Down-bad Dragon's Dogma 2 fans have one solution to the RPG's "hilariously janky" romance options - let us smooch the Pawns, god dang it

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"I’ll even buy it as a microtransaction if they made it"

Dragon's Dogma 2
(Image credit: Capcom)

Dragon's Dogma 2 players are pretty polarized by the RPG's romance system, and as a result, they just want to get with the Pawns.

The Dragon's Dogma 2 player base has been hotly discussing the in-game romance since launch, with the post below one of many to bring the topic to light. The player claims that there's evidence suggesting the player's main Pawn sleeps with the Arisen, based primarily on the main Pawn going into an Arisen's house and blushing when the player character goes to sleep in a bed.

DD2 hints the Arisen sleeps with the main pawn from r/DragonsDogma

This heralded other players discussing Dragon's Dogma 2's romance system. In the slew of subreddit posts just below, players slate the romance system as "janky" and just downright "terrible," as they're paired up with romance partners that just make no sense, and lament how the player isn't able to romance their main Pawn via any proper in-game system. 

So the Affinity/Romance system is just as hilariously janky as the first game from r/DragonsDogma
Romance system is terrible. Pawns should be romance-able from r/DragonsDogma
I wish you could romance your main pawn from r/DragonsDogma

"I feel as if we should be able to romance our Pawns especially since they have a hidden Affinity system and can blush when talking to them," one player writes. "I feel this could be added as DLC at least. I mean damn. I'll even buy it as a microtransaction if they made it," another player writes. 

It's worth pointing out that the romance system in Dragon's Dogma 2 comes from the original 2012 RPG. I won't spoil how Capcom's sequel reveals your romantic partner to you because it happens later on during the game's main plot, but know that the Affinity system is inherited from the first Dragon's Dogma.

Elsewhere, though, other players are complaining that they can't romance specific characters. The post just below, for example, says Menella should be a romance option for the Arisen, and they even "expected something more, maybe a saucy cutscene at the Hot Springs or something," but were left very disappointed. 

Where’s the Menella Romance? from r/DragonsDogma

However, not everyone is convinced that Pawns should be romantic partners. One commenter writes that Pawns aren't entirely human—they're more "flesh golems" constructed by us and unable to feel true human emotions and feelings. "The implications of a Pawn romance are... troubling," they add. Harsh.

Baldur's Gate 3 over-prepared me for Dragon's Dogma 2, but it's made me appreciate what makes both RPGs so unique. 

Hirun Cryer
Hirun Cryer
Freelance Writer

Hirun Cryer is a freelance reporter and writer with Gamesradar+ based out of U.K. After earning a degree in American History specializing in journalism, cinema, literature, and history, he stepped into the games writing world, with a focus on shooters, indie games, and RPGs, and has since been the recipient of the MCV 30 Under 30 award for 2021. In his spare time he freelances with other outlets around the industry, practices Japanese, and enjoys contemporary manga and anime.