In the various worlds of video games, there are a lot of ways for protagonists to solve their problems. Laser guns, a well-rolled persuasion check, and theproper use of resourcesare some of the go-tos. However, sometimes there is a glaring flaw in some of the plots of these games.
What if… the hero and the villain put it all aside and just kissed a little? Surprisingly, it may work in more plots than you may at first think. There are probably a few things they’ll have to overlook, being often mortal enemies and all. But, maybe more games will take up the mantle once developers see this is how an enemies to lovers plot is meant to be written.
Space epics don’t always leave a lot of time for romance, but somehow Commander Shepherd andthe rest of the Normandyfind time to relax with one another while saving the universe.
One thing that would have made Mass Effect 2 a lot easier, and shorter, would just be able to make out with the Illusive Man. Head of Cerberus, and those piercing eyes too. There are far worse people to make-out with in that game, especially considering how most of your enemies look.
Horror games have plenty of tension in them, although not usually of the romantic sort. One horror game that does have plenty of love lost is that of Layers of Fear.
A husband looking for, and also grieving, the loss of his family, uncovering exactly what the protagonist did is one thing. But, being able to make out with your ghostly apparition of a wife would have made the game far less eerie, and far shorter perhaps as well. Probably after some much-needed therapy though.
The Resident Evil series is marked by some seriously impressive antagonists. From Albert Wesker, to a whole slew of mutant zombies, but Resident Evil Village caught fans by surprise with its big bad.
Lady Alcina Dimitescu is a nine-foot-tall vampire that runsthe castle that Ethan finds himself trapped inin the game. What fans were drawn to was a certain… appeal she had. While she did turn into a mutant vampire bat/dragon thing later on in the game, maybe, just maybe, everyone could have lived happily ever after if they put their differences aside and cozied up by the fire.
The plots of the Assassin’s Creed games can be quite twisty and turny, especially as the series goes along and the timelines mix together. But, what if the plot could be cut short with an intense make out session?
Assassin’s Creed Valhalla has you playing as the wolf-kissed Eivor, who isn’t opposed to a little romance here and there. One person they missed romancing, and one that would have turned the ending of the game a bit kinder is Basim. The assassin and backstabber, if he had been shown a bit of love, maybe the game would have had a happier ending.
While plenty of RPGs have the option to romance NPCs and followers, Baldur’s Gate 3 did it all too well. While you’re limited in who you can romance, it may have been a bit easier if you could have picked one of the antagonists as well.
Orin, Ketheric, The Emperor, Gortash, there are quite a few antagonists you could pick throughout the game and just dive into a make-out session with them. It would cut some time off the story, and probably get you somedangerous new allies. All the murder and necromancy, though, may be hard to overlook.
A game as long-standing and diverse as Destiny 2 has to have had some great antagonists, and the developers didn’t hold back throughout the various seasons and drops.
The Witch Queen is only one of these myriad of foes, and a strong one at that. Savathun is more than happy to play any side to maintain her goals as leader of her hive forces, but if you were to save the Earth by simply making out with her, you would have a powerful ally on your and the Traveler’s side.
While talking about impressive antagonists in games, it’s hard not to bring up the enigmatic, and quite conceited, Handsome Jack from Borderlands 2.
Rich beyond all belief, controlling a horde of robots, and with a sleek new face to show off,the Vault Huntercould do worse than making out with the (former) CEO of Hyperion. Moxxi sure did, although she’d rather not talk about it. All that stress and the bad bosses got to him, maybe there is a glimmer of kindness still in there.
Horror games may not seem like a great choice for a list like this, but Silent Hill 2 has an odd, but interesting exception to that rule, and it comes in the form of a classic villain.
Silent Hill 2’s Pyramid Head, like all the monsters of the game, is just a figment of James' imagination. Which means by making out with the giant muscle-bound monster is pretty much a form of therapy. Plus, there’s whole swaths of the internet that would finally get their wish about the horror icon.
