Summary
Gamers know Valve for creating themost popular PCgame store Steam, as well as the plethora of games available on it, such as in-hourse titles likePortal,Half-Life, andTeam Fortress. These games are full of fun gameplay, intriguing plotlines, and/or challenging puzzles, all in one neat little Valve package.
Of course, all of this would be moot without a fantastic cast of characters for players to root for, and as with any games that give their characters depth, they give them things they can lose, such as people they care about. Many of these fictional relationships are romances, and while Valve is not famous for their romantic subplots, these storylines will make players root for the couple.
Thus far,Dota 2is one of the few MOBAs to rivalthe crowned king of the genre,League of Legends. Featuring a robust roster of varied characters, a healthy, thriving player base, and tidbits of lore players can pick up on even in-game, it is a fantastic multiplayer game in its own right..
Part of the in-depth lore is the romantic stories that blossom between the characters, such as with Mars and Dawnbreaker. The two were intertwined when Mars was still Ares, the God of War, and they were one hell of a power couple for centuries, until they broke up for unknown reasons. Mars misses when the two were a couple, but in contrast, Dawnbreaker seems to have no memory of their involvement, quite literally. This gives their romance a tinge of tragedy. Who knows what could have been if Dawnbreaker had only retained her memories?
Valve’s foray into the world of cooperative multiplayer shooters resulted inLeft 4 Dead, a fun and energetic game that saw players control one of four survivors as they attempt to survive a zombie apocalypse and make their escape, mowing down hoards of undead and a few special types of zombies along the way.
But there is more toLeft 4 Deadthan just gun-pumping action, as Valve took the time to flesh out the survivors, including an adorable little romance between Ellis and Zoey. Ellis is known to have a crush on Zoey, thinking it is love at first sight that most of the other survivors inLeft 4 Dead 2tease him about. It is even hinted in some of Zoey’s lines that the affection might even be reciprocated, showing that love can blossom even during the hardest of times.
Despite being a multiplayer shooter,Team Fortress 2certainly does not lack in lore, giving its characters backstories, creating short movies, and even a series of comic books to expand upon the world ofTF2. In a few of these stories, love blossoms between some of thebeloved characters from the franchise.
It is shown in theTF2shorts that Scout has a crush on Miss Pauling, who does her best to ignore the obvious interest he shows in her. Though their romance seems one-sided, it is hard not to enjoy seeing Scout’s fumbled attempts to woo her, and himenlisting the character Spyto help him seduce her in the hilarious short “Expiration Date.” Whether the two will ever become official is unknown, but for now, fans can still enjoy the comedic relief this dynamic creates.
2Skywrath Mage And Vengeful Spirit
Dota 2
Even in the battle arena, love can still flourish, with multiple implied romances between different characters hinted at throughcertain voice lines.Dota 2certainly isn’t lacking in love stories between many of the playable heroes, and features tons of fantastic couples with great chemistry that should be given their hard-earned recognition. There is no more deserving than the tragic duo of the Skywrath Mage and Venegeful Spirit, whose romance is well-known by fans of the game.
The famous duo Skywrath Mage and Vengeful Spirit share one of the greatest, if not the greatest, love stories in the entire game. They once shared a secret love until the latter’s untimely demise at the hands of her own sister, who turned her into a spirit of vengeance. Vengeful Spirit also blamed her lover, thinking he was involved with the coup that cost her wings. Theirromance is one smothered in as much tragedyas it is secrecy.
One of Valve’s crowning successes is theHalf-Lifefranchise, which has gone down in gaming history as one of the greatest series of all time, bringing the famous crowbar-wielding Gordon Freeman and the shady scientific company Black Mesa to the gaming public. Though the second game wastrapped in development hellfor some years, it was finally released to the delight of fans, introducing the new character Alyx Vance.
Technically, there is no confirmed romantic relationship between Gordon and Alyx, but the two make one good team, and the chemistry is certainly there. It is not unusual for two people in situations with stakes as high as this to fall in love, and fans are theorizing or hoping to see a romance between the two blossom one day.
