I've always been fascinated by games that give you choice. Games that give you more than one path to finish it or games that give you multiple storylines.

First off, there is the obvious development challenge. Games like Fallout 3 have you roaming the wasteland, either helping people or abusing their situation to your benefit.

Both styles of play reward you with items, experience and so forth but the world around you changes. People from afar hear of your exploits and either treat you nicely or don't speak to you at all because of the 'type' of character you are.

So the game has to track your decisions and change the world and it's non-playable characters (NPC's) based on those decisions. Quite a developmental mountain to climb. Something that Fallout 3 has done quite well.

There is something else I've been thinking about though.

Is there some sort of connection between the choice of evil or good characters with your personality in real life? Do you immediately select an evil or good character when you are given a choice?

Personally, I always select a good character first, play through the game, then play the evil path as well. Playing the good character first is a personal preference. The evil character is because of my 'completionist' nature. I just need to see everything the game has to offer. I can't help it, I just have to see everything. I have to know what changes in the game world, is the game easier with a different character, etc.

I played Mass Effect with a Paragon (good) Infiltrator the first time around. I really enjoyed the game and finished it a few months ago. Now with Mass Effect 2 looming on my shopping list, I have decided to brush up on Mass Effect and play through it again. This time though, with a Renegade (evil) Adept. I am going to play through the game again so why not play with a different storyline? My personal preference still lies with good characters, but I've been there, done that, got the achievements.

There is another interesting aspect to the good vs. evil debate that I would like to discuss as well. What about games in which you are not given a choice, where the game revolves around playing the evil characters?

They have been around for some time, with Dungeon Keeper and Evil Genius being some of my personal favourites. There are more recent ones as well, with both Overlord and Prototype being excellent examples of games that make you play the evil character in the story. What makes these games different is that they force you to play the evil character. Without the choice of good or evil, and the subsequent guilt or reward based on your choice, they give you the opportunity to revel in the evil side of things. I believe this is because you play the characters they've designed for you to the fullest. In a sense, you fulfill the characters' destinies to be evil.

Do I feel guilty when I am given a choice and I choose the 'evil' route? Sometimes, yes.

Games and their presentation of their storylines are powerful enough to make us feel emotions like guilt, happiness and sorrow.

Sometimes though, there are misinterpretations of good or evil intentions. In Mass Effect, I was confronted by a situation where a woman has lost her husband in a battle and the Marines are not releasing his body to her for a proper burial. You are then given a choice whether you want to persuade the Marines to release the widow's husband to her. I made the choice to do it, because I felt it was the right thing to do. I had to intimidate the superiours to release his body though, giving my character some points towards his evil side. Apparently, loyalty to the marines rank higher than a widow's grief.

Does starting a game with an evil character say something about your nature? Should people look at you funny when you tell them you always play the evil characters first?

I don't believe so. It may be only be a morbid curiosity for some, or an escape from normal life for others.

Sure there are some people who take it too far and imagine killing their boss over and over while playing Prototype. I can guarantee you that the vast majority of gamers are people that are of sound mind and social skills. The ones that take out their frustrations on their favourite virtual worlds are few and far between.

So I challenge you to play that evil character (after you've played the good one perhaps) and see what else the game has to offer. How did the designers anticipate your moves now that you're character is less morally bound than before? Is the game more difficult? You shouldn't feel (too) guilty for making those 'evil' choices.

It is after all, only a game.