BioWare's sci-fi RPG series Mass Effect includes multiple different romance options for players to pursue, allowing them to form close bonds to some of their favorite crewmates throughout the franchise. There are a few well-loved characters that are romantically unavailable, though, often leading to disappointment among fans. Here are a few of the Mass Effect characters that really should have been romanceable but weren't.
The romance options in Mass Effect encompass all varieties of characters, allowing for different relationships among male and female Shepards, even including a few alien races. In fact, Tali, Garrus, and Liara are some of the best-loved romances in Mass Effect, all three of which are non-human. Mass Effect: Andromeda, while primarily remaining separate from the original three games of the series, also includes a similar romance feature among several of the crewmates on Ryder's ship.
Some of the companions introduced in the first Mass Effect game went on to become romance options later on down the line, perhaps in part because of fan reception to these crewmates. It's worth noting that the ME1's original three romances were all human, with the exception of Liara, who is still the most humanoid of the alien crewmates. Garrus and Tali were originally non-romanceable, but became two of the most popular romances in the franchise starting in Mass Effect 2. Given how difficult it could be for studios to predict how certain characters would be received among players, it's not particularly surprising that the NPCs on this list were excluded from romantic storylines. Still, though, the option would have given some much-appreciated depth to their characters.
Mass Effect Characters That Should Be Romance Options - Wrex
Although Wrex only serves as a permanent crewmate in Mass Effect 1, his continuing friendship with Shepard through the rest of the series has made him one of the most popular Mass Effect companions. Given that Liara, an asari, is romanceable in ME1, many fans wonder why BioWare didn't provide them with the option to pursue a krogan as well, and feel that Wrex is a missed opportunity.
Mass Effect Characters That Should Be Romance Options - Joker
Joker is one of the few characters that remains by Shepard's side through all three games of the trilogy, serving as the Normandy's pilot from start to finish. In the third game, he engages in a romance with EDI, the Normandy's AI - a plot point that's left many players wondering why it wasn't an option to set him up with Shepard instead.
Mass Effect Characters That Should Be Romance Options - Kasumi
Kasumi is one of two Mass Effect 2 companions that was originally introduced to the series through DLC. However, thanks to the release of Mass Effect Legendary Edition, she's now much easier for all players to recruit. Given that Kasumi's ME2 loyalty mission involves her moving on from her former lover, many wonder why there wasn't an option for her to develop a romance with Shepard later on down the line. This also would have provided an opportunity for writers to flesh out one of the more disappointingly underutilized Mass Effect companions.