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[bomblord1]

I've played a lot of games over the years and I usually feel more attached to the characters when there's some form of relationship system implemented. When my actions directly affect a character and his or her feelings there is a sense of attachement that forms that I feel is hard to replicate when such systems are absent

These systems span a wide range of implementations from Tales of Symphonia's subtle but impactful use of it to change character dialogue to games like harvest moon where half the game is getting others characters to like you (some romantically some just as friends). So I ask you GAF, what games do relationships the best?

 

[diamond_is_not_crash]

Peraona, no question for me. Fell in love with the social link system and its impact on how I played the game and fused my personas.

 

[the_batman]

i dunno, i seem to care more about characters in games that don't have that sort of relationship system. like in Uncharted, i care about Drake and Sully's relationship because the devs have fleshed them out.

i guess in RPG's where you have party members follow you the entire game would count like in Final Fantasy.

 

[JazzmanZ]

Fire emblem series and it's shipping system.

 

[batrush]

Persona 4 for sure. Helps that the game's character development is unrivaled.

 

[Ganzlinger]

Persona for me.

 

[ComputerMKII]

Alpha Protocol

The more aggressive you are to SIE, the more she'll like you (you actually get bonus points with her if you attack her, at some point), and this is only one of the fun aspects of the relationship system in that game.

 

[Rich!]

Xenoblade is pretty good with this.

 

[PirateKing]

Nier. In it's own way

 

[Bessy67]

Knights of the Old Republic 2 was pretty good.

 

[Doombacon]

Fire Emblem for sure. Being able to ship your OTP as a game mechanic is the best thing in the world.

 

[gngf123]

Fire Emblem

 

[orioto]

 

[zeldablue]

Catherine.

Just kidding, Fire Emblem Awakening.

 

[Mocca-Bear]

Hands down Persona 4. The social links were all properly established and had ramifications in the core RPG system.

 

[FluxWaveZ]

I'm going to go with Alpha Protocol, because dialogue decisions in that game actually affect the disposition of characters towards the protagonist and his relationship with them, and it can have significant repercussions regarding the direction of the story. Interacting with every character in that game was always a fun time, and seeing past/optional interactions being referred to later and have certain consequences was great.

Persona 3 and Persona 4's Social Link system is alright, but it's very by the numbers, and doesn't allow for any variance outside of becoming romantically involved or not (and the P3 systems of reversing or breaking a Social Link).

 

[Korialstrasz]

Persona 3 and Persona 4's Social Link system is alright, but it's very by the numbers, and doesn't allow for any variance outside of becoming romantically involved or not (and the P3 systems of reversing or breaking a Social Link).

Even P4 had reversable Social Links, and they are pretty stupid IMO as they force you to tell people what they want to hear. A friend should be able to correct you if you intend to do something stupid like asking your engaged teacher out on a date.

 

[Bomber Bob]

Bioware, you can sex up NPCs

 

[Producer]

persona's relationships are pretty meaningless for the most part.

but muh social linkz

 

[coolasj19]

Hands down Persona 4. The social links were all properly established and had ramifications in the core RPG system.

Persona 4 for sure. Helps that the game's character development is unrivaled.

Persona for me.

The Persona games have good relationships but extraordinarily basic relationship systems. Spend time with person, get experience. I can't think of a better answer, but yeah. No. The ones that can revert are pretty neat, but that's the most involved they go.

 

[Village]

The Persona games have good relationships but extraordinarily basic relationship systems. Spend time with person, get experience. I can't think of a better answer, but yeah. No. The ones that can revert are pretty neat, but that's the most involved they go.

Yeah, all it is is " I talked to you to get the link up, want to date, if yes you have access to weird date dialogue and fade to black stuff. If no they run and cry and everything returns to normal . And thats it.

IN P5 i hope its a bit more indepth, also you can be gay. I was upset i couldn't date yosuke in P4 .

 

[Dr. Black Jack]

Saints Row IV, for showing how meaningless and superficial video game relationship systems are.

 

[Coxy]

Ar Tonelico/Ar nosurge and Thousand Arms in terms of "wow this is really fun story/gameplay unlocking stuff"

Super Robot Wars, Shining Force 3 and Valkyria in terms of interesting mechanics of relationships that effect combat and how you have to build a team working together while taking that into account

 

[KidB]

Fire Emblem, especially Awakening with the pair up system.

 

[Village]

Saints Row IV, for showing how meaningless and superficial video game relationship systems are.

I never really found that really funny.

Because everything is superficial and meaningless if you get down two it. i found the dialogue in those scenes funnier than anything. Like that seems entirely to pretentious for saints row.

 

[Nightbird]

I'll go with Fire Emblem as well.

It's awesome to be shipping whoever i want ^^

 

[MichaelFassbender]

Saints Row IV, for showing how meaningless and superficial video game relationship systems are.

The one true answer.

 

[Shiina]

Xenoblade is pretty good with this.

I was going to nominate it as contender for the worst relationship system. Grinding those affection levels was so tedious.

 

[bomblord1]

I've been wanting to play the wii version of this but haven't been able to find it under $30