Video games have long been about satisfying player fantasies. Saving worlds, defeating impossible odds, and conquering the final boss. But somewhere along the way, players realized that one of gaming’s most powerful mechanics wasn’t the sword or the spell. It’s connection, and there are few better ways to experience this than romancing in-game characters. More and more, it has become a pillar of modern gaming, especially after Baldur’s Gate 3. Players often ask, “Is there romance?” when a new game is revealed.
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But long before Baldur’s Gate 3, there were unforgettable characters that redefined how romance could deepen gameplay. From dragon-slaying lovers to star-crossed space soldiers, here are six of the best romanceable characters in video game history, the ones who made love feel as real as the worlds they lived in.
6) Yennefer of Vengerberg – The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
In The Witcher 3, romance isn’t just a subplot—it’s destiny. Yennefer of Vengerberg, the tempestuous sorceress tied to Geralt of Rivia by fate and chaos, is one of the most nuanced portrayals of love in gaming. She’s intelligent, ambitious, and often infuriating, yet her chemistry with Geralt transcends choice.
Unlike many romanceable characters, Yennefer’s story feels like a continuation. Players can attempt to rekindle their bond or pursue Triss, but Yennefer’s connection to Geralt is written in the stars and just feels right.
What makes Yennefer stand out in the pantheon of gaming romance is her agency. She doesn’t exist to please the player; she challenges them. It feels like you choose her, but rather her choosing Geralt and accepting his love, ending a lifetime of lonely wandering for both of them.
5) Alistair – Dragon Age: Origins
The lovable Grey Warden from Dragon Age: Origins is the epitome of the reluctant hero. Charming, awkward, self-deprecating, and utterly devoted once he falls in love. He is the romance you didn’t expect to love, but do so anyway. Alistair Theirin is like that dorky kid who has a heart of gold, one you can only experience after learning to accept him.
Alistair’s romance hits the perfect balance between humor and heartache. His gentle teasing and genuine warmth make him instantly likable, but his personal journey, torn between duty and desire, gives his love story depth. Depending on your choices, his fate can be triumphant or tragic, and that emotional variance is what made his romance so memorable.
For many players, Alistair was their first digital heartbreak alongside Morrigan. His relationship with the Warden felt tangible because it reflected the bittersweet reality of love constrained by circumstance. Whether he becomes king or walks away, his story reminds players why romance is one of gaming’s greatest storytelling tools.
4) Tali’Zorah – Mass Effect
While some romances feel cinematic, Tali’s feels personal. Introduced in Mass Effect as a brilliant Quarian engineer, Tali quickly became one of the most beloved companions in the franchise. Her shy, curious demeanor and technical genius made her instantly endearing, but it was her loyalty and compassion that cemented her as a fan favorite.
Romancing Tali isn’t about flashy drama or steamy cutscenes — it’s about trust. As Shepard, you fall in love with her voice, her personality, and her unwavering faith in you, even when the galaxy’s falling apart. All while never truly knowing what she looks like due to the Quarian’s weak immune systems.
Tali’s romance embodies why players love relationship arcs in games: it’s built on shared experience, quiet loyalty, and mutual respect. She’s the perfect example of how science fiction can still deliver heartfelt humanity through a strong and independent character.
3) Garrus – Mass Effect
If Tali represents tenderness, Garrus Vakarian represents partnership. Few video game romances feel as natural and earned as Garrus and Shepard’s. What starts as a professional alliance between two soldiers becomes one of the most genuine, grounded relationships in gaming.
Garrus is the ideal example of a “slow burn” romance, the friend-to-lover trope done perfectly. Over the trilogy, he evolves from a rogue C-Sec officer to Shepard’s right-hand man, always loyal, always steady. By the time romance becomes an option, it doesn’t feel like a choice but rather a natural progression.
What makes Garrus one of the best romanceable characters in video games is his sincerity. Whether you’re laughing about calibrations or sharing a quiet moment before the final battle, his relationship with Shepard feels earned. A love story forged through war and mutual respect. He’s proof that romance in games doesn’t need grand gestures to feel real. Sometimes, all it takes is a steady hand and a shared mission.
2) Morrigan – Dragon Age: Origins
For many RPG fans, Dragon Age: Origins wasn’t just BioWare’s fantasy magnum opus — it was their first virtual heartbreak. Morrigan, the enigmatic witch of the Wilds, is a masterclass in writing morally complex love interests. She’s mysterious, manipulative, brilliant, and guarded.
What makes Morrigan unforgettable isn’t just her biting wit or Claudia Black’s iconic performance, but her evolution through love. If players choose to pursue her, they’ll slowly peel back layers of cynicism to find a woman shaped by mistrust and survival. Loving Morrigan feels earned, and that’s what makes it powerful and rewarding.
Her romance culminates in one of Dragon Age: Origins’ most emotionally charged decisions: whether to join her in a dark ritual that could save lives or doom you both. Morrigan proved that in games, love could be messy, mystical, and morally gray, something that players loved her all the more for.
1) Astarion – Baldur’s Gate 3
If Baldur’s Gate 3 reignited the modern gamer’s obsession with romance, then Astarion was its spark. The vampire spawn of BG3 quickly became one of the most talked-about love interests in years, and for good reason. He’s charming, damaged, seductive, and deeply human, despite his cursed condition.
What makes Astarion’s romance so compelling is the balance between power and vulnerability. He flirts with danger and darkness, but beneath the bravado lies trauma and fear. Romancing him means navigating that line, deciding whether to help him find freedom or indulge his hunger for control.
Astarion’s story is a triumph of character writing. It’s not just about passion; it’s about healing, choice, and acceptance. In an era where players crave emotional depth, Baldur’s Gate 3 gave them a relationship that evolves as dynamically as the player’s journey, and Astarion’s biting charm made sure no one would forget it.
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Image courtesy of Focus Features.
