What's the toughest choice you've made in an RPG?

Dungeon Master (Image credit: Future) Welcome to Dungeon Master, PC Gamer's regular RPG column, where Online Editor Fraser Brown explores the most cherished and enduring genre in PC gaming. We gather in our dimly-lit tavern, and please disregard the goblin puke. We adore a profound RPG dilemma, don't we? Until the moment we must choose, and we find ourselves staring at our screens for an uncomfortable amount of time, hoping to determine a course of action without feeling terrible afterward.

The most agonizing and guilt-inducing choices are often the deeply personal ones. Mass Effect allows me to decide the fate of the galaxy in various ways, but when I must choose to save the Rachni or let them perish, it becomes an abstract moral dilemma, which is not as impactful. Disco Elysium, on the other hand, delves into a more personal and intimate experience than a productive therapy session.

A card stuck inside a ledger opens a wound that Harry worked hard to forget, and tossing it results in losing the opportunity to retrieve it. This creates a powerful and relatable dilemma - do I ignore it, potentially aiding Harry in coping with his trauma, or do I help him confront it? Relationship drama is rarely a compelling source for RPG choices, as it often results in friction-free scenarios.

However, moments that force us to decide between life and death, even if the characters involved are not particularly likable, can be effective and memorable. The Witcher 3 offers a unique approach by allowing the player to choose not to make a decision, which is a rare and appreciated option. Geralt's romantic entanglements present challenging choices, as we are often torn between his happiness and the well-being of the characters he loves.

In the end, I chose to express my love to both Yennefer and Triss, leaving Geralt tied to a bed as they ventured off to drink. While this may seem like the worst choice, it ultimately felt poignant, highlighting Geralt's often unintentional interference in his own happiness. What is the most challenging choice you have faced in an RPG? Share your thoughts in the comments section.