2. Infanticide
Nearly thirty years ago, the final episode of M*A*S*H aired. Lots of people saw it. In fact, if you owned a television back then, it probably was more likely that you saw the episode than not. The episode had Hawkeye Pierce, Alan Alda as leading man, struggling with a woman who killed a chicken to keep it from making noise while enemy soldiers walked past them. Not to spoil the three decade old show, but it turns out that the chicken was just Hawkeye replacing the woman’s baby in his mind. It is a potent plot point that breaks a previously unbreakable character, and has become one of the most iconic television moments of all time.
The power behind the storytelling in games is that, when actions are taken, they have to be taken by the player. Imagine a game where that isn’t a requirement, but an option. Imagine the M*A*S*H finale. Imagine Sophie’s Choice. Imagine a scenario where enough gravitas is put on to the life of a child, and, as a player, you have to decide whether to take that life or not.
If the stage is set where killing the child is about impact and effect rather than just shock value, and if it is handled in a way that doesn’t diminish the morality of it, then the murder of a child can be important.
