Most people who read my books know I’m a huge geek. I watch Dr. Who, I sobbed over the ending of Firefly, and I play video games. Lots of video games. And I adore ones with romance elements in them.

Romance? In video games? Yup. More and more, we’re seeing story-driven video games including romances in their optional portions of the game. It’s never necessary to romance anyone in any game, but to me it adds just that little touch that I long for. The whole “if you want romances in your games go play a dating sim!” argument holds no water for me, because I’m playing the game and enjoying all of its elements, not just the romance. These days, we see more and more games adding it, including Fallout 4 with its options to romance all human companions, but it all had to start somewhere.

One of the first I can remember was Valen Shadowbreath of NeverWinter Nights: Hordes of the Underdark. Oh, poor, tortured tiefling. How I loved him so. And I got a happy ending with him, which made me shiver with delight. I was hooked. Valen is still beloved by those who remember him, and held up as an example of a character it was difficult to get to know, but so worth it in the end. I wanted more, but I discovered that there was so very little out there that fueled my romance-loving soul.

But BioWare and Obsidian came through for me again, giving me NeverWinter Nights 2 and Casavir, the paladin who stole my character’s heart and then tragically died when NeverWinter Nights 2: Mask of the Betrayer came out.

Oh, I was pissed. I felt betrayed. I was…intrigued. Who was this? His speech intrigued me, his voice soothed me, and his tragic backstory made me want to smother him in squishy hugs (which he wouldn’t have appreciated in the least…on the outside.) The son of a night hag and a human, Gannayev-of-Dreams won my heart and gave me my happily ever after I’d missed out on with Casavir (who, on reflection, wasn’t all that great after all).

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It would be a very long time before anyone supplanted Gann in my heart, and it would be a male elven rogue named Zevran Arainai who would do so. Brash, flirty, irreverent Zevran of Dragon Age: Origins swooped in and whisked me off to his tent, only to fight his heart when I demanded it. He eventually gave in, and I had the satisfaction of seeing all the way into the third game of the series that he was still with the Warden, living happily ever after.

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Now, when we played, loved and lost, instead of static images we could see the character’s moving, interacting with us and emoting. They didn’t stand there and sway in place while speaking. Their arms waved, sadness flitted across their features and a kiss almost looked real. It added a whole new dimension not only to the story lines but to the feel of the characters. Loving some, loathing others, I found myself becoming even more immersed in the outcome of my fictional character’s life. I just wished I could hear my character’s voice responding to his or her lovers.

Having loved Zevran, I prepared for my next adventure, and my next love. I thought it would be the rogue mage, Anders, who would laugh his way into my heart, but instead I fell for a grumpy, sarcastic elf whose gravelly voice sent goosebumps up and down my spine: Fenris, the ex-Tevinter slave. Watch his opening scene. I had to pause before talking to him because, once I heard his voice, I couldn’t even remember Ander’s name, let alone that he was standing right next to me.

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With the advent of voiced protagonists, my love of romance scenes in video games has only increased. Finally I could see the full interactions between the lover and the loved, with my hand guiding them down the road. I could be sarcastic, flirty, angry or sweet, depending on my mood. It’s a road I’ll travel again long into the future, and I can’t wait to see what comes next.

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Dana Marie Bell lives with her husband Dusty, their two maniacal children, two evil ice-cream stealing cats and two dogs who think barking should become the next Olympic event. You can learn more about Dana and her addiction to series at DanaMarieBell.com. You can also find Dana on Facebook, Twitter, or on Goodreads!