Romance in Games that you thought was Well Executed

[Dfskelleton]

Maybe "Romance" isn't the proper word, but James Sunderland's love for his (deceased) wife, Mary, in Silent Hill 2. The reason is that throughout the game, it becomes very, very clear that this is the only thing he has to live for. It's depressing, but very well executed.

Jackie and Jenny in The Darkness.

In one short, simple scene their relationship is made more believable than 99% of video game romances.

OK, for real: Jackie Estacado and Jenny Romano from the Darkness games. Pretty much the only games in history where the Main Character's love is actually an effective motive for the entire story.

That makes three of us.

I don't know of many other games where you actually do things a couple would do. Not in a way that doesn't seem forced and/or contrived. And in a first person shooter no less.

Yay four people that liked that game. Seriously the part in the orphanage in the first game was the saddest thing that I have seen in a game since... ever.

Make that five people.

 

[saluraropicrusa]

I'm throwing my vote in with the rest of the people mentioning Mass Effect romances. Liara's romance is really really sweet, and Garrus's is just adorable. Now if only there were a Krogan romance option...

Now, this isn't really a romance, but playing Journey with another person, every time I felt really attached to this other character. Especially when I put on the white cloak and play with a red-cloaked avatar. I get this urge to protect them, especially in some of the later levels. The dynamic between players in that game is so beautifully executed, I can't help feeling like I'm actually friends with a person I'll probably never talk to again.

 

[tyriless]

Femshep/Kaiden: Both are played by seasoned voice actors at the top of their game and they sell every line. On top of that, Kaiden's epic sad face when he has to leave during the Extended Cut. My heart broke in two when I saw it.

 

[TheFinalFantasyWolf]

Maybe "Romance" isn't the proper word, but James Sunderland's love for his (deceased) wife, Mary, in Silent Hill 2. The reason is that throughout the game, it becomes very, very clear that this is the only thing he has to live for. It's depressing, but very well executed.

Thank God someone said it.

This relationship honestly breaks my heart, it became a rare instance where I actually cared about helping James, and finding Mary.

 

[Syndarr]

Third: Fei and Elly from Xenogears, totally love the reincarnated, time spanning romance of those two. Also they "settle" on being in love about halfway through the game and it's good to see stories where the characters don't mince about it for the entire game.

While I hate Fei and Elly as characters, I agree that it was very satisfying to see them actually establish their relationship during the game. It annoys the crap out of me when characters spend the entire story in "will-they-won't-they" mode, especially when it's painfully obvious how they feel about each other.

That's also why I like Dart and Shana's relationship in Legend of Dragoon. Even though it starts out as a really cliche "they were childhood friends, she likes him but he's oblivious" thing, there is a point at which they actually decide "okay, yes, we are an item now" and it's very sweet.

I will also add a vote to Tidus and Yuna. Tidus' reaction when he finds out what will happen to Yuna at the end of her pilgrimage is a very good depiction of the irrational, emotional response of someone who has gotten more attached to this person than even he realizes. Or at least that's how I interpret it.

However, my real vote goes to Yuri and Alice from Shadow Hearts. They're pretty much polar opposites, but their personalities complement one another so well that it's an absolute joy to watch them bounce off each other. And without spoiling anything, the very short time they spend together in Shadow Hearts: Covenant both rends and warms the heart.

 

[Nomanslander]

Monkey and Trip from Enslaved.

This is a tricky subject matter, and if there's any game that I would probably say pulled it off emotionally, it was this one. Something simple as badly animated characters (Mass Effect) could totally blow it off; making the chemistry seem fake like watching a 7 year old girl playing with Ken and Barbie dolls. And a lot of games fall under that category.

Someone mentioned Heavy Rain, and even though sex scene was pretty decently animated, the romance itself felt a bit forced.

 

[The Hero Killer]

Squall and Rinoa, which is what all of Final Fantasy VIII centered around. I could relate because Squall and I share the same personality and would probably use the same amount of melodrama in his situation.

 

[EboMan7x]

The thing that immediately jumps to mind is Hawke and Merrill from DA2, but I also like Shephard and Liara in Mass Effect Trilogy. The thing that makes most things really satisfying to me in any game is knowing that had I done things differently, the good stuff happening on the screen might not have happened, so I really enjoyed both of those. And while I know that Merrill's character is essentially just any given "funny foreigner" from a sit-com, I still really enjoyed the romance plot, and thought she was sweet and nice and D'AAAAWW ! So yeah. I like those.

 

[tyriless]

Never really got into romance in games, all seems extremely stilted. Still waiting for a Citizen Kane moment. Unfortunately, it seems the more narratively sound or experimental a game becomes the less "game" is actually present, Zero Kentucky and Dear Esther etc.

The closest I have to come to having a phenonemal narritve experience was when (spolier for a game that game out ten years ago) Silent Hill 2 revealed that James had smothered his wife. I was partly stunned, but oddly, part of me also was expecting it. The entire game was Jame's journey through his own personal hell to find his wife, and the more I played the more I realized that he had down something awful to wind up there. What's best, is up to the moment you play the fateful tape, it is all very subtily implied, never stated.

 

[sageoftruth]

But... Did she do the right thing?

 

[DarkhoIlow]

Baldur's Gate 2 female romances I wanted to mention are one of the best well executed dialogues I've experienced in games (Viconia all the way baby!).

I really enjoyed the Dragon Age Origins (Morrigan especially) and Mass Effect trilogy romances (Liara&Tali specifically).


PS/Edit: How could I forget Witcher 1&2 Geralt and Triss romance was really well done.

 

[DarthSka]

John and River in To The Moon, this game is beatiful, simply beatiful...

The mind numbing part of it all is that not only is it the best romance in a game thus far, but it's not a happy one at all. It's pretty goddamn depressing.

 

[Rose and Thorn]

The boy and girl from Shadow of the Colossus!

Very little words had to be spoken to feel how much he cared for his deceased lover and the trials and tribulations he had to go through to bring her back. Great game, great story, great ending.

 

[Rose and Thorn]

I'm gonna with a bromance that is more romantic than 95% of all the romances in games these days (and possibly happened, depending on which historian you listen to):

Cao Cao and Dian Wei from Dynasty Warriors (7 to be specific)

Dian Wei saved from execution as a bandit by Cao Cao, serves him as a loyal bodyguard for years, openly tells the others that he loves Cao Cao for the life he was given, and finally when Jia Xu tries to kill Cao Cao, tells him "I will not fall till you are beyond the horizon". He did just that, enduring more than 20 arrows and dozens of sword and spear strikes, dedicated to not fall till Cao Cao was safe.

If that is not the meaning of love, I don't know what is.

Haha I loved this! Sounds like love if you ask me!

 

[IllumInaTIma]

Have to go with these two

Spoiler

because it was such a beautiful and sad story and because it really changed Junpei

Also story of Chris and Laura from Thomas was alone was so sweet.

 

[Garrett]

I also really liked the romances in Odin Sphere, though I've yet to finish that game because it's harrrrd. I'll admit that Gwendolyn is basically sold to Oswald to begin with, but that's more a testament to how much of a monster her father is. Oswald doesn't want to force her into anything, because he genuinely loves her, and when Gwendolyn realizes that, and that he's the first person love her unconditionally, she risks her life to save him.

Damn, I thought I will be first one to say this

Maybe "Romance" isn't the proper word, but James Sunderland's love for his (deceased) wife, Mary, in Silent Hill 2. The reason is that throughout the game, it becomes very, very clear that this is the only thing he has to live for. It's depressing, but very well executed.

And another one...

I don't think I have anything more that's not beating the dead horse. Games seldom do romance really good. Manga on the other hands hits my spots farily often.

 

[triggrhappy94]

Man-Shep and Liara. It would have been a LOT better if Liara's character didn't completely change throughout the series, she wasn't monotone, and the Asari weren't the designated sexy alien race.
A lot of the dialogue is just so intamate and sweet that you really feel like they're in a real relationship.

 

[VeryOddGamer]

I just can't comprehend how any sort of romance subplot with Gordon Freeman in it could ever be any good, since, you know, he NEVER SHOWS ANY KIND OF EMOTION.
So yeah, mute protagonists are a thing I very much dislike.
As for romances I thought were good, well, they're all probably mentioned at some point in this thread.