I personally don’t understand why some feel there need to be multiple sets of facial expressions for kisses that were added as fan service during the Valentine’s Day patch. None of the other companions receive this level of treatment. I’d rather them do something with the Act 3 approvals to try to better reflect characters on their different arcs (good vs evil aligned paths).
The new facial expression are very neutral, and work for either style of playthrough (if you want your character to be into it versus if you want to portray them being unhappy / uncertain in the new dynamic of the relationship). I understand some are uncomfortable with the former interpretation, but it’s someone’s choice how they want to characterize these things in their own playthrough. The previous facial animations only showed fear which can limit roleplay.
Personally, I interpret this path differently than you - which is fine, of course. It’s a roleplaying game. I just want to be able to enjoy my campaigns where I design a character that will romance Ascended Astarion. These neutral facial expression work best overall to respect each players interpretation for their roleplay.
