Often overshadowed by Mono and the Wanderer, this young pair may be the best example of a simply written romance in video games. Ico isn't a very verbose game. In fact, there's maybe a dozen or so lines of dialogue in the whole thing. So many would probably find it surprising that one of gamings most intimate, heartfelt relationships is one where one half never speaks. However, Ico sees the pair thrown together in an attempt to escape from a magical castle ruled by a dark queen. There are no dialogue trees, no half hours cutscenes where the two recount their backstories to one another, and no forced sex scene at the end of their romance path. All that happens between them are introductions, short one word exchanges, and most importantly, the holding of hands. It's a very simple, yet incredibly intimate gesture that, unlike many of gaming's imperilled princesses, makes you care about the person you're protecting. Sometimes, keeping it simple is for the best.
