As Valentine's Day approaches, everyone finds a different way to feel uncomfortable. People in couples feel pressured to put on a satisfying show for their significant other; people who are single feel terrible about themselves; and people whose relationships with others are complicated and misunderstood have their unresolved sexual tensions elevated to a boiling point. For those whose relationship status hovers around "It's Complicated", here are some of the greatest video game couples that never were.

5. Link and Zelda, The Legend of Zelda series
Though stories where the hero rescues the princess usually end in romance, the Legend of Zelda never quite gets there, no matter how many times it's retold. In all fairness, this may be due to the fact that several of the games have Link and Zelda as children, who would be largely unaware of romantic relationships. Still, more recent games have dangled the relationship in front of gamers like a fishing lure, only to snatch it away. The recent The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword is the apex of this teasing, going to great lengths to establish the lifelong bond between the teenaged Link and Zelda, and even having an almost kiss in the trailers. Of course, given the all ages restrictions imposed by Nintendo, it never actually materializes. Or does it?

4. Chris Redfield and Jill Valentine, Resident Evil 5 (PS3, Xbox 360)
The attachment between the two BSAA super-cops is legendary, but nobody, perhaps not even Chris and Jill themselves, knows what it means. Resident Evil fans speculate as to whether or not their bond is that of lovers, best friends, or simply trusted comrades in their endless struggle against the Bio-Organic Weapons. But one thing is clear throughout the fifth game: Chris will do anything and kill almost anyone to rescue Jill. The beginning of the recent Resident Evil: Revelations shows that the feeling is mutual on her part.

3. Sora, Riku, and Kairi, Kingdom Hearts
Similar to The Legend of Zelda series, the content restrictions on Square Enix's Disney crossover prevent them from going beyond hugs, but since this is a game by the makers of Final Fantasy, the melodrama goes beyond the impossible, and it's difficult not to see the bonds between the characters untouched by sexual tension. The first Kingdom Hearts shows how close Sora, Riku, and Kairi are to each other, and both boys' need for Kairi's appreciation helps push Riku into the darkness. However, Sora's feelings towards Riku are portrayed with equal intensity, and countless same-sex pairings have been made between the two in fan culture; disproving the homoeroticism seems very low on the list of creator Tetsuya Nomura's priorities. In Kingdom Hearts 2, Sora tries to rescue both, and while his reunion with Kairi is a friendly hug, his reaction to finding Riku again involves falling to his knees, crying tears of joy.

(Continued on the Next Page...)
[Other Features +]
|
|
|||
|


