Forced Romance vs. Open Romance

[Studio Blue]

This is more of a treatise than a question, but I am very interested in the feedback of others on this topic: How Romance is Handled in Video Games.


The way I see it, there are two main types of ways to handle romance in a game, and it boils down to the player being able to chose versus the game predetermining the romance.


A great example of predetermined romance is Final Fantasy VIII, which pretty much locks you into Squall x Rinoa from the get go. You cannot choose to have Squall pursue a relationship with anyone else, and you cannot choose to have Squall remain the eternal bachelor. He will ended up in a relationships with Rinoa, and nothing the player can do can change that (short of not playing the game).


Then there is the ability to choose your romantic partner, and Dragon Age/Mass Effect is a perfect example of that. Whether it be the Warden/Hawke/Inquisitor, or Commander Shepard, the player determines through their direct actions who they pursue romantically, and from their actions romantic scenes occur. Another good example is the Witcher series. Heck, in Fallout 4, you can romance multiple companions.


There is a subset to player choice, and that is games with an affinity rank, an (usually) invisible rank that determines who in the party has the highest romantic affection toward the main character. From that, at some point in the game, a romance blossoms. The Star Ocean games employ this particular brand of romance, as did Tales of Symphonia to a certain extent. Final Fantasy VII sort of handled this with Cloud's relationship to Tifa. Dragon's Dogma's affinity rank covers virtually every character in the game (and provides a plot point at the game's climax).


But which is the best method? I believe that, like so many other aspects of game design, it depends on the story you are telling. There are times that the forced romance is positively necessary to move the story forward, wherein the main character develops romantic feelings toward another and they come together at the most appropriate moment to profess their true love for each other. Other games lend themselves more to player choice, and adjust the narrative based on the romantic partner(s) the protagonist chooses. And other games work best with the affinity system, moving the story along and keeping the player guessing as to who the protagonist will end up with.


My philosophy has always been that the story dictates the need and execution of romance, not the other way around. But as a story-heavy writer, that is my personal preference. I can see how more character-driven writers would start with the romantic system and craft their story around it and the pivotal/romantic declaration moment.


I am curious as to what the community feels. Do you prefer one way or the other? When do you feel that one type of romantic system is better than the other. Let's get a discussion going!

 

[mlogan]

I think either way is fine, as long as it is well done. I need to buy that the characters should be together, or I'll be annoyed, whether I can choose or not.


I like romance in games, personally, but for example, I remember playing an RM game where there was a romance choice between two characters. But it was very sudden, no build up - just, "oh he's a friend" to suddenly he's professing his love and you had to choose to reciprocate. Dumb maybe, but the fact that there was nothing leading it up to, to hint at this possibility or that your character might be interested was very offputting, so I chose no.


I hope I'm making sense - just, do it good, if it's a choice, make the player want it to happen, if that's the ideal outcome. If it's forced, make it believable as well. Show the development.

 

[ashikai]

I think when you have a blank/silent protagonist, choosing your romance makes a lot more sense (persona, for example), whereas when the protagonist has a defined personality, having a more story-driven/locked romance tends to work more often (tales of symphonia, for example). That said, in either situation I'm extremely bothered when the romance comes out of nowhere. I'm like, 80% more likely to choose the jerk answers (when they're offered) in any game that does it. If it doesn't add to the story or enhance a character's development in someway, I'm inclined to say that romance has no place in that story, but idk.


The Dreaming had an incident where an MC was about to be kissed by a mysterious stranger and you had to make a split second decision to push her away or not (it was timed). Because it came out of nowhere, most people chose to push her away which is a catalyst to how you find out that this MC dude is actually very gay (spoilers I guess?). If you kiss her, you never learn that part of his backstory and you miss out on some really great character development.

 

[LxCharon]

I always believe it boils more down to writing. If your game handles it more like Bethesda, where there are so many romances with such weak romantic arcs that who you choose to be with is more of a game mechanic than a meaningful decision, what's the point? (Not to knock them, I love the elder scrolls and fallout games) But on the other hand I love choice, especially when that choice gives me the chance to play out a romance other than a basic boyxgirl dynamic. (I love to play female characters that I can romance with other female characters, don't ask me why, I just do) 


The Witcher 3 handles it very interestingly as there are 2 romance choices and they both have a long and complicated history with the main character and each represents a different facet of his personality, so there was choice, but each choice was very very meaningful and important without being watered down.


Though it depends on your game as well. The Squall x Rinoa romance is almost the center point of ff8, the plot would fall apart without that romance, so there isn't much choice there.

 

[ColdHate]

In dragon quest V you can choose who you'll like to marry too xD

 

[The Stranger]

I think mlogan has pretty much summed up my thoughts on this perfectly. It doesn't matter which way you do it, so long as you do it well. The romance should feel natural, it shouldn't feel shoehorned in as if it was a mere afterthought.


Also, if your story doesn't need a romance then don't bother with one. Too many rpgs have romances shoved in without rhyme or reason.

 

[Studio Blue]

@mlogan I agree completely. It needs to be done well and with reason. The changes need to be organic and make sense. This is especially true if you're going from two characters who start off as antagonistic toward each other. Nothing in the world seems more fake than two characters starting out as enemies who suddenly fall madly in love for no reason other than convenience.


@ashikai For the most part, I agree about the silent protagonist thing, although the predetermined romance between Crono and Marle in Chrono Trigger was beautifully done and he was a silent protagonist. Then again, that was the exception and not the rule. I've never heard of The Dreaming, but that is a fantastic example of missing great character development over a button press. If I had been the designer for that game, I would have put in the reveal that the protagonist was gay no matter what, but how it came out would have been different. Still, a very neat twist on a "kiss from a stranger" trope.


@LxCharon What is really nice about player choice of sexual preference is that you can live out head cannon fantasies. My wife, for example, loved having her male Dalish Elf romance Zevran, and really sticking it to Morrigan, in Dragon Age: Origins. Like you, I really enjoyed having my female Warden romance Lelianna. Giving the player the ability to go outside of male/female relationships is often the deciding factor between a good romance system and a great one. One a side note, I've never played the Witcher series, but I've heard that both of Gerault's romance storylines are very fulfilling.


@ColdHate I think it's that way for Record of Agarest War. In fact, you choose who to marry and your child ends up the protagonist of the next chapter/story.


@The Stranger Agreed. If a romance is not needed, don't push it on the player. Players can tell when something is forced.

 

[bustedradio]

I pretty much feel the same as everyone. If the characters and romance are written well, then having only one love interest is fine. I think the main problem is that there are usually very little moments in which it feels like the MC and the love interest show affection for each other. It's always about driving the game forward and the MC reacting to whatever is happening in the story. I rarely ever see cut scenes, or even just talking portraits, of the MC and love interest having a tender or bonding moment. While running around in battle or the over world, I rarely hear the MC and love interest talking to each other about random things.


I love FF15 for being a game about 4 dudes on a road trip. They don't talk often, but when they do, the boys tease each other, talk about the weather, comment on things around town, and talk about story events. There are also random little moments where you get to know your teammates better. For example, if you stay at a certain motel, you get a short cut scene of Noctis and Prompto talking to each other, on the roof under the night sky. They about how Prompto use to be really shy when he was a kid. Or if you stay at a certain campsite, Noctis and Ignis can have a little scene where they just stand around, talk, and make breakfast with each other.


Even through interesting dialogue and voice acting, Overwatch managed to convey each character's personality and relationships to each other.


When it comes to choices in love interests, the same applies. You just need to have good writing, even if the romantic arcs are shallow, it can still work. In the Persona 3 and 4, you have a handful of choices in waifus and most of them are written pretty well as characters first and love interests later. Sure, the characters aren't particularly deep (at least in persona 4), but at least they all had really great or relatable personalities. The thing is though, you got a lot of cut scenes of the MC and the love interest interacting on a one-to-one level. During those moments you can choose to act a little romantic with them, once you got to know them better. So it made sense that whenever you're nearing the end of their character arc, it's not out of the blue for the girls to ask you to be their boyfriend.


I like having romance in games. Sometimes it can help raise the stakes in the story and make it feel more exciting, but romance can be done so poorly (coughsdevilmaycry4coughs) that I would rather have a game like FF15, where it's just about a tight knit group of friends.