No Kills: 15 Combat-Oriented Games That Offer a Pacifist Option

Death Stranding 2: On The Beach (2025)

Kojima doesn’t really make “normal” games, and Death Stranding 2 looks like it’s doubling down on that. Rather than focusing on mowing down enemies, the series has always been about traversing strange landscapes, carrying absurd packages, and connecting isolated people. Combat exists, sure, but the whole philosophy of the game rewards you more for building bridges – literally and metaphorically – than for breaking skulls. Expect surreal storytelling, emotional baggage (pun intended), and moments of quiet beauty where not killing anyone feels like the point. | © Kojima Productions

The Outer Worlds (2019)

In a universe ruled by corporations and absurd bureaucracy, it almost makes more sense to talk your way out of a fight than to waste ammo. The Outer Worlds shines when you invest in dialogue, persuasion, or hacking, letting you sidestep combat while laughing at the ridiculous logic of this satirical sci-fi world. Entire quests can unfold through charm and wit rather than bloodshed, and the writing is sharp enough to make that feel rewarding. It’s the kind of game where pacifism isn’t just possible – it feels like the cleverest way to play. | © Obsidian Entertainment

Marvel’s Spider-Man (2018)

For a superhero game, Marvel’s Spider-Man is surprisingly non-lethal, and that’s a big deal when you think about how many rooftop fights Spidey gets into. Enemies usually end up webbed to walls, dangling from ceilings, or stuck in a cocoon of web fluid, but never permanently out of the picture. Stealth segments encourage creativity, letting you string up thugs without anyone ever noticing. Even in big set pieces, the game keeps violence in check, focusing more on agility, webs, and acrobatics than brutal takedowns. It’s superhero pacifism done right. | © Insomniac Games / Sony Interactive Entertainment

Watch Dogs 2 (2016)

If you’d rather hack a forklift than fire a gun, Watch Dogs 2 has you covered. Its San Francisco playground is designed so you can treat combat as a puzzle, using drones, cameras, and environmental traps to slip past guards without ever hurting them. Sure, Marcus can use weapons if you want, but the joy comes from trickery and mischief, not violence. Playing as a hacker who values style over brute force feels perfectly in line with the game’s cheeky tone. It’s a sandbox where pacifism is just as fun as chaos. | © Ubisoft

Undertale (2015)

Not a lot of games make pacifism feel this deliberate. Undertale lets you “fight” without fighting, sparing enemies by talking, flirting, joking, or even just listening. Every monster has a personality, and choosing mercy often leads to surprisingly touching – or hilarious – outcomes. The game doesn’t just acknowledge your choices, it reacts to them, reshaping the story based on how compassionate (or cruel) you are. Going full pacifist here feels less like skipping content and more like unlocking its true heart. | © Toby Fox

Dishonored 1 & 2 (2012 & 2016)

Corvo and Emily may have a whole arsenal of supernatural powers at their disposal, but Dishonored is secretly one of the best stealth-pacifist series out there. The levels are built like elaborate puzzles, giving you routes over rooftops, under streets, and through vents to avoid ever touching a blade to flesh. Non-lethal gadgets like sleep darts or chokeholds make the “ghost run” not just possible, but thrilling. Best of all, the game actually rewards restraint with different story outcomes, making pacifism feel meaningful in the world of Dunwall and Karnaca. | © Arkane Studios

Silent Hill: Downpour (2012)

Horror games rarely make combat feel heroic, and Silent Hill: Downpour leans into that by making avoidance often smarter than confrontation. Weapons are fragile, enemies are relentless, and the foggy streets practically beg you to sneak past rather than fight. Pacifism here doesn’t come from flashy mechanics but from sheer survival instinct – it’s about realizing that running and hiding are sometimes the bravest options. That constant vulnerability makes the atmosphere even heavier, as if the town itself punishes aggression. | © Konami

Mark of the Ninja (2012)

Stealth has rarely looked as slick as it does in Mark of the Ninja, a side-scrolling masterpiece that makes every shadow and rooftop feel alive with possibility. You can assassinate guards with style, but you can just as easily bypass them, using gadgets to distract or terrify rather than kill. The game even tracks whether you complete missions without a single casualty, rewarding patience and precision. Sliding past danger unseen often feels cooler than the flashy kills, turning pacifism into its own form of ninja art. | © Klei Entertainment

Fallout: New Vegas (2010)

In the wasteland, words can sometimes be sharper than bullets. Fallout: New Vegas allows for an entire playthrough where speech, barter, and charisma solve conflicts more effectively than firepower. The branching quests and multiple factions make diplomacy not only viable, but occasionally the most rewarding choice, unlocking storylines locked behind charm rather than combat. Of course, the Mojave is still dangerous, but for players who lean into pacifism, it transforms into a role-playing goldmine of clever negotiation. | © Obsidian Entertainment

Mirror’s Edge (2008)

Speed is your greatest weapon in Mirror’s Edge, a game that turns parkour into a defense mechanism. Faith can fight if cornered, but most of the time the thrill comes from outrunning armed enemies and vaulting across rooftops before they even land a shot. Combat is deliberately clunky compared to the elegance of free-running, nudging you toward evasion as the smarter strategy. Choosing momentum over mayhem makes every chase feel like a victory in its own right, reinforcing the game’s unique non-violent style. | ©Electronic Arts

Tenchu: Shadow Assassins (2008)

The Tenchu series has always danced on the line between cold-blooded murder and elegant stealth, but Shadow Assassins leans more into sneaking than slicing. Moving silently through feudal Japan, you’re given plenty of tools to distract, confuse, or bypass guards entirely. The game rewards staying unseen far more than engaging in direct combat, which makes a pacifist run not only possible but genuinely satisfying. Choosing shadows over steel feels perfectly in tune with the spirit of a true shinobi. | © Ubisoft

Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater (2004)

Pacifism in Metal Gear Solid 3 isn’t just a gimmick, it’s woven into the DNA of Kojima’s design. Snake can knock enemies out, sneak past entire patrols, and even tranquilize bosses instead of killing them. The game acknowledges these choices, giving you different cutscenes and even a unique boss battle outcome if you refuse to take lives. It’s still tense, still cinematic, but it lets you play the legendary spy as a ghost in the jungle rather than a one-man army. | © Konami

Deus Ex series (2000-)

From the very first Deus Ex, pacifism has been more than a possibility – it’s practically a philosophy. Cybernetic enhancements, hacking tools, and dialogue options let you bypass firefights in favor of brains over brawn. Knocking guards unconscious or slipping through vents feels just as valid as gunning them down, and the game never punishes you for holding back. That flexibility is why the series remains a landmark in immersive sims: it doesn’t just allow pacifism, it makes it feel like the smartest way to play. | © Ion Storm

Perfect Dark (2000)

Joanna Dark’s debut might be remembered for its futuristic guns, but it also hides plenty of non-lethal tools for players who want to sneak through missions. The laptop gun might grab headlines, but the tranquilizer and other gadgets make stealth-heavy approaches viable. Levels often give you multiple paths, so slipping past guards can be as thrilling as mowing them down. For an N64 shooter, it was surprisingly progressive in giving players options beyond mindless trigger-pulling. | © Rare

Thief series (1998-)

Stepping into Garrett’s shoes means embracing shadows as your true ally. From the very first Thief, the game encouraged silence, patience, and evasion over direct combat. Guards are tough to fight head-on, but easily avoided if you stick to the darkness and time your movements well. Pacifist runs aren’t just possible here – they feel like the “intended” way to play, since the design constantly pushes you toward cleverness instead of confrontation. It’s stealth gaming at its most pure. | © Looking Glass Studios