Poll: Do you think the whole romance subplot thing improves Bioware games?

[Netrigan]

I pretty much did it to do it in Dragon Age. Just finished Mass Effect and totally failed to get the blue girl's kit off (and frankly didn't care much). Eyeing the available canidates in the second and find them seriously lacking for a female character who prefers the love that dare not speak it's name.

I'm playing serious, no-nonsense ***** on wheels (modelling her after Judge Dredd) and really wish there was a cat in heat option. Creepy guy in a bar was hitting on her and I knew she'd be down for it, but I could only shoot the perv down.

 

[JeanLuc761]

I don't think any of the Bioware games had shy nerdy girls, like at all

Tali and Liara in the Mass Effect series. That said, they are both pretty badass at times too so it balances out.

@OP: I do like the romance subplots as while they are pretty formulaic, what writing is there is generally decent and it helps build more connection to the character you're romancing.

I do like Mass Effect 2 for breaking the mold with the loyalty missions. While the typical Bioware romance is 3-4 conversations, sex scene and done (and Mass Effect 2 is arguably the same), one can very easily take the loyalty mission as the build-up to a relationship and this ends up adding a lot more depth to it.

 

[artanis_neravar]

I don't think any of the Bioware games had shy nerdy girls, like at all

Tali and Liara in the Mass Effect series. That said, they are both pretty badass at times too so it balances out.

Liara is more...naive then shy and nerdy, and Tali is nerdy but I never got shy from her

 

[LordFisheh]

Not really. It seems more like a distraction for horny teenagers, and kinda sad at the same time...

Yes, because anything that doesn't meet the right arbitrary social criteria becomes branded sad and is therefore wrong.

Well reasoned.

 

[ZehMadScientist]

I think they are a fun add-on, but not engaging in romances doesn't make the game less awesome. If the succesful (or unsuccesful at that matter) romances actually influence the story, like opening new replies or decisions in conversation options, that would make them more significant.

 

[JeanLuc761]

I don't think any of the Bioware games had shy nerdy girls, like at all

Tali and Liara in the Mass Effect series. That said, they are both pretty badass at times too so it balances out.

Liara is more...naive then shy and nerdy, and Tali is nerdy but I never got shy from her

Tali stumbles over her words a couple times during the romance. She's a -little- shy, but I think it's adorable.

 

[Assassin Xaero]

Not really. It seems more like a distraction for horny teenagers, and kinda sad at the same time...

Yes, because anything that doesn't meet the right arbitrary social criteria becomes branded sad and is therefore wrong.

Well reasoned.

Umm, from the response you seem like a Bioware... fan... so I have to ask, how the hell have you not seen one of those scenes? "Sad" is about all I can really use to describe it. Take Dragon Age for example, they are in their underwear and even Morrigan's is less revealing than her normal clothes. If they are going to have romance scenes, they need to learn how to make them. It was almost as bad as the ones in Star Wars Episode 2.

 

[jonyboy13]

Romance subplot can add a lot but only if done correctly. And Bioware fails at it. If the characters are stereotypes then you can't identify with them. If you can't identify yourself with them then you don't feel what they feel. If you can't feel what they feel then the whole romance is a stupid burden that just drags the story and feel quite awkward.

 

[Mark Hardigan]

I enjoy the romance subplots in Bioware games, but honestly I don't think they really add anything to, nor take away anything from the games.

 

[varulfic]

The big problem I think, is that the end goal always is to get sex with them, then call it a relationship. Its really just hooking up, no actual relationship has been started

Yeah, this is the one complaint I have about these subplots. After the sex, it just ends, and there's no new dialogue, no reason to continue talking to them. It's especially bad in Mass Effect, where it's not even mentioned afterwards and doesn't affect at all how the character acts towards you. Even Dragon Age had this problem (though atleast my girlfriend started being nicer to me when I commanded her in combat). Baldurs Gate 2 didn't have this problem though, as the romance continued in the expansion.

 

[Zhukov]

I'd like, just once, for some of the characters to pair off with each other instead of you or for some of them to turn -you- down for a change. Those would be viable storylines too, that go beyond "Hey, I like you" "I like you too/I don't like you too." "*sex scene*/Oh never mind then. I wont mention it anymore."

I very much agree with this.

I rather liked the dialog with Samara in ME2. If you try it on she basically says, "Tempting, but not gonna happen." If you press her then she flat out refuses and implies that she will splatter you across the walls if you keep pushing.

Also, I agree that it would be nice to see relationships between other characters. It wouldn't even have to be romantic relationships (although that would work too), it would just be nice to get an idea of what they think of each other. There was a bit of this in ME2 and some more in DA2, so hey, I guess we can hope.

 

[varulfic]

I'd like, just once, for some of the characters to pair off with each other instead of you or for some of them to turn -you- down for a change. Those would be viable storylines too, that go beyond "Hey, I like you" "I like you too/I don't like you too." "*sex scene*/Oh never mind then. I wont mention it anymore."

I heard you can get your two female companions to partner up in Jade Empire, which is weird considering only one of them is available as a lesbian romance option. There's also companion romances in Baldurs Gate 2... that game just seems to get everything right.

edit: Sorry, that Jade Empire thing turned out to be false.

 

[FarleShadow]

Allow me to give my impression of BioWare's romance plotline in ME2: (I am a FemShepard)

Jacob: "I ONLY ASKED HIM HOW HE WAS, I KNOW HE'S BLACK AND CHARMING BUT THIS IS REDICULOUS!"
Miranda: "No. Too many issues, she a crazy *****! Also, I always felt like she was either going to jump my girl bones for sex or jump my girl bones and lay her alien eggs in me. Or a knife. "
Kelly: "I might do more than catch you and by that I mean stick my tongue in your [REDACTED]"

Incidently I went with Garrus, he had 'reach' and I prefered him because his immediate 'getting to know you' actually felt like a slow romance, not going from 'Hey' to dongs out in less than a second.

Also, romantic subplots are ok, so long as you don't have to fucking do them.

 

[BloodSquirrel]

If you try to play the game as a dating sim, yeah, it'll fall flat. I think they work best if you *DON'T* go in with the attitude "Well, another Bioware game. Miranda, I choose you!" and instead just do it when it seems like one of the characters actually works for your guy.

My renegade Shepard didn?t romance anyone because he was a hardass and wasn?t going to put up with some woman?s shit. My Warden? Morrigan was totally right for him.

Of course, that was before Nu-Bioware and the decision to have every character rub their romance option in your face.

 

[EvilPicnic]

Of course, that was before Nu-Bioware and the decision to have every character rub their romance option in your face.

I wouldn't say it was a 'Nu-Bioware' thing, BG2 (which is as classic-BioWare as it gets) had multiple and deep romance options. You could even conceive a child with one party member...

Anyway, I like it. Not in a pervy way, but in an rpg character-development kind of way. It's a subplot, not the main focus of a game, and they do it fairly well.

 

[RedDeadFred]

Yes. Romancing Tali is one of the best parts. She is just too awesome!

 

[Valdus]

I'm really growing to dislike them. It's alright when they allow you to see another side of a character you might not normally (such as the slightly sweeter side to Alistair or seeing a little more of Lelianna's history in DA) though more and more they seem to be in there just for fanservice (Morrigan being the best example). The fact that they're going out their way to "make sure" everyone gets the romance options they want makes me think they're putting far too much effort into something that will just result in us watching two expressionless sprites grind on one another.

if I want porn I'll watch some friggin' porn. When bioware go back to making the stories about more than the character's sexuality I may consider going back to them (that is I don't plan on buying any more bioware games).

 

[tholomew92]

It can help with character development for those who enjoy romance in their storys. The option not to romance anyone is also always there so those who don't want to don't have to do it. And then there is the ones that only do it because they think it's hot and well, good for them.

 

[BlueFishie]

I'm clearly in the minority, but personally I find romance subplots annoying. I play these type of RPGs to save the world or have a grand adventure. If I want to get laid... Well, I play another type of game. xD

 

[BloodSquirrel]

Of course, that was before Nu-Bioware and the decision to have every character rub their romance option in your face.

I wouldn't say it was a 'Nu-Bioware' thing, BG2 (which is as classic-BioWare as it gets) had multiple and deep romance options. You could even conceive a child with one party member...

Anyway, I like it. Not in a pervy way, but in an rpg character-development kind of way. It's a subplot, not the main focus of a game, and they do it fairly well.

Yeah, but they were something you had to sort of dig for. You didn't have Edwin actively hitting on you.