Top 20 Video Games With The Best Romance Options

#20: “Starfield” (2023)

“Skyrim’s” romance options were solid for the time, especially in a western game, but Bethesda has improved on its formula over the years. “Fallout 4” saw you able to romance most of your companions, though they DO feel shallow when the game lets you romance all of them at once with no consequences. “Starfield” is different, though; like “Skyrim” it has marriage options for four of your companions once you build up your affinity high enough, which involves doing things they like and taking them on quests. You can also choose to divorce them and marry someone else, or THEY can end things with YOU if you anger them too much.

#19: “Potionomics” (2022)

This sim game uses deck mechanics to help Sylvia build a life for herself brewing and selling potions to the locals to pay off her uncle’s debt. Along with all the life sim and business sim elements – which are great, and it develops into having very complex, strategic gameplay for those who like that – it’s also got romance options. There’s a huge variety of romanceable characters, and choosing to date one and building up your relationship has material benefits because you’ll unlock new cards and strategies. It’s also one of the rare games that has a “free love mode” to enable polyamory if you want, though if that’s not your taste, you can keep it to the classic “one love mode”.

#18: “Saints Row IV” (2013)

Much of “Saints Row IV” is a direct parody of “Mass Effect” – though it also sets other big franchises, like “Call of Duty” and “GTA” in its sights. While lounging around on the nameless ship, the Boss can romance all of their companions – with the exception of Keith David, who rejects your advances. As in other games, none of the characters care that the Boss can get it on with any and all of them, though some of the cutscenes are a little more nuanced than others – Shaundi and Pierce, for instance. They’re not romance options that lead to marriage or relationships, but there are plenty of games out there with even shallower options that take themselves seriously.

#17: “Assassin’s Creed Valhalla” (2020)

Ubisoft added romances – or some version of them – in “Assassin’s Creed Odyssey”, though there are non-optional, romantic storylines in older games. While in “Odyssey” every romance was a small, “Valhalla” let you pursue actual relationships with its characters. All romances are available no matter what gender Eivor is, with Petra the hunter and Tarben the baker being stand-outs. But, of course, one romance option is a cut above the rest: Randvi. Beginning the game as your adoptive brother’s abandoned wife and Eivor’s closest confidante, a romance can blossom long before she leaves Sigurd for good. You may get the worst ending of the game if you do this, but she’s worth it.

#16: “Unicorn Overlord” (2024)

After finally completing all the quests in Elheim, Alain will be given the “Ring of the Maiden”, which is the unique item you need to present to one of the love interests to get them to permanently commit. You built rapport with the characters you want to romance up to three levels by sharing meals and giving gifts, and when you’ve done that and have the ring, you can propose. You also then need to choose the correct dialogue options to make them see that marriage is a good option. Though the actual, romantic interactions are short, they’re all superbly written, and you’ll still spend lots of time with the characters on your adventure.

#15: “Story of Seasons” series (1996-)

The franchise formerly known as “Harvest Moon” has been around for decades, but only recently changed its name to match the Japanese title. As the original farming and life sim, “Story of Seasons” has been hugely influential, and has featured a marriage mechanic in most of its entries. With the games spanning decades of in-game time, you can build deep relationships with the people you meet, including marrying them and having children. And in “Tree of Tranquility”, you can continue playing AS the child after the end, adding an inheritance mechanic. It’s this that adds depth to the romance, which mechanically revolves around gift-giving.

#14: “Fallout 2” (1998)

If you assumed that the “Fallout” series didn’t have romance until “Fallout 4” – excluding certain ‘paid’ encounters you can indulge in – you’d be wrong. The romance options aren’t particularly nuanced in “Fallout 2”, with the Chosen One provided with two options: Miria or Davin. With enough charisma and reputation in Modoc, you’ll get caught in the act of seducing one of them and forced into a shotgun wedding to make it right. Circumstances aside, this gives “Fallout 2” the landmark distinction of being the first-ever video game to have same-sex marriage – yes, including “The Sims”. It’s a shame that the romance options don’t get their own talking heads, though.

#13: “Life Is Strange” series (2015-)

The first game in the series gave players a lot of complex choices, primarily between the two love interests, Max’s male high school crush Warren and her female childhood best friend Chloe. You’ll also then also need to choose between saving Chloe at the end of the game and sacrificing the entire town to a tornado, or letting her die at the beginning for the greater good. Subsequent games have followed this formula, with protagonists getting two developed love interests to choose from, leading to plenty of debate among fans about which is better. Even other Dontnod adventure games, like “Tell Me Why”, follow the “Life is Strange” formula for story and romance.

#12: “Divinity: Dragon Commander” (2013)

Arguably the best romance studio in the business, Larian has always had exceptional love stories in its games. 2013’s “Divinity” RTS was no exception. The most interesting choices in “Dragon Commander” relate to the world’s political situation and how you treat the members of each race, since you’re going to need their support to seize control of Rivellon. But part of this involves picking one of four wives, one from each of the four races, to help you to achieve your political goals. The marriages aren’t particularly romantic, but they are tied heavily to the plot and the decisions you need to make as a leader.

#11: “Dragon’s Dogma” series (2012-)

Rather than pressing the heart-shaped dialogue options at every opportunity, romance works differently in “Dragon’s Dogma”. Almost every NPC in the entire game can become your romance option, which the first game calls your “beloved”, as long as you have a high enough affinity – which you get by spending time with them and giving them gifts. This will culminate in your favorite NPC being kidnapped by a dragon at a pivotal moment, and you being sent in to rescue them. It’s a great way to build stakes and a slightly more organic way to develop a relationship, more akin to how romance works in real life.

#10: “Catherine” (2011)

Unlike other games on this list, “Catherine” is all about romance from the get-go, while still not being a dating simulator. The brunt of its gameplay is those notoriously difficult block-sliding, platforming puzzles, as Vincent gets lost in his nightmares and tries to escape his own subconscious. He’s torn between committing fully to his long-term girlfriend, Katherine with a “K”, or indulging in his most base desires with the younger and more exciting Catherine with a “C”, whose true nature is one of the game’s core mysteries. 2019’s “Full Body” remake added a third character, Rin, who’s an even more interesting option – but we won’t spoil anything here.

#9: “Final Fantasy VII Remake” (2020) & “Final Fantasy VII Rebirth” (2024)

It’s an age-old question: do you choose Aerith, or Tifa? Or maybe even Barrett? All of those options and more are yours to explore in “Final Fantasy VII”, both the PS1 original and the big-budget remakes. Both girls are major party members and given the extreme length of the remakes so far, with a third on the way, you’ll be spending a LOT of time with them, making these relationships more personal than most virtual ones. You can, of course, avoid romance entirely if you prefer Cloud as a loner, but that love triangle is hard to resist. Be warned, though: depending on who Cloud opens up to, he may end up with his heart irreparably broken…

#8: “The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt” (2015)

Geralt’s got a few witches to choose from in the third “Witcher” game, but though he CAN have a brief tryst with Keira Metz, you’ll mostly spend your time choosing between Triss and Yennefer. Triss is a fascinating character and you’ll be helping her out regardless of Geralt’s feelings if you want to complete all the side quests and help the mages in Novigrad, but Yennefer remains the canon choice. The quests with Yennefer are some of the game’s highlights, with the banter between them making the bond feel real. There are reasons CDPR is always praised for its writing, and Geralt’s weakness for powerful sorceresses is one.

#7: “Mass Effect” series (2007-)

Certain romance options carry over across the entire “Mass Effect” trilogy, with characters like Garrus and Tali being party members in every single game – though, you can’t romance either of them in the first one. The three characters you CAN romance initially will also return in the third game, namely, Liara, Kaiden, and Ashley – though either Kaiden or Ashley will have died as a result of a choice in the first game. This adds huge depth to the options, with Shepard able to discuss the events of the previous games during later romance scenes – reminiscing about taking down Saren or Harbinger, for instance. And the “Citadel” DLC was a perfect way to say goodbye to these years-long relationships.

#6: “Stardew Valley” (2016)

We already talked about “Harvest Moon”, but “Stardew Valley” has forever raised the expectations for a farming RPG and life sim. As one of the most beloved games ever made, “Stardew Valley” sends you to the countryside to rebuild your family’s old farm in Pelican Town. While there, you’ll find love and friendship among the townsfolk, with 12 potential partners – 6 bachelors and 6 bachelorettes – to choose from. Of the former, the most popular are Sebastian and Shane, with Shane being intriguing because of how much time and effort it takes to win him over. Of the latter, Leah and Abigail. Once you progress the relationships by giving gifts, you can eventually get married and have kids on the farm.

#5: “Dragon Age: Inquisition” (2014)

While characters regularly return in “Dragon Age”, just like “Mass Effect”, the romance options are all different. “Inquisition” undoubtedly has the deepest and most interesting romance system, with “Origins” and “2” being more limited. But “Inquisition” has a wealth of options, including fan-favorite characters like Iron Bull, Solas, and Cassandra. Characters also have defined sexualities in “Inquisition”, with many being straight, bi, or gay, thus rulling them out as love interests depending on how you made your Inquisitor, which adds to the realism. Not only is it the best “Dragon Age” game for romance, but it’s also the best BioWare game for it full-stop.

#4: “Cyberpunk 2077” (2020)

If anyone thought the romances in “The Witcher 3” were only so well-written because they were based on a series of books, they were proven wrong with the release of CDPR’s next game, “Cyberpunk 2077”. While it’s also got existing source material, the romanceable characters are unique, with four to choose from – plus Johnny’s tumultuous relationships with Rogue and Alt Cunningham. For V, your options are Judy Alvarez, Panam Palmer, River Ward, and Kerry Eurodyne. It’s hard to put into words how beautifully written these stories are, particularly Judy and Panam, the most popular options. They also call you on the phone and send you text messages throughout the game.

#3: “Persona 5” (2016)

Yet another Atlus game, “Persona 5” improved on the romances of “Persona 4” by miles. Infamously, “Persona 5” is one of the few games that lets you romance every single girl at once – only to get royally called out for it when they ALL find out. But if you decide NOT to behave like a dirtbag, there are roughly a dozen girls to choose from. You’ll still want to spend time with all of them to level up your social links, but you should definitely stick to just one if you don’t want all the others to hate you – though, they’ll eventually forgive Joker. The two most popular options are Ann and Makoto, but there are plenty more as well.

#2: “Fire Emblem: Three Houses” (2019)

With dozens of characters to get to know across each of the game’s three houses, you’re spoilt for choice of who to romance here. The most popular options are the house leaders, Edelgard, Dimitri, and Claude, but you’re not limited by how important a character is. Dorothea is also a popular option, but “Three Houses” has the unique trait of being one of the few games where other characters can couple up. Depending on who you choose to have in your party and how much time they spend together, you can encourage the relationships of the NPCs. You can also eventually get married in “Fire Emblem”, with the relationships spanning many in-game years.

#1: “Baldur’s Gate 3” (2023)

Could it have ever been anything else? In 2023, the world was taken by storm with the release of “Baldur’s Gate 3” and its outrageously sexy characters. The infamous bear romance scene emerged ahead of release, and while that one is particularly scandalous, the other romances will leave you just as flustered. Undoubtedly, the most popular options are Astarion and Karlach, the vampire boyfriend and demon girlfriend respectively. There’s something for everyone here, and it’s no surprise that Larian has not only set a new precedent for what video game romances should be like, but also a guide for how future games can do it better. Hopefully, ALL RPGs follow in “Baldur’s Gate’s” footsteps.


Let us know in the comments which video games you think are the most romantic.