In Dragon's Dogma 2, I've just spent 30 minutes making my way across the map to pay a visit to an NPC. I have no quest pushing me to do this, nor do I have any kind of objective in mind, I'm only putting in the effort because I want to spend a little more time with a character who blushes at the mere sight of my Arisen. There may not be very much in the way of romance in Capcom's adventure, but I'm trying to make the most of its affinity system to transform the action-heavy RPG into my own little dating sim. Why? Well, why the heck not? This is a fantasy world after all, so why not bring some romance into my role-play? With pawn companions, NPCs that you can help out and befriend, and even a few characters that lead to a little romance if you're so inclined, I'm just trying to build on what's already there.
I've always gravitated towards games that let you develop romantic relationships. Whether it be in visual novels, RPGs like Baldur's Gate 3, or in simulation games like Stardew Valley, my romantic soul is always on the lookout for more. While Dragon's Dogma 2's romance is pretty meager and isn't put in the limelight as much as other RPGs, I figured I'd try to make more of the affinity system to enjoy it as much as possible.
