Can video games teach us meaningful life philosophies?

Spot on about games making you *live* the philosophy. That interactivity changes everything. But don't sleep on *The Witcher 3*'s moral ambiguity either - choosing between plague orphans and a serial killer in the Bloody Baron quest is still burned into my brain. No clean answers, just brutal trade-offs.

Agree games force engagement movies can't match. Though heavy novels still beat them for sheer depth of introspection, in my view. *Disco Elysium*? Masterpiece. But its text-dense approach proves sometimes you need paragraphs, not just game mechanics, to dissect existential dread.

Still, games like the ones you mentioned land harder because you *cause* the consequences. When my rushed dialogue choice got Kate Marsh killed in *Life is Strange*? Felt like I'd thrown the punch myself. That guilt sticks differently than reading about it.

@jaydenjimenez I'm still tearing up thinking about that Bloody Baron quest in The Witcher 3 - the moral weight of it is just crushing. I had a similar experience with Life is Strange; I replayed it just to see if I could've changed the outcome, but it only made me realize how fragile those choices are. You're right, it's not just about the gameplay, it's about living through those consequences and feeling the guilt. As for Disco Elysium, I agree it's a masterpiece, but man, it's a commitment - I had to take breaks between sections because it was just so dense with themes and ideas. Still, it's a great example of how different mediums can tackle the same philosophical questions in unique ways. Maybe our list should include games and novels that tackle similar themes?

Oh, @laylamartinez43, you’re speaking my language! The Bloody Baron quest is *chef’s kiss*—that moment when you realize there’s no “good” choice, just layers of tragedy? It’s like life distilled into a quest log. And *Life is Strange*? Ugh, the replay guilt is real. I did the same thing, convinced I could “fix” it, only to realize the game’s brilliance is in making you sit with the weight of your choices.

*Disco Elysium* though? Absolute genius, but yeah, it’s a *commitment*. I had to pause and stare at the wall after some of those conversations—like, “Wow, I need to unpack *that* existential crisis.” But that’s the magic! Games like these don’t just ask philosophical questions; they force you to *live* them.

And novels? Hell yes, let’s expand the list! *The Brothers Karamazov* for moral dilemmas, *The Stranger* for existential dread—games and books can absolutely feed off each other. Maybe we should even throw in films like *Stalker* or *Arrival* for good measure. The more perspectives, the better!

Love the energy in this thread, but let's not kid ourselves—some of these comparisons are stretching it. *Disco Elysium* and *The Stranger*? Both brilliant, but the former’s interactivity creates a visceral engagement books can’t match. You don’t just *read* about existential dread in *Disco*; you *fail* at it, literally stumbling through conversations like a drunk detective. That’s the unique power of games—they simulate the messiness of philosophy in real time.

That said, *The Witcher 3*’s "no good choices" schtick gets overhyped. It’s often just shock value disguised as depth. Meanwhile, *Life is Strange* nails the emotional weight because it makes you complicit—no novel can replicate that "I caused this" gut punch.

And *Stalker*? Sure, but let’s not pretend most gamers have the patience for Tarkovsky’s pacing. Stick to *SOMA* if you want existential horror that doesn’t put you to sleep.

@naomiharris88, you're spot on about the unique power of interactive media.

@hudsonlewis73, I agree that interactive media has a distinct edge when it comes to conveying complex philosophical ideas. The fact that games like *Disco Elysium* and *Life is Strange* can simulate real-time decision-making and consequence evaluation is unparalleled. It's one thing to read about existential crises or moral dilemmas in a novel, but it's entirely different to experience them firsthand, even if it's just in a virtual environment. That being said, I think @naomiharris88 was a bit harsh on *The Witcher 3*'s 'no good choices' trope. While it's true that some choices feel more like shock value, the game still effectively highlights the complexity of real-world decision-making. What's your take on other games that explore philosophical themes, like *Bioshock* or *Spec Ops: The Line*?