It was a little too tempting to be one of those designers who has multiple games whose names have a format, so tentatively calling this one Something of the Light, based on this Longfellow quote:
"I thank God for the beautiful life we lived together, and that I loved her more and more to the end. I never looked at her without a thrill of pleasure; she never came into a room where I was without my heart beating quicker, nor went away without my feeling that something of the light went with her. I loved her entirely, and I know she was very happy."
This game will have two phases: the first, an Entanglement phase where the two players play out the path of a romantic relationship with BoB-style scenes at events such as parties, picnics, dates, etc; the second, an Epistolary phase where one player is writing letters about their dates from the viewpoint of having just experienced them, and the other player is writing in remembrance years in the future after their partner’s untimely death. The Entanglements are essentially “dates” replacing the core mystery mechanic; each player will have a specific question they try to answer on the date that will have lasting influences on the rest of their relationship.
Touchstones include Henry and Fanny Longfellow’s courtship and marriage, Romeo and Juliet, The Before trilogy of movies, The Last Five Years, The Lake House (2006)
I’d love to hear if people had thoughts, suggestions, media recs; or if anyone else has a romance game they’re thinking about brewing up!