Hello all! This is my first (non-test) post. I've wanted to chat about this subject for quite some time after I had a revelation while playing Mass Effect: Legendary Edition. I discovered that I am a sucker for romance in video games. Romantic love, sexual chemistry, what have you. I just really enjoy seeing budding relationships or participating in them as the character.
Watching the progression of Liara and Shepard's relationship across the 3 games really hammered this home for me. There is something deeply poetic about watching a human who has ~100 years to live have to choose how to balance the biggest decisions and weight of the galaxy fall and love with an Asari who has ~1000 years to live. Liara is basically a a young adult in her 20's by Asari standards when you meet her, but has already lived more than twice as long as Shepard.
Their relationship dynamic is one where Shepard is helping her navigate day to day life in some ways, while Liara is constantly expressing and venerating the depth and breadth of history, the galaxy, and beyond. In some ways she's a reflection of the scale of what Shepard is dealing with, while Shepard is reminding her in some ways to live here and now, on the land she stands on. The way this dynamic plays out and buds into what to date is probably my favorite romance I've experienced in gaming.
Anyway, I just wanted to get some thoughts down and spur some discussion. I'd love to hear what others have enjoyed/experienced, or maybe you disagree with my take lol