Tyranny (2016)

There are few games that let you be truly evil. GTA lets you kill civilians, others let you make terrible sacrifices, but the ability to completely crush a civilization is rare. In Tyranny, you can do all of those things. The world has already been taken over by the evil overlord Kyros, and as the Fatebinder, it's up to you to enforce his will. However, even within evil there's wiggle room, and you can choose to be a monster or have mercy where possible. Make no mistake, though, you will face some difficult choices, and all within a world so richly built that it feels a shame to tear it down. Tyranny has a clear Iron Age influence but is complete with fantasy elements and text-driven dialogue that will occasionally give way to a voiced cutscenes. Your task is to end the siege on a rebel fortress and staunch a rebellion, but with high stakes. If you don't succeed, the entire province will be leveled by Kryos' magic edict. The choices you make and the company you keep in that short time will greatly affect the outcome of the story. Entire towns can be slaughtered, populations decimated, factions can be with or against you, and the extent of your power will vary. It adds a huge amount of replayability to the title, but it also acts as a poignant exploration of gray areas, and for that alone it deserves a place on this list.