Alright, folks, it's been a good 4 years now, and while that now seems like maybe a couple months to me because time just whizzes the fuck by once you reach the 40-ish range, the rest of the world seems to still treat the time between leap years as significant passages, so I reckon it's safe to give this ol' rant a new coat of paint. Here we go yet again, as we advance this 15-strong list into a Top 20!
But I'm still lazy as hell, so you better believe I'm not fully rewriting the preamble to it, just touching it up a bit. Enjoy the memories of yester-rant as we spin it all up again!
Y'know, when I went about deciding which couples would make it to this list, I found something out that greatly surprised me: there really weren't many strong contenders, all things considered. For a genre that throws at least one major love story, or at least a romantic interest, into the strong majority of its games, there's not many RPG romances that are worthy of note, comparatively speaking. I mean, we're here today to celebrate a mere 20 (admittedly amazing) love stories out of a sample pool of 450 games--that's less than 5%, and again, the spots on this list are not nearly as competitive as they are on most other list rants I've done.
Most of the RPG romances I've seen are either pointless and silly/inexplicable, or just rather generic and/or under-developed, is what it is. I mean, where in the world does La Pucelle Tactics's Eclair and Homard's side romance come from? Do the romantic hints between Breath of Fire 3's Ryu and Nina serve any plot- or character-related purpose at all? Are we really meant to care about Tales of Phantasia's Cless and Mint's attraction when it's so bland and unconvincing? And how is it that, going back to La Pucelle Tactics, Prier and Croix so perfectly manage to combine all the problems above and have a love story that is pointless, silly, inexplicable, generic, AND under-developed all at once?
And don't misunderstand--I may have only mentioned the inadequacies of older RPGs thus far, but this is not a deficit disproportionately weighted in the past. Most of the love subplots of Unicorn Overlord are spontaneously lackluster and phoned in, just as much as Eclair and Homard's. The lightly implied thing between Will and Eupha in Metaphor: ReFantazio has no more direction or purpose than Ryu 3 and Nina 3 possessed. Although Saint Bomber's romantic writings are usually quite excellent (as we'll see below, several times), I certainly can't find much more of an emotional basis or convincing chemistry between Simone and Anastasia in Angelic Acceptor Alouette: VXA than I failed to locate for Cless and Mint. And certainly the distressing power imbalance and icky overall foundations of Futaba x Ren in Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 5 is no less repugnant than the disaster that was Prier x Croix; if anything, creepy and unhealthy dynamics like the former makes me miss the simple incompetence of the latter. Less-than-adequate romance is as alive and overpopulous in the RPG genre in present times as it ever has been.
Still, there are definitely some good and great love stories out there, too, and that includes several that didn't quite make it to this list. It just surprised me, and still surprises me to this day, that the number of quality RPG romances is as comparatively small as it is to how many are available to choose from. Here, though, are the ones that I think are sweet and emotional enough to soften the heart of even the grumpiest of haters.
Spoilers, naturally, as love stories in RPGs are usually pretty heavily tied into the general plots.
20. Beast and Belle (Kingdom Hearts 1, 2, and Chain of Memories)
Okay, yeah, I know Beast and Belle weren't made up for RPGs, but they're still in 3 of’em (or more; I've not played KH3 yet)...and more importantly, they're really represented quite well in those titles. Kingdom Hearts had the foundations for this couple, obviously, but I feel that the games really worked with the material and gave us a better product than the original--Kingdom Hearts 1 impresses you with just how devoted Beast is to Belle, how she is, when everything comes right down to it, the most important thing in the world to him. Kingdom Hearts 2 expands on that by putting both of them back into their normal environment, where their situation is a little less extreme than it was in KH1, and takes the time to deepen their relationship realistically--which, I must say, is more than I feel the actual movie about them adequately did.* And then there's KH: Chain of Memories, which I think really went into some neat depth on these two, showing just how deeply involved with and devoted to one another they were.
This couple is good to start with, made great by the games' short but very poignant development of their relationship, and the fact that SquareEnix really worked at giving you strong, emotional material for them that wasn't just a rehash of the movie (while still, of course, keeping a strong tie to and respect for the movie's work). They could've just done a rerun of the movie and had a fine enough story, but the company instead put some effort into giving us a quality product--and it paid off beautifully.
19. The Grey Warden and Leliana (Dragon Age 1)
You're going to notice that there are 2 developers in particular that just absolutely dominate this list of greatest romances, and the first is Bioware. Back before they lost their way, back before EA had fully sunk its claws into the studio, Bioware knew how to make a solid RPG, and how to write a really touching, fun love story that made you feel good to witness. The courtship between the main character of DA1 and Leliana comes off as very genuine, and gives me warm and fuzzy feelings. In all honesty, there’s really not many specific things I can say that put it above anything else, aside from the fact that Leliana’s interest in the Warden seems very real and present from early on, with earlier flirting eventually giving way to full-on love. Additionally, her damaged yet hopeful and open character makes the romance all the sweeter, and believable as the Warden assists her in finding closure to her troubled romantic past and in reaffirming who she truly is.
18. Alison and Melody (Super Lesbian Animal RPG)
I mean, with a game title like that, you kinda have to come through with a good focus on romantic relationships, right? And while Super Lesbian Animal RPG had surprisingly more all-around adventure to offer than initially expected, it certainly did deliver a solid, sincere love story with its protagonist and her girlfriend. Alison and Melody have a believable dynamic between them, one that has recognizable chemistry, but also authentic miscommunications, too, which develop into roadblocks later to be worked through. This is a great example of the rare cases of joining a romantic RPG relationship already in progress, and SLARPG explores that to its fullest potential, showing beyond doubt from the start that Alison and Melody care greatly for each other, while also taking the opportunity to show the weaker parts of their relationship's base and connection, which eventually will give out and require them to use their genuine love to communicate openly, support one another through their own emotional turmoil, and forge better, more honest and understanding foundations for their relationship. Alison and Melody are a touching and engaging example of just how much interesting, authentic romance material you can get out of a love story that's past the getting-together milestone rather than all just being a lead-up to it, and how well it can mesh with an emotionally charged RPG adventure.
17. Garrus and Shepard (Mass Effect 2 and 3)
Another Bioware gem! The easy, natural way that Garrus and Shepard's rapport and comraderie slides into a fun, meaningful back-and-forth is great, and Garrus's appealing and signature personality of confidence and uncertainty makes for a romance across both games that's equal parts playful, sweet, and endearing. There's a lot of really good romantic content in the trilogy (Thane and Shepard were strong contenders for this list, too), even amongst its NPCs (Charr x Ereba is tragically beautiful), but Garrus and Shepard represent some of Bioware's best romantic work in Mass Effect.
16. Duchess Catherine and the Nereid (Embric of Wulfhammer’s Castle)
And here we see the first entry of the other developer that charts over and over again on this list, Large Battleship Studios. If Bioware was the greatest romance-writer back in the day, LBS is the present king in the field--although the 1-man-show indie outfit was also producing wonderful love stories back in that same day, too, as evidenced by Catherine and the Nereid here.
While the majority of this couple’s interactions are simply the cute but largely insubstantial adorations of an amorous mermaid who can’t talk and just seems inexplicably smitten with Catherine, the final stage of this romance takes a sudden, very unexpected turn for the heavy and emotional, and establishes an abiding, unbreakable love across the distance of time and impossibility. Within a short time, we see that Catherine and the Nereid, to even their own surprise, share the kind of bond powerful enough to inspire a person to die in place of the one she loves. Powerful enough to inspire a person to devote the rest of her life and all her efforts to the benefit of the one she loves, even when she herself will never even be able to see the fruits of this labor. Powerful enough to mean that a person simply can’t bring herself to live without the presence of the one she adores. And powerful enough that the true depth of their devotion to one another is something that exists beyond what time and mortality can tear apart; it’s at their most distant that we see the greatest depth and authenticity of how much Catherine and the Nereid love one other.**
15. Dorothea and Manuela (Fire Emblem 16)
Since they already topped a similar list, I see no reason not to simply quote myself on the matter of Dorothea and Manuela:
From start to finish, the Support conversations between Dorothea and Manuela flawlessly extol to the viewer the perfect chemistry between them, as peers, friends, and so much more. In the 2 of them we see a combination of women who inspire and better each other just by being themselves, without resorting to viewing one another as greater than each truly is--as much as they are about having such profound and overwhelming respect and affection that they’re each a role model for the other, Dorothea and Manuela’s interactions are also about acknowledging one another’s shortcomings and loving her no less for them. Their sequence of conversations tells a heartwarming story of Dorothea chasing after the woman she loves and has always been inspired by, the one she wanted to stand alongside, and a moving and touching story of Manuela finding someone, finally finding someone, who loves her (and always has) for what’s good and great and important about Manuela, regardless of the shortcomings that come with that.
It’s a wonderful, warm joining of 2 people made for each other, each seeking the exact kind of love that the other can give, and who hold onto one another as a source of personal inspiration to better themselves. And the A Support is just beautiful, 1 of my favorite scenes of tender love in all of RPGs. Whoever wrote Dorothea and Manuela’s relationship, I hope you got a damn raise, because you raised the bar and gave me happy butterflies in my tummy.
14. Carmina and Duchess Catherine (Embric of Wulfhammer's Castle)
If this romance had started off better (to put it bluntly, Carmina is horny and forces herself upon Catherine in a shared dream, with Catherine's willingness being questionable at best, even if it's all glossed over later and made out to be something Catherine enjoyed to some degree), it would have been higher up on this list, because it is frankly just absolutely beautiful once it's properly gotten started. The love story of Catherine and Carmina’s got it all. They share their histories and personalities with one another, they possess a touching chemistry, they’re each willing to give absolutely everything up for the other (Catherine’s willing to make herself the enemy of the most powerful adventuring group in the world for Carmina and to use every resource she has to protect her, and/or go with her to the lands of the Dark Elves (the Drow, essentially, which any Dungeons and Dragons player knows is not a pleasant prospect for a human), Carmina’s willing to restrain her natural inclinations of evil for Catherine’s sake and give up on returning to her home in order to be with Catherine, etc), there’s a very touching aspect of Catherine’s taking a leap of faith in trusting her love to Carmina...generally I’d just have to say that everything about Carmina’s and Catherine’s romance is emotional, moving, authentic, and natural.
13. Arueshelae and the Commander (Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous)
Arueshalae’s journey to change her nature for the better, and to finally determine what she dreams of, is a wonderful and natural companion to the sweet, authentic deepening of her feelings for the protagonist into tender love. It’s a genuinely lovely romance that makes you feel warm and content to witness, one that’s so right for who Arueshalae is and wants to be that her character arc actually feels incomplete without it; Arueshale and the Commander are simply meant to be together.
12. Maxim and Selan (Lufia 2)
Two people being together. It is, apparently, one of the most terrifying possibilities imaginable to a game writer, a scenario that frightens even the most hardened and stalwart creators of entertainment of all kinds: portraying a happy, reasonably stable couple. I mean, think about it--how often do you ever see what happens AFTER the main characters in an RPG (or practically anything else, for that matter) have hooked up? Yeah, not too often. The whole game’s spent building up to it one way or another, and then they only actually get together near or at the very end (if even then!), leaving no time for the audience to actually see the relationship they’ve been waiting for. Even in a game where you can complete a romance earlier than that, like, say, a Shin Megami Tensei: Persona title, or 1 of several different western RPGs, the love story’s subplot usually pretty much wraps up after the characters get together. You may get a few pieces of dialogue or even a very small scene as the game goes on that acknowledges that the characters are romantically involved, but the actual story of it is more or less done.
And that’s nice, and all, but, y’know, there’s more to relationships than just the build-up. There’s also the, y'know, relationship.
That’s what Maxim and Selan show us, and I think that they do it very well. While the actual act of them getting together is a bit generic, and a little rushed in some ways, the latter 2/3rds of Lufia 2 portrays them as husband and wife, reinforcing their devotion to each other and their son as the game goes on, showing their affection in a way that generally denotes the kind of confidence and trust they have in one another and one another’s feelings.
And in another refreshing take on this idea, once they’re together, all the forces of the universe that the writers can summon up don’t immediately start conspiring to tear them apart. Because I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but when folks get together before the story of a movie or show or comic or whatever concludes, it’s almost inevitable that some contrived, overblown drama is going to force them apart again, because as I said, writers are terrified of having a couple be a couple.
But again, Maxim and Selan buck this trend. They stand firm in their love for one another, and the writers don’t dump a load of stupid, unrealistic emotional bullshit on them to change that. But they’re also not static--the relationship has its hurdle to overcome, making it still enjoyably dynamic. It’s just that the hurdle is a TEST of their love, not an obstacle meant by the writers to weaken it. Maxim and Selan are touching, realistic, and very competently refreshing.
11. Bastila and Revan (Knights of the Old Republic 1)
It's surprising how well this works, honestly, because Bastila often kind of annoys me (as does any typical blind follower of flawed Jedi philosophy). However, she and Revan (male, Light Side Revan, I mean--regardless of how players want to play the game and interpret things, that's what's cannon) have a romance that develops itself at a relaxed, but steady pace, where you can actually see and understand the growing attraction instead of just having it thrust at you for a few seconds here and there, as is often the case in RPGs.
What really sells it, though, is later on, when the love they've built is tested and endures--as Revan talks a corrupted Bastila back to her senses, and she slowly returns, you really get convinced of how strongly they feel about one another. Not because TEH POWAH OF LOVE ALONE CONQUERS ALL, mind, but rather because it's love that lets Revan know Bastila so well to be able to convince her back. He doesn't just say some stupid crap like many other RPGs would that amounts to "Hey baby I know you're all into this ultimate power destroying the universe thing, and that's cool and everything, but you and I had a crush on each other once and THAT'S MORE IMPORTANT THAN ANYTHING ELSE YOU WANT." Revan talks to her and reminds her of what she used to want, who she used to be, and shows her the strength of the things she held important before--and also, as PART of that instead of its entirety, says that he wants her to come back to him because he loves her. It's like he loves her, instead of loving being in love with her, I guess, which is what I see quite a lot with these games. And when the scene is over, and Bastila's soul has been saved and she admits that she feels the same for Revan, feelings that have had to persevere against the code of both the Sith AND the Jedi, you genuinely feel, wow, they really, truly do love each other.
10. Argon, Aurellia, Fluorine, Garnet, and Hinoki (A Dragon's ReQuest)
Polyamorous relationships present all kinds of interesting opportunities, but, as might be expected with so complex and frankly uncontrollable a state and emotion as love, they're damned tricky to successfully make work, both in the realms of writing and real life. But you CAN find the ways to genuinely make a romantic relationship between more than 2 people work, and in storytelling, it can make for a refreshingly different and no less compelling story of love. I'm really pleased that most of the exceptionally few which I've encountered in RPGs have actually been very earnestly, passionately written by creators who clearly believed in their legitimacy.
Now as far as this particular 5-way love story (honestly closer to 6, really, as Chelisera's affections for the girls are treated as quite legitimate), Imma just quote a little someone I like to call "myself" here, as I like how I summed it up in my 2024 Annual Summary:
The love story of Hinoki and her companions is a long, engaged, and determined one that elegantly links the women in her life to her in genuinely touching scenes and dialogues that emotionally develop these superlative characters and their bonds with one another, while displaying each’s individual and nuanced social psyche. The love stories that entwine in this polyamorous tapestry highlight and are born from shared histories, deeply rooted wants and insecurities, tender gestures of caring and understanding, personal traumas, moments of great internal courage and adventurousness, and undeniable chemistry.
Making it even better is the fact that this isn’t just a harem-esque polyamory centered around a single figure that all the others love (not that I don’t adore much of Duchess Catherine’s love life in Embric of Wulfhammer’s Castle, mind)--it starts that way, with Hinoki as all the other women’s central figure of affection, but A Dragon’s ReQuest carefully, expertly brings Hinoki’s paramours together with their own moments and connections of love as time goes on, with each new couple in this love polyhedron discovering ardor for one another in their own, unique terms.
And no lack of effort or conviction is given to these “side” romances, either--Fluorine and Garnet’s feelings for each other are treated with the same respect and importance to them as people and as a couple with which each’s romance with Hinoki is treated, for example. Honestly, one of most poignant scenes in the game (and one of my many favorites) is devoted to one of these "side" couples, the scene in which Fluorine and Aurellia allow physicality to finally find a way to connect and foray into new emotional territory together. It’s lovely. The whole game-spanning multifaceted love story of the main characters of the game is lovely.
9. Ai and Yu (Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4)
You know, given how bland, rushed, and utterly unconvincing the rest of Yu’s romantic interests in SMTP4 are, it’s rather amazing how well they did with Ai. It’s also surprising that it can work so well when one of the individuals concerned is mostly a Silent Protagonist (characters who don’t actually engage in dialogue with other people don’t tend to be terrific at interpersonal relations). But Ai and Yu's romance is a sweet one that's nonetheless worldly and realistic, which I like, and she's the one romantic option in the whole game for whom the love aspect of her Social Link actually seems to make a difference to its course and her overall relationship with Yu.
What I mean by that is, unlike the rest of the love interests in SMTP4, whose Social Links stay the exact same until the very end when the option to romantically engage with the person is shoehorned into the second-to-last scene, the course of her Social Link events changes depending on Yu's approach to the idea of romancing Ai. For a true romance with her, Yu must care enough about her as a person, and understand who she really is enough, not to hastily dive into a relationship before she’s ready. When Ai first proposes the idea of entering into a romantic relationship, Yu actually turns her down, not because he’s not interested (assuming here that we’re talking about a player who wants him to successfully romance her, I mean), but because she’s not ready for it, still too caught up with the superficial to know who she really is and what she really wants. He’d rather wait until she knows him well enough and understands herself well enough to KNOW that he’s who she wants to be with.
It thus becomes so much sweeter, so much more right, when, after Yu has helped her to rediscover who she is and understand the importance of being true to oneself, she finally asks him again, not as a girl still obsessed with appearances but rather someone more in touch with herself, if he wants to be with her, and he can say yes. You don’t get many instances in RPGs (possibly ANY, I’d have to think about it for a while) where a romance isn’t just approached directly all the way. If there’s any hesitation between RPG characters on whether they love each other, it usually comes in the form of trite denial of their own feelings, not a case where one person cares enough about and understands well enough the other to know that they’re not emotionally ready for such a thing.
And Ai really sells it at the end of the game, too. On Yu’s last day before leaving town, the other romantic options in the game basically tell him, “It’s been fun, Homeslice, maybe we can do this “being in love” thing again some day long from now when it happens to be convenient.” Ai, by contrast, makes it clear that she’s never gonna give Yu up, never gonna let Yu down,*** just because he’s going away for a while, telling him that she’s very ready to pursue a long-distance relationship with him.
Overall, the romance between Ai and Yu shows surprising depth and realism for an RPG love story, and it really seems set to last.
8. Tidus and Yuna (Final Fantasy 10)
Tidus and Yuna really have something special in their game. The way each shows his or her affections for the other is beautiful, and also a believable, real aspect of love that other RPGs rarely get at all into. I don’t mean the little glances and words and FMV water-smooch scene; that obvious stuff is what you'd expect. No, what really sells this love to the player is how Tidus and Yuna are so intimately touched by the other, so deeply moved by love, that they take on aspects of the one they love, becoming, as truly heartfelt lovers often do, akin to a single entity, entering into a union of emotion and spirit. Yuna's incredible devotion to the people of her world, so great that she was fully willing to become a sacrifice to give them a few years' peace and, more importantly, continued hope, never diminishes, but by Tidus's influence, she also comes to question the world as he does, to defy tradition that is wrong or makes no sense, which leads to her deciding to stand against her world's people in order to save them. At the same time, Tidus, while never losing his characteristic disregard for dogma and tradition when they oppose what's reasonable and right, becomes able to understand the kind of devotion Yuna has, the strength it takes to willingly die so that others can live better lives, and becomes, himself, a sacrifice to save her and the world she loves. While staying true to themselves, they become alike to each other, complimenting one another in love. It's really pretty damn cool, and very touching.
7. Bhaalspawn and Viconia (Baldur’s Gate 2)
This assumes a protagonist who is good and honorable. You can court Viconia while being an evil guy, and she’ll actually be far more enthusiastic about the idea, but it’s not very interesting or satisfying to do so.
While Baldur’s Gate 2 goes to good lengths to create an in-depth and emotional romance for all 4 of the love interests of its protagonist, the Bhaalspawn, Viconia’s love story is the one that’s truly touching and compelling, one that really gives her great character development in the process. It’s basically a tale of love’s redeeming power, with Viconia’s growing respect and affection for the main character creating an internal struggle within her as her harsh and evil philosophies wage war with the ever-growing emotional connection she has with the Bhaalspawn. She at first shrinks back in fear and revulsion from her growing feelings, trying to force them and the protagonist away from her with her typical venom and finding that she can't destroy her emotions so easily. It's good stuff, and when the romance picks up again during the Throne of Bhaal expansion campaign, it only gets better. With acceptance of her love for the protagonist comes the opportunity for Viconia to better explore her own conflicting inner nature, all culminating in the protagonist helping Viconia to change herself for the better, to change her philosophy of life from Evil to Neutral. It’s a massive personal achievement for her and, if my limited knowledge of Dungeons and Dragons is correct, a significant achievement by the rules of the universe itself. All in all, it’s a very touching and quite impressive love story, both penetratingly romantic and inspiring in its portrayal of love’s ability to improve those it touches.
6. Octavia, Protagonist, and Regongar (Pathfinder: Kingmaker)
Right from the start, I thought it was really cool that the writers for Pathfinder: Kingmaker not only included options to pursue a polyamorous relationship in the game, without treating such pursuits with any disdain, or acting like they were a less legitimate emotional bond than the others in the game. They didn’t treat the polyamorous romance like a punchline, they didn’t introduce it solely to argue that it’s dysfunctional or wrong or unnatural, they didn’t imply that it’s inherently something perverted. Owlcat Games just wrote an actual love story for Octavia, Regongar, and the Queen/King of Pathfinder: Kingmaker.
And it’s really good! While the other love stories of PK are no slouches (Nyrissa and the Queen/King came pretty close to making this list, too, in fact), this one is a fearsomely interesting and natural connection. It establishes a pre-existing relationship between Octavia and Regongar that carries forward because of how genuine their feelings are, but is inherently flawed and out of balance. But when the Queen/King is introduced as a third member of this relationship, we watch as she/he grows from a casual fling to someone that both Octavia and Regongar begin to sincerely love for her/his own sake...and in that growth, we also witness the Queen/King become the piece that’s been missing from Octavia and Regongar’s puzzle. The game’s protagonist is the right kind of person to help Reg and Octavia each individually with their emotional conflicts and issues, guiding them to be better, happier versions of themselves--the right kind of person to be loved by each, for their own sake, you see. And she/he’s also the right kind of person to help Octavia and Regongar to work out the issues in their relationship that keep them from being able to fully accept and give the love they feel for one another--the right kind of person to be an equal part of their relationship, someone who balances it and brings it to a greater level than before.
It’s a narrative balancing act of essentially writing 3 love stories: 1 with Regongar, 1 with Octavia, and a final 1 with Octavia and Regongar, all of which coordinate into a single emotional whole. And it’s just great.
5. Shepard and Tali (Mass Effect 2 and 3)
I hate to do another cop-out here, but honestly, I feel like I got most of this right the first time I mentioned it in an Annual Summary rant, so I’m just gonna say what I did there:
Tali is adorable, sweet, and caring, and the chemistry between her and a Paragon Shepard is excellent. I like the fact that they've known each other for a fair amount of time before hooking up in Mass Effect 2 (she’s a non-romanceable crew member in ME1), too, giving the impression that this isn't some whimsical attraction that will fade, but rather a strong connection formed from a great understanding of each other.
What I really love about this romance, besides just how strong a chemistry and realism their connection has--few characters seem to so perfectly mesh with and bounce off of Shepard's personality as Tali does--is that there's a strong element of sacrifice involved with it...basically, a member of Tali's species is put at mortal risk when he/she removes his/her environmental suit due to their extremely finicky immune system, meaning that such activities as sex (in the traditional sense, at least) are dangerous. Shepard knows all about Tali's species thanks to Tali's time in his crew in ME1, so for him to pursue a relationship with her, he's knowingly choosing a partner that he can't regularly make love to in a "normal" sense, so, as he more or less says himself, he’s choosing to be with her because he feels that on an emotional, intellectual, and/or spiritual level, she's worth giving that up for. And of course, Tali takes a huge risk by deciding to make her and Shepard's first time natural, with her removing her suit--she does what she can to lessen the danger, but she's still endangering her life to show how much she loves Shepard.
Stupid? Well, yes...but romantically stupid.
...See what I was saying earlier? Between ME, KotOR1, DA1, and BG2, classic Bioware owns a full quarter of this list rant. What the hell happened, guys?
4. Aigis and Makoto/Kotone (Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3, Q1, and Q2)
Another strange couple to make it onto the list, for a couple reasons. The first is that in SMTP3, there are several girls for the main character, Makoto, to get together with, and likewise several boys for the other potential main character, Kotone, to date, and neither Makoto's nor Kotone's relationship with Aigis is technically acknowledged as one of these romances. The second is that Makoto and Kotone are a silent protagonist--at least, in their own game; they DO speak and reveal personality traits in the SMTPQ spinoffs. And silent protagonists are not exactly known for their stirring speeches on undying love, or any other subject.
But this relationship really is very touching, far more so than the other, "real" romances of the game (although I did like Mitsuru's, I'll admit). Aigis, who is a fantastic character as a whole, seeks to make sense of her existence and come to understand and embrace her limited humanity, and Makoto or Kotone helps her in her search for herself. She's already absolutely devoted to him or her, and from that devotion and the time she spends finding herself with his/her aid, you can see her love for him/her grow in proportion to her self-discovery. In a sense, her identity as a human being instead of just a machine is directly linked to her immense love for Makoto or Kotone, and as she comes to be more and more an individual who can feel, so too does she become more and more an individual who can love.
Of all the final romantic Social Link scenes that you see in the game, in which the love interest involved invites Makoto or Kotone to their room, gives him or her a gift, speaks of how much he/she's changed their life for the better, makes their love for Makoto/Kotone known as best they can, and then spends a long while alone with him/her (this last part is where you're left free to interpret, although let's be real, it's pretty definitely meant to imply love-making), it's Aigis’s which is the most spiritually touching. She does the same as the other girls or guys, and reaffirms her love for Makoto or Kotone (which she confesses earlier, and earliest of all the other romantic interests), and then has him/her take out her main memory chip doohickey, the tiny piece of her circuitry that makes her who she is. In this way, by leaving his or her fingerprints on this piece of her, Aigis is asking the one she loves to forever leave a mark of him- or herself on her very soul.
I admit that the protagonist's side of things in this romance isn't especially noteworthy (although done well, considering the no-talking limitations and the fact that Makoto and Kotone seem like pretty mellow folks to begin with (at least in SMTP3; Q2 reveals that Kotone's actually pretty chipper)). But Aigis is so convincing in her affections for Makoto and Kotone, and her character development, which I mentioned is closely tied to this love, is so great, that it makes this whole thing one of the most beautiful love stories I've seen in the genre.
3. Miriam and Simone (Angelic Acceptor Alouette: VXA)
As a preamble note: I love Mille's connection to Simone and Miriam, and I wholeheartedly believe in them as a throuple. Mille's side of the love story, however, while definitely good, is not on the same level of excellence as Miriam and Simone's, so it's the latter 2 that get the placement here. By no means, however, should this be seen as a belief that Mille is excluded from this -amory, she merely adds to the romance in a positive way, just not positive to the same level that earns Miriam and Simone their spot here in the list.
Anyway:
As marvelous as I find much of Large Battleship Studios's love stories to be, they're prone to diving right into the deep end of emotional and physical intimacy, either skipping or drastically shortening the earlier steps of the parties gradually figuring out that they like each other, contemplating that, dilly-dallying about communicating and committing to that attraction, etc. Which isn't usually a problem for LBS couples, because
A: The intensity with which Saint Bomber writes romantic and sexual love fits a focus on its later stages where the real emotional meat can be found,
B: The means by which these early steps are passed by are legitimately written and clearly not just being lazy (relationships already in progress, characters having already necessarily known each other and had feelings for one another for years already, sex-first-but-then-we-realized-there's-more-to-us-than-just-that introductions, etc.),
C: As I mentioned earlier, there's an overabundance of RPG love stories which never even get past the early phase of romance anyway, considering their job done when the infatuated parties express and validate their feelings for one another only seconds before the final curtain falls.
But that doesn't mean that Saint Bomber can't start a love story from scratch and go through the traditional build-up of interest and deepening of connection, and Miriam and Simone's relationship shows that he's just as apt at the ramp-up of new attractions and deepening feelings as he is at portraying love in its established stages, too. From the start, Miriam and Simone's connection and rapport is engaging and sweet, and it only becomes all the more touching, compelling, and lovely a meeting of hearts and souls as each girl gets to know each other through conversation and shared adventure. You can see their chemistry advance and grow as each provides what the other needs, be it fun, sympathetic or, at times, frank and uncompromising. Miriam and Simone's magnificent devotion to one another is formed quickly but with demonstrable authenticity, as they're there with and for one another through the truly good times, but also for their very lowest moments, too, neither allowing the other to sink any lower to despair, self-hatred, or shutdown, each instead raising the woman she loves up, sometimes by force and through pain of her own, above that which threatens to tear her down and asunder.
Love as it is when shared between Simone and Miriam is uplifting, tender, and genuine. Much like Tidus and Yuna, you can see the influence of each woman upon the other being made as their story unfolds, only they go even a step further, for the traits that Miriam adopts from Simone and Simone from Miriam sometimes weren't even present in the other to begin with--they're instead taking on the heroisms and kindnesses that they perceive in one another, even when those traits are brave faces put on for the other's benefit. By trying to be everything that she believes the other deserves, each makes it possible for the other to be the best self of a person she hadn't even known she could become. Miriam and Simone's love story is just truly spectacular.
2. Gabby and Marine (Quantum Entanglement)
...I swear Large Battleship Studios isn’t paying me to do this. Saint Bomber really is just this good.
Gabby and Marine’s story is a marvelous example of a romance that has both a compelling love-at-first-sight fated-to-be dimension to it, and the care, effort, and skill invested into their interactions that really sells you on its authenticity. The subtle but undeniable way that Marine and Gabby’s feelings deepen for one another--or perhaps it’s more accurate to say, that those feelings settle comfortably into where they’re meant to be--over the course of QE is touching and genuinely enjoyable to witness, and everything about how they interact with one another, supporting each other, connecting and re-connecting, realizing the perfect ways their personalities fit into the grooves of the other’s...it’s easily 1 of the most organic and genuine love stories I’ve seen, and the strength that each woman derives from the devotion and support of her partner in turn uplifts the player, reminding him or her of just how powerful and wondrous love can be, as it reaches across lives to entangle 2 souls meant to be as one.
Hell, you know you’ve done something truly right with your love story when I write an entire rant just to heap praise upon it. Check that one out if you want a more comprehensive look at why Gabby and Marine are an insanely wonderful specimen of romance.
1. Dagger and Zidane (Final Fantasy 9)
I have a habit of topping rant lists with an example that's not so much original in its founding idea as it is a fantastic execution of a supposedly tired cliche (Grandia 2 being the best RPG, Ryudo being the best hero, Chrono Trigger having the best ending, and so on). And that's the case here. Dagger and Zidane's romance is not something you haven't heard of--it's a story of a lovable rogue winning the affections of an upper-class, proper woman (almost always a princess). It's usually good for a nice, lighter love story with some laughs (who doesn't love Han Solo and Leia's bickering in the original Star Wars trilogy, I ask?), but it's not usually something really stirring and deep.
Well, Dagger and Zidane make it that way. They start out about the way you might expect--Zidane's feelings for Dagger don't really extend much past the "Oooh, pretty" stage, while Dagger usually has enough sense not to take him seriously. But where most stories would just have them trade witty dialogue to simulate attraction, or possibly not even do that much, Dagger and Zidane's relationship grows throughout the entire game. As he comforts her when she's hurt and lost, stands by her, protects her, and helps her in whatever ways he can, and shows himself over and over to be a pure, noble man who helps people and innately understands what's right with almost childlike simplicity, Dagger comes to appreciate Zidane for his excellent quality as a human being, taking him more seriously as he proves that he is serious in his affections for her, and falling in love with him slowly, carefully, but completely.
And Dagger also wins Zidane's love just as well. What starts off as a mild attraction that probably doesn't exceed anything he feels for any random pretty lady crossing his path becomes a devoted, full-blown love for Dagger as he spends time with her, listens to her, comes to know her and understand her more and more. His interest in other women dwindles as he becomes fascinated with better knowing the one in front of him, and his appeals for her affection become less playful flirting and more genuine wooing as time goes on. Theirs is a love of labor, a romance realistically developed slowly and in detail, an attraction that draws them almost reluctantly into a deep, intimate connection of souls. These two are truly self-made soul mates, and well deserve to be at the top of this list.
Honorable Mention 1: Alice and Yuri (Shadow Hearts 1 and 2 (Mostly 2))
I like to put in these Honorable/Dishonorable Mention picks just to find a different perspective on the list's subject. It's fun. And so, we have Alice and Yuri. Specifically, from Shadow Hearts 2.
Now, SH1's portrayal of Alice and Yuri's love is nice enough. I can believe it and it'll make you feel as warm and fuzzy as any other reasonably decent RPG romance. But it's Shadow Hearts 2 that really portrays just how incredibly in love with Alice Yuri was. The funny thing is, though, that Alice isn't in SH2--she's dead. Yuri's love is seen in his mourning for her. We see his utter inability to find a place in his world without her, and realize that she, as the love of his life, gave his existence meaning. Although he can appreciate and fight for morality and friends, in the end, he feels empty, protecting a world because his beloved Alice loved it, yet has now left it behind. He can't even conceive of loving another person no matter how earnestly they may feel for him, he can't find a reason to keep doing what he does, and he would much sooner die than live without the memories of her. There are scenes in SH2 regarding Yuri's love for Alice, and how much she loved him, that are some of the most touching, heart-wrenching moments in the entire RPG genre.
Shadow Hearts 2 shows through Alice and Yuri an incredibly moving story of romantic love, after its end, and it deserves a mention here.
Honorable Mention 2: The Hero of Halferville and Persi (Shadowrun The Caldecott Caper Mod)
The Caldecott Caper is an unofficial fan work, so I can’t really give it an official place on the list. But to deny this romance the due recognition of its excellence entirely would be an absolute sin, so at the very least, we can offer the mod’s creator, Cirion, an Honorable Mention.
The romance between the protagonist of The Caldecott Caper (later referred to as The Hero of Halferville) and the character Persi is poignant, sweet, and lovely. It’s a genuine portrayal of a fast-forming but true bond between soulmates, and even if the rest of The Caldecott Caper weren’t awesome, this romance would be reason enough to play the mod. And credit where it’s due--Cirion’s ability to write a love story is great pretty much every time he exercises it, not just with Persi (there’s some tough competition from Arelia’s romance in the following mod adventure, Calfree in Chains). The love stories to be found in the Calfree Trilogy are amazing, beautiful connections of affection and passion that make your heart flutter in romantic sympathy, and make no mistake, Persi and the Protagonist aren’t just here in the Honorable Mentions out of pity--they’d probably have placed seventh on the list above, right between the Bhaalspawn and Viconia, and the Pathfinder: Kingmaker trio. And Arelia and the Calfree in Chains protagonist would’ve probably placed only a few spots below them, for that matter. I sure as hell hope that Cirion is a writer for the game industry or has plans in place to enter the field, because he’s damn good at what he does.
Always a fun time, to revisit this list. 1 of my favorite narrative subpots is a quality love story, and when the RPG genre gets it right, it gets it right. It's just a shame, as I said before, that it seems to the exception rather than the norm.
Also interesting, when going through this list again, just how skewed the field is in terms of who's capable of producing great romance in RPGs. Like I noted earlier, if you take the Honorable Mentions out of the equation, half of this list is populated by love stories from games created by just 2 developers. And even the remaining half gets clustered up, too; of the 10 romances above not written by Bioware or Large Battleship Studios, 3 came from SquareEnix (assuming Belle and Beast count), 2 from Atlus, and another 2 from Owlcat Games--none a huge number of contributions, but really, when I'm drawing from a pool of over 400 games, you'd think, even with as much overlap of developers within that pool as there is, that the odds would be against more than 1 or 2 of them hitting the list even a second time. Yet here we are with a total of 8 developers being recognized on a list of the 20 greatest RPG love stories. I suppose personal bias probably figures into it substantially, as it always does, but still, it's surprising.
Anyway, it's been fun! See y'all again in another 4 years or so, when we update this thing again!
* Look, it's a fine romance and I have nothing particular against how it's done, but going from confused and awkward acquaintances to terrific friend-crushes in the space of a single musical number just doesn't give this relationship the development time it needs.
** The concept of love so indelibly inscribed into the souls of those engaged within it that it reaches across and cuts straight through intangible infinities like time, space, reincarnations, and non-existence is a recurring theme with romances written by Saint Bomber, it seems; other couples further up on this list that he’s created have loves that similarly defy the impossible and reach across iterations of infinity. We love to view the concept of love as something that exists as a universal, cosmic power unto itself, that can exist beyond the ravages of any obstacle, and Saint Bomber knows how to work that angle beautifully over and over again.
*** :D
...Also, it took me more than 10 years to realize that another reason why this pairing is totally the true romance of SMTP4 is because the characters’ names are phonetically “You” and “I”. I mean, that’s either gotta be intentional, or it’s the kind of cosmic coincidence that implies a higher will guiding the course of fate, and either way, Imma take it as proof that these 2 are meant to be.
