Execution

4
It’s difficult to review this as a game. It’s also difficult to consider it one. This isn’t so much a game as it is an art piece, and where it is an art piece, I consider it to be brilliant in the ways that count. Where it fails is in how the player is not informed of his or her available choices when the game begins, and yet that itself is part of the art. How many players seek those other options? To how many has the obvious course of action become ingrained, almost instinctual? I have seen discussion forums about this game devolve into the most psychologically bizarre complaining, boiling down to a statement that the average person thinks video game killing is 100% okay without so much as a moral twinge, and not only do they take offense to having this pointed out, but they’ve never considered it deeply enough to think it warrants any philosophical or moral contemplation at all.

To see both “endings,” you have to delete the registry key that this sets. It uses a highscore list to keep track of the data, “binding” you to your decision. While I don’t recommend mucking about in the registry if you’re not fully aware of what you’re doing, for those of us who do, just delete HKEY_CURRENT_USER > Software > Game Maker > Scores > 138759 and the game will be reset.

Apparently actions have consequences unless you have the power to edit reality. I guess that makes me God.

Otherwise Execution is a game you can either win many times, or lose once and forever. If you want a happy ending, you’d better consider carefully what you do before you do it.