Duke Nukem Forever
I could almost just leave the name here and be done, but let’s get down to specifics: Duke, while not exactly being chivalrous, has become more loathsome with his latest entry (ha, entry.) The game is absolutely littered with eye-rolling dialogue, cringy innuendo, and is generally just bad. Duke Nukem Forever steps on the idea of romance, pees on it, and then farts while scratching its belly. In one scene in particular, women are being forcibly impregnated by aliens to which Duke – in typical Duke fashion – tells them: “looks like you’re fucked.” After various misogynistic dialogue from the girls about their appearance, the game continues on. Clearly, Duke was never supposed to be taken seriously, but the attempts at black and sexualized humor in this game aren’t even quirky or funny, just bad. There is nothing here to entertain the gamer and there is a reason it’s widely regarded as the worst Duke Nukem game.
The Good
Heavy Rain
If ever a game was to truly tell a story, to be a work of interactive art, Heavy Rain was undoubtedly the first step. A brilliant, compelling, emotionally twisting story, Heavy Rain set an incredibly high bar for video games back in 2010, one that has few rivals (although Detroit: Become Human looks to be gearing up to take the crown) Not a central focus of the game but one of the many different paths players can take, Heavy Rain features a romance option that leads to some much needed TLC between characters Ethan and Madison. If ever there was true romance in a video game, this scene is it. Going through the motions (zing) players will have a variety of quick time events that will shape the outcome of this encounter. As opposed to the odd yet comedic quick time reactions in God of War, Heavy Rains are subtle yet incredibly real. Regardless of what you manage to accomplish between Ethan and Madison, there is something magically theatrical about the scene that handles it with class.
Witcher 3: The Wild Hunt
You cannot have a list about romance, attraction, and intimacy in video games without Witcher 3. Geralt of Rivia’s latest adventure is a critically acclaimed masterpiece that contains elements of exploration and RPG gaming, looks at the question of bigotry, racism, and tough moral decisions that show the ambiguity of real life and makes you question what is truly right and wrong. Heavy. Witcher 3 is also known for the three main characters Geralt is able to seduce, as well as the brothel he can occasionally frequent. What perhaps makes this game stand out the most for its romance is not just the friendship-breaking debate of Yennifer of Vengerberg or Triss Merigold, but more than likely the iconic unicorn scene. Those who read the books might have a greater grasp of just what Yennifer and Geralt have been through and why the Unicorn is so important to them. Play your cards right and the scene will be yours – just hope your mom/dad/significant other don’t walk in. The sorceress even uses some cleverly seductive magic to disrobe before the sparks fly.
So that is our list of some of the notable romantic, intimate, and awkward scenes in video games. What did you think? Have any suggestions you would like to add? Let us know on Facebook, Twitter, or the Comments section below, and have a Happy Valentines Day.