Are the romances actually thin?

[CTPhipps]

This is something I was wondering while playing the game because I hear a lot of complaints about them and I'm just not seeing it. The romances are tied together with fairly long quest-chains that are related to you forging a relationship with the main characters. That's pretty much the Bioware path of things and usually, the romance quests don't actually go beyond talking with your companions and going on one or two loyalty missions. Here, they're more specifically integrated into the quests so you get to know the characters as you are doing 4-5 adventures instead.

* You bond with Panam over her vengeance then her troubles with Saul then the magic tank time
* You bond with Judy over Evelyn and then Clouds before the scuba mission
* You bond with River over investigating the mayor's death and later rescuing his nephew followed by family bonding time.
* You bond with Keith Richards in his war against Babymetal.

I've heard a lot of suggestions that sound like jokes like, "Yes, we should be able to go bowling." Which was a terrible idea in GTA IV and a feature everyone hated.

So are the game romances thin compared to other games or is it just people want more because they're one of the few elements of the game that really evoke strong emotions?

 

[stndn]

I can only speak for Panam.
I feel like CDPR took the quality over quantity approach. What we had with her was really well done but it left me wanting more. I wish her story was extended a bit. Maybe a few more quests or more dialogue/interactions throughout the camp.

 

[BigRock22]

The main complaint seems to be that the romances end when they should actually begin. After the final quest that completes their story, you barely interact with them any more.

 

[JuanEvil]

I thought they were fine to be honest. I feel like CDPR took the quality over quantity approach. I do think Panam's arc could have been extended a bit but the content we had with her was brilliant in my opinion.

That "quality" does not apply to the male romance options, unfortunately. To me, Panam friendship felt more satisfying than the Kerry romance arc.

 

[Sarah_Nie_en]

The romances with Judy and Panam are much more mature than those of Kerry and River. River's quest series in particular seems totally loveless. As if there were hardly any female players who wanted a deep man. I keep repeating it, I hope and wait for Takemura. So far I'm single and I will stay that way.
And of course it would be nice to be able to chat or kiss or sleep with your partner after the quest series.

 

[Sillivanukas]

The main complaint seems to be that the romances end when they should actually begin. After the final quest that completes their story, you barely interact with them any more.

Exactly.
Granted, many wishlisted features are really unrealistic and unnecessary, but there isn’t anything.

 

[wright1978]

There's very good build up to the romance. I do feel post consumation its lacking

 

[Fuse_00]

Panam romance is the best so far. She's strongly involved in the main story, she can support you at the end, there are a lot of quests you do together, a lot of options to flirt and chat with her.
Judy is the second. A bit less complex than Panam, but good enough too.


But Kerry, and especially River.. nah. Can be better, a lot. River is just completely out of the story, at the end I could barely remember who he is. Kerry is better, but nothing like Panam and Judy. CDPR could do better than that. I know male romances are not in the target for the majority of players, but still, it sucks. Bioware's romances are balanced and provide good stories and quests for everybody.

 

[Subenu]

I think so too and as someone has already stated it seems more like the beginning and no real romance that could be explored.

In this regard it would've been cool to at least share some of the experiences. Like some suggested.

E.g. maybe let us take part in some kind of quest (line) which lets us explore more about the other (and our own) character.

Take Judy as an example with her techie, creative stuff she does in her freetime. let's play with the robot together.

Or like the playtime with River and the kids, the cooking etc. it was a relaxing and lighthearted, yet refreshing and fitting thing that enables us to connect more to other characters (and Romances).
Even though I'm not really affected, I also think male/female (/diverse) "romance options" should be balanced out.
Heck you could even do some raids with Panam (or others, together with Delamain xD)

I dunno how it would affect the quality of the current characters, if there are/would be more characters "to chose from" (there's another thread for this )

 

[Robotic_Onion]

I feel like all the romances are thin. Especially the Romances with Keith or Rivers.

For example the Nomad ending. Panam and Judy seem to continue the story with V. With the other two it feels like its
"Kthx for flirty time and snosno. Have fun with Roleplaying Mad Max, bye."

They all seem empty. A few Quests, a some speech and now were lovers?

 

[OG_VELI]

Romantic relationships go thin as soon as they start. Judy and Panam are well-written characters with well-done questlines, so it only makes sense for people to want more of them, to fill the empty void you get after finishing their stories. More intimacy and dynamic interactions are what we need to fix this.

Having such good written characters to only make them obsolete after getting attached and falling in love with them is a problem that needs to be addressed, you want it or not. Otherwise, you are just wasting the potential and the foundation you have built for them.

 

[Sillivanukas]

This thread made me think why exactly is romance aftermath so much more disappointing when compared to for example Mass Effect and KOTOR.

I think it’s because in those games the love interest characters are ones that feature prominently in the story regardless. So even if there isn’t anything tailored to the romance after the fact, they still actively participate in your journey.
But in Cyberpunk they just disappear after their questline. Excluding Panam.

 

[XxSalviixX]

I've heard a lot of suggestions that sound like jokes like, "Yes, we should be able to go bowling." Which was a terrible idea in GTA IV and a feature everyone hated.

So are the game romances thin compared to other games or is it just people want more because they're one of the few elements of the game that really evoke strong emotions?

Actually for me, the romances are the strongest part of this game, not only are perfectly written, they are well executed to make you feel emotions, feelings and even love for a character in many situations. You pass the 85% of the game killing or stealing or triying to find a solution for V´s problem, the game gives you a totally different perspective with the romances, where "V" helps others, you receive "grattitud" and LOVE, that is one of the most beautiful things that this game has, if it´s not the best.

Many people like me a lot of times suggested more interaction with the world, not neccesary must be "to go bowling".. But actually, the romances need something else at the end of the history.. when you complete for example Judy´s quest, you cant interact with her anymore, you can only say a few sentences that she will repeat infinitely.. Come on.. you passed a rolecoaster of emotions, you went through the most beautiful mission in any videogame with her "Pyramid song" and then you just get rewarded for seeing her stuck on a window? this can be fixed by just adding some more interaction, like Judy/Panam/River/Kerry could just move around their home, making different activities, that would actually mark the difference.. Also could be nice to implement new activities to do with your couple

You said that to go bowling was a terrible idea in GTA IV and a feature everyone hated.. Well maybe you hated that interaction, maybe you didnt connect very well with Roman, because i remember myself enjoying my time with Roman... many people as me would love to just be able to hang out with these characters and do whatever together.. this game has the biggest quantity of bars, clubs, shops, fast food shops, interesting locations.. that i ve ever seen, any of this things are not being used correctly and they deserve it af.. so much effort was put on this places for almost nothing..

To finish, i would like to say that these interactions with romances and the world are neccesary because NC feels in my opinion "empty" when you pass the 100% of the game. Its sad because i would love to enjoy my time in NC while i wait for the next DlC/Expansion that will bring more missions and continue "V" history.. And what can be better than to take a beer with my girl Judy in a restaurant and see her smile in front of a sunset.. (same with other characters as Panam/River/Kerry) we are in this all together. There is so much potential in this game that must be used for sure..

To make NC alive after you finish the game must be a priority for CDPR in my opinion. it would keep a huge number of players playing for ages.

 

[Wenceslaus]

Only from romance with Panam perspective:

As straneg as it might sounds, I never expected CP to be a dating simulator.
This is a game about V being Solo (not single, but mercenary), romances are still a side content, although a bit overlaping with the main story (which is great).
Oviously all quest-lines has to end somewhere. It is clear that tere will be point where there will be "nothing" or artificial "bowling" (dinner or whatever).
But I do not think that the second would a good idea. It would feel generic and only feell like the game tries to be a sandbox—which it is not.

Both making it longer and/or adding more activities also does cost development time and resources. And the balance of the game should lie elsewhere in my opinion. So for me, they did romance(s) well.

 

[Witzzard]

Well it's imo all about comparisons.
You've got open world games with romances that feel similarly _short_ (or even worse, *cough Skyrim cough*) in terms of Romance - but often offer some repetitive sequence, while more linear stories often offer Interests that might be with the main character for most part of the main quest.

So it feels to me, as if CDPR could have done a lot better (though imo they did quite good).
They've got imo great characters, which story is quite a lot about getting to know them and having them express emotions - but they don't allow the player to express what they think their V should be feeling at that moment, with what's going on.
And they could, just like with all cutscences, have offered a less intrusive "going bowling" thing - Do a Fallout ending montage but for spending the evening together (catching something to eat, listenting to music, staying over night or not...).

But that's all quite subjective i recognize.

 

[Guest 4412420]

I romanced Kerry and while I adore his character to bits, his romance felt extremely lacking. Not a single flirt option, you get an option to kiss him at the end of his second to last mission. There's no build up. It feels like I only got the later part of the romance while the start is just not there.

 

[nadsh]

For example the Nomad ending. Panam and Judy seem to continue the story with V. With the other two it feels like its
"Kthx for flirty time and snosno. Have fun with Roleplaying Mad Max, bye."

This is the same for Judy in the Legend ending, but at least you get the feeling that it's V pushing the LIs away. With Arasaka it's even worse, she leaves NC (fair choice on its own since the city was toxic to her) but without even waiting for V to come back to Earth or saying anything about V's condition.

With the exception of Panam who's ride or die even as a friend, I feel like V helps and seems to care a lot more for the LIs than the other way around.

 

[XxSalviixX]

Only from romance with Panam perspective:

As straneg as it might sounds, I never expected CP to be a dating simulator.
This is a game about V being Solo (not single, but mercenary), romances are still a side content, although a bit overlaping with the main story (which is great).
Oviously all quest-lines has to end somewhere. It is clear that tere will be point where there will be "nothing" or artificial "bowling" (dinner or whatever).
But I do not think that the second would a good idea. It would feel generic and only feell like the game tries to be a sandbox—which it is not.

Both making it longer and/or adding more activities also does cost development time and resources. And the balance of the game should lie elsewhere in my opinion. So for me, they did romance(s) well.

I really dont get your point.. you said "that it would feel generic and only feell like the game tries to be a sandbox" mmm i dont see how to add interactions and activities with romances/characters could give you the feeling of something generic.. this game as you said gives you the view of a merc, but the "main" message in many points of the game is that you dont need reputation or fame.. just people who loves you and gives you love.. i think that NC has the best world of any videogame. Simply not being able "to hang" out in this amazing city is a BIG MISTAKE.. it would add a lot of immersion.. immersion that would make the players believe they LIVE in NC.. it would make us (the players) believe that we actually exist for the world around us.. This game has too much to offer.. people who say that this game is good how it is, makes me feel that they need to pay more attention to the potential it has, and not only to bugs or stuff like that.. it will be fixed sooner or later.. but if CDPR only fixes bugs and in 1 year the game has the same "faults" it has atm.. for me it could be the definition of waste of potential in a videogame that could be a 10/10.

Another thing.. you said romances are secundary in this game.. im not with you, because romances even affect the way you finish the game.. are not only aditional content.. in my oppinion, the game really begins when you start the secundary missions with Judy/Panam for example.. that gives you the authentic perspective of love and care for others.. and not only kill and kill... The best missions of the game in my oppinion are related to Judy/Panam so.. secundary?? not so sure choom.. i dont see the star ending a "side content"..

 

[Krul2k]

Mmmm

Panam, i get to say and do the exact same as a female as a male does upto saving saul then both try there luck and panams like no with both, makes it plain she just wants friendship with female but male gets to carry on an have seperate dialogue/scenes relating to actually getting closer to her from a romantic perspective upto possibly the only cutscene in the game, if you dont meta. It's actually pretty well done tbh

River - dont even know where his dialogue about romance comes from tbh its all over the place an just pretty bad, again one mission and sex as a reward.

Judy's character is expertly writing and voiced from the perspective of two ppl meeting and getting very close due to circumstance, but just the very moment the "romance" starts the character judy is disregarded to stand lifeless at a window forever repeating the same lines, theres no hint at romance or difference in dialogue upto her very last mission where male is shot down and female is treated to a sex scene again like a quest reward. Sorry theres one difference earlier that involves a kiss on the cheeck if your a female if you go through the proper dialogue. Theres so much right with this character but so much wrong aswell, she exceeds the actual storytelling that Panam has, in my opinion, but severely lacks the "romantic" approach you can have and is put into the river category in that regard though still above him.

I know you can view "romance" from the perspective of its all romance content every scene/mission bit of dialogue you have together, but i dont, i only consider "romance" the content that actually pertains to romance and going just by that both River and Judy arent even thin there basically non existent quest rewards like Meredith and only Panam has actual "content" pertaining to romance

I've no actually err done Kerry as the time it could happen im itching to start a new char

 

[Fuse_00]

As straneg as it might sounds, I never expected CP to be a dating simulator.
This is a game about V being Solo (not single, but mercenary), romances are still a side content

I've never expected Cyberpunk to be the dating sim too, but the fact is that this game has nothing to offer except for romances and main quest. What else to do in NC? So called "side quests" aka gigs just suck, kill/steal/place a virus MMO brainless activities. Car racing are trash, even worse than horse racing in Witcher. No interaction with city is available, no mini games, radiant quests or random events, eating/drinking in bars, nothing. Witcher provides a lot of stories, Cyberpunk provides none.
So romances this far are the best part of the game outside the main story. Obviously people want some extra content to focus on. NC is a marvelously crafted city, I want to spend more time in it, but it offers nothing to the player except for it's design.