I’ve been described as a hopeless romantic, for better or worse.

I love romance books and movies. I like to “ship” characters and watch their relationships grow across different stories. I’ll even seek out fan fiction just to get the romance some series don’t explore deeply enough. And sometimes, I come across characters that just worm their way into my brain. Video games are no exception to this.

1. Claire Redfield (Resident Evil)

I know—everyone always talks about Jill Valentine, but I would choose Claire any day. I can’t really explain why, either. It could be the red jacket. It could be the fact that she’s a badass who wasn’t trained for the world she thrived in. She’s also loyal, empathetic and protective. 

2. Casey Lynch (Guitar Hero)

I’m gonna be real here, this is just pure vibes and not much substance. She was my favorite character to rock out with whenever I played. I’d spend hours a day playing through setlists with her as the backdrop. Her Guitar Hero II bio says “she’ll break your heart faster than an A string,” and that sounds fine to me.

3. Panam Palmer (Cyberpunk 2077)

What a woman. I don’t even know where to start, but I saw a TikTok the other day that said “when the game is so good it makes you miss a woman that isn’t even real.” The wildest part is that I haven’t even played as Male V yet to be able to romance her. Everything about her character is so well crafted that I wished I could fall in love with her while playing the game. She’s passionate and stubborn, and everything about her drew me in. I’m glad I’m finally going through the game as Male V so I can see their story play out fully.

4. Judy Alvarez

As much as I adore Panam, I may never play through as Male V more than once because Judy is just perfect. I’ve always loved playing as the female option in video games. Watching V and Judy fall for each other made the choice more than worth it. She’s incredibly intelligent and caring to a fault. Her story with V is one I’m glad I can replay any time I want.

5. Mary Jane Watson 

This shouldn’t surprise anyone. Not just because I’ve mentioned her repeatedly on my blog, or because she’s an incredible journalist who is fiercely dedicated to her job. She’s brave throughout the games, taking part in the action and refusing to let Peter dictate her choices. She’s also a bit reckless and that just makes her more real—and exciting.