When The Outer Worlds was announced, many fans were disappointed to learn they wouldn’t be able to romance any of the game’s companions. Romance options have become something of a staple for RPGs following games like BioWare’s Mass Effect and Dragon Age. For many players, this is a treasured part of their personal gaming experience. Even Assassin’s Creed jumped on the romance bandwagon in Odyssey, providing the player with a number of potential romance options to explore throughout the story.
What Obsidian didn’t mention in the announcement was that, despite not having the option to romance any of the companions in The Outer Worlds, they were going to explore something much more exciting and inclusive. The game’s protagonist, The Stranger, would be given the opportunity to help foster a groundbreaking romance for one of their companions, bringing asexual representation to the forefront of that companion’s story arc.
When the Stranger recruits Parvati Holcomb, they know very little about her beyond her fascination with engineering. It’s clear early on Parvati is incredibly shy and a bit naïve. She hadn’t had much contact with the universe beyond Edgewater, the Spacer’s Choice town where she grew up, but this only made her that much more endearing.
It wasn’t until visiting Groundbreaker, the colony ship-turned space station, that Parvati’s awkward interactions with Captain Junlei Tennyson began to shed more light on who Parvati was behind her timid veil. Despite being a brilliant engineer, Parvati had very limited knowledge about how to maintain a starship. Fortunately, Junlei had the kind of experience that could help Parvati become an even more valuable asset — if she could be convinced to mentor Parvati.
Upon meeting Junlei, Parvati was more than just a little bit starstruck. She had a major crush, and as the two began communicating behind the scenes, Junlei expressed her romantic interest in Parvati. This led to Parvati opening up to the Stranger about her personal experience, explaining that, though she was romantically interested in various genders, she had very little interest in the physical aspects of relationships. There was no beating around the bush regarding her asexuality; her revelation was open and honest in a refreshing way that provides insight into asexuality.
The player also has the opportunity to mentor Parvati through her very first romantic relationship, providing a safer and more comfortable experience in an area she had no personal knowledge of. While some may have been disappointed by not being able to romance Parvati themselves, the Strange does a great job of caring for and nurturing Parvati during her romantic endeavor. Parvati came to the player for advice, often pouring her heart out and her concerns, anxieties and worries over not being experienced enough or knowing how to be a good partner.
Many often misunderstand asexuality, believing that a lack of sexual attraction means romantic relationships are off the table, but that is not the case. Romance and intimacy are not always tied to sexual attraction or activities, and though many asexual people don’t experience sexual desires or have interest in romantic relationships, some do. There is no set way to be asexual, and Obsidian taking time to explore asexuality in this context is a huge stride towards greater representation in the industry at large.
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