Games for Valentine’s Day
Valentine’s Day is a great time for everyone to celebrate romance, whether you’re single, partnered up, or in a polygamous sex cult. It’s the perfect excuse to watch romantic movies, load up on chocolate, or maybe slide into some DM’s. As a gamer, there are tons of games that have great love stories. Here are a few for the season.
1. Resident Evil VII
On the surface, Resident Evil VII is a horror game set in the swamps of Louisiana. Deep down, it’s really a question on the nature of love. What is love? Apparently love is the willingness to trudge through swamps, wade through flooded basements, fend of zombified hillbillies, and suffer the stares of an incredibly creepy old woman. The protagonist of Resident Evil VII does all this and more to save his wife. I have never loved anyone enough to walk through the front door of the Baker family home.
2. Wolfenstein: The New Order and Wolfenstein II
B.J. “Terror Billy” Blazkowicz is a real tough bro. Even this walking destroyer of worlds can love and be loved. The romance sub-plot between B.J. and Anya is heart-warming, darkly hilarious, and at times existentially depressing. It’s incredible how a game like Wolfenstein can be so ridiculous and yet so human. Gamers who have slept on the Wolfenstein games are doing themselves a disservice. Take down a Nazi regime and fall in love along the way, what could be better?
3. Uncharted Series
The love story of Nathan Drake and Elena Fisher took four years to develop through the first three Uncharted games. Naughty Dog develops this subplot slowly and it never takes the front seat throughout these fast-paced, globe-trotting adventures. Nevertheless, it’s a great love story. While it is heart-warming to see Drake and Elena grow together, we’re always going to harbor some deep feelings for Chloe.
4. Grand Theft Auto V
Michael Townley makes up one third of the protagnist team in Grand Theft Auto V. The youngest member, Franklin Clinton doesn’t have a real romance sub plot. Trevor does have a very complex relationship with a stuffed bear so, of the three, Michael’s relationship with his wife is the only romantic relationship that exists in GTA V. While Michael and Amanda’s relationship is chaotic, unfaithful, and bordering on deranged, it’s kind of fun to watch the train wreck. It’s also oddly relatable at points and even strangely heart-warming at the end. When most relationships in pop culture are sappy and filled with happy endings, it can be a bit of a palette cleanser to witness something dysfunctional.
5. The Bioware Suite
If none of the above strike any romantic chords, something from Bioware might be the perfect fit. Whether gamers are stepping into the swords and spells world of Dragon Age or the flashy galaxies of Mass Effect, Bioware offers the chance for players to take some time off of killing dragons and robots to make a little love. There’s mustachioed mages, steadfast warriors, sweet and mysterious extra-terrestrials, or mercenaries with a great rack of horns.
Although, if you’re looking for something niche, we could always recommend Freeside’s Atomic Wrangler Casino in Fallout: New Vegas. They’ve got something for everybody.
Happy Valentine’s Day gamers! Celebrate with love with that special someone with some roses and a nice dinner. Celebrate some self love with pizza and video games. Whatever it is, enjoy it!
As always, we want to know what you think! What are some of your favorite video game romances? Who is bae? What does waifu mean? Is Valentine’s Day just a conspiracy to prop up the corrupt and bloated floral industry? Let Handsome Phantom know your thoughts and you could get a shout out on the Adventure Mode podcast! Be sure to check out our Platted That! for Uncharted, Uncharted 2, and Uncharted 3, or Top 5 Video Game Heroines That Kick Butt!
