Quest for Love: The 10 Best Romances in Video Games

It’s February, the month of love. And what better time to examine romance in video games? Ever since Pac-Man met his Ms. in 1982, the quest for a soulmate has been a motivating factor for players in all sorts of digital worlds. While many of those romances have been pretty unsatisfying, a few get it right. Here’s a dive through gaming history to spotlight 10 games with romances that really stood out.

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

CD Projekt RED’s Witcher game series is all about setting the player down in the middle of an absurdly rich world with tons of stuff to do, so it’s not surprising that romance is on the menu. The first Witcher game was a little sus when it came to romance, offering Geralt trading cards for bedding women. But by the third sequel, we had a full-fledged love triangle: Our hero must choose between sorceresses Triss and Yennefer. Each offers a rich and rewarding storyline, but if we had to pick one path for you to play through, it would probably be Yen’s.

Available on PlayStation 4, Windows, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PS5, Xbox Series X/S

Life Is Strange: Before the Storm

All the Life is Strange games have their share of romantic intrigue—how could a series about high schoolers not? The one that lands the best, though, is Before The Storm(Opens in a new window), the prequel that put Chloe in the protagonist role and examined how the original games events started. When Chloe meets fellow student Rachel, their relationship can grow from troublemaking friends to something deeper, if you let it, and the entire process feels natural and realistic. The core of romance is how two people interact with each other, and Before The Storm captures the awkwardness, mystery, and charm expertly.

Available on PlayStation 4, Windows, Xbox One, Linux, macOS, Android, iOS, Nintendo Switch

Grim Fandango

Adventure games are great for building deep relationships with characters, and Tim Schafer’s 1998 LucasArts masterpiece Grim Fandango shows that well. As skeleton travel agent Manny Calavera, you have to figure out why the lovely, deceased Meche Colomar isn’t booked on the fast train to Paradise. Covering a span of four years, the game follows Manny through the afterlife as he tries to set things right as he also grows closer to Meche. By the finale, you’ve not only righted a cosmic wrong but also found the love of your afterlife, and the pair ride the train into the sunset together.

Available on Windows, Linux, OS X, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita, Android, iOS, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One

The Darkness

Getting revenge for the death of a loved one is a hoary old trope in video games, and most of the time, the emotional connection the player is supposed to feel just isn’t there. But 2007’s The Darkness(Opens in a new window) is that rare game that really sells the bond between protagonist and love interest, even as it’s cut short. In this comic-book adaptation, you play as Mafia hitman Jackie Estacado, who is possessed by a supernatural force that empowers his quest. The scenes with Jackie and his girlfriend Jenny are some of the most realistic and authentic romance bits that gaming has ever seen, brilliantly written and acted. You owe it to yourself to play this one.

Available on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3

Enslaved: Odyssey to the West

A classic romance trope is putting together two people who don’t care for each other and watching things develop. In Ninja Theory’s 2010 game Enslaved(Opens in a new window), you play the adventurous Monkey, who is entrusted to accompany Trip on her journey home. He’s not along for the ride willingly, though—Trip has strapped a slaver’s collar to him that will explode if anything happens to her. This is a little bit kinkier a metaphor than we’re used to seeing in game romances, but what’s interesting is how the two come to depend on each other as their relationship deepens. It’s a good example of how a game’s core mechanics can deepen its emotional narrative.

On PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Microsoft Windows

To the Moon

This brilliant 2011 role-playing game is a must for anybody curious about how games can inspire deep emotional connections. In the future, a company has built technology to implant artificial memories into people close to death, enabling them to pass away without guilt or regret. A pair of scientists enter the mind of a dying man named Johnny to unravel his desire to travel to the Moon, only to find themselves repairing his missing memories of River, his childhood sweetheart. It’s a gorgeous, sad meditation on love, loss, and regret and one of the most poignant games ever made.

On Windows, OS X, Linux, Android, iOS, Nintendo Switch

Final Fantasy X

JRPGs (Japanese role-playing games) are notorious for mixing romance into their plots, and all the modern Final Fantasy games have at least some coupling going on. While we have a soft spot for VII’s love triangle, the most fully realized of all the pairings has to be Tidus and Yuna from the tenth installment. Sure, our hero starts out as a bit of a goof, but the emotional growth he shows as he accompanies Yuna on her quest—and accepts the fact that they won’t be able to be together in the end—is pretty amazing. There are some weird notes in the translation, but the romantic arc is better than almost anything else Square has done.

Available on PlayStation 2

It Takes Two

Most of the romances we see on this list take place in the first blush of a relationship, when everything is new and exciting. But the magic of 2021’s It Takes Two is how delicately it deals with the later stages of love, when the fire seems like it might go out forever. Protagonists Cody and May are seemingly trapped in an unworkable marriage and considering divorce when, through the magic of video games, they become trapped in the bodies of two of their daughter’s dolls. As they try to return to human form, they travel through representations of both their past and inner selves, coming to a new appreciation for each other with all their imperfections. It’s a powerful, nuanced, and mature game that tackles the messy reality of romance.

Available on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch

Persona 4

The Persona games are notorious for their romance options—building social bonds between your friends is how you increase their effectiveness in the difficult turn-based battles. There are hundreds of arguments about which supporting character is the “best waifu” (fighter), but we prefer the sporty, vibrant Chie Satonaka. Each of the characters has good qualities, but protagonist Yu’s relationship with Chie is the most well-rounded and aspirational. Chie makes a great curry, loves martial arts, and is willing to go against the group to stick to her principles. Romancing her adds a lot of depth and charm to the already great game.

Available on PlayStation 2, PlayStation Vita, Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S

Mass Effect

BioWare’s sci-fi trilogy is also well known for romance options, but there’s one that stands head and shoulders above the others: Garrus Vakarian. The Turian investigator joins Shepard’s crew on the Normandy to bring Saren to justice, but as he accompanies the captain, they grow closer and closer until—if you’ve chosen FemShep—things get romantic. Interspecies relationships are a core trope in sci-fi, but Garrus is more than just a novelty; he’s a rich and nuanced character who shows fascinating vulnerability in his intimate moments. It’s the kind of romance that could only work in a video game.

Available on PlayStation 3, Windows, Xbox 360, Wii U