Violent games that don't force you to kill

There are hundreds of games that ask you to eviscerate, gun down, and blow up every life form that you see. At this point, we’re all cold-blooded murderers in the virtual world – just think of your kill count at the end of any given action game. It’s not uncommon for charming, likable video game heroes to have their hands soaked with gallons of blood by the end of their adventures.

But violence isn’t the only way! Some games – even the most brutal ones – actually let you take the pacifist route. You can avoid conflicts, sneak past your enemies, and find alternate paths completely, seemingly breaking from gaming’s tradition of force-feeding you bodies to desecrate. Sometimes it’s obvious, sometimes you could finish the game without even knowing that nonviolence was an option. Here are the seven most brutal, peaceful examples.