GTA 5 player completes pacifist run 3 years in the making

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It took DarkViperAU 1227 days to play through all of GTA 5, killing as few people as possible

Grand Theft Auto 5
(Image credit: Rockstar Games)

By the time the credits roll in GTA 5, you've likely racked up a pretty hefty body count, but not if you're Matthew Judge, better known online as DarkViperAU. The streamer took it upon himself to discover the minimum number of people you need to kill in order to complete the game. This was no easy feat, as it took him three whole years to get the answer. 

DarkViperAU began his pacifist attempt on May 25, 2019. Over the course of 27 videos - made from over 1,000 hours of footage - he played through the entirety of GTA 5's story, all the while trying to avoid taking out any NPCs or enemies. There are, of course, times when eliminating individuals is essential to progressing, which are the only casualties personally caused by the player. 

This pacifist approach was achieved by having other NPCs do the shooting during battles, along with some clever use of stealth and strategy, and a heck of a lot of patience. To make things even more difficult, DarkViperAU didn't allow himself to use cheats or mods to complete missions.

"I honestly doubt anyone thought it would take this long," says DarkViperAU in the final video, which was uploaded just yesterday, October 3. According to the streamer, he completed his pacifist run with a total of 96 kills, 30 using firearms and the rest with melee attacks.

Not only is it impressive to see how the YouTuber manages to achieve a considerably low number of kills in a game steeped in violence and criminality, but there's also a fair share of comedy thrown in for good measure. If you find yourself with some time to spare, these videos are certainly worth a watch.

DarkViperAU ends his last video by saying, "This series has generated over 30 million views and 90,000 subscribers. It has also taken the better part of my sanity, but it was well worth it."

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Anne-Marie Ostler
Anne-Marie Ostler
Freelance Writer

Originally from Ireland, I moved to the UK in 2014 to pursue a Games Journalism and PR degree at Staffordshire University. Following that, I've freelanced for GamesMaster, Games TM, Official PlayStation Magazine and, more recently, Play and GamesRadar+. My love of gaming sprang from successfully defeating that first Goomba in Super Mario Bros on the NES. These days, PlayStation is my jam. When not gaming or writing, I can usually be found scouring the internet for anything Tomb Raider related to add to my out of control memorabilia collection.