The affair in video games has always seemed secondary to me. If I don’t have to do it or if there is no great reward for me after the romance plot, I skip it. But after my recent conversation with Amy Brierley-Beare’s media researcher, I am willing to return to some titles and play differently in them.
After reading her paper, I found Amy The language of digital love About game studies. He is a lecturer at the University of Adelaide in Australia and specializes in how romance and intimacy are represented in games. Her goal in this article was to categorize love relationships in video games so that everyone could better understand how every kind of romance affects the player’s experience.
Because Amy often uses vast games like Fallout 4IN WitchAND Grand Theft Auto As examples in my article I contacted her and asked for games with a great romance, which he would fly as an expert in this field.
Amy not only gave me a list of great games, but also gave me a hint of how to look at romance in games differently. Along the way, she gave great examples of three types of love for games, which she describes in her article: Limerent, home and witty.
Here are some of the best recommendations of Amy Romance.
Dragon Age: Inquisition
One of the three types of romance describes Amy, called “limely romance”. It’s about building a deeper relationship and a relationship with the character, as if you were deeply in love with them. You want to make the right dialog elections and develop your relationship with the character in the right way, even if you decide how you play the game and the elections made.
“Dragon Age: Inquisition It is a good example of limely representations, because there are many, optional, in -depth intensive relationships that can be quite versatile, “explained Amy.” So you focus here, learning the figure, their motivations and you will work on the development of the relationship. “
If you are a passionate person who wants to fall in love with the form and build a relationship with them throughout the story, Dragon Age: Inquisition This is a great game to try.
Skyrim, Fallout 4 and Starfield
Amy says that some Bethesda games are a great representation of what she calls “home affair”. Unlike Limensnce, home affair has a general emotional relationship, which contains utilitarian relationships. In exchange for an affair you will receive items, buffs and general benefits. Basically, it’s about the nesting of the relationship.
“The point is that it is not a flight,” explains Amy. “It’s about creating a family and utility that comes from it. In this way it is similar to a digital dollhouse, in which focusing consists in the home and family of your character, more than developing a relationship.”
While players lose their passion in home romance, they receive more thanks to adaptation and roles. They can get married, adapt their home, have children and decide about other aspects of their personal life of their characters, which are not discussed in the main story.
Yakuza: Like a dragon
The third and last category of Amy’s romance mentions “folk romance”. He throws out the goal of sharing life with the character, to join the game of flirting and romance without a long -term perspective instead. The emphasis is on fun, which is usually represented with side activities and minigas.
“Funny statements also often also encourage many partners to meet, and not to have one affair for the game,” reveals Amy. “A fairly versatile example is Yakuza: Like a dragonWhere you need to raise your statistics to establish relationships and you will receive reinforcement. You are awarded to develop many relationships at the same time. In fact, to quote one of the romance guides of this game: “The biggest bonus comes from the affairs of all six women at the same time.”
Florence
Amy’s paper focuses mainly on the affair of video games as an optional activity that made me curious if it had a recommendation of the game in which it would be central in the game.
“Florence It seems to me that this is not only pretty in how he examines the developing relationships, but also the end of the relationship, “Amy said.” Metaphors of mechanics in art were really impressive. Initially, puzzles are basic to match when developing a relationship, but when the couple in the game drifted, the tasks have become more arduous, and then impossible. It is fascinating that the players are so frustrated and unhappy, and I think That this is a perfect, uncomplicated example of subjective positioning in the game.
Hades (1 and 2) and arrange everything
When I asked Amy about games released in the last five years, which revolutionized or did something special with romance, she categorically said that we could not look at the mainstream games to find them.
“I would encourage players to check independent titles and experiences published Itch.io. These spaces allow more pushing boundaries and a smaller copying structure that happens in large budgets. “
However, she mentioned both Hades AND Make an appointment As honorary references in a vast space for gaming.
“Hades He was perfect in presenting various, various romance performances with many different characters that had clear desires, answers and motivations, “Amy said.Make an appointment It is a fun example of something that recently tells the satire line, while deconstructing the popular mechanics and clues found in dating simulators. “
Baldur gate 3
Amy quickly recommended Baldur gate 3But for reasons that were not obvious to me – so not because of the bear’s scene.
“The game destroyed the popular conventions of romance in time and surprised players with potential lovers who were motivated to afford the player, not the player as the only one with the agency,” Amy explained. “If nothing more, looking at how fans are invested, and support and fans show that the game concerned something that some players feel very passionate.”
Change the way you see an affair in video games
To sum up our interview, Amy gave the last advice on how to look at romance in games with a critical viewing point that will allow you to better understand and enjoy games.
“Something that I encourage all players when they are involved in an affair, it is to think about what some mechanics do,” he suggests. “Are they rewarded for marriages? Having many partners? Should you buy gifts for a potential lover? Talk to them in a certain way? Do you have to do something unrelated (are you good in something else signaling the game, that you are qualifying so far?).
“You will never know when you encounter an affair in games,” Amy sums up. “It came up with many experiences that may surprise you – this is not only a few styles of games. Some players are not always satisfied with romance, but I think it can be really fascinating to see how games study this extremely refined, complex and intimate element of life.”
