Romance Questlines Are Heartbreakingly Short And End Abruptly. (Potential Spoilers)

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Aside from the texts that Judy sends you through the game (which is a pretty surprising amount. Also her nickname for V is Cucumber which was sweet.) It felt weird walking into her apartment and only having a few things to say that you can saw over the phone.
That's what I thought until I got the Stars ending. Any other ending kinda breaks my heart.
 
I love this game, but... I have to agree with everyone here, we need more options with our relationships in game. There needs to be activities like going out to dinner and actually sitting at a counter or table and eating the food, more dialog between partners, house calls from both V and partner for hook ups, even just chilling on the couch cuddled up watching T.V with chat options, going to a favourite spot to name just a few. I get that things had to be cut for the sake of release date but please add more things to do with them. I do not just want to rush through the story or side missions, I want to get lost in this city and soak in everything.
Great job CDPR really love this game, keep up the hard work.
P.S. Those are the best hands I have ever seen in any game.
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The game needs to give you ways to continue interacting with them throughout. This game is pretty dark. Not gonna lie, if I were V I would probably have just eaten a gun at some point after losing my best friend, getting left for dead in a junkyard, and waking up with a ghost in my head trying to kill me. The characters are the bright spots that give V a reason to keep fighting, so it would be nice if they didn't just hear about how you are literally dying, hit you with a 'damn bro' and then vanish after one more mission. Just my thoughts on it.
 
I just finished my first playthrough! I racked up a total of 50 hours and I gotta say this game is amazing especially from a Story and Character perspective.


However I've been heartbroken since I finished the final quest with Panam. It seems like as soon you are getting to know her and as soon as you are getting to know the nomads the questline just ends. Poof! Gone... I looked into and I realized there were only 3 personal quests related to her </3 and only 2 main story quests (besides the you know what). A total of 5 quests that only lasts about 3 hours maybe? Same with River, his questline is even shorter leaving little to no options for straight female V. I've also heard people complaining about how short the time they got to spend with Judy and she has the most content out of all of them!

Maybe this wouldn't be such a big deal to me if you could perhaps do somethings with her afterwards? Like go out to bars, or call her to sleep over or vice versa. Call her to come shoot some bad guys with you. I know she has her responsibilities now, but after you finish her questline, you get 3 short dialogue options with her for the rest of the game, that just repeat over and over. It just feels like as soon as we build a connection with these 3 characters they get taken away from us and that's it with them. Which is a shame because they are some of the most in-depth and most important characters in the game.

I got a response from one of the writers of DAO about a DLC that would include these options, of just hanging out with your love interest.

I feel like the length was long enough, but they missed out by not having your romance come along with you for most missions. For example the disconnect happens when V tells Panam about the relic, all you get is 3 options like you said, but I think the standard we expect from RPGs are after every mission there should be some more dialogue with your romance.

Judy I felt was pretty deep, I was very sad your couldn't have her as an option for a straight V, I legit felt sad lol I think she needs to have a conversation with you and let you down easy. Hopefully in future dlc, your friendship can turn into something more?

But Panam was legit, gave me Sandra Bullock vibes who I have a huge crush on lol
 
I got a response from one of the writers of DAO about a DLC that would include these options, of just hanging out with your love interest.

For example the disconnect happens when V tells Panam about the relic, all you get is 3 options like you said, but I think the standard we expect from RPGs are after every mission there should be some more dialogue with your romance.
Yea you're right, I think that is a huge part about what is missing. Dragon Age and Mass Effect, even FNV followers felt more alive because they would comment on what is happening in the story. Their dialogue would update and they could react to new events. That really helps with bringing them to life even just a little bit more, DAO like you mention doesn't have the option to just hang out with you LI but since they are always 1. following you or 2. commenting on whats going on, it doesn't feel as short or as dead after you finish their little side quests.

I think that's exactly what we need (besides more quests/interactions in the DLC) to make them seem more realistic and not just mannequins after their side quest is done.
 
90% of sidequests here are way too short ,all quests should chain and interconnect with each other more. And branch out to many different paths.
 
Yea you're right, I think that is a huge part about what is missing. Dragon Age and Mass Effect, even FNV followers felt more alive because they would comment on what is happening in the story. Their dialogue would update and they could react to new events. That really helps with bringing them to life even just a little bit more, DAO like you mention doesn't have the option to just hang out with you LI but since they are always 1. following you or 2. commenting on whats going on, it doesn't feel as short or as dead after you finish their little side quests.

I think that's exactly what we need (besides more quests/interactions in the DLC) to make them seem more realistic and not just mannequins after their side quest is done.

Agreed! Judy did have an extra line after the honaka thing. Which I thought was cool, but Panam had nothing. I'll be watching though, I don't know what this forum does other than to at least feel some comfort that i'm not alone lol but what they do next will determine how much I invest in them in the future. I preordered this game...I haven't preordered anything in a very long time lol
 
Honestly I've been trying to avoid criticizing this game because there's enough people to that and I've been lucky to have a pretty good experience. Not a single crash, minor graphical bugs and good framerate.

But man, I just finished the Panam questline and what a disappointment. SPOILERS

Apart from it being too short, I felt like there should have been an option at the end where you can encourage her to join with you instead of leading the Eldecados. Also, the fact that the one and only sex/intimacy scene takes place in a car and you are interrupted by enemies is absolutely ridiculous.

The budding romance showed so much potential, the scene where she opens up to you about being scared about being left alone in the desert followed by the campfire moment staring at the stars was one of the most beautiful romance moments I've experienced in an RPG. Like some have said, iy brought me back to Morrigan in DA, which was extremely well done, and even Viconia in BG2. The idea of these tough characters finally showing their vulnerabilities to you is very powerful. But it all comes crashing down so quickly - no further character development, no ability to meet or hang out after the quest. The worst part about this is that she even hints there may be further escapades down the line when you say you'll miss them. She even says to keep in touch as if hinting there will be one last encounter with a proper intimate experience and character connection. But nah.

Really unfortunate.
 
Honestly I've been trying to avoid criticizing this game because there's enough people to that and I've been lucky to have a pretty good experience. Not a single crash, minor graphical bugs and good framerate.

But man, I just finished the Panam questline and what a disappointment. SPOILERS

Apart from it being too short, I felt like there should have been an option at the end where you can encourage her to join with you instead of leading the Eldecados. Also, the fact that the one and only sex/intimacy scene takes place in a car and you are interrupted by enemies is absolutely ridiculous.

The budding romance showed so much potential, the scene where she opens up to you about being scared about being left alone in the desert followed by the campfire moment staring at the stars was one of the most beautiful romance moments I've experienced in an RPG. Like some have said, iy brought me back to Morrigan in DA, which was extremely well done, and even Viconia in BG2. The idea of these tough characters finally showing their vulnerabilities to you is very powerful. But it all comes crashing down so quickly - no further character development, no ability to meet or hang out after the quest. The worst part about this is that she even hints there may be further escapades down the line when you say you'll miss them. She even says to keep in touch as if hinting there will be one last encounter with a proper intimate experience and character connection. But nah.

Really unfortunate.
It's so sad because all they had to do was keep going. They have the framework there, her character is perfectly done. But just as we become a couple, just as we get to know her and get her to open up to us the game cuts us off permanently lmao It's so tragic D;

I try not to be negative because like you said there's so many people on here and everywhere hating on this game already. And tbh I don't even really care about the wonky Police system that much or any of the other big complaints people have that I hear repeated everywhere. The biggest downside to the game for me is that so many of the stories and characters were cut short, whether through cut-content or for the purpose of making everything happen fast. it doesn't give us enough time to do what the game really SHINES at, the story, and the character relationships we build.
 
It's so sad because all they had to do was keep going. They have the framework there, her character is perfectly done. But just as we become a couple, just as we get to know her and get her to open up to us the game cuts us off permanently lmao It's so tragic D;

I try not to be negative because like you said there's so many people on here and everywhere hating on this game already. And tbh I don't even really care about the wonky Police system that much or any of the other big complaints people have that I hear repeated everywhere. The biggest downside to the game for me is that so many of the stories and characters were cut short, whether through cut-content or for the purpose of making everything happen fast. it doesn't give us enough time to do what the game really SHINES at, the story, and the character relationships we build.

Absolutely agree. I didn't go into this game looking for an FPS experience with super realistic AI or driving that feels like GTA. I wanted the story and characters and moments that made me fall in love with the old Bioware games and the Witcher 3, and while there's little glimmers of that here, it's cut too short and spread out too thin. At first I didn't find Panam overly attractive, but she felt so real she won me over. She's not overly deep, but the chemistry between her and V was palpable. They did an amazing job with her animations, character reactions are a highlight throughout the game but Panam in particular felt like a very real person you were speaking to, her reactions and voice and animations were perfectly synced. Gotta say I'm feeling pretty let down, don't even want to continue playing right now lol. But I hear there's a good ending with her.
 
Honestly I've been trying to avoid criticizing this game because there's enough people to that and I've been lucky to have a pretty good experience. Not a single crash, minor graphical bugs and good framerate.

The idea of these tough characters finally showing their vulnerabilities to you is very powerful. But it all comes crashing down so quickly - no further character development, no ability to meet or hang out after the quest. The worst part about this is that she even hints there may be further escapades down the line when you say you'll miss them. She even says to keep in touch as if hinting there will be one last encounter with a proper intimate experience and character connection. But nah.

Really unfortunate.

I can understand your reservations. They don't read the forums so no need to have reservations. Don't really know why it exists to be honest lol but glad we can find some comfort in each other. As for the game I had the same experience a very good one as well.

For Panam, I was ok with the basilisk scene because she is pretty impulsive, I didn't like the effects that were added took me out immersivity, but I can see the art direction making it seems more intense. You are right though, after 8 years in development, and seeing how other games like DA or Mass Effect have set the standard I think yes, they should've had way more interactions. Things like, lets go out on a date, at the end she mentions a food stand she is going to miss in Night City, imagine if she picked you up in her car and you went there and then went to your place THATS A SIDE ROMANCE MISSION. If you wanna be bare bones about it, do what DAO did, you can just walk up to the character and hangout/kiss. I agree with you, there should've been more. I hope they see what their customers are saying and do something with a dlc that would help with this. However I am doubtful. I expected more, because I feel like other games have set a standard, and CDPR has been so good to us then most, but unfortunately they didn't deliver. But I have hope they will fix this?
 
I try not to be negative because like you said there's so many people on here and everywhere hating on this game already.

it doesn't give us enough time to do what the game really SHINES at, the story, and the character relationships we build.

I think its ok to share things like you are constructively. 100% agree with story and character relationships, it could've been very amazing. I look at it as a healthy expectation that was actually a gaming standard that they missed. DA, Effect, and BG3 have set the standards for relationships in RPGs. Which is what people expected. The standard at least. For example I think straight male V has only one long term romance option, if you're going to do that, go all in, meeting up with Panam for dates, having come with you in most missions! etc. So with it only being one option, yes they fell short. So either they plan to add more with dlc, or thats it. which makes me sad if thats it. :(
 
I think its ok to share things like you are constructively. 100% agree with story and character relationships, it could've been very amazing. I look at it as a healthy expectation that was actually a gaming standard that they missed. DA, Effect, and BG3 have set the standards for relationships in RPGs. Which is what people expected. The standard at least. For example I think straight male V has only one long term romance option, if you're going to do that, go all in, meeting up with Panam for dates, having come with you in most missions! etc. So with it only being one option, yes they fell short. So either they plan to add more with dlc, or thats it. which makes me sad if thats it. :(

It’s not only just that they fell short of the standard, things get weird after the romance arc concludes. In River’s case, he becomes locked to his porch, his sister stays outside smoking in the same spot, and his niece and nephew are locked standing straight up and down clipped through their beds, t-posing at the wall. I don’t like going back to his place to stash things because it’s horribly broken. I absolutely adore everything before that though! I hope DLC adds a bit more to It.

The characters are so good, I desperately want more of them. Even the ones I can’t romance have me wanting more content. Panam’s straight but I like to think her and my female V are besties, but we can’t even hang out. :cry:
 
The characters are so good, I desperately want more of them. Even the ones I can’t romance have me wanting more content. Panam’s straight but I like to think her and my female V are besties, but we can’t even hang out. :cry:
Agreed! I felt Judy was still a good friend, but it still fell short. I think having them travel with your like in FO4 where they travel with you in the wasteland commenting on things would've close the gap. but we'll see! Hope they do better next time, they sold 13 million copies after refunds so here's to hoping! but i'm not expectation much.
 
I love playing the game didn't finish it yet. i'm the type to look around a lot. I tried girl first and when Johnny got it my head i thought they would have made some funny remark from him. Like as girl you can take shower and look in mirror and be naked why not have Johnny say "nice rack" LOL. But i switched cos my Judy the way she talk sound depressed all time got bored. So make a guy and loved Panam. but i thought they would have relationship quest after the tank scene. since they connected by cable in the tank i thought she would see in his mind where he live and apartment code and call from there.

But my tank scene was pretty funny XD i look too much around so i found judy swim suit and put it on. So i was stuck with it and try to trigger the quest of judy but no net yet -.- then there is panam tank scene and i'm like maybe it's will take it off but no. he do the scene with that damn swinsuit -.- and after i go do a quest and my life go down quick i pause and look my inventory and i'm like WTF how did he took off all his gear without taking off the swimsuit. so i had to play till judy quest without gear -.- Learned from this don't put those thing without the quest XD
 
yup, the romances were too short, especially in the case of the male options I think. I think River's is probably the shortest? I romanced Kerry and while I loved everything about it (the boat scene was just so entertaining), it felt only like the beginning of an exciting relationship, but let to nothing. Even if you interpret the Nomad or Casino endings as V finding a cure and living longer than 6 months, what happens to their relationship is weird. In the Nomand ending, Kerry ends up dumping V's ass und you can't do anything about it and in the Casino ending, they are together but V suddenly behaves like a distant prick. So weird and disappointing.
Haven't played a really epic romance since DA:I, I think. Really hope they are going to fix this with DLC (and please treat the male options with the same care as the female ones).
 
yup, the romances were too short, especially in the case of the male options I think. I think River's is probably the shortest? I romanced Kerry and while I loved everything about it (the boat scene was just so entertaining), it felt only like the beginning of an exciting relationship, but let to nothing. Even if you interpret the Nomad or Casino endings as V finding a cure and living longer than 6 months, what happens to their relationship is weird. In the Nomand ending, Kerry ends up dumping V's ass und you can't do anything about it and in the Casino ending, they are together but V suddenly behaves like a distant prick. So weird and disappointing.
Haven't played a really epic romance since DA:I, I think. Really hope they are going to fix this with DLC (and please treat the male options with the same care as the female ones).
You just said everthing I was thinking about this topic! I loved Kerry but they simple didn't put enough effort into the male romance options. Seriously, I was surprised with the option to kiss Kerry in that scene, it felt like it came out of nowhere. And all the romances end the moment that they actually begin! I really hope the they fix this in the dlcs.
 
I actually believe romances in Baldur's Gate 2 were longer and more complex and that was 20y ago. I still remember how the girls were at each other throats especially Viconia and Aerie. Still it ended the same. It is actually always the same - you get the girl/guy and its over. It never evolves.
 
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