[Game Informer] How Romance And Relationships Work In Dragon Age: The Veilguard

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How Romance And Relationships Work In Dragon Age: The Veilguard

Giving a cold shoulder to a companion might nudge them into the warm shoulder of someone else.

www.gameinformer.com

Every companion in the game has a Relationship Level related to Rook, and the choices you make (and not even specifically about the companion, but in the world in general), what you say to companions, how you help or don't help them, and more all play into it.
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Though I couldn't confirm, Dragon Age series art director Matt Rhodes hints that companion issues, problems, and personal quests will play into this Relationship Level and how a companion interacts with Rook.

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Busche adds that "relationships are key, not only romance but friendships. We wanted to lean into not just the relationships the characters have with you but the relationships they have with each other. It's a found family, and at the end of the day, they need to trust they all have each other's back."

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However, fret not, BioWare fans – romance is a key part of relationships in the game, Busche says, noting some of the romances will get quite spicy. However, not all of them will, as "each romance has a very different flavor," according to Busche. Some characters are straight to the point, while others are more awkward, having never been in a relationship before. "You learn who these characters are in how their romances unfold," she says. She likens romantic and platonic relationships to another way to "level up" your companions. It's not just experience and skill points that determine Rook's standing with companions, but diegetic conversations, too.

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Giving one companion the cold shoulder might nudge them into the warm shoulder of someone else on the team. Busche says companions can form romances with each other, although I'm unable to confirm if that means locking Rook out of forming a romance with them.

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I saw nothing resembling romance in my very early hours with the game. However, I did see the romantically inclined "emotional" response in Rook's dialogue choices at times, which led to my Rook flirting with ice mage and private detective companion Neve Gallus. Busche says this is the option to flirt and push platonic relationships into romantic territory, though Rook's flirtatious efforts aren't always reciprocated.

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[Chromie]

This sounds like every other rpg to me.

 

[LossAversion]

Not a fan of playersexual characters outside of simpler games like Stardew Valley. I prefer the approach that Inquisition took. Characters feel more real and engaging when they actually have preferences. But it's not the end of the world if the writing is good.

 

[FF Seraphim]

While I enjoyed playersexual tastes in some games, I would prefer the characters have preferences because that makes them feel like actual people. If the writing is good though then it might not be an issue.
However, I greatly disliked how in BG3 every character would try to hit on my Tav if he had good relations with them. I hope this doesn't happen here.

 

[N7_Kovalski]

Not a fan of playersexual characters outside of simpler games like Stardew Valley. I prefer the approach that Inquisition took. Characters feel more real and engaging when they actually have preferences. But it's not the end of the world if the writing is good.

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I'm torn. As someone who almost always plays female characters, DA:I pissed me off because I could flirt with Cassandra but I could not romance her. On the other hand, Dorian being my gay bestie was amazing.

 

[Rodney McKay]

I like the idea of companion's being able to have romances themselves beyond the player character.

One of my favorite parts of DA2 (maybe the only part, haha) was doing Aveline's quest where she was smitten with someone and you had to help her make a move.

Similar, but a little less fun, was Vivienne's character in DA:I who you could try to romance, but eventually you find out she's married and her husband was dying or in a coma or something like that.

 

[Salty Catfish]

I believe companions could shack up together in DAI too if you don't pursue either character. I know there was a Blackwall/Josephine romance and I'm pretty sure Iron Bull and Dorian have something going on too.