Summary
- Gating romances encourages diverse narrative avenues.
- Inquisition's romance system deepens character relationships.
- Limited romances create complex, meaningful storylines.
Of all the wonderful things about Dragon Age: Inquisition, its gated romance system isn’t perhaps the first thing that comes to players’ minds. However, without it, Inquisition’s plot might have sprawled in ways that would have taken away the punch its story otherwise expertly delivered. Making romance meaningful in an RPG has its challenges, but it’s quite possible. This franchise is a proof of concept of this very thing. Subtle limitations in player options can open up narrative avenues, and the third installment of Dragon Age uses this model to great effect.
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There may not be as many romantic roleplay combinations as Dragon Age: The Veilguard promises, but Inquisition is the poster child for how a gated romance system can work to benefit a plot. Female Lavellan players can attest to this the most, and it’s on the table that BioWare’s writers were laying more than one foundation for the franchise’s next installment through the variety of relationships this game has. Beyond that, Inquisition does better than its predecessors in featuring diverse romanceable characters with depth, compelling stories, and relatable problems.
1 A Different Romance For Every Inquisitor
New Playthroughs Can Be Designed Around New Romances
Inquisition’s gated romance system requires some planning ahead if players don’t want to find themselves locked out of a specific choice. This romance model does have a silver lining for fans who love to headcannon star-crossed pairings, though. Taking a chance might spell an emotional or worldly catastrophe, but it might be a happily ever after.
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Gating romances encourage players to really put Inquisition’s excellent character creator to the test and create truly distinguished Inquisitors of different backgrounds. This avenue leads players naturally to explore a lot more aspects of the game through multiple playthroughs than they otherwise might.
2 Mirrors Of A Rainbow
Discrimination In Thedas Is Not New
The gated model is like a palette of realistic diversity, and a sampling of the various attitudes and issues players might recognize from life. Denerim seems completely accepting of Herren and Wade in Origins, but Dorian’s and Krem’s stories of Minrathous in Inquisition are stark contrasts that will resonate with players who have experienced discrimination because of their orientation, for example.
There’s also the matter of availability. Realistically speaking, rejection should be in the mix of available dynamics, and the reasons for it aren’t always something a person can help. There’s also realism in the unfortunate circumstance of loving someone who cannot love back in the same way. In this context, gating is a narrative tool to express what orientation looks like when people are true to themselves.
3 Swept Up By Plot-Developing Love
The Inquisitor’s Life Isn’t Truly Private
When it comes to romantic storylines, the more involved it is, the more compelling it becomes, and Inquisition’s system shines in this respect by weaving its romances into the plot. This is a fine line to straddle in an RPG where every choice represents a new narrative branch that must eventually converge with all the other branches. With a gated system, this task is simplified.
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From the story’s perspective, the Inquisitor is a person of great importance. Whom he or she chooses to romance might not be as consequential as aiding and abetting Anders, but it’s not far off with some of Inquisition’s romances. It’s a good policy to remember that the people around the Inquisitor tend to be as important as the player’s character is, they’re just not in charge of the Inquisition.
4 All The Right People In One Place
Companion Romances Also Have An Arc
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For those players who also delight in watching love bloom from the sidelines as their companions pair off, the third Dragon Age has some truly endearing couples to matchmake. Inquisition’s lineup has a team comprised of Thedasians of all stripes, and sometimes culture and custom are thrown to the wind to make room for unexpected romances that make perfect sense to anyone who’s gotten to know the characters in question.
Some of these relationships only blossom in Trespasser and are influenced by main game choices, but some version of a romance always happens. In contrast, the companion relationships that form during the events of Inquisition hinge on the player taking out the right companions on quite a few quests and encountering them in various places in Skyhold. As such, some players never learn through direct gameplay that a couple of companions will always fall for each other.
5 Embracing The Diverse Audience
The Evolution Of Dragon Age
So far, every Dragon Age game improved on the last one in terms of both depth and representation. Not all identities have had equal weight and opportunity yet, although Inquisition does have the widest selection of specific orientations of the first three games. Even if at times it’s more of a roleplay opportunity than canon, such as Josephine’s unspoken asexuality.
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Some in the fandom feel that BioWare could do more when it comes to fully romanceable companions of historically underrepresented identities. That said, the history of Dragon Age can generally attest to their staunch allyship. Only so many feature characters fit the narrative and financial scope of developing a game like this, and it’s a good thing that this franchise doesn’t waste time on token diversity.
6 Orientation, Not Identity
The Companions Have Narrative Space To Flourish
Dragon Age has always been a pioneering franchise with sweeping romances and meaningful friendships. While optional, this franchise has never been shy about offering a diverse array of mostly bisexuals in the previous two games as romanceable characters. Inquisition, however, has canonically LGBT+ characters and love interests.
Plenty of drama laces through Inquisition’s plot, and its romances also take their fair share. There is a little something for everyone – wholesome moments, angst, plot twists – and as it happens, some of the most popular romances, such as Dorian, are LGBTQIA+ ones. It’s not hard to understand why: their stories are complex and compelling, and their heartaches are moving and relatable.
7 The Inquisitor Is Part Of Someone’s Story
Narrowing The Focus Allows For Depth
Scripting every possible interpersonal outcome for each companion means a lot of text and planning, and romances can add many narrative complications. Even given the limits placed on what kind of dialogue and cut scenes might happen with various Inquisitors, there is a huge scope. The benefit of only having to script one or two versions of a romance scene is that more focus can go into deepening them.
Inquisition famously almost didn’t include one of its most impactful romances with the most restrictions, and considering where the story seems headed in the upcoming Veilguard, that one design choice forever reshaped the franchise for fans of that romance. Inquisition’s gated model factoring into its plot is unique in its delivery and the depth of its result: some of these romances will matter to everyone, not just the Inquisitor.
8 Meant For Each Other
The Gated Romance System Mimics Fate
Limits like locking in a romance to keep a relationship monogamous or primary are easy enough to fit into a choice-driven RPG, and for the most part, more is better. However, having too many romance choices makes it difficult to use story elements ranging from orientation to religion that would otherwise realistically limit the hero’s options. The gated romance system shifts the focus from late-game choices to the player’s very first ones, which will appeal to players who subscribe to notions like soul mates or destiny.
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The other meaningful aspect of the gated model is how it simulates mutually falling in love. Everyone is naturally always in the Inquisitor’s orbit as their leader. However, the Inquisitor eventually shares increasingly intimate moments with one companion or advisor more than with the others, and their reciprocations give players organic openings to deepen the relationship. At the culmination point, players will be left feeling like their love in Inquisition was wonderfully inevitable because no other could love their Inquisitor so passionately.
Dragon Age: Inquisition
- Released
- November 18, 2014
