Summary
- Some open-world games offer playgrounds in which players can break rules freely without consequences.
- Breaking the rules in certain games can provide a cathartic experience for players.
- Games like Retro City Rampage, Mafia 2, GTA 5, and Cyberpunk 2077 encourage rule-breaking.
The phrase "rules are meant to be broken" may not be all that applicable in real life, but this doesn't apply in the realm of video games. In these virtual worlds, the only rule that really exists is that there aren't any rules, and this can even include the ones that may be imposed by the game itself.
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While some rules are never meant to be broken, and others incur significant penalties, it's still a ton of fun to break them in these games from time to time. Doing so can allow for cathartic experiences, further encouraging players to do anything they set their mind to.
8 Retro City Rampage
Wreaking Havoc And Breaking The Law Feels Great In This Title
Retro City Rampage
- Released
- October 9, 2010
- Developer(s)
- Vblank Entertainment
- Publisher(s)
- Vblank Entertainment
Retro City Rampage channels the energy of classic GTA games. This means that players can explore an urban world where causing too much chaos attracts the police, but this isn't necessarily a bad thing.
Breaking the law nets a high score that players can see balloon if they decide to get aggressive and kill the many police forces coming their way. If players are very skilled, they can even fend off the strongest police response, although being able to survive this is highly unlikely.
7 Mafia 2
As A Gangster, Players Will Have A Natural Inclination To Break The Rules
Mafia 2
- Released
- August 24, 2010
WHERE TO PLAY
The story-driven Mafia 2 features several missions where players go against the law and break the rules several times. In this title, Vito Scaletta becomes a respectable mobster in the Falcone Crime Family and enjoys a lavish life, although there are many problems that he must deal with along the way.
His life is far from easy, however, with Vito getting in regular tiffs with the law throughout the story. While the police system in Mafia 2 isn't as robust as that of the GTA games, most players will still love running from the law and making police officers eat dirt if they get too hot to handle.
6 Grand Theft Auto 5
The Fleshed-Out Wanted System Means That The World Will React To Players Breaking The Rules
Grand Theft Auto 5
- Released
- September 17, 2013
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ due to Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Mature Humor, Nudity, Strong Language, Strong Sexual Content, Use of Drugs and Alcohol
- Genre(s)
- Open-World, Action
Grand Theft Auto 5 is all about going against the establishment. The final mission personifies the chaos of this game and makes it abundantly clear that the three protagonists aren't great at following rules.
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The rules of the sandbox penalize players for causing too much mayhem, with overtly violent activities triggering police action. If players are still flippant about breaking the rules, the police response will increase, eventually leading to choppers and armored trucks joining the hunt for the guilty party.
5 Cyberpunk 2077
Update 2.0 Ensures That The Police Response Will Be More Appropriate If V Goes Too Far
Cyberpunk 2077
- Released
- December 10, 2020
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Nudity, Strong Language, Strong Sexual Content, Use of Drugs and Alcohol
As great as Cyberpunk 2077 was after its initial batch of updates, fans still felt that breaking the rules was too easy, and the police response was inadequate. All of this was changed with Update 2.0, where the fearsome MaxTac will try to take V down if they break a few too many rules.
This ensures that going ballistic in the world of Cyberpunk 2077 becomes more entertaining. With high-grade weaponry, players can try fending off MaxTac, although this will take a Herculean effort.
4 The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim
Pushing The Creation Engine To Its Limits And Exploiting The Game's Bugs Is Hilarious
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
- Released
- November 11, 2011
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Sexual Themes, Use of Alcohol
Skyrim is arguably one of the greatest video games ever made. In this title, becoming the Dragonborn and saving the world is great, but the majority of fans have more fun wreaking havoc in cities and exploiting the game's bugs.
As long as players quicksave beforehand, going ballistic in a city and killing off all the guards can make for a surprisingly cathartic experience. In a literal sense, players can break the rules holding the game together if they exploit one of Skyrim's many bugs, with one of the most iconic ones involving players putting a basket on a merchant's head and rendering them blind. This allows players to rob from their stores without encountering any issues.
3 The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
Players Can Try And Farm Cows For Valuable Materials Early On, But They Will Receive An Unpleasant Surprise
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
- Released
- May 19, 2015
WHERE TO PLAY
When The Witcher 3 came out, there was a fairly easy exploit that players could use to make the most of their time in White Orchard, and it revolved around farming cows for their loot. This was something CD Projekt Red addressed instantly, letting players experience a fun secret if they tried to break the game's rules in such a manner.
After enough kills, a chort arrives to mow down low-level players. It makes for a truly mind-blowing experience, especially for new players who simply want to get some extra loot before properly setting out on their journey. Still, it's a very fun secret to uncover, and fans of breaking the rules in video games are likely to really appreciate it.
2 Red Dead Redemption 2
As Arthur, Players Can Embody The Spirit Of A Criminal And Break Countless Rules To Get Money
Red Dead Redemption 2
- Released
- October 26, 2018
WHERE TO PLAY
At the end of the day, Arthur Morgan is an outlaw who revels in crime. Even with high honor, breaking rules is simply in his nature, with players having endless options to carry out robberies and loot people.
Even if Arthur's rule-breaking shenanigans cause him to get a bounty on his head, he can always pay it off and continue breaking the rules of a civilized society, something that Dutch and his gang struggle to conform to as the age of cowboys draws to a close.
1 The Legend Of Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom
The Game Outright Encourages Players To Bend The Rules
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
- Released
- May 12, 2023
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- Rated E for Everyone 10+ for Fantasy Violence and Mild Suggestive Themes
- Genre(s)
- Adventure, Action, Open-World
Tears of the Kingdom is a Zelda game that really encourages players to bend the rules in whatever way they see fit. While Ascend and Fuse can't be exploited all that much, the same can't be said for Ultrahand.
Players who get really creative with their Ultrahand devices can trivialize encounters and turn Link into an unstoppable warrior. Technically speaking, Tears of the Kingdom is not a game that frowns upon rule-breaking, which is why it's so much fun to experiment with the title's impressive mechanics.
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