Also, I don't think I have ever played an RPG where the romance leads to anything remotely related to the main story or adds anything to the gameplay.
Yeah, unless they're done really well or really poorly, they're generally forgettable.
The only good one that comes to mind (and I could be wrong, this was decades ago), was actually early BioWare, interestingly enough. SW:KotOR four or five years before the first Mass Effect, and only a couple years after BG2. Bastila was an interesting character, and her paths can differ greatly depending on player role and choice, and does affect the story line. She was also straight; this is back in the day when such things were allowed.
Most of the other memorable romances were the bad ones. David Cage games spring to mind. *cough cough* Fahrenheit. That level of retardation will haunt you.
Oh yeah, I forgot about Bastilla; that's a good call-out -- if you romanced her and then did the evil ending, she would actually join you, which was kind of cool. Back when choices actually meant something.
Yeah, unless they're done really well or really poorly, they're generally forgettable.
The only good one that comes to mind (and I could be wrong, this was decades ago), was actually early BioWare, interestingly enough. SW:KotOR four or five years before the first Mass Effect, and only a couple years after BG2. Bastila was an interesting character, and her paths can differ greatly depending on player role and choice, and does affect the story line. She was also straight; this is back in the day when such things were allowed.
Most of the other memorable romances were the bad ones. David Cage games spring to mind. *cough cough* Fahrenheit. That level of retardation will haunt you.
Oh yeah, I forgot about Bastilla; that's a good call-out -- if you romanced her and then did the evil ending, she would actually join you, which was kind of cool. Back when choices actually meant something.