On the global day of lurve, we get to talking about our favourite gaming romances or romantics, getting you in the mood for some of that digital loving! Hubba hubba!

Javier

The person that immediately popped into my head was Geralt from the Witcher, specifically the Witcher 3. He can be seen as a manwhore or a man who’s coping with rejection from his one true love! Depending on how you play the game you can end up with a number of romantic partners but myself, in particular, I found doing everything I could to end up with Yennefer. I ensured I did any quest involving her, took her side in arguments and eventually got to be with Yennefer. Retiring from all this monster hunter malarky and having a nice relaxing bath! Bring on tha’ booty!

Will J

To me, a good love story comes down to a few things; both characters being strong in their own right, well-crafted dialogue, believable chemistry, and a tension that makes you want that first moment – be it a peck on the cheek or a bonking session on top of a unicorn – to come as soon as possible.

And that’s why, for me, no mainstream game did romance better than Mass Effect 2. Specifically, my reptile husband Thane Krios.

Thane intrigued me at every turn. His dialogue was compelling, his personality alluring. The more I learned about him, the more I wanted to know. As one of the only members of his species in the game, he provided not only his own story but the story of his entire people. I cared about him as a person and every moment spent in dialogue was whimsically fascinating- not too bad for an assassin, no?

Thane vows to spend his final days paying back for his sins and helping you as Commander Shepard save the galaxy from the Reapers, after realizing that he’s terminally ill. And he does so with a single pledge of both friendship, loyalty, and respect.

“Time for me is short, Siha, but any I have is yours to take.”

Mikey

My pick isn’t going to be for a certain character or couple, as my pick for favourite gaming romance is The Sims.

I have gone for The Sims because there really isn’t a truer romantic experience than picking two of your created Sims and trying to get them to meet, go on that first date and eventually tie the knot. It’s also probably the most realistic romance you will ever have in a video game, as you will need to put effort into your Sims relationship and try keep them both happy while juggling the stresses of everyday Sim life. The funny (And sad) thing is, I spent a lot of my younger teenage life playing The Sims and would often find myself doing exactly this rather than getting out there and actually trying to find a real life girl! And if you have played The Sims for any extended amount of time then I can guarantee you’ve been in the same boat… If you deny it then you are lying!

So there you have it, in my opinion the most romantic experience you can have in a video game is on The Sims. That is until one half of your dream couple meets an untimely death after setting themselves on fire trying to cook a hotdog or something!

Joe

Despite having never played a Dragon Age game, I can appreciate good – and honest – relationships in videogames, and the one out of all of gaming that sticks out to me is with a male Inquisitor and Iron Bull in Dragon Age: Inquisition; we need some more pride in here! Iron Bull is normally your steadfast berserker-esque character that goes out of his way to protect you and to slay his enemies… But boi does he also slay in the bedroom. Iron Bull is, despite his cold and scarred exterior, one of the most heartwarming characters I’ve ever seen, especially when in a gay relationship with your character; he treats you with love, affection, adoration, and would undoubtedly give his life for your cause…

A gentleman on the battlefield and a demon in the sheets.

God Iron Bull. Just take me now.