History Main / OmnicidalNeutral

* Most of ''VideoGame/TheForceUnleashed''[='=]s missions involve Starkiller cutting down everyone and everything he comes across, including Imperial Stormtroopers who are, at the moment, at least, on his side. [[spoiler:This gets subverted in the second half, though. Once Galen joins the Rebellion, he never has to kill another rebel soldier again.]]

* ''VideoGame/ArmoredCore 4 Answer'' has this as one of the endings. Instead of fighting for a cause, you can choose to side with [[OmnicidalManiac Old King]] and just kill everyone who crosses your path. Turns out that the whole genocide thing doesn't really go over too well with… well, everyone. You're so despicable that the other factions pull an EnemyMine to try and get rid of you. [[ThatOneLevel If you can pull it off]], you end up as the last man standing, and go on to commit history's worst atrocities and kill hundreds of millions more than you already have.

* This tends to be Masamune's story path in the ''VideoGame/SamuraiWarriors'' game - his modus operandi is to show up mid-battle, kick ass on both sides, and the declare himself the winner.
* Similarly UsefulNotes/LuBu's musou mode in ''VideoGame/DynastyWarriors 6'', which basically consists of him showing up to famous battles in Chinese history and ''killing everybody''. In the end Lu actually ends up unifying China, [[spoiler:every other leader in the game, living and dead, allies against him in a ForeverWar. Naturally he couldn't be more pleased]].

** ''8'' features a Hypothetical Route where Lu Bu learns to check his pride and take strategic advice from Chen Gong to prevent his routing at Dingtao, and thus becomes so powerful that the final mission is [[spoiler:him fighting and killing nearly every single other character in the game after they all unite against him, before declaring the current Emperor too weak to rule and seizing control for himself, uniting China under his sheer might.]]

* ''VideoGame/ArmoredCore 4 Answer'' has this as one of the endings. Instead of fighting for a cause, you can choose to side with [[OmnicidalManiac Old King]] and just kill everyone who crosses your path. Turns out that the whole genocide thing doesn't really go over too well with... well, everyone. You're so despicable that the other factions pull an EnemyMine to try and get rid of you. [[ThatOneLevel If you can pull it off]], you end up as the last man standing, and go on to commit history's worst atrocities and kill hundreds of millions more than you already have.
** To a lesser extent, several of the paths in Armored Core: Last Raven have this. The Zinaida Path in particular has the player spend the game hunting down the other Ravens rather than side with a specific corporation. It's definitely the hardest path, but it's generally beneficial overall. You still save the world and the corporation power struggle has been ended by the Pulverizers.

* The suggested but presumably not realized Ultimate Nihilist Ending for ''[[VideoGame/AncientDomainsOfMystery ADOM]]'', which involves neither saving the world nor becoming the new sUpReMe [=ChAoS=] gOd, but rather destroying all existence. Of course, it might as well be seen as StupidEvil or ChaoticStupid. Or just, you know, incomprehensible.

* ''VideoGame/ShinMegamiTenseiI'' and ''[[VideoGame/ShinMegamiTenseiII II]]'' play this straight, having to take out both the forces of [[LawfulStupid heaven]] and [[ChaoticStupid hell]] to get the neutral ending. In ''2'' though no matter what you have to face [[GodIsEvil YHVH]], so while you do end up killing everyone for the neutral ending in that game, you have to take down YHVH even if you're on the law path.

*** Particular mention goes to the Liberator Route on [[NeutralGood Daichi]]'s path. In this path, you decide to simply kill [[spoiler:Polaris, without anyone taking Polaris' place as the creator of the universe]] which results in the world being static in its current state. By going this particular path, the black scar that is eating the world disappears, but all that is left is a small piece of land surrounded by an endless ocean with undrinkable water. And there is ''no'' divine deity anymore that can either manipulate or save you from this.
** ''VideoGame/ShinMegamiTenseiStrangeJourney'''s Neutral path requires you to [[spoiler:kill both half-angel Zelenin and half-demon Jimenez, as well as Mem Aleph, to put an end to the Schwarzwelt.]] It's less extreme than in earlier games, however; [[spoiler:you avoid having to slaughter your fellow crew (as is the case on either of the other two routes, minus the brainwashing), and you ultimately end up saving all of humanity rather than [[MindRape Mind Raping]] them into soulless worshippers or demonic savages. If anything, Neutral is the ''least'' damaging of the three endings.]]

* In ''VideoGame/PlanescapeTorment'', one subquest essentially runs like this... a neighborhood is caught in a war between two street-gangs: The 'evil' gang who take money wherever they can get it, and kill for kicks, and the 'good' gang of Robin Hood Wannabes who protect the locals and look out for one another. You can side with either, and push your KarmaMeter appropriately... or you can have a chat with the True Neutral guy who's standing around in an abandoned building, who asks you to take out BOTH gangs, since 'both extremes are equally dangerous'. Taking his quest-line, you basically wipe out both gangs - at once, or one after the other.

** Also counts as TakeAThirdOption, as, in the war between the Hippies and the Frat Boys, [[spoiler:you are siding with the third group of the Mysterious Island, the pirates.]]

* Both ''VideoGame/KnightsOfTheOldRepublic'' games present options like this, although in most cases both sides are "evil", for example, the conflict between Uthar and Yuthura in the first game or between the Exchange and Serroco in the second..

** The second game includes an example with [[DepravedBisexual Luxa]] and her boss. As both are fighting for control of [[TheSyndicate The Exchange]] it is not darkside to kill them both.

** ''4'' has a possibly more idealistic version--you sabotage the rebel superweapon so it's powerful enough to keep the Shapers at bay, but can't defeat them permanently. Incidentally, this means you've both kept the rebellion alive and prevented the slaughter of thousands of civilians (though the attrition from the continuing war still makes this an unpopular ending.)
** The 5th game lets more multiple endings in than either 3 or 4. There are two endings that are more less Omnicidal Neutral.

* In ''VideoGame/{{Fallout 2}}'' this is a possible option for New Reno, which has its own ending if you kill off all the families (the other towns have bad endings as well, but nothing that shows up only if you kill everyone).

*** The ''Lonesome Road'' DLC has the Courier intercept an armed nuclear missile aimed at the NCR. He can leave it be, attempt to disarm it, reroute to Legion territory...or launch another one, so that the innocent civilians of the NCR ''and'' the Legion are purged with nuclear fire. OmnicidalNeutral, indeed.

*** In fact, Yes Man was created with this trope in mind so that an omnicidal player would still have a way to reach the endgame since Yes Man himself is an AI that will simply upload itself to another Securitron if killed.
*** In ''Honest Hearts'', you can take the "Chaos in Zion" route and kill all the named NPC's, however, doing so [[GoodPaysBetter denies you the rewards and achievements]] from the main quest.

* In the first ''VideoGame/NeverwinterNights'' game when you get to Luskan the city is torn between two people fighting for control of it, each of whom will pay you to kill the other. It's kind of fun to go between them multiple times telling each the other made a better offer, eventually killing one, getting paid for it, then breaking into their base and killing them too.
** The game itself can encourage this behavior simply because of the limited amount of enemies in the game prevents LevelGrinding. If you want to level up fast then you kill someone's enemies, then come right back and kill them for the experience too.
** Luskan captains are murderers and rapists and the player has option to save their captives so good characters also have motivation to kill both.

** Ultimately averted though when the manual specifically states that it's impossible to actually crown yourself king as none of the other factions will accept an outsider on the throne. You can still basically take over the world, though.

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* The Grey Spy from Magazine/{{MAD}}'s ''Spy vs. Spy'' is a perfect combination of this and FemmeFatale: WordOfGod says she represents neutrality, and always kills ''both'' of the other spies. Of course, this got far too predictable, and thus she disappeared after a short while.
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In a world with BlackAndGrayMorality where the [[DesignatedHero good]] side isn't much better than the evil side, or especially a world with outright EvilVsEvil, this may be presented as the most idealistic path.

* The Grey Spy from Magazine/{{MAD}}'s ''Spy vs. Spy'' is a perfect combination of this and FemmeFatale: WordOfGod says she represents neutrality, and always kills ''both'' of the other spies. Of course, [[BoringInvincibleHero this got far too predictable]], and thus she disappeared after a short while.

** To be clear, the Greens were not [[JustForFun/IThoughtItMeant an eco-friendly army]] fighting against all other sides to protect nature. Rather they are the name given to a broad and loosely organised spontaneous coalition of local autonomous peasant forces fighting to protect their own communities from forced requisitions or reprisals. They did not have a unified political ideology beyond "please stop taking out stuff", and because both the Reds and the Whites engaged extensively in taking other people's stuff, conflict was rather inevitable.

** ''VideoGame/Fallout4'' averts it for the main story by [[ButThouMust forcing the player]] to eventually pick one faction over the others. Fortunately, the story [=DLCs=] at least play it straight again. Don't like any of the factions warring over Far Harbor? Just wipe them all out and leave the Island to itself. Don't want those raider gangs occupy Nuka-World any longer? KillEmAll and give it back to the peaceful traders. There are dedicated quests available to facilitate the latter two options, and if done right, the player doesn't even miss out on a lot of unique loot this way.

*** Before that, there is a battle where you can choose between fighting the demons, the angels, or both of them. If you choose one, the other side will fight with you. What you choose in this battle doesn't have any effect on the plot, however. [[spoiler:If you don't fight the humans as well, you get a NonstandardGameOver.]]

* Most of ''VideoGame/TheForceUnleashed''[='=]s missions involve Starkiller cutting down everyone and everything he comes across, including Imperial Stormtroopers who are, at the moment, at least, on his side. [[spoiler: This gets subverted in the second half, though. Once Galen joins the Rebellion, he never has to kill another rebel soldier again.]]

** [[spoiler: Also, while the main conflict in the main quest is that of [[ReasonableAuthorityFigure PDX]] against [[MegaCorp WorldCorp]], Trestkon can choose to side with [[{{Ubermensch}} Ryan]] and bring both factions down.]]

** [[spoiler: Which turns out to work in the Omar's favor. Looks like the defector didn't really defect, effectively...]]
* Similarly, in ''VideoGame/DeusExHumanRevolution'' the last of the four endings is a WellIntentionedExtremist version of this: rather than [[spoiler: telling the truth about [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone Hugh Darrow's gambit]], [[SlidingScaleOfLibertarianismAndAuthoritarianism lying on David Sarif's account, or lying on Will Taggart's account]], you can press the self-destruct button and kill everyone, including yourself, so people can figure it out by themselves.]]

* Similarly UsefulNotes/LuBu's musou mode in ''VideoGame/DynastyWarriors 6'', which basically consists of him showing up to famous battles in Chinese history and ''killing everybody''. In the end Lu actually ends up unifying China, [[spoiler: every other leader in the game, living and dead, allies against him in a ForeverWar. Naturally he couldn't be more pleased]].

** ''8'' features a Hypothetical Route where Lu Bu learns to check his pride and take strategic advice from Chen Gong to prevent his routing at Dingtao, and thus becomes so powerful that the final mission is [[spoiler: him fighting and killing nearly every single other character in the game after they all unite against him, before declaring the current Emperor too weak to rule and seizing control for himself, uniting China under his sheer might.]]

** In ''VideoGame/DevilSurvivor'' you have the option of taking a neutral option by [[spoiler:following Gin's route]], but [[SubvertedTrope you'll have to do exactly the same things as in the other endings]]: As it turns out, [[spoiler:you have to defeat the Bels either way]]. However, the ending is different; [[spoiler: the world returns to normal and all demons and angels go away. Metatron praises you for your actions and warns you never to misuse the power you've seized for yourself.]]
*** Before that, there is a battle where you can choose between fighting the demons, the angels, or both of them. If you choose one, the other side will fight with you. What you choose in this battle doesn't have any effect on the plot, however. [[spoiler: If you don't fight the humans as well, you get a NonstandardGameOver.]]

*** Particular mention goes to the Liberator Route on [[NeutralGood Daichi]]'s path. In this path, you decide to simply kill [[spoiler: Polaris, without anyone taking Polaris' place as the creator of the universe]] which results in the world being static in its current state. By going this particular path, the black scar that is eating the world disappears, but all that is left is a small piece of land surrounded by an endless ocean with undrinkable water. And there is ''no'' divine deity anymore that can either manipulate or save you from this.

* ''VideoGame/ShinMegamiTenseiIV'' has two Neutral endings: one is a traditional "defeat both Law and Chaos" ending, while the other is a bit more literal a take on this trope: [[spoiler: you get to trigger ''[[ the destruction of reality itself!]]'']]

** Also counts as TakeAThirdOption, as, in the war between the Hippies and the Frat Boys, [[spoiler: you are siding with the third group of the Mysterious Island, the pirates.]]

** The [[TakeAThirdOption "Backpath"]] method to beating ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIIIMorrowind Morrowind]]'''s main quest allows the player to become this. Instead of [[BecauseDestinySaysSo becoming the hero you are supposed to be]], you can say ScrewDestiny and [[spoiler: kill [[PhysicalGod Vivec]], steal the Wraithguard, have [[TheLastOfHisKind Yagrum Bagarn]] "jury rig" it so you can wear it, acquire Keening and Sunder, and destroy the Heart of Lorkhan yourself.]] The only "side" still standing at that point is Azura.

* ''VideoGame/ShinMegamiTenseiI'' and ''[[VideoGame/ShinMegamiTenseiII II]]'' play this straight, having to take out both the forces of [[LawfulStupid heaven]] and [[ChaoticStupid hell]] to get the neutral ending. In ''2'' though no matter what you have to face [[GodIsEvil YHWH]], so while you do end up killing everyone for the neutral ending in that game, you have to take down YHWH even if you're on the law path.

* ''VideoGame/ShinMegamiTenseiIV'' has two Neutral endings: one is a traditional "defeat both Law and Chaos" ending, while the other is a bit more literal a take on this trope: [[spoiler: you get to trigger ''[[Series/DoctorWho the destruction of reality itself!]]'']]

** To be clear, the Greens were not [[JustForFun/IThoughtItMeant an eco-friendly army]] fighting against all other sides to protect nature. Rather they are the name given to a broad and loosely organised spontaneous coalition of local autonomist peasant forces fighting to protect their own communities from forced requisitions or reprisals. They did not have a unified political ideology beyond "please stop taking out stuff", and because both the Reds and the Whites engaged extensively in taking other people's stuff, conflict was rather inevitable.

In a world with BlackAndGrayMorality where the [[DesignatedHero good]] side isn't much better than the evil side, or escpecially a world with outright EvilVsEvil, this may be presented as the most idealistic path.

* In ''Series/GoseiSentaiDairanger'', the great dragon, Daijinryuu arrived on earth due to the clash between the Dairanger and the Gorma was upsetting the balance of the universe, and made it clear that he would destroy the entire planet unless the fighting stopped. Considering [[VillainsActHeroesReact the Dairanger had to stop the Gorma from taking over the world]], this naturally posed a problem.

* In ''Series/GoseiSentaiDairanger'', the great dragon, Daijinryuu arrived on earth due to the clash between the Dairanger and the Gorma was upsetting the balance of the universe, and made it clear that he would destroy the entire planet unless the fighting stopped. Considering [[VillainActsHeroResponds the Dairanger had to stop the Gorma from taking over the world]], this naturally posed a problem.

*** Certainly has ''[[SarcasmMode nothing]]'' to do with Lu Bu's well-documented ChronicBackstabbingDisorder.

In a world with BlackAndGrayMorality where the [[DesignatedHero good]] side isn't much better than the evil side, this may be presented as the most idealistic path.

* ''VideoGame/FarCry2'' has you killing both the APR and UFLL forces , and destroying both the factions.
** Mostly because [[spoiler: both sides are headed by [[EvilVersusEvil homicidal rapist maniacs and dirty looters]], and the people you're really helping as you progress in the plot are pretty much the only force of good in the game, which of whom includes the guy you were supposed to kill.]]

** To be clear, the Greens were not [[IThoughtItMeant an eco-friendly army]] fighting against all other sides to protect nature. Rather they are the name given to a broad and loosely organised spontaneous coalition of local autonomist peasant forces fighting to protect their own communities from forced requisitions or reprisals. They did not have a unified political ideology beyond "please stop taking out stuff", and because both the Reds and the Whites engaged extensively in taking other people's stuff, conflict was rather inevitable.

* The Green Anarchists' motto from the [[RedOctober Russian Civil War]]: "Beat the Reds until they become white, beat the Whites until they become red".

** For Hircine's quest in ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsVSkyrim Skyrim]]'', you are required to either hunt Sinding, a werewolf, then skin him and turn his hide into a suit of armor, or protect Sinding from a group of werewolf hunters, which nets you Hircine's Ring (and lets you tranform into a werewolf without the usual one transformation per day limit). It is possible, due to a bug, to protect Sinding from the hunters, kill him and claim his hide, then receive the ring as though Sinding was still alive.

*** Before that, there is a battle where you can choose between fighting the demons, the angels, or both of them. If you choose one, the other side will fight with you. What you choose in this battle doesn't have any effect on the plot, however. [[spoiler: If you don't fight the humans as well, you get a NonStandardGameOver.]]

*** In a NonStandardGameOver for the ''Dead Money'' DLC, the Courier can join Elijah in using the Cloud to kill ''everyone'' in the Mojave.

* The ''Book of Swords'' trilogy by Michael Moorcock, telling the tale of {{Corum}}, the Prince in the Scarlet Robe. The books tell of Corum's war against the Lords of Chaos in favor of the Lords of Law, often invoking the Cosmic Balance. At the end of the last book, he manages to involve the God-Brothers Kwyll and Rhynn, who are not bound by Order, Chaos, or the Cosmic Balance. In gratitude for a favor done, they kill off the Chaos Lords. Then (just for the lulz) they go on to kill off the Law Lords as well, negating the Cosmic Balance by default, and leaving the mortals in control of their own destinies, with no interfering gods to muck things up. A happy ending.

** To make it clear, the Greens were not [[IThoughtItMeant an eco-friendly army]] fighting against all other sides to protect nature. Rather they are the name given to a broad and loosely organised spontaneous coalition of local autonomist peasant forces fighting to protect their own communities from forced requisitions or reprisals. They did not have a unified political ideology beyong "please stop taking out stuff", and because both the Reds and the Whites engaged extensively in taking other people's stuff, conflict was rather inevitable.