This is a fresh era for RPGs. Gone are the days of chaste kisses and secret hand-holding from our innocent past, now we roll with bears and get nasty with the Gith. Just kidding, of course. Dragon Age: Origins had a ton of smut back in 2009, and if you played your cards right, it will allow you to have fun with Leliana, Zevran, and Isabela.
Regardless, Dragon Age: The Veilguard won’t be left behind in this arms race, even if we don’t know if a single member will be included, as that’s apparently an industry secret or spoiler.
This is in accordance with Interview for IGN with game director Corinne Busche promising a wide range of flavors in a suitable spouse: “Some of them are quite sensual. Some are more physical, some are more romantic, some are more spicy,” Busch says, before casually throwing in a mental flashbang of “you might wake up in a coffin, you might not.”
I’d wager that’s the result of a gothic tête-à-tête with Veilguard necromancer Emmrich Volkarin, though who knows. Maybe Lace Harding’s been waiting since Inquisition to fly her freak flag. Speaking of which, her return was at least partly motivated by love: “Players fell in love with her, and we heard them.”
As for a romance worth pursuing if you want some excitement, dragon hunter Taash seems to be Busche’s pick: “When I got to that scene and saw the finished cutscene, I was screaming. I was screaming.” Considering Taash is a Qunari, I’m not entirely surprised. Iron Bull had a tough game.
That’s all well and good, but what interests me most, as someone who thinks the best RPG companions are the ones who occasionally get in your way, is the way Busche describes your friendships, romances, and FWB status as a game of give and take, rather than a love-bar spin. “You’ll develop trust, understanding. That doesn’t mean you’ll always agree… I like to think of relationships as not necessarily how much they like you, but how well you know them.”
“Every family has its disagreements, but what it’s really about is developing an understanding of each member of the Veilguard, which in turn will allow them to work better as a team.”
She says all the right things, and I just hope BioWare can pull it off—while I’m more excited about the intricate RPG mechanics we’re getting to see glimpses of, the dialogue hasn’t really grabbed me so far. I hope a few awkward jokes during the circumscribed gameplay trailers don’t get in the way of the thoughtful character work Busche promises, because I love overthinking RPG romance dynamics. Just ask Gale.
