Comments on: Relationships in Games: The Romance(s)

By: Relationships in Games: The Loner, The Rebel | Recollections of Play

Relationships in Games: The Loner, The Rebel | Recollections of Play — Mon, 07 Jul 2014 12:11:54 +0000

[…] Over on United We Game, I recently completed a trilogy of posts on relationships in games. Having played some varied titles of late, I considered the importance of the company we keep in game and how those relationships, virtual though they may be, affect the way we play. In this, the third installment, I explore the notion that in some games, the path alone may be the best one taken. If you’d like to check out the previous posts in the series, click below. Relationships in Games: The Teammates Relationships in Games: The Romance(s) […]

By: cary

cary — Sat, 07 Jun 2014 02:29:03 +0000

That’s kind of how I felt during Mass Effect the first time. I was so focused on the missions that I didn’t think the people mattered that much. But taking time to play through the relationships in subsequent attempts made the game so much richer. Like, it really felt like my actions affected others, which changed the way I approached some missions. It was an interesting and wholly more fun experience. Game romances aren’t for everyone, but they’re worth trying out, or at least start. If it turns out to not be fun, then you just ignore the love interest and get on with the game!

By: duckofindeed

duckofindeed — Sat, 07 Jun 2014 01:04:02 +0000

I haven’t played many games with romantic relationships, and I don’t think I’d do much with it if the option was available, as I usually get overwhelmed by extra tasks in games. I can only handle so much. The only game I have that has relationships is “Harvest Moon 64”, but it creeps me out because all the characters look like children…and then they get married and have children, and… It’s just weird.

Nevertheless, I kind of would like to try such a thing in a game, if the option ever arises, and if my attention span will allow me to devote time to relationships when I still have a game to finish. Gah, but I gotta save the world! I don’t have time for love!

By: cary

cary — Fri, 06 Jun 2014 09:53:08 +0000

Exactly. And having a great story that you felt like you could “control” didn’t hurt either! And what you said about character evolution –yes. The relationship between Mario and Peach will never be more than it is because they’ve remained the same characters for years. Beloved though they are, they’ll never be more than video game characters. Meanwhile, we talk about our Shepards and ME folk like they really exist. It’s that magic in transforming virtual people into those with which seem to change over time (just like ourselves) that lends to the brilliance of what Bioware has done, and continues to do.

By: cary

cary — Fri, 06 Jun 2014 09:43:06 +0000

Yeah, it was great that relationships from the first ME were carried over to the sequels — brilliant move and as fantastic way to keep people invested!

I had forgotten how comical romance in Fable was, especially in the 3rd game. It was hilarious to see how characters would either throw themselves at your feet or avoid you like the plague! Fable took such a different approach to relationships, but it worked (mostly) for those games.

By: cary

cary — Fri, 06 Jun 2014 09:36:59 +0000

Combining great storytelling with a bit of romance is something Bioware does so well; lots of developers could take a cue! And it just makes sense when you’re trying to tell a story about fake people while engaging real ones, just like in books. What’s nice about the way Bioware does things is that the relationships develop over time. And they’re always optional and/or they can be screwed up. (Hey, sometimes things don’t work out in real life either!) And this isn’t to discount the necessity of simpler questing games (i.e. The Last Story offered complexity in character relationships even though they weren’t player-driven), but it’s nice to see developers making strides in involving romance in games without it seeming juvenile or contrived.

By: Hatm0nster

Hatm0nster — Fri, 06 Jun 2014 02:56:53 +0000

The character relationships (romantic and otherwise) were also what got me hooked on the Mass Effect games. I mean the gameplay was good, and the universe/story interesting, but it was engaging with the characters and watching them change and evolve over the course of the game that really got me invested.

It made Mass Effect into something really special rather than just another Sci-Fi game.

By: Ashley Hagood

Ashley Hagood — Fri, 06 Jun 2014 02:06:41 +0000

I love romances in games — the scripted ones, the BioWare ones, even the funny ones like in Fable you mentioned. =) They add so much to the realism of the world, and it never hurts to have an extra emotional connection to a game when it’s story-based anyway.

I also agree that Mass Effect did it best. Having a relationship develop over the course of 2 to 3 games made it feel so emotionally realistic.

By: simpleek

simpleek — Thu, 05 Jun 2014 17:21:56 +0000

Ever since I discovered the Bioware games and got introduced to their unique relationship aspect of the game, I loved it immediately! I personally think that if these relationships are done right, it helps make the characters feel real to the player and they don’t end up being some one-dimensional character you don’t care about.

As you said, playing out the relationships in Fable got old really quickly because you started not caring about the decisions you made with regards to that. At least in Mass Effect, the consequences of your actions are really felt in the game, especially when you’re wooing two people at the same time and are forced to pick one of them.

I rather see more games approach relationships the way Bioware has succeeded to do.