I have always been of the opinion that both the trapped Tav and willing consort narratives are valid interpretations of the romance.

The Patch 6 facial expressions for Tav, which were overtly fearful in my opinion, were not open to interpretation. I could not imagine any scenario in which a Tav who was happy with the bargain they made would look so utterly miserable.

Now I have no idea what Larian intended for this romance path, so can only speculate. I do think the presence of the ‘Come on, let it hurt’ dialogue option in the turning scene is strong evidence that Larian knew at least some players would see the dynamic as consensual kink. That’s a button just screaming ‘push me’ to anyone who has ever entertained a masochistic thought.

At the same time, I think it remains problematic that there is an option to ask for gentleness instead and after the turning night the game in no way differentiates between the choice the player made. People who asked for tenderness are still presented with kissing scenes with sadistic elements (playful shoving, choking). So I fully empathize with anyone who doesn’t want to see a happy face on their Tav in the face of what could be a new and unexpected relationship element.

Given the very sensitive nature of what Larian decided to play with in the AA romance, I think having a few conversation flags that determine either Tav’s expression or which versions of the kisses is seen feels reasonable.

Last edited by melgreg; 15/08/24 09:16 PM.