Top 10 Bromances in Video Game History

Valentine’s Day is right around the corner. You know what that means, right? Romance is in the air! Unfortunately, this also means that the air will be filled with sadness and disappointment, so I have compiled a list of the most romantic relationships ever formed between two people with no sexual interest in one another. You’re welcome.

Rules: 1. One entry per franchise. 2. The two characters can’t actually be brothers, e.g. Mario & Luigi. 3. No inanimate object pairings, e.g. Chell & Companion Cube. 4. Entrants are disqualified if they are merely hiding their carnal love, e.g. the guys from Army of Two.

For the purposes of this article, the definition of “Bromance” is malleable to the needs of comedy. However, a scientific method was used to put the nominees in order. Specifically, bromantic intensity was measured by the number of gigabytes of slash fiction and yaoi fan art on the internet. It took a long time to research this piece. It was very hard. Really long and really hard.

What were we talking about again?

10. FLYNN SCIFO & YURI LOWELL

I’m sure any Tales of Vesperia fan-girl can tell you why Flynn and Yuri belong together, but the great thing about their relationship is that so much of it is merely implied. Sure, they’re friends on opposite sides of the law, but it is clear that their history together creates a complicated bond that transcends right and wrong. The two work perfectly as thematic foils, but they also make incredibly effective reluctant rivals.

Every time you run into Flynn, the player isn’t sure whether the two are going to fight or make out. It’s like Patrick Swayze and Keanu Reeves in Point Break, except the homosexual subtext is subtle.

9. GREMIO & TIR MCDOHL

This entry is somewhat unique in that the two characters don’t consider themselves equals. The protagonist ofSuikoden (canonically named “Tir”) is of noble birth, so his servant Gremio spends much of the game as little more than a faithful employee. However, over the course of the adventure it becomes clear that they have a truly powerful friendship, despite their differences. I could go on, but you already understand all there is to know about them once you reach the quote below.

“I think it’s time to say goodbye. I can’t see anymore. Young Master. I’m proud of you. Promise me that you’ll always follow your heart. That is my first, and final… request….”

8. FANG & VANILLE

Fun fact: Oerba Yun Fang was originally written as a male character. This was changed during the course of Final Fantasy XIII‘s tumultuous development, but it appears that very little dialogue between her and Vanille was affected by the gender swap. The result is gaming’s most flirtatious best friends.

Interestingly, this is far from the only instance of the developmental process taking a toll on character sexuality. Numerous Fire Emblem titles had gay (and incestuous) relationships translated into platonic affection for Western audiences. An excised same-sex route from Katawa Shoujo sheds a wholly different light on the friendship between Hisao and Kenji. Meanwhile, Persona 2: Innocent Sin didn’t even make it into English until Tatsuya and Jun’s relationship was toned down enough. Not even Harvest Moon is safe from lovers becoming “best friends.”

The upside? A host of adorable bromances.

7. DOMINIC SANTIAGO & MARCUS FENIX

If only this April Fool’s Day joke were real. Gears of War is a great series, but its unrelenting masculinity makes it a veritable minefield of homoeroticism. Case-in-point? The first game features an achievement called “I Can’t Quit You Dom.”

Even without the Brokeback Mountain references, Marcus and Dom have a great dynamic. They have each other’s (extremely muscular) backs though thick and thin, right up until Dom sacrifices everything for his friends. If a franchise as dark and serious as Gears can be said to have an emotional core, the camaraderie between these two is the gooey center.

Seriously though, Marcus and Dom are the J.D. and Turk of games.

6. NATHAN DRAKE & VICTOR SULLIVAN

I wish I could make new and interesting jokes about the relationship between Drake and Sully. However, to my eternal shame, someone else came along first and perfectly captured the essence of these two men (viaNeoGAF). Feast your eyes:

No–no words. No words to describe it. Poetry! They should’ve sent a poet.

5. CHIE SATONAKA & YUKIKO AMAGI

Persona 4 is a game in which, among other things, high school kids literally battle the embodiments of their deepest character flaws. The students face monsters based on their insecurities, their fears, and their doubts, allowing them to grow as people. In Chie’s case, the entirety of her psyche seems to be devoted to her best friend, Yukiko. It’s as heartwarming as it is creepy.

There are a lot of strong friendships in the Persona games–the fans don’t call him “Brosuke” Hanamura for nothing–but Chie and Yukiko narrowly edge out all of the others.

4. SONIC & TAILS

For such a beloved series with so much history, Sonic and Tails had surprisingly little chemistry throughout the majority of their partnership. I suppose that goes with the 16-bit territory, but it also makes their later interactions all that much more meaningful. Whether they are bantering back in forth in Colors or attending a birthday party inGenerations, you definitely get the sense that they are great friends.

That’s not taking into account the three television shows, the film, or any of the various comic book versions of the characters. Given the ludicrous volume of Sonic content across every medium known to man, it is possible that Sonic the Hedgehog and Miles Prower have entertainment’s greatest bromance. But, as far as gaming goes, there are a few more who bro more romantically.

3. MILES EDGEWORTH & PHOENIX WRIGHT

Ace Attorney has more unresolved sexual tension than a Tetsuya Nomura character has belts and zippers. As far as I can tell, neither age nor gender are a barrier to this odd effect. I kid you not, this is a fandom that produced slash fic of trenchcoats.

Anyway, Nick and Edgeworth are easily the most romantic product of all this perversion. Phoenix was actually inspired to become a lawyer by Miles, and their rivalry/friendship throughout the franchise is easily its driving force. It’s interesting to note that the two share surprisingly little screen time, yet the games treat them as though they’re always on each other’s minds. Only in the Turnabout Trial universe could a man spend his 9-to-5 day job talking to ghosts and getting lashed with a whip, and still find time to pine for the person who’s job it is to defeat him.

2. SOLID SNAKE & DR. HAL “OTACON” EMMERICH

Metal Gear Solid was an inauspicious start for Snake and Otacon. The former was on a mission to save the world, while the latter was busy helping the enemy and wetting himself. Despite this, these two unlikely allies would go on to do amazing things, including creating the world’s greatest handshake.

It would be easy to understate the depth of the Snake/Otacon attraction, especially in a series which includes duos like Raiden/Vamp, Volgin/Raikov, and Ocelet/Naked Snake. Hell, the Metal Gear Wiki has a whole separate entry for crotch grabbing. Still, there’s nothing quite like the parental vibes that David and Hal give off in the scenes with Sunny. They may as well be married.

If this was a list of my personal favorite bromances, this would easily be #1. However, the yaoi fans of the internet have spoken, and there is a clear winner….

1. SORA & RIKU

Kingdom Hearts would have you believe that Sora and Riku occupy a love triangle with their childhood friend Kairi. Many fans of the game would vehemently disagree. For whatever reason, the bromance between Sora and Riku is now the stuff of legends.

Leave it to Disney to fuel the unbridled lust of a million doujinshi. Seriously, if you leave this article with one lesson, let it be this: NEVER SEARCH FOR KINGDOM HEARTS IMAGES WITHOUT SAFE SEARCH ON.

Stay tuned next week for a special Valentine’s Day list!

Capcom-Unity Announces Prize Giveaway for Fan

Capcom today revealed details on a new promotion for Capcom-Unity, the official community website for the company.

As part of the biggest prize giveaway to date, a free Capcom game will be given away every weekday from February 11, 2013 through the end of 2013.

Registered users will be able to log in, earn Unity Points and then spend those points on raffle tickets that put them in the running for a free game. This is all handled within the Dashboard, which also gives access to Capcom-Unity’s forums, user blogs and media uploads.

Unity Points can be earned simply by using the Capcom-Unity site; users can comment, write their own blogs, post in the forums and send in news tips to add to their total which thereby increases opportunities to enter the daily raffle. And while Capcom-Unity will primarily be featuring prize games from current gaming systems, they will occasionally dig deeper and offer older, sealed titles unearthed from the Capcom vault.

Xbox 720 requires Kinect?

The Xbox 720 rumor floodgates are pouring over. A source speaking toKotaku and going by the name of SuperDaE has reportedly obtained two Xbox 720 development kits as well as system overview documents, which detail the specifications of Microsoft's still-unannounced next-generation platform.

The first bit of information from the source claims the Xbox 720 will require Kinect to function. According to the source, an updated and improved version of Kinect will ship with every unit sold and will not be an optional accessory, as the motion-sensing device currently is for Xbox 360. For the Xbox 720, gamers will need to have the new Kinect plugged in and calibrated for the console to function at all, the source said.

This mandatory Kinect implementation for the Xbox 720 will reportedly be a benefit for developers. Because every system is guaranteed to have a Kinect unit, studios can program their games with the technology in mind, the source said.

As for specifications, the new version of Kinect is reportedly able to track up to six individuals in the same room at all times. In addition, the peripheral's camera will be able to independently track thumbs, allowing it to know whether a player's hand is open or closed. The camera can also read facial expressions, the documents said, meaning it can tell if a player is angry, sad, or excited.

Another reportedly mandatory feature for the Xbox 720 will be game installs. On Xbox 360, players have the choice of whether or not they wish to install a game to their hard drives. Sometimes doing so yields various benefits. To accommodate the heavy and numerous downloads, all Xbox 720 systems will ship with a 500GB hard drive, the documents said. In addition, games can reportedly be installed in the background.

In addition, the Xbox 720 will reportedly be able to simultaneously run more than one game or application. This is nothing new for smartphones or PCs, but would be a first for any console. The documents reportedly state Xbox 720 games can be put into "suspend" and "constrained" modes, which allow players to pause a game, switch to another title, then return to the first without losing any save information.

Concerning the Xbox 720's controller, Microsoft is reportedly readying a "natural evolution" of the Xbox 360 input, according to the source's information. Xbox 360 controllers will reportedly not work with the next platform, due to Microsoft's "new wireless technology."

As for Xbox 720 specifications, the machine will reportedly run on a custom hardware architecture that features an 8-core, 64-bit CPU running at 1.6GHz. The system also supposedly boasts an 800mhz Direct X 11.x GPU, 8GB of DDR3 memory, and a 50GB optical disc drive. The platform will also reportedly feature built-in Wi-Fi (though it will also sport an ethernet port), as well as support for stereo 3D content in 1080p. Audio will be handled by either HDMI or optical connections and can support up to 7.1 channels, the source said.

Today's report did not mention at all the speculation that the Xbox 720 could block, or in some way prohibit, gamers from playing second-hand titles. Analystscollectively do not believe this is likely. Additionally, GameStop last week said gamers are unlikely to purchase a future platform that blocks used gamesor restricts gameplay in another way.

Additionally, no mention was made today of whether or not the Xbox 720 would require a constant Internet connection, as was previously rumored.

The Xbox 720 has not been announced and the above information is, of course, not confirmed. A Microsoft representative told GameSpot, "We do not comment on rumors or speculation. We are always thinking about what is next for our platform, but we don’t have anything further to share at this time."

Microsoft may break its silence soon, as the company is believed to officially announce the Xbox 720 during an Apple-style media briefing in March, perhaps in conjunction with the 2013 Game Developers Conference. Competitor Sony is believed to beat Microsoft to the punch and willannounce the PlayStation 4 during a New York City "PlayStation Meeting" briefing on February 20.

Microsoft has sold sold 75.9 million Xbox 360 units worldwide to date.

Gearbox talks next Brothers in Arms

The Brothers in Arms series will live to fight another day, though that day could be far in the future. Gearbox Software CEO Randy Pitchford told IGNthat he's "really excited" about the next entry in the series, but made clear the game is only in pre-production and is a ways off.

"We love Brothers in Arms. The other pledge is that there will be an authentic Brothers in Arms game," Pitchford said. Again, we haven’t announced that yet, but I’m really excited about where that’s going too. We’ll announce these things in due course. There’s a lot of neat things we have going on."

Pitchford said he will hold off on making an official announcement on the next Brothers in Arms game until the time is appropriate.

"When you’re in pre-production and you're in these iterations, it’s kind of reckless. I don't want to get in a spot. I want to avoid a situation where, five years from now it’s 'wow, this game's been in development for five years.' That’s why I don’t announce things until we know what they are," he added. "It’s not fair to hold us accountable for a process that’s designed to get to a quality end that's good for the customer. We love Brothers in Arms and we’re committed to more time in that space. As we get to places where it makes sense to announce things in that regard, we’ll do that, too."

Pitchford also opened up on the game formerly known as Brothers in Arms: Furious 4. This game was announced during the 2011 Electronic Entertainment Expo, but Gearbox later revealed it would be reimagined as an entirely new intellectual property. He said Gearbox started development on the game with the intention of making a Brothers in Arms game, but after it kept evolving, it became evident that it was not in fact a Brothers in Arms game.

"It was winning on its own merits, but it was not Brothers in Arms," Pitchford said. I said 'look, unhinge it from Brothers in Arms. Continue to drive and iterate even further. Focus on what is making that work and what ideals are leading you there.' It’s the same kind philosophy that allowed things like Borderlands to exist. Forget about Brothers in Arms. Ignore it. Don't worry about it. That doesn't exist to you guys anymore. Just iterate into your own world with the gameplay loops that are working, and then we will reattach story and style in a way that's meaningful and makes sense for the game design that’s winning."

Pitchford also revealed that Gearbox and longtime Brothers in Arms publisher Ubisoft have not yet agreed to a publishing deal for the new entry, though the two remain on positive terms. He also said that Ubisoft "will not" publish the game Furious 4 has become, without citing a reason.

Wild Man Kickstarter canceled

Following a round of significant layoffs, Dungeon Siege and Age of Empires developer Gas Powered Games today announced it has canceled the Kickstarter campaign for a new RPG/RTS hybrid called Wild Man.

In a video update , Gas Powered Games CEO Chris Taylor said he is currently working on new ways to keep the company afloat, though he would not go into specifics.

"I've been working in the background to keep Gas Powered Games running," Taylor said. "The trouble is, when you start doing things like that, you can't update people on it. You can't share all that information. And if all goes well, which I think it will, I'll be able to give you all some great news in the weeks ahead."

The Wild Man Kickstarter campaign asked for $1.1 million, but only attracted $504,120 from 9,235 backers. The effort was planned to end later this week.

Failure was always a possibility, and in fact an outcome that could be "fantastic," Taylor said when the Kickstarter campaign launched last month.

"Even if we fail, it's still fantastic. It's still a wonderful adventure to go on," he said at the time. "You look at people climbing the face of a rock cliff, and you say, 'Why the hell would they do that? They could fall.' And usually someone does and they die. But that's the thrill."