I've wanted to talk about this topic as well, so let's do it...
@Kii_Ibarra you're the one who gave the idea, so it's a bit dedicated to you ;p
So.
Vidyagams.
Are they romantic ?
Well, any girlfriend would tell you they hate it because it steals away bf attention, and is aromantic as hell.
But...
I tend to disagree ^^
While it is true that the act of gaming isn't the most romantic thing to do, there are in my opinion many video games that could qualify as romantic.
How to define a romantic game ?
Well to me, it's about valuing personal creativity inside the game instead of discovering a set of strict rules, discovering an author's vision through mechanics or narration, freeing the player's imagination and creating lasting memories of it. A romantic video game is more art, than a product that responds to specific design criterias to me. It must be born from some kind of personal madness, rather than the need to sell to an audience ;p
In short, I need to feel genius, even if it's not perfect.
You may have your own version of what's a romantic video game, and I'd be glad to hear it as well ;)
Without further ado, here's my first pick :
Wuuut ? Minecraft, romantic ?
;p
Yes, indeed !
This game was made like a weird alien project by just some guy who shouldn't have the success it had, and practically launched the whole indie game movement ^^
Acting against reason, thus romantic.
Nothing ressembles quite Minecraft, at least when it got out.
Originality, thus romantic.
You're totally free in the game, the rules are kept to basic functionning that support creativity instead of holding it back.
Free, thus romantic.
It shows something really interesting : in most servers, when you gather with a few friends to create stuff, apart from a few malicious acts here and there for lolz, things kinda... go well.
I mean, you're having a great time, aren't you ?
You don't need laws to restrict bad acts ?
I know bigger servers tend to create those kinds of systems, but these are not the one who are the most fun to me.
I prefer being free to do stupid shit with my friends in a tiny server, than start learning a cold system without any kind of humanity left.
This is why Minecraft can be considered as romantic ;p
What's yours, people ?
And please, tell us why !
Also, mandatory anthem :
It's what matters here : the experience you get ;p
While not all video-games are romantic, there definitely are a large amount that are. Aside from dating sims and/or eroges (because 1. they're too obvious and 2. I have very little experience with either genre)...
Oddly, I feel Touhou fits here. Which may seem odd since the series has zero sexual or romantic elements. IDK, I can just feel ZUN's passion for game making, youkai, beer and good music any time I play a Touhou game, if that makes sense?
Plus Touhou was what got me interested in youkai, Japanese culture and eventually anime and manga, so I literally wouldn't be here without it
Kii_Ibarra said: I can just feel ZUN's passion for game making, youkai, beer and good music any time I play a Touhou game, if that makes sense?
It does !
Passion in artmaking is the soul of romanticism !
If you face the workpiece of a true creator and this makes you go through a journey of sensations and somewhat feel the author's intent, if he somehow manages to speak directly to you, like he was almost there...
Then you are going through a romantic experience ;p
The key is that you feel humanity in that experience, not just an abstract test of a game mechanic.
Speaking of journeys...
A lot of people have liked this oddball of a game, even if by usual game standards it is barely one ^^
You just walk, jump, and use some power.
No game over, no violence.
You know there is no danger, but you can't help but feel a bit afraid when what looks like to be your predators appear.
So, you're letting go of your gaming habits, letting the suspension of disbelief take place, just chilling...
And appreciate what you're going through : the journey, that is.
It is a game that tells you the point doesn't matter : the point is always death.
Now, experiencing going there ?
That's what's life about ;p
And this is an artist statement... so a romantic one as well ;p