You might have come across the thought experiment known as 'The Trolley Problem' before; so how about a game based on the same premise to test your morals? This is exactly what solo dev team ReadGraves' Trolley Problem, Inc proposes and you will get to finally play a game that tells you if you're a bad person or not when it launches later this month.

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With scenarios that challenge opinions on vaccinations, war, immigration, corporate espionage, religion… even the nature of decision making itself, Trolley Problem, Inc. will take players on a journey that could ultimately change how they view the world, themselves and ultimately the concept of free will.

Players are initially assessed as new recruits to Trolley Problem, Inc. – their suitability for employment determined through some initial introductory problem solving which only affects the lives of a few people and a dog. Two choices are offered – then a countdown begins. Pick the option you feel is right – but justifying your decisions to any family or friends watching you? Well, that’s your problem.

Trolley Problem, Inc. features:

• 55 intensely thought-provoking multiple-choice questions across a 90-minute playtime
• Streamer mode allows content creators to engage with a live viewing audience
• Multiple profiles allow local players to compare and discuss their choice – whilst global statistics reflect the choices players across the world have made
• References to the original philosophical papers
• A host of unlockables to discover throughout the game
• The strangest ‘Achievements’ ever featured in a video game
• Voice acting by Dead Ringers, Spitting Image and Skins actor, Jan Ravens
• Support in 10 different languages: English, French, German, Spanish, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, Simplified Chinese, Arabic

Trolley Problem, Inc. will be available on PC on 21 April 2022 priced at £8.99 / $10.99 / €10.99.

SOURCE: GBAtemp Inbox

 

[Plasmaster09]

this is many broken relationships waiting to happen

 

[Deleted member 535703]

Some men just want to watch the world burn.

 

[tabzer]

"Do you hate yourself? Well, so do we! Any depression you already have is not enough, but we will correct that! Book your one way trip to nihilism and secure a preorder today. Hope to see you on the tracks!"

 

[Bladexdsl]

who in the fuck would want to play this garbage?!

 

[Taleweaver]

Finally : all the epic gruesome moral dilemma's of frostpunk and none of the boring city building!

... wait.


(seriously, though : I'd play this. And probably hate my former self)

 

[Maq47]

this is many broken relationships waiting to happen

Sus.

 

[hippy dave]

 

[Clydefrosch]

the point of the trolley problem is to accept that you always need to save the maximum number of lives no matter what choice that entails and then you deal with the blood on your hands without feeling good about yourself.
there is no patting yourself on the back for either action or inaction.
you, as the lever guy, have already lost the game.

 

[MadMakuFuuma]

who in the fuck would want to play this garbage?!

speedrunners looking for easy viewers (for the laughs ) i think

 

[FAST6191]

Always wanted to see a game do more than the stomp on/pet the puppy moral choice system. Price is probably a bit steep but can see it being a fun party game (trivia games and minigames get boring in the end) and they have done more than the minimum effort.

the point of the trolley problem is to accept that you always need to save the maximum number of lives no matter what choice that entails and then you deal with the blood on your hands without feeling good about yourself.
there is no patting yourself on the back for either action or inaction.
you, as the lever guy, have already lost the game.

The baseline one could be answered that way, though I would say that is still debatable and you can't dismiss actions vs inaction that easily either. However the curveball ones (which I did see briefly flash up in the video) wherein the would be splattered are less desirable members of society (I did see the popular fat guy curveball one in that too*) are where the real fun comes in.

*various times it is run it is noted that being fat is over a population of tested a death sentence compared to an identical non fat person.

 

[tabzer]

Will this be in the game?

 

[SecureBoot]

the point of the trolley problem is to accept that you always need to save the maximum number of lives no matter what choice that entails and then you deal with the blood on your hands without feeling good about yourself.
there is no patting yourself on the back for either action or inaction.
you, as the lever guy, have already lost the game.

I disagree entirely. There is no one "point" or "solution" to the trolley problem. "Saving the 5 people" isn't the "right" answer, nor is "saving the one person"

 

[Deleted member 483379]

who in the fuck would want to play this garbage?!

me

 

[tabzer]

I disagree entirely. There is no one "point" or "solution" to the trolley problem. "Saving the 5 people" isn't the "right" answer, nor is "saving the one person"

Putting yourself in that position seems like the wrong choice to begin with. It seems like it would appeal to people who want to have authority over the lives and deaths of others. By comparison, GTA is more nuanced.

Hi, I'm a trolly engineer, and I chose the cheapest mechanic and I skip my routine maintenance and safety-checks, but I am going to convince you that I care about others.

 

[Axido]

I always hated the Trolley Problem for being unrealistically restricted. I could only imagine myself in this exact situation if some sick bastard set all of this up on purpose.

 

[Xzi]

Not really a game in the traditional sense, but could be entertaining for a bit. At least they're only asking about ten bucks for it.

I always hated the Trolley Problem for being unrealistically restricted. I could only imagine myself in this exact situation if some sick bastard set all of this up on purpose.

Unrealistic? Life is full of no-win scenarios. The stakes riding on your choices aren't usually as high as somebody's life, but still.

 

[FAST6191]

I always hated the Trolley Problem for being unrealistically restricted. I could only imagine myself in this exact situation if some sick bastard set all of this up on purpose.

I would view it similar to game theory games ( https://www.gametheory.net/dictionary/ ).

Nobody plays the prisoner's dilemma for fun. The answers people give to it and being able to recognise it as a situation within a greater game (wherein it can actually be fun/a meaningful decision), and one of multiple foundational blocks of such games. Different matter entirely.
The one that can recognise the games, or moral problems if we are sticking with the original theme, codify them in some manner and run the logic then gets a distinct advantage, give or take analysis paralysis, over he who goes with the gut or can not provide reasoning.

As far as real life
https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=12205440&t=1649199368015 is on the more famous side.
Maybe not directly mapping to trolley problem as much as a series of related ones I will go it.
I would also ask how many businesses have faced a "fire five now such that a dozen more may survive in the longer term" type scenario?

 

[weatMod]

who in the fuck would want to play this garbage?!

Zoe Quinn probably

 

[slaphappygamer]

Kind of reminds me of Good Job, but with murders and dirty feelings. Probably won’t touch this, though. Hitman is my guilty pleasure.