Love! It’s often seen as an important driving force in life, and in video games, it’s certainly no different. Love, romance, and marriage often go hand-in-hand. Though there are many games that allow players to romance characters of their choosing, there are few that allow this romance to lead to the union of marriage.
Fewer games still allow these marriages to come to an end. With both marriage and divorce remaining key institutions in society, it’s only natural to expect to see this reflected in popular culture. Many gamers like keeping the option of divorce open, as it allows them to experience much more of a game And, after all, what's love without a little loss?
5 Fable
Fable is a popular action RPG franchise from the 2000s that was undoubtedly ahead of its time. The game allows its players to assume the role of a Hero of the nation of Albion. Across each game in the series, these Heroes use the powers of Strength, Skill, and Will to aid them on their quests. Whether they become good or evil is ultimately up to the player to decide.
Marriage has been possible in Fable games since the first iteration and is easy to achieve by romancing any man or woman in the game. Once married, a certain amount of upkeep in the form of affection and money is required to keep a spouse happy. In order to divorce a spouse players can simply neglect them enough that they will ask for one.
4 Harvest Moon: A Wonderful Life
Harvest Moon: A Wonderful Life follows its young male protagonist as he inherits a run-down farm in Forget-Me-Not-Valley following the death of his father. Like many life simulation games and others in the Harvest Moon franchise, the player’s main task is to restore and expand this farm while befriending the local villagers.
There are three main bachelorettes that the main character can woo. Each of the girls has their own unique set of gifts that they prefer during the courting process. Marriage occurs when the player has successfully courted one of these women and gifted her a blue feather. Divorce does occur in Harvest Moon: A Wonderful Life; however, doing so will automatically end the game. Divorce is a result of the players failing in their married life. An upcoming remake of the game will allow players to marry either gender and even create non-binary protagonists.
3 My Time At Portia
This game takes a unique angle on the life simulation genre, with the game being set in a post-apocalyptic world called Portia. The protagonist is one of the few humans left in a world scattered with relics from a bygone era. The main goal is for the protagonist to grow their workshop by taking commissions from the citizens of Portia, competing with other workshop builders, and exploring the world in search of monsters and materials.
Players are free to date characters regardless of gender and can only propose once they’ve upgraded their house and found themselves a lover. After the proposal, a wedding automatically occurs the next day. Divorce occurs when players gift their spouse a Broken Mirror, and this action will reduce their relationship level quite significantly. However, similarly to the real world, second chances are possible with a bit of hard work.
2 Stardew Valley
Stardew Valley is another key player in the farming life-sim genre. Featuring a customizable protagonist, the game follows players as they set out to restore their deceased grandfather’s farm and craft a new life in the process. Doing so revitalizes Pelican Town’s community center and breathes new life back into the valley.
To marry in the game, players first need 10 hearts of friendship with one of the townsfolk. In addition to this, they must have upgraded the farmhouse at least once. A Mermaid’s Pendant can be bought from the Old Mariner at the tide pools on the beach and then given to the intended spouse as a proposal. The wedding ceremony will automatically take place three days later.
To get a divorce in Stardew Valley, players must visit the Mayor’s Manor and select the option inside the small book there. It will cost 50,000g and will cause their spouse and related areas to disappear the next day. This action also returns the hearts of friendship to zero. But for those who select the option and then get cold feet, the divorce can be canceled up until 10pm the same day it is made.
1 The Sims 4
Often seen as the king of life simulation games, The Sims franchise has long supported the opportunity for any two adults to get married and divorce as they see fit. As early as The Sims 2, this has also included same-sex couples. Marriage and divorce in this game franchise all depend on relationship levels between two sims.
In The Sims 4, the most recent iteration of the game, players must have high friendly and romantic relationships with another sim as well as perform the “Ask to Become Girlfriend/Boyfriend” interaction before they can propose. Engaged sims can become married by either eloping or planning a wedding event.
To divorce their partner in The Sims 4, players can choose the “Divorce” option, which appears under the “Mean” social interaction category. But a fair warning, children and toddlers will get a Sad Moodlet if they witness their parents’ divorce. Divorced sims will also get a Very Sad Moodlet. So, much like in the real world, the decision shouldn’t be taken lightly.