Saving the world is hard, yes, but many of us would gladly face down the 𝄹forces of evil rather than deal with the inherent drama of a love triangle. These tug-of-war relationships ratchet up the tension of already-tough situations, and fans often develop Very Strong Opinions about who should end up with whom.

Related: 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Persona 4: Every Possible Ro🔯mance, Ranked

Video games have no shortage of love triangle plotlines, and the most notorious of them have spawned decades of debate as wꦰell as pages upon pages of fan fiction. While the Greeks had Helen of Troy, modern gamers have these complicated relationships.

Updated on April 14, 2023, by Matt Arnold - With the release of Resident Evil 4 Remake, we got to see the dynamic between Leon, Ashley, and Ada in a whole new light. While nothing actually happens between any of them (that we know of) we couldn't resist adding them to this list. It's been almost twenty years now - will they or won't they, Capcom?

Spoilers ahead.

10 Abby / Mel / Owen (The Last Of Us: Part 2) ♑

the last of us part 2 aquarium argument

168澳洲幸运5开奖网:The Last Of Us: Part 2 is a complex tale of moral subjectivity and the cycle of revenge. The human relationships at the center of the game drive acts of both heroism and hatred for everyone involved. One such relationship, which follows most of Abby's storyline and converges tragically with Ellie's, is the love triangle between Abby, Mel, and Owen.

Related: The Last Of Us: The Most❀ Intense Moments In The Series

At some point between the first two games, Abby and Owen were in a relationship, but by the time Part 2 rolls around they've split up and Owen is now with the group's medic, Mel. In Abby's first scene, Owen confides in her that Mel is pregnant. Weeks later, Owen and Abby have sex in a moment of indiscretion. Owen immediately admits his infidelity to Mel, who never forgives Abby. Hours later, Owen and Mel are both killed by Ellie, and Abby finds their bodies. Abby's unresolved guilt around the encounter follows her into her showdown with Ellie the next day.

9 🎃 Vincent / Catherine / Katherine (Catherine)

katherine, catherine, and rin looking at the viewer

While many games include a love triangle as a major side plot, 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Catherine puts one front and center. The entire game revolves around Vincent's anxiety about meeting Catherine, whose presence is threatening his longtime relationship with Katherine. Things only get stranger when it turns out Catherine is a succubus from Hell, and Vincent is pulled into an infernal power struggle whether he likes it or not.

At the end of the game, Vincent can168澳洲幸运5开奖网: end up with Katherine, Catherin☂e, or neither. If that weren't complicated enough, the expanded edition Catherine: Full Body adds another romantic interest, Qatherine.

8 ꧅ Shepard / Liara / Kaidan Or Ashley (Mass ܫEffect)

mass effect squad

168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Mass Effect famously has many romantic options for Shepard, but the first game presented only a few. A male Shepard could pursue a relationship with Gunnery Chief Ashley Williams, and a female Shepard could hook up with Lieutenant Kaidan Alenko. 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Liara T'Soni, ꦿa member of the asexual-but-female-presenting asari species, could be romanced by either Shepard.

Regardless of Shepard's gender, if they attempt to romance both Liara and their human companion, a confrontation will eventually occur where they will have to choose a partner. Like most decisions in Mass Effect, this choice will impact the rest of the trilogy.

7 Unexpected Drama (Crusader Kings 3) 🦹 💙

crusader kings 3 adultery scene

168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Crusader Kings 3 is the kind of game where it's entirely possible to create a love triangle (or a love dodecahedron, if you're committed). The game offers entire skill trees dedicated to romance and seduction. Of course, you can only control your own character's actions, which can lead to some surprises when you inherit into a new ruler.

When your character dies in CK3, you continue playing as the next in l🔯ine for t🔯he throne - and their actions before that point will still have consequences. If your new character was a serial philanderer before you took over 🃏playing as them, you may have to contend with debilitating stress events, angry spouses demanding satisfaction, and maybe⭕ even a war.

6 𝓡 Mario / Peach / Bowser (Super Mariℱo)

Mario looking on at what looks to be a wedding between Bowser and the Princess

While this love triangle isn't canon, plenty of players have noticed over the years how fishy it is that Princess Peach keeps getting "kidnapped" by Bowser.

Fans speculate that Peach and Bowser are in a committed relationship, and the serial abductions are a convenient way to keep up appearances. After spending some time at Bowser's castle, Peach lets herself be "rescued" by Mario and the cycle begins anew.

5 🌠 Nate / Elena / Chloe (Uncharted 2)

uncharted 2 nate elena chloe

168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Uncharted 2 is arguably the best game in the series, not the least of which is thanks to the love🍸 triangle plotline i💦t includes.

Related: 168澳洲๊幸运5开奖网:The Be𝔍st Set Pieces In The Uncharted Series

At the beginning of the game, Nate and Elena are on something of a break after getting together in the first game. Nate's new fling, Chloe Frazer, is a badass adventurer in her own right, but things get awkward when the three find themselves teaming up to find the legendary treasure of Shambala.

4 💜 Leon / Ashley / Ada (Resident Evil 4) 𒐪

Ashley Graham, Leon Kennedy, and Ada Wong in Resident Evil 4 Remake

Romance isn't exactly a big part of the Resident Evil series, but fans have always picked up on the notable sizzle between certified himbo Leon Kennedy and the mysterious femme fatale, Ada Wong. Ashley Graham, 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:RE4's damsel in distress, also notices... even if Leon himself doesn't.

Related: Resident Evil 4 R🌸emake: Complete Guide And Walkthrough

In both the original and the remake, Ashley clearly has a thing for Leon, though it's thankfully been toned down in the game's newest version. Nevertheless, Ashley still gets jealous upon meeting Ada for the first time and makes (comparatively) subtle advances toward her rescuer. For his part, Leon keeps it perfectly professional with both women, though it's also pretty clear that he doesn't realize when he's being flirted with.

3 ♊ ꦺ Billy / Jimmy / Marian (Double Dragon)

double dragon arcade billy jimmy marian

The iconic retro beat-'em-up Double Dragon paved the way for the entire genre. Twin brothers Billy and Jimmy Lee battle their way through hordes of goons to rescue Billy's girlfriend Marian, who has been abducted by the Black Warriors gang. If the game is completed in co-op, with each player controlling one of the twins, there is an extra twist after defeating the final boss.

With Marian still tied up, Billy and Jimmy proceed to beat the tar out of each other - whichever player wins gets the girl. It's a moment that 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:hasn't aged well (to say 🍸the least), and is likely to come up in any conversation about classic Double Dragon.

2 Monika / The Player /𒊎 The Girls (Doki🧜 Doki Literature Club)

all of the girls from Doki Doki Literature Club taking a selfie. Pictured is Yuri, Natsuki, Monika, and Sayori

168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Doki Doki Literature Club is one of the most disturbing games ever made. Disguised as a cutesy dating sim, it quickly devolves into a horror show𝓀 that will leave a mark on anyone who plays it.

Monika, the only character who isn't presented as a romance option, discovers that she is only a character in a video game and starts messing with the program's code to drive her competition for the player's affection to suicide. It's a 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:dark and upsetting story tha♛t turns a feel-good genre into a nauseating tale of obsession.

1 Cloud / Tifa / Aerith (Final Fantasy 7) ⛎

final fantasy 7 remake cloud being hugged by tifa and aerith

For many gamers, the words "love triangle" immediately conjure an image of the heroes of 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Final Fantasy 7. Cloud's actions throughout the first third or so of the game determine who will accompany him on a romantic tour of the Gold Saucer.

Tifa and Aerith are the two primary companions, but if the player does everything just right they can also land a date with Yuffie or Barret. Whether you're Team Cloti, Team Clerith, or 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Team Aerti, Final Fan🍌tasy 7 easily has ꦉthe most notorious love triangle in gaming.

Next: 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:The Romance Games With The 🐽Best Storylines