Romance is often included in choice-based RPGs likeCyberpunk 2077as an optional subplot. Other RPGs, like theFinal Fantasyseries, also include romance, though usually as a predetermined part of the story instead of a choice the player gets to make. Both strategies have their respective strenghts and weaknesses, and gaming’s best romances appear in both styles of storytelling.
Before discussing the best romances in gaming, it’s worth mentioning that this is a topic that is perhaps even more subjective than ranking things like difficulty or even the overall quality of a game. After all, in a world where C.M. Nacosta’sCambric Creekseries exists, it’s clear that what one finds appealing about a romance can deviate quite significantly from standard conventions. I’ve stuck to thevideo game romances that I’ve found the most memorable and unique, though there are many more than the ones here that I’ve also really enjoyed.
Geralt and Yennefer’s relationship inThe Witcher 3isn’t exactly all warm and fuzzy.There is a lot of complex history here, developed over the course of the previous game and throughTheWitcherbooks by Andrzej Sapkowski. But that is exactly what makes this romance so compelling compared to others from RPGs.
Often, video game romances run a little too smoothly, especially when you’re given dialogue options and can just pick the right things to say.The Witcher 3injects a little more nuance into the preceding, especially since Yennefer isn’t exactly happy with Geralt at the start of the game. However, it’s still clear that the two characters care a lot about each other, and their roles as surrogate parents to Ciri help bring them together.
The game also serves as an interesting conclusion toThe Witcherstory,The Last Wish, by allowing Geralt and Yennefer to break the wish that binds them. This allows them to decide to move forward with their romance without any supernatural aid, and therefore without any questions as to whether it’s what they truly want.
Fire Emblem: Three Housesdeserves to be mentioned in any discussion of video game romances, but not necessarily because of any given relationship. Instead, this game stands out due to itshuge number of romance optionsfor players. In total,there are 35 characters who are potential love interests, which is far more than most games give you.
Now,you won’t have access to all 35 options in every playthrough ofFire Emblem: Three Houses, as some are restricted by your chosen gender, as well as decisions you make in the game. Still, there is a lot of flexibility in this game as to who you decide to romance. There are occasionally games with romance options where you wish an unavailable character was a potential love interest. That’s never really the case withFire Emblem: Three Houses.
Baldur’s Gate 3has multiple great romance options, so it’s hard to pick just one. However, if you are sticking to origin characters, then it’s hard to beat theromance between Shadowheart and Lae’zel. The two start off butting heads, making this a classic enemies-to-lovers situation. That said,the appeal of this romance goes beyond simply adhering to a popular romance trope.
Lae’zel and Shadowheart may have their differences, but they are a lot more alike than they initially seem.Both have been indoctrinated into following a harmful belief system, whether it be Shadowheart’s Shar worship, or Lae’zel’s devotion to Vlaakith. Over the course of the game, both have to come to terms with the fact that what they initially believe isn’t what it seems, and change for the better.
Not only do they have parallel arcs, butthese two grow to begrudgingly respect one another over time. If you’re playing one of them, you can develop this into a romance that is very narratively satisfying, as it is reflective of the personal growth they both experience. The two also just have great chemistry, and bounce off one another in entertaining ways.
I never go into aWarhammer 40,000game expecting to even like most of the characters, let alone want to romance one. This is especially true for members of the Inquisition, AKA the secret police for the fascistic Imperium of Man. Perhaps it was these low expectations that caught me so off guard while playingWarhammer 40,000: Rogue Traderandfinding myself surprisingly invested in the romance between the player character and Interrogator Heinrix van Calox.
Heinrix initially appears to be a staunch believer in the Imperial Creed, so when he starts to waiver in response to your romantic advances, it feels pretty rewarding. There’s something strangely appealing about a romance with a character who is basically awful in every regard, except for how they treat you.It’s not the kind of relationship you’d want in real life, but it does make for a memorable experience in a video game.
I’ve already coveredFinal Fantasy’s biggest romances, but it was still difficult not to include more than one on this list. The series includes many of gaming’s most iconic couples, likeFF10’s Tidus and Yuna, orFF7’s Cloud and whoever you personally choose to believe. That said, if I had to choose one that stands out the most, it’sCeles and Locke fromFinal Fantasy 6.
The relationship between these two is a slow burn, sinceboth are somewhat closed off to the possibility of romance. Locke feels guilty about endangering and then failing to save his previous love interest, Rachel, while Celes feels guilty about the acts she’s been forced to commit as a member of the Gestahlian Empire’s forces. Early hints at a romance between them are brushed off by both characters, with Locke hiding behind his forced bravado, and Celes insisting she is “not some love-starved twit.”
Despite these initial reservations,both grow to care for each other over time, and we get hints at their romantic feelings for one anotherduring the opera scene. Things become more explicit when Celes mourns Locke at the start of the game’s World of Ruin section. The newer translations of Locke’s farewell to Rachel also make it clear that he has feelings for Celes, and Rachel gives him her blessing to pursue this new romance.
The relationship between Bastila Shan and the Revan inKnights of the Old Republicis similar to an enemies-to-lovers set up, but with a twist.Revan is a former Sith who was defeated by Bastila, but spends the bulk of the game not remembering who he was. Players don’t realize they are playing as Revan until later on, meaning Bastila’s initial coldness and distrust of them makes it feel more like she is simply trying to remain detached like Jedi are meant to be.
The use of he/him pronouns for Revan in this section is because only male characters have the option to romance Bastila. Players can choose to make Revan female, which gives them the option to romance Carth Onasi or Juhani.
Depending on the decisions the player makes,Bastila will begin to trust Revan more overtime, seeing that he isn’t the person she thought he was. Eventually, the two can begin a romance, something that is strictly forbidden as both are Jedi. This adds another element of excitement to the romance, which is already well-developed given the characters' history and chemistry.
Persona 4 Goldenhas some good romance options for the protagonist/player character, but one of the best romances from the game actually plays out between two of your other party members: Kanji Tatsumi and Naoto Shirogane. Now,it’s worth noting that this romance is more implied than explicit, mainly because Naoto is also a romantic option for the player. Therefore, cutscenes and scripted dialogue between Kanji and Naoto can’t confirm anything to preserve player choice. That said, the game uses a fair few anime conventions to imply a pretty cute romance between these characters.
One great aspect of this romance ishow well the characters complement each other. Kanji is loud, straightforward, and lovably stupid at times, whereas Naoto is quiet, shy, and incredibly clever. The pair also share some sweet moments, like Kanji giving Naoto skiing lessons inPersona 4 Golden’s added content.
The two alsoshare thematic similarities in their arcs. Kanji is questioning his sexuality, while Naoto is struggling with gender identity issues. This adds to their dynamic in scenes like Naoto’s boss fight, where Kanji makes a point to tell the others to let Naoto “spill the whole thing,” while working through similar issues that he dealt with. While Kanji and Naoto occasionally getting flustered around one another is cute,this shared understanding adds more depth to their relationship and implied romance.
TheMass Effecttrilogy is another instance of an RPG where there are several good romantic options. For instance, the relationship between Shepard and Garrus is also pretty well-told, though it suffers a bit by not starting until the second game. A big part of why I would consider the romance between Shepard and Liara to be the best in the series, and one of the best in RPGs as a whole, ishow it develops over time.
I don’t actually love the relationship between Liara and Shepard in the firstMass Effectgame. Liara may be much older in terms of years, but she lacks a lot of Shepard’s experience and worldliness, which makes the relationship feel somewhat imbalanced. However, Liara really comes into her own inMass Effect 2, and by the time the characters reunite inMass Effect 3, they feel a lot more like equals.
Development over the course of multiple games was the entire appeal ofMass Effect, andShepard and Liara’s romance feels almost like a proof of concept. I defaulted to romancing Liara in the first game because of Ashley Williams' blatant bigotry toward alien species, but came to really enjoy Liara and Shepard’s dynamic by the end of the trilogy.
Anyone who has playedFable 2may be rightfully confused about seeing it on this list. After all, there are no real scripted romances. Instead, you can simply decide to marry almost any NPC so long as you fill their approval meter by doing things like whistling or farting. That said, there’s something delightfully crass aboutFable 2’s strange approach to romance, andscaring off a potential love interest by accidentally pooping my pants in front of a crowd is a formative gaming memory.
Fable 2is also the first game I played where I was able to marry characters regardless of gender, something that was still illegal in the United States when I first played it in 2008. This made the game feel not only more inclusive, but also cool and subversive for its time. It may lack the nuance of some of these romances, butFable 2nonetheless has one of the most memorable romance experiences in RPGs.
Regardless of whether players romance her, or simply have a platonic relationship with her,V’s relationship with Judy Alvarezisa highlight ofCyberpunk 2077. V initially meets Judy through Evelyn Parker, who is helping them pull off a job. Judy is initially skeptical of V and doesn’t like what Evelyn is getting mixed up in. Judy is proven right to have reservations when the job goes sideways, and Evelyn ends up being held captive by scavengers.
V initially helps Judy try to save Evelyn, but she ultimately dies regardless. V and Judy not only grow closer by working together, but through their shared grief of losing close friends to the cruel world of Night City. While they meet under sad circumstances, there is something surprisingly hopeful about V and Judy’s relationship inCyberpunk 2077. Seeing that love is still possible, even amidst so much loss and grief, is a silver lining to many of the game’s darker scenes.
