Much like Hollywood, RPGs always seem to get straddled with a love story, so which love stories did you like, which ones did you hate, and do you think these types of subplots are important to the genre?
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Much like Hollywood, RPGs always seem to get straddled with a love story, so which love stories did you like, which ones did you hate, and do you think these types of subplots are important to the genre?
I don't think they're exactly necessary. Though I do think they've come to be expected in most long-winded stories, no matter the medium. Just one more thing to help the audience get invested I suppose. Plus its only natural to develop strong bonds with people you're saving the world/universe with, and to get to know them way better than they probably ever wanted to before. I'm inclined to believe there would inevitably be romance between members of a real life world-saving team if it were made up of a bunch of single awesome people. I guess the only question really is, why not? I'm hard pressed to think of many RPGs that didn't have any romantic sub-plots. For some reason the only examples I can really come up with are either really old, or strategy RPGs. But there are a lot where you at least have the option to not pursue romantic interests. Which I don't think I'd have a problem with. But it would be jarring having a long in depth story without any romance. It's about as foreign as having an elderly person as a protagonist, and I'd want just as much to see where that sort of thing could go
My favorites are Cloud/Aerith/Tifa and Squall/Rinoa from the ones I've played enough. As much as I like X and Yuna I was never that much invested in the love sub-plot. Mass Effect is another one I thought had a lot of good romance options, though I think the payoff in the first game was the best.
Persona 4 with Naoto. If you go that route with her it is absolutely wonderful.
Vayne and Nikki from Mana Khemia also plays out well.
The vast majority of love plots in RPG's just kind of fall to 'meh' for me though.
I liked all of these, including X and the Yuna/Tidus relationship.Quote:
Originally Posted by ToriJ
Yep. Naoto's story is awesome.Quote:
Originally Posted by NeoCracker
I'll add in Isaac/Jenna from Golden Sun: The Lost Age. It starts a tiny bit in the first game, but it's really in Book Two when it starts to get really awesome. It's nothing huge, just some adorable (and sometimes hilarious) little scenes.
Raven's relationship from Rune Factory 3. She's one of my favorite characters in the series, and I love the relationship she builds with you in this game as you take on her quests, and choosing her as the romance option I just feel works incredibly well (and her story after you're married is incredibly fun).
Marle and Crono from Chrono Trigger. Such a great relationship, and I love taking her to the resurrection scene.
I like the Tifa/Cloud thing (in the main game) and how they incorporated Aeris as well to make it an awkward triangle. The way they twisted that with the Zack-Cloud and Zack-Aeris stuff made it even better.
I like the Serah-Snow thing in XIII but I feel they screwed it up in the two sequels. I feel SE felt they had to water it down to ensure that people could feel there is a "thing" between Noel and Serah, and it ruined it all. In XIII, Snow would show his love for Serah at every opportunity. In the sequels, this wasn't as much the case and I didn't like it how it panned out.
Locke and his past lady was a nice romantic twist to his overall story.
Love stories play out pretty well in Persona 4, but I'll stick to just games that have mandatory love stories.
Lunar 2 - Hiro x Lucia, and Ronfar x Mauri.
Shadow Hearts - Yuri x Alice
FFIX - Zidane x Garnet
Grandia - Justin x Feena
Grandia 2 - Ryudo x Millenia/Elena
Odin Sphere - Oswald x Gwendolyn
Dragon Quest VIII - Hero x Medea
Xenogears - Fei x Elly
Chrono Trigger - Crono x Marle
Agreed, and I always pick her. :)Quote:
Persona 4 with Naoto. If you go that route with her it is absolutely wonderful.
Allen and Shion people.
Allen is the hope of all of us who post on this forum.
Lately I can rarely stomach them, especially in jRPGs. People are just so absorbed in falling in love and that "spark" at the beginning, when in truth it's actually the most stupid and immature part of the relationship. It gets even worse coupled with the melodrama plaguing most JRPGs. It's only later on that relationships get really interesting, which is why Fran and Balthier are probably my favorite video game couple. You can just see how well they understand each other and how much they mean to each other and it's all so subtle and beautiful and I just can't :love:
Yeah, couldn't stomach the Tidus/Yuna romance. Ew. I kinda got the same vibe from the Last Story's main breeding pair. It really prevented me from fully enjoying what was otherwise a good game :(
I really liked Rinoa/Squall, Steiner/Beatrix, Raine/Laguna. I also thought Tellah and Edward had a great relationship. Always teasing each other. Oh and Fang/Vanille. Not sure if that one counts but it should!
Outside of Final Fantasy, I really liked Hix and Tengaar from Suikoden. Flik and Odessa didn't last long but there was obviously some love there. Anju and Kafei from Majora's Mask.
Relationships I hated? I can't really think of any right off the bat.
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l1...k_Odessa_3.jpgQuote:
Originally Posted by shion
Attachment 52908
Attachment 52944
Platina: "It's so beautiful! Do you think this might be... Heaven?"
Lucian: "It's bad luck to say such things!"
Platina: "Tee hee. I'm sorry."
Lucian: "These flowers... they're... Platina! We've got to get out of here! These flowers, all of them, they're... Weeping Lilies!"
Platina: "Weeping... Lilies?"
Lucian: "That's right! If we stay here, their poison will kill us! ...Platina?"
Platina: "If I were to fall asleep here, would I be able to just... slip away?"
Lucian: "Wh...What..."
Platina: "I can't stand it any longer! No matter how hard I've tried... Mother and Father have never treated me with kindness! If you care about me so much, Lucian. Do you think... Do you think we might be reborn? That we might be reborn... together?"
Lucian: ....
Platina: "I'm so glad to have known you, Lucian. But I have too many awful memories. I just want to forget. Forget...it...all..." [Platina collapses.]
Lucian: "No! Wake up! I won't have it! You want me to forget!? Would you forget me too, Platina---? Platina? PLATINA!"
Have there been any truly decent rpgs where the love story was the focus of the entire game?
Conception?Quote:
Originally Posted by Mercen-X
Maybe FFX, if that counts.
I bet there are no decent love-story rpgs that aren't dating sims. I think there should be an rpg set to the tone of Romeo and Juliet.
>>> Disgaea 2..:luca:Quote:
Originally Posted by Mercen-X
Lunar comes to mind, the Love story is actually a big part of the game. Also Rhapsody: A Musical Adventure ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by Mercen-X
I actually came back here to mention Lunar being on of the only games wehre the Love story is pretty much the central plot element, and while I do like Lunar, that is one of the most ungodly cheesy games I've ever played. XD
Sakura Taisen/Wars games. I think only like ... one was brought over. But yeah
I have played Lunar. You're right, Alex's love for Luna is both a central theme and the primary driving force behind Alex's adventures. I need to get a copy of that game. I beat it, but there was a bunch of side-questing I didn't get to do. I saw the guys' bathing scene but never managed to see the girls' bathing scene because by the time I got a new bar of soap I had already gotten to the end of the game... and I had only been renting it. I also have never played Lunar 2.Quote:
Originally Posted by Wolf KannoLunar comes to mind, the Love story is actually a big part of the game. Also Rhapsody: A Musical Adventure ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by Mercen-X
The Last Story, possibly.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mercen-X
Thank God, that was not the case. The love story was horrible. It was right in the center of it, but the story would probably remain unchanged without it. It was literally the worst part about this game, it almost completely ruined it for me.Quote:
Originally Posted by JiroThe Last Story, possibly.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mercen-X
Does Xenogears count?Quote:
Originally Posted by Mercen-X
You are talking like there is anything wrong with that. Lunar is awesome, and is the first game I thought of for this thread.Quote:
Originally Posted by NeoCracker
I figured the XD implied a dose of fondness.
PS 1 Harvest Moon. Any bitches that I married. I make the best love story. :bigsnile: