History DealWithTheDevil / VideoGames

* A major plot point in the ''Hearts of Stone'' expansion of ''VideoGame/TheWitcher3''. A noble by the name of Olgierd von Everec made a deal with a powerful demon known as [[spoiler: Gaunter O'Dimm]] in order to regain his fortune and keep his fiancee from being married off to another man, but later on refused to surrender his soul as part of the deal. Geralt is forced to make a [[LeonineContract deal with the demon in order to save his own life]], and in exchange has to help [[spoiler: O'Dimm]] fulfill the terms of the contract with von Everec. [[spoiler: Later on Geralt can learn how to banish O'Dimm by gambling for his and von Everec's souls, but if he fails they both die.]]

* ''VideoGame/ShadowHearts'' has as a major plot point in ''Covenant'' that mortals can make pacts with the three most powerful demons in that universe: Amon, Asmodeus, and Astaroth. Doing so will let the demons eventually hollow out your soul and take up residence. [[spoiler:Yuri Hyuga, who made the pact with Amon, is in no danger because [[WhenAllYouHaveIsAHammer he simply beat Amon into submission]]. Nicholai, who made the pact with Astaroth, had enough willpower to stop the DemonicPossession... until he got captured by another faction of bad guys and was tortured to the point where his spirit broke]].

* Once upon a time in ''VideoGame/RuneScape'', the Mahjarrat Sliske promised power to six generals who needed it to battle the vampires of Morytania. They won battle after battle... and on the eve of their final confrontation with the vampires, Sliske murdered them himself and turned them into the Barrows Brothers. [[ExactWords He'd never promised them victory, only power.]]

* One of the major antagonists of [[TheWildWest Cool Ranch]] in ''VideoGame/Pirate101'' is the Duck of Death, formerly known as William the Duck or English Bill, who made 2 deals with the Devil, one metaphorical and one literal. The first (metaphorical) deal was when he [[TheQuisling betrayed his kind to the Dogs of Marleybone when they promised him riches and titles]]. However, the Dogs [[ILied had no intention of keeping their end of the bargain]] and turned on him when their Steam engine failed. Bill decided to seek vengeance against the Dogs, who retaliated in kind and chased him to the world of Darkmoor. There, he made a second (literal) deal with an EldritchAbomination (Savvy [[VideoGame/{{Wizard101}} Wizard101]] players will recognize this being as [[spoiler:Old Cob]]) for great power in exchange for his soul.

--->'''Johanna:''' You have finally found your own [[JusticeWillPrevail justice]]... Please... Never lose sight of it again...

** Subverted in ''VideoGame/{{Persona 3}}''; the contract the main character signs with Pharos in the opening sequence practically ''screams'' Deal With The Devil -- but despite granting the main character the services of the slightly creepy TricksterMentor Igor, the contract in itself has no negative repercussions (it turns out to be implicitly vital in saving the world, in fact). Furthermore, the ''only'' condition on your side of the contract is to accept the consequences of your actions. ''Nothing more.''
** Inverted in ''VideoGame/{{Persona 5}}''; each character's {{Shadow|Archetype}}, [[BeneathTheMask the other self]], first manifests as their voice with a MagnificentBastard air either [[WhatTheHellHero confronting]] them about not [[BystanderSyndrome standing up for others or themselves]], or commenting that they had been waiting for them, and offering them a "contract", which results in the Shadow becoming a [[FightingSpirit Persona]] in exchange for unleashing their [[RoaringRampageOfRevenge rage and hatred on the world that wronged them]]. However since Shadows are [[BeneathTheMask part of them]] and Persona are Shadows given form by [[HeroicWillpower the strength of heart]], it basically means [[HeroicVow it is a contract with themselves]] to no longer compromise who they are, which is what gaining a persona essentially is.
*** Case in point: [[LadyOfWar Makoto]] [[JumpedAtTheCall gains her Persona]] after being [[RageBreakingPoint pushed around one to many times by one of the villains]]. She is far happier and more well adjusted after this and decides to make her own path instead of just doing what is expected of her.
---->'''Johanna:''' You have finally found your own [[JusticeWillPrevail justice]]... Please... Never lose sight of it again...

--->'''Johanna:''' You have finally found your own [[JusticeWillPrevail justice]]... Please... Never lose sight of it again...

* Subverted in ''VideoGame/{{Persona 3}}''; the contract the main character signs with Pharos in the opening sequence practically ''screams'' Deal With The Devil -- but despite granting the main character the services of the slightly creepy TricksterMentor Igor, the contract in itself has no negative repercussions (it turns out to be implicitly vital in saving the world, in fact). Furthermore, the ''only'' condition on your side of the contract is to accept the consequences of your actions. ''Nothing more.''
* Inverted in ''VideoGame/{{Persona 5}}''; each character's {{Shadow|Archetype}}, [[BeneathTheMask the other self]], first manifests as their voice with a MagnificentBastard air either [[WhatTheHellHero confronting]] them about not [[BystanderSyndrome standing up for others or themselves]], or commenting that they had been waiting for them, and offering them a "contract", which results in the Shadow becoming a [[FightingSpirit Persona]] in exchange for unleashing their [[RoaringRampageOfRevenge rage and hatred on the world that wronged them]]. However since Shadows are [[BeneathTheMask part of them]] and Persona are Shadows given form by [[HeroicWillpower the strength of heart]], it basically means [[HeroicVow it is a contract with themselves]] to no longer compromise who they are, which is what gaining a persona essentially is.
** Case in point: [[LadyOfWar Makoto]] [[JumpedAtTheCall gains her Persona]] after being [[RageBreakingPoint pushed around one to many times by one of the villains]]. She is far happier and more well adjusted after this and decides to make her own path instead of just doing what is expected of her.

** A more traditional example occurs in ''[[UpdatedRerelease Royal]]'': [[spoiler: When [[WellIntentionedExtremist Dr. Maruki]] formed a contract with his Persona, which took the form of the [[EldritchAbomination Lovecraftian deity]] [[Franchise/CthulhuMythos Azathoth]], it offered him the power to relieve his girlfriend's trauma. He accepts, and inadvertently erases her memories of himself as well as her trauma.]]

* In ''VideoGame/TheNeverhood'', Klogg offers you Hoborg's crown. [[spoiler:[[BadEnding You probably shouldn't take it.]]]]

* In ''VideoGame/NeverwinterNights: Hordes of the Underdark'', [[DiscOneFinalBoss the Valsharess]] hasn't to her own mind even made a deal with the devil, but simply [[spoiler:made him her [[TheDragon servant]] (somehow). However, considering he is an archdevil called Mephistopheles, she should have known it was not going to end well. There are rules, whatever they may be, and eventually he uses the player character to manipulate her to break them enough that he can bend the bounds of her control and have her killed. Then, [[XanatosSpeedChess since he now happens to be in the material world]], he sets out to [[TakeOverTheWorld conquer it]]. Later, he may simply talk the player's companions into joining him before the final encounter.]] It is even hinted that the entire "deal" was an EvilPlan by [[spoiler:Mephistopheles]] himself, started as far back as the previous game.

* In ''VideoGame/NeverwinterNights: Hordes of the Underdark'', [[DiscOneFinalBoss the Valsharess]] hasn't to her own mind even made a deal with the devil, but simply [[spoiler:made him her [[TheDragon servant]] (somehow). However, considering he is an archdevil called Mephistopheles, she should have known it was not going to end well. There are rules, whatever they may be, and eventually he uses the player character to manipulate her to break them enough that he can bend the bounds of her control and have her killed. Then, [[XanatosSpeedChess since he now happens to be in the material world]], he sets out to [[TakeOverTheWorld conquer it]]. Later, he may simply talk the player's companions into joining him before the final encounter.]]
** It is even hinted that the entire "deal" was an EvilPlan by [[spoiler:Mephistopheles]] himself, started as far back as the previous game.

* [[EldritchAbomination The Reapers]] in ''Franchise/MassEffect'' often make use of humanoid aliens to assist them in their repeating genocides of all galactic civilizations. Since they know that nobody would willingly help them or even be fooled by offers to be spared for their help, they instead rely on Indoctrination, distorting the minds of all sentient creatures within several dozen kilometers around them to make them see the Reapers as trustworthy and not all bad. While it has only limited reach and takes time, strong individuals can retain their personalities and abilities almost intact for quite a long time, making them extremely valuable to infiltrate any group that might be a real problem in the next coming extermination. At shorter range, even small parts of dead Reapers still have that effect after millions of years.

* It's revealed in ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfHeroesTrailsOfColdSteel IV'' that [[spoiler:Osborne ended up making a deal with [[BigBad Ishmelga]] to save Rean's life. At the end of ''Cold Steel IV'', Ishmelga desperately wants to make a deal with [[TheHero Rean]] to make him more powerful just to save his own skin but Rean wouldn't want any of that and cuts him down to two.]]

* In ''VideoGame/HalfLife1'', the G-Man takes the liberty to conscript Gordon Freeman into his service without ever offering him a choice [[spoiler:or actually informing him about it until the end of the game]]. In both this and ''VideoGame/HalfLife2'', he's constantly around manipulating events to turn out favorably for Gordon and his allies. Episode 2 informs us [[spoiler:that he did the same to Eli Vance. Instead of forcing them to do the work for him, he arranges it so that by achieving each of their own goals, they actually further his own hidden agenda.]]

* In ''VisualNovel/FateStayNight'' Alaya, the will of Humanity to survive, is capable of making deals with humans. In exchange for a miracle granted via Alaya's power, the human agrees to become a Counter-Guardian in death. Counter-Guardians are dispatched to destroy threats to humanity, which more often than not are humans themselves, and destroying anything associated with the threat, up to and including entire nations. The only way to escape the contract is if the Counter-Guardian's legend becomes revered enough for them to enter the Throne of Heroes.

* In an Etna mode chapter break in the UpdatedRerelease of ''VideoGame/{{Disgaea|HourOfDarkness}}'', she offers to beat up bullies harassing a 7-year old kid, in exchange for the kid's servitude after he dies. Seeing as this is [[BadBoss Etna,]] a nearby prinny immediately objects.
* In ''VideoGame/Disgaea2CursedMemories'', it's suggested that Adell had such a deal with a HornyDevil, but it ended with him getting the scars on his face. It's implied that it was for the identity of his MissingMom and DisappearedDad.
* {{Inverted}} in ''VideoGame/Disgaea4APromiseUnforgotten'', where it's a desperate ''demon'' who ends up making a Deal With The Human.

* ''VideoGame/TheSeventhGuest'' implies this happened with Henry Stauf, the villain of the game. The visions of the dolls he carved for children came from an unspecified source of evil; the game's plot revolves around Stauf trying to get enough souls to complete a pact with this evil force, which gave him supernatural powers that he used to kill the guests in his home. (The game never specifies exactly what the force is or what the consequences will be if Stauf completes the pact.) Beating the game turns Stauf into a spirit trapped in his own mansion.

* ''VideoGame/TheSeventhGuest'' implies this happened with Henry Stauf, the villain of the game. The visions of the dolls he carved for children came from an unspecified source of evil; the game's plot revolves around Stauf trying to get enough souls to complete a pact with this evil force, which gave him supernatural powers that he used to kill the guests in his home. (The game never specifies exactly what the force is or what the consequences will be if Stauf completes the pact.) Beating the game turns Stauf into a spirit trapped in his own mansion.
** In the sequel, ''The 11th Hour'', the mansion has become a physical being thanks to Stauf haunting it--or, at least, that is what the ethereal Stauf believes, since the house is decaying with time. He demands his "staff", which includes [[spoiler:four guests from the first game and his own daughter]], bring him more innocent souls as sacrifices. This game has three endings, each with its own fate for Stauf: [[spoiler:The house "starves" to death, killing Stauf and the trapped souls with it; Stauf gets a new "guest" to give up her soul, but the house remains in limbo; or Stauf gets the final sacrifice he needs to return his house to its former glory and unleash its dark power]]. Of the three endings, [[spoiler:the second one is considered the most canonical, as it was the intended ending before the devs decided on multiple endings]].

* Twisted on its head in ''VideoGame/PlanescapeTorment'' with Fhjull Forked-Tongue, a devil who tried to tempt a fallen angel with a deal... only to find that said angel was ''[[GoodIsNotNice considerably]]'' [[GoodIsNotNice defter at contract manipulation than he]], with the end result being that he's forced to be good for as long as he and the angel remain alive (both are, naturally, immortal). It goes without saying that when you meet him, he's ''not'' having a happy existence.
** Played straight in the same game [[spoiler:should the Nameless One come across the Grimoire of Pestilential Thought. It offers rather cynical wisdom such as "There are two secrets for becoming truly powerful. The first is to never tell anyone everything you know." But, it can teach you powerful spells, at a price. It starts off just wanting a drop of your blood, but it then demands you sell one of your party members into slavery. Finally, in exchange for "Power Word: Kill", you must murder another one of your party members.]]

** [[spoiler:The Khan Makyr]] from ''VideoGame/DoomEternal'' made an even worse and far more damaging deal with Hell: [[spoiler:in exchange for the Khan Makyr giving worlds over to the demons for consumption, the demons make the souls of the people of those worlds into Argent Energy and send it to Urdak so that the Maykrs don't have to undergo Transfiguration]].

* ''VideoGame/{{Guacamelee}}'''s main antagonist Carlos Calaca has one in his backstory. A famous sportsman in his life, made a deal with [[{{Satan}} El Diablo]] to fix his broken hand so he could participate in and win La Gran Charreada. However, just before he could claim the trophy, Diablo dragged him to the World of the Dead. Calaca [[{{Understatement}} did not take this well]], [[spoiler:turned El Diablo into a chicken]], and now plots to take over both life and death to make everyone [[AGodAmI worship him]].

* One of the major antagonists of [[TheWildWest Cool Ranch]] area of ''VideoGame/Pirate101'' is the Duck of Death, formerly known as William the Duck or English Bill, who made 2 deals with the Devil, one metaphorical and one literal. The first (metaphorical) deal was when he [[TheQuisling betrayed his kind to the Dogs of Marleybone when they promised him riches and titles]]. However, the Dogs [[ILied had no intention of keeping their end of the bargain]] and turned on him when their Steam engine failed. Bill decided to seek vengeance against the Dogs, who retaliated in kind and chased him to the world of Darkmoor. There, he made a second (literal) deal with an EldritchAbomination (Savvy [[VideoGame/{{Wizard101}} Wizard101]] players will recognize this being as [[spoiler:Old Cob]]) for great power in exchange for his soul.

* This is how most of the bosses in the ''VideoGame/MegaManStarForce'' games become bosses in the first place.

*** This particular incarnation of the trope is interesting because, while signatories to the Dustmen contract may often feel like they've undergone this trope, the Dustmen themselves do not see it this way. In their philosophy, a body is nothing but a vessel for the soul, and once the subject is dead (and their soul has passed on), what's left is just an empty shell that isn't in any way sacrosanct. Understanding this can allow The Nameless One to get someone out of a Dustman contract, by pointing out to the Dustman who signed it that the idea of having his body reanimated later is causing the signatory mental anguish now that may damage his soul and prevent him from reaching [[TheNothingAfterDeath True Death]].

*** [[spoiler:Connor]] makes a deal with a demon to [[spoiler:save his father after he was poisoned]]. The demon keeps their word...and then possesses him, turning him into an unstable [[TheCaligula Caligula]] who will destroy the nearby village and it's inhabitants unless the player intervenes.

* Cross in ''VideoGame/{{Brawlhalla}} is a mobster who made a deal with a devil in order to bind it to him and use him as a weapon and he'll be able to do so until his last battle. He's using a LoopholeAbuse in the fact that he's now in Valhalla, where he gets to fight infinitely.