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As we've previously discussed on the Arcadia Baes podcast, there's a lot to admire about Dontnod's serialised coming of age tale Life is Strange. There's also quite a lot to criticise about it too. But one thing that I find absolutely fascinating about the troublesome teenage years of photography student Max Caulfield is how Dontnod approaches the idea of video game romance.Video games, as a medium, have often struggled to emulate courtship in any meaningful way. Typically they operate on a vending machine model wherein you put in the work - go on enough sidequests or say enough correct dialogue options - and you're rewarded with a relationship. Depending on the game, you may even get some blue alien boobs. On the surface it makes sense. Spending time with someone is how you get to know them, and hey, maybe you'll have chemistry together. But I think this model is often poorly integrated as most developers make one crucial mistake with it: they assume a romantic relationship is the goal and that this can always be achieved if you simply choose the right lines.
This idea was laid most bare in Killer is Dead's much derided "Gigolo Mode" wherein player character Mondo Zappa was tasked with bedding women by choosing the correct gifts for them while also glaring at their naughty bits when they're not looking. That last part is rather obviously distasteful (though I think a more clever game could have implemented a "male gaze" mechanic to prove a point, but I digress), but the rest is pretty messed up too. It assumes sex can be bought, even if creator Suda51 defended the idea by upping the difficulty of this sleazy pastime. Other games like Mass Effect and Persona 3 aren't so blunt about it, but the idea remains similar.
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