Killing / not killing is pointless

[Zaqwert]

In your stealth take downs you get a prompt to kill or not kill, ok cool, but the issue is there are no consequences either way. You can kill everyone or knock everyone out, nothing changes, ever. No story changes, no dialogue changes, no mission changes.

It's nothing more that a meaningless button prompt that has no impact on anything.

The game should have had some sort of reputation system where maybe if you're a stone cold killer you get a reputation for it, and people are afraid of you and maybe less diplomatic options are available. Likewise if you don't kill much people are friendly to you but also less intimidated by you.

Maybe different endings could have been done depending on your overall kill count, things like that.

Like many other things in this game, the lethality choices are just window dressing with no depth behind them. I'm going to assume this is just more cut content which is sad.

 

[Subenu]

I know of at least one mission/quest where it does benefit you not killing anyone meaningless. (i think its the raid on the cloud?)
Otherwise what is the demerit for you, when you want to kill everything in sight?
You can feel good about yourself and it adds (at least I guess so) another layer of difficulty, while you try to play it out nonlethal.

 

[NevaEilhart]

There is also

Spoiler

a side quest which comes to mind with monks which involves taking out gang members without killing. Funny enough, those monks are located in Watson but I found them way later in the game in Japantown, near the Cherry Blossom Market, and they started talking to me a bit more. I found it very cool.

.

 

[Schanana]

I agree with OP that there should've been like... general consqeuences to killing/not killing but I like playing non-lethal regardless! Gives me the illusion of choice and may make me feel a little less of a monster for killing hundreds of people - I just knocked em out. With my 200k sniper shot. To their heads.

 

[Subenu]

I agree with OP that there should've been like... general consqeuences to killing/not killing but I like playing non-lethal regardless! Gives me the illusion of choice and may make me feel a little less of a monster for killing hundreds of people - I just knocked em out. With my 200k sniper shot. To their heads.

Sometimes one hast to do, what one has to do!
and if it's just to get a point across! xD

 

[Schanana]

Sometimes one hast to do, what one has to do!
and if it's just to get a point across! xD

Exactly

 

[Aetrion]

I don't mind if non-lethal has no benefits attached to it, it's a nice feature to have for the roleplay aspect. The only thing that bugs me is how ridiculously easy it is to accidentally kill people after they have passed out. Them simply falling in an awkward way tends to kill them.

 

[Schanana]

I don't mind if non-lethal has no benefits attached to it, it's a nice feature to have for the roleplay aspect. The only thing that bugs me is how ridiculously easy it is to accidentally kill people after they have passed out. Them simply falling in an awkward way tends to kill them.

Yeah! Prolly one of the reasons they didn't bother with a karma system or some such. Would've been a pain

 

[Krul2k]

Any feature that adds to the player being able to RP there character better and as they like is not pointless, regardless of who next in line thinks

 

[HermannToothrot]

I've found several side jobs / blue encounters where taking down enemies stealthy and in non-letal ways improved my reputation. There're also quests where the giver asks you for a non letal approach. In any case these decisions are, as the vast majority of choices the game offers, inconsequential.

 

[Omgwtfgg]

Spoiler

Regina gives you a mission to help a rogue cop ... u end up retreiving the video tape footage, but if u check the pc it shows the cop killing someone.... When you go to his apartment... if you do nothing Johnny gets mad at you... if you kill him, johnnys happy/regina is mad.... if you knock him out... johnny/regina both happy...

Post automatically merged: Dec 23, 2020

I have no idea what impact it has tho... i didnt see anything change... just eddies and xp i guess

 

[PrincessAmanda]

There are situations in the game where not killing someone matters.
Same as going stealth \ or gun blazing maters for some missions.

People jump into conclusions to oeasly. Like for example " nothing you say or do matters ". My 3rd playthrough now and I'm still discovering new interactions, outcomes etc. There is more hidden stuff than most people think.

Options in this game are not obvious so if someone just played once, I can see them not even realizing 90% of their decisions.

EDIT : I've read some guy rant about how we can't simply attack Mealstrom gang anymore ( like in the 2018 ). Yes we can, you don't even have to take an elevator to talk with dum dum.

 

[Schanana]

There are situations in the game where not killing someone matters.
Same as going stealth \ or gun blazing maters for some missions.

People still don't about A LOT of stuff within this game but jump into conclusions. Like for example " nothing you say or do matters ". My 3rd playthrough now and I'm still discovering new interactions, outcomes etc.

Options in this game are not obvious so if someone just played once, I can see them not even realizing 90% of their decisions.

Maybe not 90% but the essence of what you said is true

 

[Guest 4509026]

Some people might say that leaving a legacy behind when you're gone is the theme of the game.

I say the illusion of choice is this game's actual theme.

 

[poosh]

There are a few quests where non-lethal takedown matters, but, in general, there is no difference.

I suggest the following:

• Non-lethal takedowns give more stealth XP than the lethal ones.
• Enemies can wake up after a non-lethal takedown. Wake up time depends on the player's stealth level and maybe some perks.
• After the wake-up, the NPC raises an alert and resumes the fight unless put into a container.
• If put into a container, the NPC cannot escape. However, he/she still can produce sounds after the wake-up, alerting others nearby.
• Clearing the area gives the player bonus XP for every enemy left alive ("pacifist XP"). NPCs that wake up after the area gets cleared become non-hostile (run away).

So there will be the choice between easy stealth-killing or more challenging non-lethal takedowns for extra XP. Basically, the first non-lethal takedown starts a countdown to clear the area before the alarm gets raised. An additional perk can be introduced to display the countdown clock on the HUD.

 

[MM0Junkie]

i have a hunch that the option do use non-lethal moves is a leftover mechanic from the now defunct crime/police mechanic, also even if it is currently pointless, it's still a nice option to have for those that like to roleplay/try a pacifist playthrough.

 

[xlawx]

The game should have had some sort of reputation system where maybe if you're a stone cold killer you get a reputation for it, and people are afraid of you and maybe less diplomatic options are available. Likewise if you don't kill much people are friendly to you but also less intimidated by you.

Night City doesnt give a crap on this. I heard from the News something "29% of population died in this year ... anyway .." The only goal to be the maddafakking Legends or be nobody. Police doesnt give a crap for good Samaritan and tell you go kill the trash gang. Some NPCs tell you, more you climb up more people want to kill you to be fast popular. Jackie warned you. - so no intimidate, just being big food.
If you love Regina, then dont kill for her. That's all.

 

[Vingolf]

Could've sworn I used a non lethal approach a few times but in game dialogue didn't reflect that.

 

[warner11]

Urgh...

Mission involving a Monk - you’re asked to not kill anyone. So I do the whole thing stealth and non lethal only for said monk to critique me for being too violent and killing people.

so yes - it literally makes no difference

 

[MM0Junkie]

Urgh...

Mission involving a Monk - you’re asked to not kill anyone. So I do the whole thing stealth and non lethal only for said monk to critique me for being too violent and killing people.

so yes - it literally makes no difference

really? you may have killed someone without realising, cos if you do it all non lethal, he praises you for not killing