12 Greatest RPG Romances Of All Time

Romance is often included in choice-based RPGs like Cyberpunk 2077 as an optional subplot. Other RPGs, like the Final Fantasy series, 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 strengths 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's Cambric Creek series exists, it's clear that what one finds appealing about a romance can deviate quite significantly from standard conventions. I've stuck to the video 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 Are From The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Geralt and Yennefer's relationship in The Witcher 3 isn't exactly all warm and fuzzy. There is a lot of complex history here, developed over the course of the previous game and through The Witcher books 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 3 injects 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 to The Witcher story, 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. Romancing Siora Feels Like More Than Just Attraction Siora Is From Greedfall 2019's popular RPG, Greedfall, offers players a few choices of love interests, including the native of Teer Fradee, Siora. Often in video games, it can feel as though the romances are simply based on attraction or could even be a casual hook-up. In Siora's case, it feels much more genuine than that, with a relationship that forms through dialogue that shows genuine respect, love, and friendship. Siora's character is empathetic and understanding, and she encourages you to open up about your emotions while she does the same. Romancing her allows you to get much more information about the culture of Teer Fradee, which adds to the overall immersion of the game, and feels real. Even her personal missions are so emotionally connected, such as finding her mother. From a more practical gameplay standpoint, Siora also has her benefits in the party. She uses light blades and power elemental magic, which is a well-rounded and helpful combination. Fire Emblem: Three Houses Has More Romantic Options Than Most Games Fire Emblem: Three Houses Has 35 Romance Options Fire Emblem: Three Houses deserves 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 its huge number of romance options for 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 of Fire 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 with Fire Emblem: Three Houses. Shadowheart and Lae'zel Have A Great Enemies-To-Lovers Dynamic Shadowheart and Lae'zel Are From Baldur's Gate 3 Baldur's Gate 3 has 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 the romance 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, but these 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. Heinrix Van Calox Is Surprisingly Appealing For A Warhammer 40,000 Character Heinrix Is An Inquisitor For The Totalitarian Imperium Of Man I never go into a Warhammer 40,000 game 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 playing Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader and finding 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. Alistair Or Morrigan Offer A Rich Depth To Romance Alistair And Morrigan Are From Dragon Age: Origins In Dragon Age: Origins, if you're playing a male protagonist, you have the option of romancing Morrigan, or playing a female protagonist allows you to romance Alistair. There are two other options as well, including two bisexual romance choices. However, Morrigan and Alistair offer the most immersive and beautiful connections. In a series known for its rich storylines, Dragon Age doesn't shy away from giving players romantic possibilities. Choosing the correct dialogue choices to increase approval ratings, and then working towards your beloved's personal quests help you to get to know the bigger story that hides within each option. Alistair is the sweet and earnest paladin, and his importance to the narrative means that a love connection with him makes the general story feel that much richer. Meanwhile, Morrigan isn't easy to win the heart of, but that makes it even more entertaining. Plus, her ties into the more recent Dragon Age: The Veilguard can feel even richer if you have gotten to know her in Origins. Locke And Celes Grow A Lot As Characters While Also Growing Closer Together Locke And Celes Are From Final Fantasy 6 I've already covered Final 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, like FF10's Tidus and Yuna, or FF7's Cloud and whoever you personally choose to believe. That said, if I had to choose one that stands out the most, it's Celes and Locke from Final Fantasy 6. The relationship between these two is a slow burn, since both 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 another during 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. Bastila And Revan's Initial Tensions Give Way To A Passionate Romance Bastila And Revan Are From Star Wars: Knights Of The Old Republic The relationship between Bastila Shan and the Revan in Knights of the Old Republic is 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. Kanji And Naoto Are From Persona 4 Persona 4 Golden has 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 is how 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 in Persona 4 Golden's added content. The two also share 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. Shepard And Liara's Romance Develops Over The Course Of The Mass Effect Trilogy The Pair Grow To Be Compelling Characters Independently Before Reuniting As A Romantic Pair The Mass Effect trilogy 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, is how it develops over time. I don't actually love the relationship between Liara and Shepard in the first Mass Effect game. 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 in Mass Effect 2, and by the time the characters reunite in Mass Effect 3, they feel a lot more like equals. Development over the course of multiple games was the entire appeal of Mass Effect, and Shepard 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.