapacity to fight off an alien invasion. After the Earth’s leaders surrender control of the planet to the invaders and XCOM, the planet’s last line of defense, is defeated and ultimately destroyed, there seems to be no hope for humanity to ever recover its independence.
XCOM 2features an optional mode called Ironman Mode, which, in a nutshell, eliminates the possibility for players to do any manual saves. As they progress through the game, a single autosave will be made frequently, ensuring players' campaigns are safe, but also rendering it impossible to go back and correct any mistakes made along the way. Ironman Mode is meant to challenge players significantly and punish them greatly for any missteps.
Suikoden 2is very similar, yet very different from its prequel in many ways. While the sequel retains many of the game mechanics and elements ofSuikoden, it’s evident that the sprite-based graphics were thoroughly improved upon to take full advantage of consoles' hardware capabilities at the time.
Featuring a classic top-down view that allows players to have a clear perspective as they explore the various towns and areas of the game’s map,Suikoden 2is fun and challenging—especially with thePermadeath mechanicsimplemented into it. That said, the game can sometimes be forgiving, which means that with proper management, Permadeath is a hard thing to have happen. However, it’s still a welcome addition to an already great title.
Set right in the middle of the Second Europan War between the Autocratic Eastern Empire Alliance and the Atlantic Federation,Valkyria Chronicles 4tells an exciting story about armed conflicts, camaraderie, and tough decisions. The game features four play modes: Targeting mode, Command, Action, and Book.
Each one will give players a different experience depending on their preferences and how they want to go through the game. Like other games on this list,Valkyria Chronicles 4features punishing Permadeath mechanics that make it possible for players to lose some characters forever if they fail to emerge victorious from battle at any point.
With the newestFablegame coming out in 2025, many fans of the franchise are very excited about what it will bring, and some of them are likely replaying the originals to remember how wonderful the Continent of Albion is. While the originalFablewas amazing, many players agree thatFable 2built greatly upon its predecessor, implementing new mechanics, spells, and other features. With lively areas like the Bowerstone Market and grim, spine-chilling locations like Wraithmarsh,Fable 2always offered players an entertaining experience.
One of the most noticeable permanent consequences of failure in this game is scars. Every time the Hero dies, a new scar will appear on their body, affecting various aspects of their gameplay and the way they can interact with NPCs. While players can’t get rid of their scars in the base game, the Knothole Island DLC makes it possible through the purchase of anti-scar potions.
While many people would argue against the statement ofDark Souls 3being an RPG, it has many elements that justify calling it so. For starters, the game features deep character customization in areas like appearance, weaponry and attire. Also, there’s Stat upgrading, which allows players to strengthen the attributes they’re interested in and create specific builds. While dying several times inDark Souls 3is expected, there are no real progress-wise consequences for it other than having to start over from the last bonfire. However, that’s not the case for the Souls players collect throughout the game.
When players die, they will lose all their Souls; however, they still have a single chance to recover them by going to their last death location. If players die a second time in a row without recovering their lost Souls, these will be gone for good. A good way to prevent this from happening is to spend Souls consistently, either using them for attribute upgrading or for purchasing items, weapons and armor.
If players thought it was easy to lose Souls in theDark Soulsfranchise, things only get worse inElden Ring. Following similar mechanics to other FromSoftware titles,Elden Ringuses Runes as its form of currency, with which players can upgrade their attributes, as well as buy items, armor, and weapons.
Upon death, players should prioritize recovering their lost Runes at their last spot of death before anything else—especially if they lose them next to a strong boss that can one-shot them without breaking a sweat. If players fail to recover their lost Runes before dying twice in a row, they will be gone for good. A fair, yet frustrating consequence of failure in The Lands Between.
