Having grown up with gaming developments since the late eighties, romance has always played something of an important role in gaming development. In the beginning, rescuing one's significant other from some monstrous baddie has been a motivational aspect for the player to get playing. Thus Mario sets out to rescue Princess Peach (and does so for many games afterwards) and Link does so much and invests so much effort to rescue Princess Zelda. After all, what guy can say no to a Princess?
Later developments add a degree of interactivity so the player can choose one partner and, through choosing the right options, be treated to some fascinating outcomes. Thus, Cloud can end up having a date with either Tifa or Aerith. Likewise my Baldurs Gate 2 character can either have Aerie, Jahiera or Viconia every time I play through. Indeed, having this degree of interactivity certainly adds a variety of depth to the character as you lead them through thick and thin.
Granted maybe watching a romance develop in game may not be as satisfying or enjoyable as the real thing but in a way it is fun to watch two characters develop, see them watch out for each other, stay with each other through the various ups and downs and hoping they'll eventually come out on top. Indeed, when your guiding your BG2 Half-Elf Ranger/Cleric to a relationship with Aerie whilst saying "You two belong together!!!" then something must've clicked. And in a way it can even provide something of an insight into what to do and what not to do.
So which is my favourite couple in gaming? Well in my mind some work, some don't. I always felt Mario could do better than Peach as a) he's an Italian so you'd think he'd have better taste and b) she's ineffectual as a princess as she doesn't really do much beyond making cakes and getting kidnapped. Link and Zelda aren't really given much chance to develop as someone keeps hitting the reset button in-between games. I enjoy Cloud and Aerith both as a couple and the tragic element therein but whereas I don't see the appeal in Tifa, a whole lot of other people do. And whilst the romances of Baldur's Gate 2 are fun, they are really all running on the same script, thus leaving no room for something special.
That being said, what is my favourite gaming couple?
Well, it comes from a game called Final Fantasy X and concerns a lad named Tidus and a summoner called Yuna.
Of course by now I can imagine many of my readers throwing up their hands in disgust but for me these two work on a number of levels - many of them distinguishing it from many other romances in the Final Fantasy series and gaming in general. Okay I will concede that yes Tidus may have been irritating but I have my reasons and they are as follows:
Firstly, whereas many games use the concept of romance as a leading hook to get the gamer involved with the plot (as described above). Not so here: In the world of FFX, we see a lad lost out of time as he is transported to a completely alien world and subsequently falls in with a band of unusual characters. It isn't established from the beginning that Yuna and Tidus will eventually become romantically involved (well there is that opening cinematic but that technically doesn't count as it's set in the middle of the story). Instead the romance itself is something that's developed over time and, in a way, in a rather unexpected manner. There is no masterplan or anything of that nature, it's just something that simply happens and is handled in a distinctly mature manner - much like a real relationship itself. To establish such human emotions is indeed an impressive feat in a game of all things.
Secondly, the romance from FFX plays out differently then those established in it's predecessors. Previous Final Fantasy games have had a romance yes but they seem to follow the same formula of having the male being a grumpy, angsty jerk who has little time for people and the female who is a more 'pure' character whose presence brings the male out of his emotional shell. A very escapist perspective indeed but that's what it is. It may not represent fact but it works on an escapist level.
So what makes Yuna and Tidus special? Well, for one thing the tried-and-tested formula is ditched for something different and more mature. Thus Yuna and Tidus come across as being the mirror images of the same character: They are orphans, each bearing the legacy left by an absent father. And as they deal with said father's absence, they come to terms with the responsibilities left for them.
What's also a welcome difference from the previous Final Fantasy's is the nature of the quest. Tidus may be the character controlled by the player but, unlike his predecessors, the quest he goes on isn't his. Instead, the driving force behind the game is Yuna. In a welcome case of role reversal, she is the one heading out on the quest, thus reducing Tidus to the role of tagalong.
In any case, I credit the makers of this game ditch formula and try something new. Anyone can do something with a formula but it takes a brave person to try and do something different with it.
Thirdly, I like the progression of the relationship. It isn't an instant attraction, it isn't a bond forged out of an intense situation (of sorts). What it is though is another notch for the maturity aspect that keeps the relationship afloat: Like any other relationship, it takes a lengthy progression time for the two people involved to develop something special and eventually admit to it. In the case of Tidus and Yuna, it take many an hour of gameplay to arrive at that point, of admission, in the game. Again, it is a feat in itself that the makers took the time-honored approach to such development - not to mention a refusal to sugar-coat anything that may have ruined anything genuine. And again, I like games that can convey a range of emotions - it is an achievement to make something of an emotional resonance in a medium not known for doing so but to do so without any degree of falseness or saccharine elements is an impressive feat indeed.
Finally, what seals the deal is that tragic undercurrent. The entire relationship is built on taking things in a mature manner and running the full gauntlet of emotions. And all of this comes to it's zenith with it's conclusion. Yuna's quest is to cast the final summon to defeat the antagonist Sin so the people of Spira can enjoy ten years of peace. Yet as the game progresses it is eventually revealed that at the end of her journey Yuna has to fulfil the role of a sacrifice. Hardly the best choice of a romantic partner true but that knowledge implies a sense that the time spent together is limited and every minute should be cherished - and thus the relationship is all the better of for it.
And indeed, at the end of the game comes the most bittersweet of endings: An alternate solution is put to work, Sin is defeated forever and Yuna's life is spared. However it also means an end to the relationship as Yuna and Tidus face a seemingly lasting separation. Now I'm not one to readily admit this but the ending to FFX did leave an impression on my cold jaded heart. The moment that got me was when Yuna runs after the departing Tidus and what she says afterward. I mentioned in my assessment of Ico that I did get somewhat teary eyed at the end of it and well, the same thing can be said here. Indeed, it is a sign of a great game when one can trigger such emotion. and it is a brave move from the Square that they went with a bittersweet ending and refuse to compromise with a happy ending (which also leaves me wondering why FFX2 needs to exist).
So to summarise, why does Yuna and Tidus work for me? Well, what sets their romance apart for me is that it's handled in a mature and realistic manner - in a field not known for it's subtlety. It ditches formula from established conventions to say something of it's own. It runs though a whole lot of emotions that really establish a substantial connection with the player, without any sense of sappiness whatsoever. It is compelling enough to see these characters go through so much and hoping they'll come out on top. And it has the balls to not fall into the cop-out trap of having a happy ending.
Indeed, I have found Yuna and Tidus and their romance so compelling that I found them an interesting starting point for a blossoming romance. In early 2008, I was interested in cosplay to a point that I wanted to, some day, get together with someone and do a cosplay couple. I heard from my friend Kath that she was interested in doing Yuna for AI-Con. Seeing a chance for my goal to be realized, I suggested that I cosplay as Tidus to match. She agreed and we did - and subsequently became something of a hit at AI-Con.
This in turn was the first time we did cosplay couple but certainly not the last time.
The first, and defining, image of the entire relationship
Genuine couples aren't something that's seen a lot in cosplay but when it does happen, it really becomes something special and it shows a lot to everyone else. Indeed, at Manifest this year I had the pleasure of meeting two teenagers who were cosplaying as Tidus and Yuna. Through talking to them, I found out that they were a couple and they were doing the cosplay for the couple element. I too said I was part of a cosplay couple and I'd previously done a Tidus+Yuna. I said they looked great, got them to pose for a photo and, to cap it off, I joined the Yuna in singing Still Alive from Portal. It wasn't just seeing two people cosplaying as some of my favorite characters, it wasn't just seeing what everyone sees when they see a cosplay couple and it wasn't just picking up the genuine feelings between them. No, it was seeing that someone else thought the same thing I did. And it is great feeling that you're not alone in something you saw.
So that's my thoughts, not to mention my experiences, on Tidus and Yuna. Two video game characters who, along with their connection, left a lasting impression indeed. And now, having taken the time to type this all out and share this with all of you, I do believe it safe to say that I have pretty much cemented my status as an absolute nerd.
Yeah I thought so too
So here's two masses of pixels!
i like it
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