That's a question only you can answer
Discussion
Is it better to be an NPC? You’re not controlled by anyone!
As an NPC, you're programmed by the masters of the simulation. You may behave as if you've got free will but your actions are dictated by external factors.
As a sovereign individual, you alone decide how you act in life and react to external stimuli. In the worse case scenario, your actions are or can be controlled by a higher power.