Devs need to read more Harlequin Romance novels. Yes, I read them. They are books that are easy to pick up and put down because they rely on a very successful formula for romance. When I read a Dean Koontz book or other "real" book, I'm likely to do a marathon session... which is detrimental to things like dinner! For those that don't read Harlequin Romances... they are no longer "virgin meets rich doctor, falls in love and they get married"... no, today's romances are much, much racier, more realistic and contain some scintillating erotic sex scenes (not porn.. but some get damn close).
To be honest, sex in video games really doesn't hold much interest for me. It tends to be just sex, not romance. Even when they add in romantic qualities, they get it all wrong and really all they're doing is establishing some form of very boring relationship that usually goes along the lines of the following:
*Choice: there is often a choice of potential romance partners, you choose one through a dialogue tree.
*Courting: there are usually dialogue options to continue showing an interest in your choice (or to switch choices). In GTA4, you took her out on a bunch of dates.
*Conclusion: Sex in a bed.
Yawn... boring!
Alternately, we have the more scripted romances that tend to follow the High School concept of "I like her, she doesn't seem to like me, I make a sacrifice for her or rescue her... oh, she does like me... conclusion".
Yawn... again boring!
Devs need to spice things up a bit and think romance and passion not "sex". Harlequin books have a very long and successful history of writing romances and they tend to follow these rules:
Conflict. There must be conflict. There must be a reason to initially hate or dislike the eventual love interest. Maybe the love interest's brother killed your sibling or parent, maybe it's an old family feud, maybe the love interest had you demoted... it doesn't really matter as long as conflict is established with a simple backstory. Conflict simply adds an element to "overcome" which adds to the final resolution.
Anticipation. The initial conflict is always emotional... and once that is overcome, there is usually a situational conflict to overcome. Even when each person realizes they love the other, there are still situations that usually keep them apart - prolonging the anticipation of a resolution. Often it's a misunderstanding, another person... whatever. There just has to be a point at which the heroine realizes she loves the hero, but can't be with him. The more doomed the relationship seems, the more emotional the resolution is.
Resolution. The hero and heroine finally express their love and commence with the usual showing of their love. "Romance" isn't sex in a bed... it's sex in an open field while it's pouring rain, it's sex on a grand piano in the middle of a huge ballroom with chandeliers softly lit, it's having emotions overrun the situation and a need to show love through sex. Sex in video games needs to be a grander gesture. It needn't be time consuming or explicit... just not boring "sex in a bed" stuff. I do really like how Mass Effect did the sex scenes... just wish it hadn't been so pedestrian and maybe a bit more situationally imaginative.
Harlequin rules of romance also state that the male is always an Alpha male. They must be powerful, decisive, dominant... though with an underlying "hidden" kindness or suffering some emotional wounding. (Bioware's Anomen was not an alpha male in Baldur's Gate:SoA - yes, he was BORING!). The female is almost always a plucky woman. In the past, she was often powerless and needing to be rescued ( from poverty, widowhood, divorce, single motherhood, marauding soldiers, evil relatives, a demeaning job, or some combination of the above), but nowadays she is much more inclined to be an assertive woman who's life is totally under control... until she meets "the man".
EDIT: and it should be noted that sex and romance (love) are treated differently in Harlequins. Often sex is at the beginning of the book and forms the basis for the conflict. They meet, have sex, then find they have to work together. Guilt and conflict ensure... followed by anticipation and finally resolution.
While the Final Fantasy series, Mass Effect, Baldur's Gate series and other games have attempted "romance" - they seem to fail on multiple accounts and to a large degree it seems because they aren't looking at "mature" romance. Instead they are using either underdeveloped high school romance, or they simply give optional partners culimnating in some form of sex scene if the dialogue options are followed. I think that romance has been a sub-plot or optional plot in many of the previous games, but I see no reason why a love story can't actually form the basis for a game. Movies do it all the time. Terminator was a love story. She hates the "future guy" who is ruining her life (conflict) - "
come with me if you want to live". They gradually realize their love for one another but are on the run. I don't even recall if an actual "sex scene" was shown because in this romance, the conflict and anticipation parts were drawn out so long. "
I came across time for you Sarah. I love you, I always have."
The last scene of Sarah Connor being pregnant though is an interesting way of showing the resolution. It's a touching love story because of the conflict - this is what is so often missing in video games. If she had met him and liked him right away, the love story would not have been nearly as good.
There are many games with good love stories in them... and most do the anticipation part well... but I would like to see more conflict and more mature and passionate resolutions. I didn't have the pleasure of playing Mass Effect unfortunately, but I'm really looking forward to Dragon Age: Origins... and I'll be interested to see if the Bioware devs have been reading romance novels... and have taken video game sex to a place of mature passion and romance. If not, then they should start reading romance novels... doesn't this one seem like it could be an interesting game?
(and yes, this is an actual book!... though I haven't read this one.)
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Rome-ants? Pa-shun? I know not these words. Are they in any way related with violence and rage? These are concepts I'm quite familiar with.
Violence or GTFO
GREAT post! Another thing I'd like to see is there to be some acknowledgement of the consumation throughout the remainder of the story. Not only does the sex/resolution of the romance come off as pedestrian, it's also never referred to again!
It would have been great in Mass Effect for either Seth Green or some of the gruffer crew members to tease Shepard about his/her relationship. Would have made for some great dialogue options.
"So, I heard you and Liara were locked up all night 'discussing strategy'! Care to share the details?"
1. "A gentleman doesn't kiss and tell."
2. "Mind your own business."
3. "Got any Gatorade?"
Pa-shun, go play some Eroge game if you wanna do somma dat kinda whatever.
Mean time, I'd like to blow things up thank-you. XP
Seriously though, in Mass Effect, Commander Shepard(or at least, the one I played) fell pretty close to that, whaddaya call it, "Harlequin Man", save for two things: I played a female Shepard, and she liked blue a whole lot apparently.
Even if a love story is prevalent throughout a game... there can certainly be lots of violence and killing stuff!! This is usually the "anticipation" part where they are too busy battling bad guys to consumate any form of relationship. :)
@Palidi... in terms of Eroge - well, I'm not at all into anime and also from what little I know of those games, they're not "love stories" - with character development, conflict, anticipation... they seem to be more about the resolution part - and I don't know that they provide "romantic, passionate" resolution.
@Walkyourpath... I did see the love scenes (via utube) for Mass Effect... and while well done, the whole "meet me in my bedroom if ya want to do it" kind of ruined the "passion" part of the romance. I wasn't aware that the romance wasn't referred to for the rest of the game, but yes, this too would be a needed part.
Sex is done much better in films and literature when the actual act is either implied or what actually happens is imagined by the inference of the reader/viewer. It would be nice to see games take that mature step, and in all likelihood they will. Eventually.
I think many of the Devs are afraid that Romance would turn off a large area of their gamerbase, which would only be the case if it were done wrong. I think a successful romance driven game would do well if it followed the formula of a film like True Romance. Passion and love being central, but the plot being strung together with action, tension and instances of comedy.
It depends on which Eroge game you play. It's a rare type of game where the skill of the writer kinda makes or breaks the game.
Someone on Dtoid wrote a c-blog explaining the Eroge genre, Mmm...I think it was unangbangkay. It's a recommended read if you want to find out more.
Not Virgins Anymore: the best name for a romance novel ever
I guess games could use a little romance. Maybe Heavy Rain will pull it off?
Also does anyone else think The Highwayman could make a great game?
The two genres that have received no real attention in the Western market are realistic romance/love stories and straight-up comedies. One day, we'll get there. I'm sure of it.
The characters in GTA are pretty much loners and sex is pretty much a consequence. They're in a male dominated world, but hey, name me a 20-30 year old guy living that lifestyke who doesn't act like that sometimes. Technically with GTA, nobody can a have a long term relationship because it doesn't ever fit in with the main story arcs or the sandbox element. I guess there was an attempt with Nico, but since it's a sandbox game, there's nothing to attach itself to the narrative structure.
I liked the build up with Ashley and Shepherd in Mass Effect, but once she finally let her guard down and they had sex, that was pretty much it since we reached the final act. Nothing was said (not that they could), but there were no words of 'be careful' or anything and I just felt kind of cheated. Like it never happened.
Good write up! I think the only game that I've played recently that has come close to one these harlequin novels would be Resident Evil 4. Leon treated Ashley like a burden originally but develops feeling for her as the game progresses. Then a past love interest makes his life difficult until he completes his mission and saves Ashley. There was also the implication of an after-credits "reward" that was going to occur. Actually, I guess the same could be said about Uncharted though I haven't played the second to know how the relationships develop.
I may cut myself if the big blockbuster video games start turning into "chick-flicks" though ahaha!!
@Dinin Vorta... very nicely said! Love your comment!!
@Palidi... I think I did read it at one point, but should look for it again and refresh my memory!
@Occams... LOL! It probably is the name of some romance novel! :)
@Handy... I don't know a lot about Heavy Rain... but the story telling aspect might indeed allow the game to pull this off! (and yes, I did think that the synopsis for The Highwayman held good potential for a game!!)
@Everyday Legend... more games do need humour! Ratchet and Clank and even Brutal Legend (the demo anyway) seemed on the right track with humour... but a love story can also contain humour!!
@Stevil... I'm hoping that with Dragon Age: Origins, Bioware extends the romance and makes it more meaningful!
@Celica...I didn't play RE4 (controller issues - hated having to stop and shoot) but this sounds more like the "romance" I was looking for... though of the 3 elements it seems they didn't get to the resolution part!
... and I'm not looking for chick-flick... just more depth to the love stories, more maturity - which I think most anyone can appreciate!
i liked the relashionship between Max Payne & Mona Sax in Max payne 2....
Fantastic write-up! This would actually serve as a great primer for any dev trying to write a meaningful romantic plot or subplot.
Interesting ideas, though to be honest I don't expect you to see much real romance in video games until games start hiring... well real writers. You absolutely know when you start up certain games that the story was not created first. Someone in a room decided "Let's make an action game where you have a huge claw for a hand," then AFTER that they decide "So how do we make a story around that?"
Most game stories kind of suck largely in part to understating the importance of writing and acting. Nature of the beast sometimes. That might actually be part of why games like Ico have such an impact. You form a bond with Yorda through the course of the game without ever exchanging words with her, so poor writing and acting have no chance to get in the way. There's one point in the game where she's been taken away from you and you have a chance to either escape or leap back over a crumbling bridge to her. If you'd been playing the game properly you'll leap after her immediately without even thinking about it.
Mind you this isn't a romantic sort of bond they have, but that particular moment would be one I call romantic. In a somewhat different sense.
Good post! Like Wry Guy, I feel like the most romantic parts of games are character relationships that skirt around the romantic bond. Hmmm...maybe between Raiden and Emma Emmerich in MGS2? The Harvest Moon games, though a personal favorite, also kind of suck at this. Seriously, giving presents until a girl/guy's heart turns different colors =/= marriage. You should probably consult a doctor if your heart is turning different colors.
The conflict part of this makes tends to create female or male cliche's. I agree that there is a considerable lack of real romantic story building among the games released in my region. The build up never seems to pay out.
also about eroge. They tend to run the gambit. Alot is based more on traditional dating sim stereotypes of choose this or this (which follows along your Yawn list at #1), else you get a bad end. Those are the Visual Novel portions. They're are actual games that fit into this category as well. Although they are mostly untranslated.
unfortunately all I could recommend would be Brass Restoration since its freeware that got translated. It has a nice little bit of internal conflict and a decision tree that forces you to focus on the one girl you truly want.
the only other ones I've played are Men At Work 2 (which sounds like Yaoi but isn't), but that has barely any conflict in the relationship, and some non-romantic ones.
@Yonke: Yeah, I loved that one. It was a weird love story without anybody actually saying they were in love. I liked how Max felt as if he betrayed Michelle and the baby for actually moving on with his life.
Silent Hill 2 was also like that. Maria was 'the next woman' that James liked but in the end he couldn't admit his feelings because of his dead wife.
I once spent an entire afternoon coming up with titles for romance novels. It was absolutely glorious, and I've forgotten them all.
I think a lot of love stories, even in "more mature" media, ultimately fail because you don't have a reason to believe that the characters are really in love. Especially in movies, it often seems to be "Wow, you're so attractive, I WUV YOU." I started thinking about this when I read one critic's response to Nabokov's Lolita, which was something like "One of the only convincing love stories ever written", which at first sounded insane, but eventually I realized that I knew what he meant. Wuthering Heights is another book where the characters really feel like they're meant for each other, even though everyone in the book is a supreme asshat:).
I guess my feelings is, if a video game ever pulled off a love story that I felt succeeded in convincing me that these people were really in love(whether or not sex was involved), that wouldn't be a case of games "catching up" to movies/books/etc; that love story would be in the top .01% of love stories within fiction, period. I think the formal elements that you mentioned in the article can successfully push our buttons so that we get that romantic payoff, but romance and love can be two different things. I think games will close the gap in terms of mimicking those formal elements relatively quickly, but true love stories-- in any medium-- will remain rare.
Sorry for the WOT, look what your blogs make me do! Anyway, I don't read romance novels-- not out of literary snobbery, but because I'm afraid I'd probably get hooked on them and then I wouldn't be able to stop, lol.
Very interesting. I always liked the relationship between Alyx and Gordon Freeman. The way that it evolves over the course of the game, but is never in-your-face like most video game relationships always struck a cord with me.
Also, did you know that there was an old school text adventure game that was based on a romance novel? I don't remember its name, but you should look it up.
@Pixel... if there had been some initial conflict in the relationship, and a bit more intimacy... Gordon and Alyx would have made a great story! (though currently she seems a bit more like a sister than a love interest).
@GamingGoddess... I know exactly what you mean... a "good" love story is still exceptionally rare, but it would be nice to at least see "better" love stories in future games (and I'm really hoping that Bioware has stepped up to the plate with Dragon Age: Origins in terms of "better"!)
@ace... I laughed when I read that!! Yeah, some of the titles are ridiculous! Sounds like a fun way to spend a lazy afternoon!!
It does sound like there are some other games out there that come close to having a satisfactory romance... but they don't seem to be as fully developed as they could be. Hopefully we see devs building on the success of some of the game relationships mentioned here in future games! I think that game devs are starting to gradually hire better "writers" which seems to be what might be needed!
I do think that Harlequin has hit on a good "formula" though. Most of the books are a satisfying read, and when they drift too far from the expected formula, they tend to be unsatisfying in some respect. Not to say that games couldn't present a non-formula epic romance... but I'm just hoping for something better than what we've been given in the past.
One time in high school, I was making fun of someone for not being as "well-read" as I was. Once she started to take an interest in reading, she said she wanted to start with some classics. She told me she was half-way through Paradise Lost. I told her romance novels didn't count.
That moment taught me not to be such a pompous ass.
Also, awesome blog. <3
LMAO Tronjoy!!! That really did make me laugh!!
Actually I'm an extremely avid reader... my favorite is probably Ayn Rand (have read most of her works) but I also read a lot of Crichton (RIP), Koontz, Patterson, Stuart Woods, Cormwell (those are mostly thrillers), then I also read sci-fi and fantasy (Bradbury, Brooks, Clarke, Heinlein, Herbert, Stephen Donaldson, Bach, etc.)
Reading is an expensive hobby and I'm a very fast reader... so Harlequins are a cheap alternative and are also less immersive because of their formula - easy to pick up/put down. If I start reading a heavy book, I'll usually keep going till I finish it which means stuff just doesn't get done.
... but yeah, "Paradise Lost" as a romance novel!! LOL!
Eh... I'll even read cereal boxes!