Last Chance: Permanent Failure in Video Games

By Luke Condon (Gaming Editor)

You only get one shot at living your life to the fullest. This is the case for most people; unless, of course, you believe in reincarnation. Or quantum immortality. Or zombies. As of now, none of these workarounds have been scientifically proven to exist (although I’m of the firm belief that zombies are coming down the pipeline at some point in the future), so the sentiment stands, and it’s a nice one at its core. Making the most of what you have and living with no regrets is a noble pursuit, but does the concept transfer over to video games? 

Well, kind of. Most games today feature save systems or checkpoints that allow players to retry a level or sequence as many times as they need, meaning that even fiendishly difficult games can be beaten by players with enough patience. However, an increasing number of titles are forgoing this convention in favour of raising the stakes and giving players just one chance to achieve success. In practice, this usually isn’t as punishing as it sounds; a game isn’t going to delete itself from your system after a single in-game death (even if certain indie titles have toyed with using this idea as a gimmick). Instead, genres such as rogue-likes/rogue-lites and survival games have implemented semi-permanent failure states that up the ante in a way that makes victory much, much sweeter.

The rogue-like genre has a confused and complex history, and to this day its exact definition is disputed, often being conflated with the similar ‘rogue-lite’. The terms originate from a PC game known simply as Rogue, released all the way back in the 1980s, that featured a number of mechanics that would become essential pillars of the rogue-like, including randomly generated stages, a fantasy setting and, most importantly, permanent game overs that set you back to square one and force you to begin the game anew. Roguelikes are generally accepted to be games that follow closely in Rogue’s footsteps, while rogue-lites allow for some deviation but still usually feature the original game’s distinguishing permanent death and randomisation features. These two traits are closely interlinked, and thrive in each other’s presence; the combination of persisting failure states and unfamiliar environments each playthrough ensures that players can never get too complacent, as the game throws out new surprises at every turn. 

If you lived in a world where gaming-related lingo was commonly found in dictionaries, and you were to look up the meaning of the term ‘rogue-like’, the description you’d find there would likely be near-identical to a synopsis of the Spelunky franchise. Spelunky 2 in particular is a textbook example of what makes a great rogue-like game; players are charged with running an ever-changing gauntlet full of deadly traps, twisting paths, and far more snakes than any adventurer could ever be comfortable with. If you fall victim to these many hazards, you’ll find yourself right back where you started, retaining only the clothes on your back and your trusty whip. When you venture back into the dungeon, your surroundings will have changed dramatically, and you’ll have to face a fresh set of challenges. This is the core gameplay loop of most roguelike games; the thrill of finding beneficial items and making your way through levels without taking damage is intensified by the omnipresent threat of permadeath, the possibility of losing all this progress in the blink of an eye. Rogue-lite games are often a little more forgiving, allowing players to carry over some progress after being defeated, but the fear of dying and losing your hard-earned loot as a result remains an effective motivator.  

Survival games today occasionally feature victory conditions to achieve, but in most cases they’re more concerned with setting players one primary task: to survive (shocker). The genre has seen a meteoric rise in popularity in recent years, almost certainly owing to its watchability and entertainment value; for example, the underwater survival game Subnautica received a monumental boost in sales as a result of playthrough videos published online by content creators such as horror aficionado Markiplier and Irish Youtuber Jacksepticeye, to the extent that their names are listed in the game’s credits. In contrast with the rogue-like genre, the inclusion of permanent failure states is not mandatory for survival games; some titles feature optional permadeath modes for those seeking a challenge, while others omit the mechanic entirely. 

The Long Dark, however, is different. Pitting players against a frozen wilderness that shows no mercy to its inhabitants, the game’s standard mode has permanent death enabled by default. Here, success is measured not on a points scoreboard or list of completed missions; the only small victory possible is increasing the ‘days survived’ counter, one at a time, and on higher difficulties you’d be lucky to even break double digits. It turns out that a barren tundra on a remote island off the coast of Alaska isn’t the most hospitable place, and so players must remain vigilant of sub-zero temperatures, dangerous wildlife, and the possibility of starvation in order to pull through. As you scour abandoned houses to find a can of dog food for dinner, or struggle to light a fire amidst an almighty snowstorm, it’s impossible to forget that death could be lurking around any corner. In The Long Dark, the permanent failure mechanic takes front and centre stage, and the entire game is designed in such a way that you’ll spend every second of your time trying (and probably failing) to avoid it. 

There’s one last permadeath experience in gaming that I feel is worth mentioning here, and it might come as a surprise to you. In fact, as far as I’m concerned, it’s the best execution of the idea in any video game. I’m talking about Minecraft here. Yes, I’m serious. The best-selling game of all time needs no introduction, and it holds a special place in my heart, as I’m sure it does for many who grew up with it. However, I’m specifically referring to Minecraft’s hardcore mode in this instance, which once upon a time would force players to delete their painstakingly crafted worlds upon their first in-game death (earlier, I reassured you that most games won’t delete themselves upon a game over, but this is pretty close). Today, the game’s punishment is slightly less severe; players can choose to become a ghostly spectator and roam their world freely after their demise, albeit unable to interact with it in any meaningful way.

Minecraft is not a rogue-like or rogue-lite, nor is it a survival game, despite the fact that it could be shoehorned into either of these definitions. It’s a sandbox game that encourages creativity, allowing players to build towering works of art and intricately designed contraptions. Minecraft’s default survival mode puts in place a few obstacles to obstruct players from achieving these ends with too much ease, but the heart of the game remains the same. To create, to explore, to appreciate the world around you; all of these activities can lead to players enjoying a singular Minecraft world for weeks, months, even years. The majority of rogue-like and survival games are designed around relatively brief and compact playthroughs, but starting a world with Minecraft’s hardcore mode can be the start of a significant time investment; an investment that’s almost guaranteed to result in a poignant sense of loss when your epic saga ends with you wandering off the edge of a cliff whilst distracted. 

Not to get all philosophical, but I think these games could teach us all a thing or two about the way we live our lives, putting aside the fact that they’re a blast to play. No, you don’t need to start constantly looking out for spike traps or fret about getting mauled by a grizzly bear, but it’s a good idea to be aware of your own mortality, as grim as that may sound. Look out for yourself; you can start by giving up the all-nighters to finish essays, and get a good night’s rest instead. Or, even better, go play some video games. They’re good for you!