When people think of horror games, the first thing that pops into their mind is probably not romance. Though the horror genre, like any other genre, does feature plenty of romantic stories and official pairings, those aspects are usually subplots that are easily overlooked compared to the other prominent features of these games.
But, with Valentine's Day just around the corner, now is the perfect time to focus on the ultimate couples of horror games. Compared to other video game pairings, the love of these characters especially shines because of the tragedies and struggles they have to face.
All Possible Relationships - The Letter
The Letter is a 2017 horror visual novel about a fatal curse surrounding a centuries-old mansion and the seven main characters who try to survive it. In each main chapter, the player controls one of the main characters, and the action and dialogue choices the player makes for each character determines their fates.
Besides deciding who lives and who dies, the choices also shape the relationships between the characters both platonically and romantically. While none of the pairings are absolutely canon, all of the different epilogues feel legitimate and well-earned.
Jack and Marguerite - Resident Evil 7
While playing as Ethan Winters in the 2017 first-person survival horror game Resident Evil 7: Biohazard, it's easy to feel nothing but contempt for the Baker family as they act cruelly towards Ethan and each other. Even when it's revealed that they were acting under the influence of Eveline and her mold infection, it's still hard to see beyond their horrifying actions.
But, while playing the Daughters DLC, the player gets to see a glimpse of the original family before they were corrupted. As Zoe Baker, the player witnesses how much Jack and Marguerite loved each other, and how they simply wanted to help both Mia and Eveline who they saw as victims of the hurricane.
Rick and Jennifer - Splatterhouse
Over the years, the beat 'em up franchise Splatterhouse has gone through many changes with varying levels of success. From the beloved Sega Genesis sequels to the failed 2010 reboot, the series has had both extreme highs and lows. But, one of the few things that has never changed is the love between the protagonist, Rick, and his girlfriend and eventual wife, Jennifer.
While the original arcade game seemingly starts with a typical retro game narrative of the male main character rescuing the female love interest, the game shocked players of the time by forcing Rick to fight and kill Jennifer, who had been transformed into a monster. In all the sequels, Rick consistently fights through all kinds of horrors to save Jennifer, and Jennifer is never frightened by Rick's transformation.
York and Emily - Deadly Premonition
Although the 2010 open world Twin Peaks-esque game Deadly Premonition is mostly known for its wacky plot, strange characters, and polarizing critical response, most players will agree that the relationship between the main character, FBI Agent Francis York Morgan, and the main love interest, deputy sheriff Emily Wyatt, is an actually emotionally powerful part of the narrative. Throughout the game, the characters grow closer in their own quirky ways, which is both funny and heartwarming.
Towards the end of the game, almost all players find themselves actually feeling sad as they watch Emily die. When it's revealed that York will be able to spend the rest of his afterlife with Emily, it feels like a perfect ending.
Shiori and Suga - Forest of Drizzling Rain
Before Makoto Sanada created the popular rpg maker horror game Angels of Death, the developer had already made a freeware horror adventure game called Forest of Drizzling Rain. The game follows a young woman named Shiori Kanzaki who decides to travel to Azaka Village to visit her Grandfather's home, which has been converted to a museum.
While staying at the museum and trying to uncover her family's history, she meets several townspeople, which includes a young mute man named Suga who takes care of the museum. After learning about a local legend involving a demon woman who abducts children, Shiori slowly discovers her true connection to the town and why Suga seems to know her. Depending on the player's actions, Shiori and Suga may survive this supernatural ordeal, and the true end hints that they might date in the future.
Hee-min and So-young - White Day
There're many great horror games where the player is defenseless, but one of the only ones to have a dating mechanic as well is the South Korean survival horror game White Day: A Labyrinth named School. Originally released in 2001 and later remade in 2015, the game follows a high school transfer student named Lee Hee-min who decides to sneak into his school at night to leave a White Day gift for his crush, Han So-young.
After he enters the school, however, he finds himself trapped in the building along with several other students. While the player can pursue any of these routes as they try to survive various supernatural beings, the true ending has Hee-min and So-young end up together.
Keith and Helena - The Boogie Man
One of the most popular RPG Maker horror game series is the Strange Man series created by a developer called "Uri." In the third game, The Boogie Man, the player controls a middle age detective, Keith, as he tries to catch a murderer known as the Boogie Man.
This occurs during a vacation with Keith's wife, Helena, who suggests they have a divorce. If the player makes the correct choices throughout the story, however, Keith will grow as a person and it will be revealed that both Helena and Keith have been struggling because they didn't want to burden each other after the death of their son. After learning the importance of being vulnerable with loved ones, the couple decides to visit counseling and work through grief together.
Wendy and Lewin - Aria's Story
Aria's Story is a western RPG Maker horror game and one of the many great games inspired by Alice in Wonderland. The game follows a young girl named Aria who falls asleep at her local library and wakes up in an alternate universe. Guided by a bespectacled narrator, Aria must solve puzzles and survive against supernatural creatures to escape the warped library.
After teaming up with a young writer named Lewin, Aria slowly discovers that she is actually a copy of the original Aria who died years ago. But, because she developed her own personality during the game, she is able to be reborn as Wendy. Although Lewin saw the original Aria as a sister, he fell in love with Wendy, and the two characters meet again in Wendy's new life.
Junpei and Akane - Zero Escape
As one of the best visual novel franchises, it's no surprise that the science fiction series Zero Escape also has one of the best romantic pairings. Since Junpei and Akane grew up together, Junpei thought he knew Akane in Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors, but he discovered that he was wrong after he learned that Akane was Zero the whole time.
This leads to Junpei spending many years trying to find the Akane he thought existed, and eventually deciding that the Akane that does exist is not the one he knew in Virtue's Last Reward. But, in Zero Time Dilemma, the two characters learn to accept what they have both become and fall in love with each other again.
Beatrice and Battler - Umineko
Umineko When They Cry is a series of mystery sound novels that are part of the larger When They Cry franchise. Taking place over eight main games, the story follows a group of eighteen people who are murdered on a secluded island, and the player must uncover the truth behind the murders and whether something supernatural is involved.
Besides the overall mystery, the main focus of the entire story is the developing relationship between two of the main characters: Beatrice, the Golden Witch who claims to have committed the murders, and Battler, one of the members of the Ushiromiya family who was killed. After going through one of the slowest burns in history, the two characters finally connect at the end.