For some players, romance is an integral part of any RPG experience. In the midst of saving the world, grinding out enemies, chasing down better gear, and leveling up, some players feel the need to find that special someone for their characters. For many, it’s an important part of roleplaying within the world of the game.
Many of the more modern RPGs have embraced romance and given players a number of NPCs for their characters to woo. Here are some RPGs that have the most options when it comes to courtship, marriage, or just casual flings.
Updated on April 21, 2024, by Mara Cowley: For gamers looking for a great summer romance without leaving their home, they can delve into games with romance options, that offer believable and in-depth romantic stories alongside thrilling plots and gameplay. Gamers have undoubtedly already spent many hours wooing their chosen paramours in games such as Dragon Age or Mass Effect, and may be looking for something new, or something old they have yet to try. As such, this article has been updated with more RPGs with romance options so that players can find someone to fall in love with.
31 Persona 3 Reload
Players Need to Devote Time to Form Romantic Bonds
Persona 3 Reload
- Released
- February 2, 2024
- Developer(s)
- P-Studio
- Genre(s)
- JRPG
- Number of Romances: 6, Possibly 7
The rerelease of Persona 3 Reload changed many things, adding new mechanics while tweaking old ones. But the roster of characters never changed, and neither did the romance options players had the pick of.
In order to woo the lady of their choice, players would need to spend time with them to increase their Social Link while choosing the right dialogue options. Even the Velvet Room guide Elizabeth could be ‘romanced’ in a way, but she would not become the protagonist’s girlfriend in quite the same way as the others. Nevertheless, each pick provides a different sort of romance, as every girl has a unique personality, with different prerequisites.
30 Dragon’s Dogma 2
Players Can Romance Nearly Any NPC, But There are Two That Provide an In-Depth Love Story
Dragon’s Dogma 2
- Released
- March 22, 2024
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG
- Number of Romances: Infinite, 2 Main Romances
The long-waited successor to Dragon’s Dogma, seeing players taken on the role of the Arisen once more, charged with the onerous task of slaying the dragon that marked them as two rival kingdoms clash. Players can summon Pawns to aid them with their quest, and explore the fantastical world.
Like it’s predecessor, players can romance nearly every NPC they meet, but there are two NPCs that grant them a more in-depth romance plot: Ulrika and Wilhelmina. Romancing them won’t be easy, as there are certain prerequisites that must be fulfilled.
29 Thousand Arms
Dating and Romance Are Strongly Tied to Level Up Mechanics
Thousand Arms
- Released
- October 14, 1999
- Developer(s)
- Red Company , Tose
- Genre(s)
- JRPG
This classic JRPG offers a refreshing and unique game with its Steampunk setting, and how intrinsically dating is tied into the gameplay. Players can recruit many different girls, which are essential for leveling up the players’ weapons.
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These JRPGs add in a bit of romance in between their large-scale adventures.
As those weapons will be necessary in order to defeat the Dark Acolytes organization that seek to corrupt the peace of the world, players will need to raise the intimacy levels of the cute girls they recruit, and take them out on dates. It’s a win-win situation.
28 Dragon Age 2
Regardless of Gender, Nearly All Options Are Fair Game
- Number of Romances: 4, or 5 with DLC
Though it is a sequel by name, Dragon Age 2 runs parallel to the events of Dragon Age: Origins for the most part as it follows the Hawke family as they flee to Kirkwall from the threat of the Darkspawn. But, they find life in Kirkwall anything but peaceful as political tensions ramp up between the Mages and Templars that eventually breaks out into a civil war.
When not trying to ease tensions and solve other peoples’ problems, Hawke can spend time getting to know their rag-tag group of fellow adventurers, and even get cozy with a couple. The four main companions, Fenris, Anders, Isabela, and Merrill can be romanced by Hawke of any gender, the DLC character Sebastian is available only to female Hawkes. Each of the characters is totally disparate from the others, giving players plenty of different options to choose from.
27 Cyberpunk 2077
Every Character Feels Real and Disparate to One Another
Cyberpunk 2077
- Released
- December 10, 2020
The world of Cyberpunk 2077 is rife with danger, dystopias, and enemies gunning to take V’s head. Following a mission gone awry, the main character code-named V gets a chip stuck in their head that seems to contain the personality and memories of a dead musician, Johnny Silverhand, and this virtual ghost is intent on rewriting all of V’s memories and taking them over, leaving them only weeks to find a way to stop it.
Cyberpunk 2077 Romance Options Tier List
Romance might just be one small part of the Cyberpunk 2077 experience, but there are a few key characters that stick out for players.
Night City is filled to the brim with missions to complete, cyberpsychos to hunt down, and people to meet, with some they are able to woo such as Judy, Panam, River, Kerry, and a few extras. The Night City is also home to Joy Toys for players who may be feeling a little lonely but don’t want anything too serious.
26 Dragons Dogma: Dark Arisen
So Many Choices, Even the Pickiest Will Find the One
Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen
- Released
- April 23, 2013
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG
- Number of Romances: Infinite
In this fantasy RPG, there is a dragon that is a herald of the end days that is defeated by a noble Knight and his other brave companions, believing the world to be saved. But, this peace is fractured when the same dragon returns and steals the heart of the protagonist marking them as the Arisen, the one destined to face the dragon and stop the apocalypse or die trying.
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Even with stakes so high, there is still time for the player to meet some of the eligible bachelors and bachelorettes that can become the Arisen’s beloved. Nearly every character they meet is romanceable, opening up hundreds of options including notable characters such as Quina.
25 Yakuza: Like A Dragon
Romancing Can be Tough, But Rewarding
Yakuza: Like A Dragon
- Released
- November 10, 2020
- Genre(s)
- JRPG
Yakuza: Like A Dragon is an AAA title that has romance options that could benefit the player at the end. Players will explore their family’s past, grow in the ranks, and take some much-needed downtime doing various activities, like dating. With six options, players will have to develop a certain aspect of personality, as well as offer gifts to romance certain women.
Each character is different and is interested in certain personality quirks, so players should look ahead at what they should work on when pursuing. Once players reach a certain bond with these characters, they’ll receive rewards that could help them in the future. Players also have the chance to date every character to receive the best rewards.
24 Baldur’s Gate 3
All Romantic Choices are Fantastically Written and Diverse
Larian’s hit D&D-themed RPG is a fantastic example of the famed tabletop game in video game form, following the story of the player character and their companions who have been infected by a Mindflayer parasite that will turn them unless they find one capable of removing it. Traveling with a party of companions guarantees bonds will deepen, and they might even flourish beyond friendship.
Even though Baldur’s Gate 3 only has six romance options, it’s still a well-diverse, great list of characters that can be romanced. Like most of the RPGs listed, all characters have a specific list of needs that need to be met in order to gain a relationship. And like more of the recent releases of RPGs, these characters are all romance options, no matter which gender the player is.
23 The Witcher 3
Players Have the Choice of Devoting Their Love or Playing the Field
The Witcher 3 might be surprising to see on this list due to there only being two well-known romance options, however, there are five minor characters that Geralt can romance that have no effect on the choice of either picking Triss Merigold or rekindling the love with Yennefer Vengeberg.
Granted, players can even choose an eighth option if Geralt ventures into the Brothels to enjoy some added company along his journey. However, whether players want to enjoy their time with several ladies, or just stay loyal to the one, it’s completely up to them.
22 Divinity Original Sin 2
Realistic Romance Routes, as Players Need to Prove Their Worth
Divinity: Original Sin 2
- Released
- September 14, 2017
Divinity Original Sin 2 is a top-selling RPG game on Steam with several diverse romance options for players to choose from. While there is an option for players to experience the journey on their own, it’s always nice to have someone beside them as they traverse the world.
Players who wish to romance these characters will need to focus on their storyline and try to grow a friendship and relationship with them, so it’s best to see what is required to romance them.
21 Dragon Age: Inquisition
Plenty of Interesting and Unique Choices with Different Arcs
Dragon Age: Inquisition
- Released
- November 18, 2014
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG
Dragon Age: Inquisition had the most romantic options out of the series with eight possible candidates over multiple playthroughs. Many of these individuals have race and gender preferences the player needs to meet if they wish to romance them. A female Elf has far more options than a human male for instance.
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Each option is a fully fleshed-out character with backstories and motivations related to the story. From a Qunari mercenary to the Hero of Orlais the player has some interesting choices in the game.
20 Mass Effect 2
Unlike the First Game, Players Can Romance Their Alien Squad Mates
Mass Effect 2
- Released
- January 26, 2010
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG , Third-Person Shooter
Another Bioware game to offer a number of romantic options is Mass Effect 2. In this game, players can romance up to nine characters across playthroughs. Three options prefer the player character to be male, three prefer female, and three have no preference one way or the other.
From the nomadic Quarian to the purple-skinned Asari, the player has some intriguing options. Female players have stranger choices with the Turian C-Sec officer Garrus and the Drell assassin Thane, along with the human Jacob.
19 Fallout 4
Potential Partners React to Characters Story Choices
Fallout 4
- Released
- November 10, 2015
Fallout 4 introduces nine romantic partners the player can swoon over during their playthroughs. Unlike other games, the player’s preferred playstyle and actions can have consequences on these characters’ perception of them. As a result, players should be on their best, or worst, behavior to seduce these individuals.
Options include the robot Gilda Broscoe, ghoul John Hancock, and robot-turned-synth Curie. Most of these romanceable partners can also serve as companions to help in missions and combat. It’s also interesting to see how each of the characters reacts to different encounters because of their unique personalities and perspectives.
18 Mass Effect: Andromeda
More Choices With Unique Arcs
Mass Effect: Andromeda has the most romance options out of the series with 10 possible partners. Once again they have preferred genders with male player characters having more options than female player characters.
The options include a number of humans such as the criminal kingpin Reyes, Asaris, and the new Angara aliens. Interestingly some of the options, like Avela, are merely flings while others are more developed characters that impact the story.
17 Persona 5
Romancing More Than One Can Have Interesting Consequences
Persona 5
- Released
- September 15, 2016
- Developer(s)
- P-Studio
- Genre(s)
- RPG , Social Simulation
Number of Romances: 10
Joker in Persona 5 has the option of courting 10 girlfriends throughout the story. It’s also unique in that the player can seriously date more than one, though it has some obvious consequences. There are also special events that can occur when dating a particular individual that nets unique items.
This game has perhaps the most realistic, ignoring the alter egos, and romanceable characters. There are no aliens, other species, or robots. Just 10 girls going about their lives looking for someone special. It’s also unique that this is the only game to feature romance options that are exclusively of the opposite sex.
16 Harvest Moon: One World
DLC Expands the Number of Options
Harvest Moon: One World
- Released
- March 2, 2021
- Genre(s)
- Strategy
- Number of Romances: 10, 12 with DLC
Harvest Moon is a beloved franchise that spans several years starting in 1996, with the most recent release being One World and an upcoming game coming this year. Harvest Moon is a farming sim with an adorable adventure that has players trying to find the Harvest Goddess. With animals and crops to tend to and characters to meet along the way, Harvest Moon: One World is a delightful cozy RPG that will have any player falling in love.
With just the base game, players are able to explore 5 suitable matches, depending on gender. And with DLC, an additional character was added, meaning players have up to 6 options depending on gender. Unfortunately, players are unable to match with the same gender, so while there is a total of 12, players only have the option of 6 in one gameplay.
15 Stardew Valley
A Vast Range of Unique Individuals Not Locked to Certain Genders
Stardew Valley
- Released
- February 26, 2016
- Developer(s)
- ConcernedApe
- Genre(s)
- RPG , Simulation
Stardew Valley has created a well-thought-out list of romance options for the new farmer to the town. And thankfully, depending on the player, they can choose whoever they want to romance out of the bachelors and bachelorettes. Whether they want to choose a male or female is completely up to them.
Romancing the character might be a slow process, but it is easy! Each one has their own, strong personality, so make sure that the romance option chosen is someone they don’t mind having in their home at the end of the day. There is a thirteenth option that is considered a choice for those who are asexual, which is the creature that lives in the sewers, Krobus. While he is not an actual romance choice, and there is nothing that references asexuality, it’s a great option and he is still an amazing person to live with.
14 Rune Factory 5
Players Have the Option to Start Families with their Lover
Rune Factory 5
- Released
- March 22, 2022
- Developer(s)
- Marvelous
- Genre(s)
- JRPG , Simulation
Like Stardew Valley, Rune Factory 5 is a great game for players to have the option to pick and choose who they want to romance, no matter their gender. However, romancing these characters will take a little more work than in previous games. While raising friendship levels is important, there is more to it than just giving gifts.
And while romance in RPGs is optional, Rune Factory 5 allows players to have children, like Stardew Valley, after being married to the character for a while.
13 Sun Haven
Plenty of Options Players of Any Gender Can Choose From
Sun Haven
- Genre(s)
- Life Simulation , RPG
- Developer
- Pixel Sprout Studios
Sun Haven is another farming sim, as they have become incredibly popular over the recent years. But this RPG has a twist. Players don’t only work on a farm and befriend villagers, there is also a hint of magic in the air. With magic, dragons, and quests, players can explore the magical world of Sun Haven and free the world of dark magic.
There are bosses to defeat along the way, so players can team up with friends or dive in on a solo adventure. Either way, Sun Haven is an adorable game. Thankfully, Sun Haven has 15 romanceable characters that players can date no matter the gender, so feel free to explore all options!
12 Mass Effect 3
Players Can Continue or Rekindle Old Loves
Mass Effect 3
- Released
- March 6, 2012
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG
Mass Effect 3 has the most possible romantic partners out of the series with 15 options. Outside of a fling with Vega that requires the Citadel DLC to blossom into a romance, the female player character only has one human character they can romance, and Kaidan might not be available depending on the events of the original Mass Effect. It also featured the only romanceable Prothean in the entire series.
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The most notable about the romantic options in this game is that they have an impact on the story. Without spoiling anything the player will be thinking of their loved one when the game comes to an end. Romance options from previous games can also carry over.