Valentine’s Day is coming, another of these holidays that, without really knowing why, have permeated our country as if it were a centuries-old tradition. A bit like Halloween. I guess it’s a result of so many sit-down movies, American series, and the desire to sell heart-shaped things. Well, and selling in general. So, continuing with this tradition, today we recommend ten games to enjoy this Valentine’s Day (with or without a partner).
We start with the obvious. In our analysis of It Takes Two we said that it was couples therapy in the form of a video game. What better way to spend Valentine’s Day than with a hilarious and fun cooperative title? Furthermore, it is a short experience that can be completed in three or four afternoons.
If we talk about love in video games, we have to talk about The Last of Us. Whether it’s the relationship between Ellie and Riley or between Ellie and Dina or between Abby and Owen or… Naughty Dog’s work is full of real and sincere love relationships. It doesn’t matter which character you focus on. Between the violence and the zombies, there is always a moment of calm in which to pick up the guitar and sing Take On Me. Plus, the kiss between Ellie and Dina is probably the best one ever seen in a video game.
That being said, The Last of Us is also a great recommendation for people who want to enjoy a great story with their partner. It is an experience that is remembered for years. In this case there is no cooperative, so you will have to pass control.
Not everyone spends Valentine’s Day in company. Some people can’t and some don’t want to. If this is your case, I recommend playing one of these two games: Unpacking or Doom (2016). The first recommendation is for people looking for a relaxed and extremely beautiful experience. One of those games that leaves your heart warm.
Doom, on the other hand, is for those who hate Valentine’s Day. What better plan than to kill demons with a double-barreled shotgun to the rhythm of Heavy Metal?
For many people, sex is an important part of their emotional relationships. To these people I recommend Baldur’s Gate 3, a game in which you can have sexual relations with vampires, elves and even a bear (among many other beings). Also, aside from this, it is perhaps one of the best games of the decade. It is an almost perfect adventure generator, ideal for playing as a couple or alone.
Lately I have a soft spot for a genre of movies that I have called “girls who go to high school/college and have powers and a lot of problems.” Carrie, for example, or works as interesting as Raw or Thelma fall into this category. But Life is Strange also enters, in the case of video games, and its magnificent relationship between Chloe and Max.
The love story between Arthur (the protagonist) and Mary is impossible. The life of an outlaw is incompatible with the stability that a well-established family in the city requires. Despite this, Red Dead Redemption 2 shows one of the most sincere and credible love stories we have seen in video games. An impossible love that fails again and again, who doesn’t feel identified?
Lastly, I want to talk about two Nintendo games. Super Mario Bros. Wonder is for spending an excellent time as a couple playing in cooperative mode. It is for laughing and enjoying playing one of the best titles of 2023. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is for the complete opposite. There are always quarrels and disputes within the couple, so why not solve them on the battlefield? And if that’s not the case, a good fighting game is always fun. Nobody becomes bitter by a candy.
