Most well-written game romance?

[Irridium]

The Baldur's Gate 1+2 romances were pretty good. Then again I haven't played the game in a long time, so it's probably just nostalgia. Still, they're better than the Bioware romances from their most recent games (dragon age and mass effect series). That's for damn sure.

 

[Mikeyfell]

Sherufanir and Ladius from Record of Agarest War

Those two just have the best chemistry of any two characters that come to mind. On the surface it seems like the standard "opposites attract" story but it's played out really well much like every thing else in Record of Agarest War.

Fyuria and Leo also work well together
Faina and Toma too, The game just has excellent writing, and the romances are so good because they're a core mechanic and not just some tacked on goodie, Speaking of tacked on goodies....

More game romances I liked come from Bioware games.
Wynne flirting with Alistar was definitely in the top 5 moments of Dragon Age Origins.

The Tali X Garrus romance was awesome (And further cements Tali in as one of my favorite characters of all times)

I liked the Mass Effect 2 Garrus Romance, but how they payed it off in 3 kinda sucked (I had to dump him in favor of Samantha Traynor)

and the Traynor romance is my favorite in the Mass Effect series (And it's not just because Liara didn't have emotions in ME 3) Her and Tali are the only ones who actually talk about sex (Or acknowledge the romance in any way) And there's nothing more rewarding than a partner who actually remembers all the sex you had...

as far as all the "romances" that only ever happened in my brain...
Rita and Estelle from Tales of Vesperia. I can't be the only one that thought something was up between those two...Right? Right....? oh never mind

 

[TheCommanders]

Personally I like the Shepard/Liara romance in Mass Effect. It was one of only a few that actually had an arc. I understand why people like Tali, but the fact that she sounds like my polish grandmother just preemptively ends any possibility of me being able to romance her. Also the fact that I have no idea what she looks like and even kissing her could be fatal are sort of turn offs as well. I guess some people might like not knowing what she looks like, because then she looks like whatever you can imagine, but personally I like to see the person I'm talking to/romancing.

 

[solidmetal]

i like some of the romaance in bioware game, The Baldur's Gate and dragon age origin is cool but i dont like romance mass effect series and dragon age 2

 

[BehattedWanderer]

Gonna go with Monkey and Trip from Enslaved. See also, Link and Zelda in Skyward Sword, Morrigan and the Warden when you don't just bomb gifts onto her, but actually spend time trying to get close to her, and coming shortly behind, Kratos and the disembodied head of Helios.

Honorary mention goes to Link and Midna, but they lost because they didn't quite to the actual romancing stage. Pity. Can we have some more Midna, please, Nintendo?

Solid Snake and Otacon had a damn good BROmance

[HEADING=1]Fuck yeah![/HEADING]

Nothing beats a good bromance, and in that regard, I nominate Shepard and Garrus.

Manshep and Garrus.

That's not to say that Femshep couldn't have a good bromance with Garrus.

Afterall.

Article 22 of the Brocode states: There is no law that prohibits a woman from being a Bro.

True story.

Garrus is the best Bro, and Liara is the best Girl Bro. Though, if this thread on bromances in games doesn't have Cole and Zeke from Infamous 2, then it's flat out wrong. This is a fact.

 

[bullet_sandw1ch]

Oh no

You...

You don't know about the Sunbros?

Spoiler: Oh dear

that one picture has more cheer than the whole game does.

 

[Dreiko_v1legacy]

I'm expect to be stoned by a few people for this but Squall and Rinoa!

I competely agree. The part where Squall cuts Rinoa out of the seal in the sorceress memorial is one of my favourite scenes ever.

And what about that scene in space. God created the concept of manly tears for a thing such as this! XD


The multitudes of people in the school of cool and disinterested will call this cheesy and melodramatic...but that alone does not bad a story make.

 

[KoudelkaMorgan]

Maxim and Selene in Lufia
Yuri and Alice in Shadowhearts
Alex and Luna in Lunar

 

[Indecipherable]

I liked the NWN:HOTU romances, although it's been so long since I've played them I am a little unwilling to go back and find that fine luster of nostalgia could be tarnished.

 

[Samus Aran but a man]

I always found Locke and Celes' relationship in FF6 nice

 

[mParadox]

Assassins Creed: The bromance of Altair and Malik was, for the lack of a better word, awesome.

'Safety and peace, Malik. o.o'
'Your presence here deprives me of both! >:c'

And of course! The romance in Skyrim. You're single and got the Amulet of Mara? Get hitched to a total stranger no questions asked!

 

[Terminate421]

snip h

I feel like the part where isaac tells Nicole to fuck off (shut up actually but you get the idea) sealed the deal for me. Say what you want against the game but the internal conflict is one of the best written things I've seen in a while.

Also I like how we have feminism arguments but almost no one even mentions Ellie who is clearly capable of defending herself and such without being over done or over sexualized

 

[Nami nom noms]

I've yet to see a truly good one, but I guess Kingdom Hearts... Kairi and Sora

 

[Chunga the Great]

Alyx and Gordon in Half-Life 2, because it's subtle and not in-your-face to the point of it being a central part of the game.

 

[OniSuika]

Digital: A Love Story is one I played recently and really really appreciated. It's also free so anyone who is curious to try it has no reason not to. Go Google it! The Author has also written 2 other excellent visual novels, but neither are really romance centred, more using romances you're made aware of as a plot device. one is also free, "Don't Take It Personally Babe It Just Ain't Your Story", and another is available cheap on Steam, "Analogue: A Hate Story". All are implied to be set in the same universe.

On the subject of visual novels, obligatory Katawa Shoujo mention, especially Rin's story. Emotional as hell and arguably more about dealing with mental illness than romance, but still and incredible story.

I think in general games are really lacking on the well-written-romance side. Trying to remember some notable examples here. All of Catherine is an instant win for being very believable and relate-able, yet still filling that Atlus quota of complete insanity towards the end.

And speaking of Atlus, a lot of the romance side-stories in Persona are pretty opinion based, but I think the romance stories in Persona 4 were never horrible, and some managed to be really good, with my personal favourite probably being Ai Ebihara's. Persona 3 also had an interesting story going on with both Yukari and Aigis, getting very interestingly brought up again for it's sequel chapter The Answer. Kinda like a deconstruction of video game approach to open ended romance.

Time to cut off before I turn this into an essay I think.

 

[Misterian]

Strangely enough, I think I liked the romance between Lin and Donnie from the first Saints Row.

You do see them share a little bit of chemistry, and within cut-scenes you get to what they're both like personality-wise, enabling you to see how they could've made a decent couple.

Though it does feel a little depressing to see how badly in ended for Lin....


Oh, and I did find the sexual tension between Johnny Gat and Aisha in the first Saints Row (along with the second, to a certain degree) kinda funny.

 

[eimatshya]

I thought the "romance", such as it was, between April and Crow in the Longest Journey was pretty cute.

I also liked the dynamic between the Nameless One and Fall-From-Grace in Planescape:Torment, although I'm not sure how much of a real "romance" was there and how much of that was my imagination (especially since I haven't played that game in years).

And, to keep the theme of not-really-counting-as-a-romance romances going, I thought Darth Sion's obsession with the Exile (KotOR II), if she was light side and female, and his twisted way of responding to those feelings were a neat addition to the story. Also, in the Restored Content Mod:

Spoiler: KotOR II Restored Content Mod Spoiler

When playing as the female exile, Atton's death scene if he didn't win the fight with Scion was pretty awesome. Even though the actor's delivery of the lines wasn't always spot-on, the scene was still really moving for me.

And finally, for a normal one, I liked the romance that can emerge between your character and Mina in Alpha Protocol (or at least the way it worked in my playthrough). And the whole riding-off-into-the-sunset-together thing at the end, while cheesy, felt appropriate and satisfying (it made me smile, anyway).

 

[IllumInaTIma]

FemShep and Garrus; ManShep and Tali.
Despite all the badassness that Garruss and Tali had there was certain awkwardness in the way they try to romance... I really liked it.

 

[omglazorspewpew]

Since I haven't seen anyone mention it, and others have already said the first one I thought (Monkey and Trip from Enslaved) I am going to go with Nier and Kaine from Nier. I know the game has it's fair share of problems, but if you can get past those things you will find a very well written game with an amazing soundtrack.

As far as the romance goes, Nier did an amazing job slowly making you believe that all these characters care for each other. Nier and Kaine don't start off as romantic interests at all, often they are berating each other but over time and through all the trials they went through together you start to see them both falling for each other even though they don't make it very apparent. They were able to foster the romance through subtle changes in their interactions both during the cutscenes and during gameplay.