Romance is just a game away!
Valentine’s Day isn’t always about getting taken out to dinner and receiving fancy treats and trinkets. Okay, well maybe it is, but who’s to say that you can’t get a little gaming on the side?
Consider spending some quality time with your boyfriend by reeling him into the following co-op games. If he resists, consider your future with him wisely…
Portal 2
Who doesn’t love to play adorable robots that can hug and high-five each other all day long? Atlas and P-body are like mini versions of your relationship, only they’re more prone to falling off ledges! For those of you new to the co-op portion of the game, GLaDOS, your evil (or maybe just misunderstood) A.I. guide leads you and your partner through various rooms in order to retrieve data disks for a certain unknown but most likely evil purpose. Portal 2 is a great way to bond with your boyfriend, especially if you’re both into puzzle-solving hijinks!
Saints Row: The Third
Nothing says “I love you” like taunting your boyfriend with a big fat purple dildo. Saints Row: The Third is the sandbox game you wished for and finally received — it’s fantastically silly, loads of fun, and extremely self-aware. To be honest, I haven’t played through much of the game because I’m too busy doing stupid stuff like skydiving out of airplanes and crashing parties, but from what I’ve seen it’s the perfect game to play with that someone special. So, what are you waiting for? THQ isn’t getting any younger…oh wait.
Torchlight II
Surprisingly, killing lots of things can be delightfully romantic. Created by members of the original Diablo II team, Torchlight II pays homage to those long lost yet reawakened hack-n-slash dungeon-running games. The music will give you all kinds of nostalgic lady boners, and you even get to choose your own pet, ranging from a panther to a random made-up animal like the Chakawary, featured above. As an added bonus, you and your boyfriend no longer need to fight over loot — you both get your own! Gone are the days of “No, honey, YOU take One-eyed Willy’s Other Eye!”
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World: The Game
This Valentine’s Day, you and your boyfriend should wreck the s*@$ out of Ramona’s 7 evil exes. Why? Because nothing says romance like kicking some side-scrolling ass to amazing chiptune music, that’s why! Even if you haven’t read the Scott Pilgrim graphic novels (which if you haven’t, you totally should) the game is a blast. The sprites are adorable and the game puts a totally unique spin on traditional side scrolling beat-em-ups by just being…completely silly. My personal favorite characters to play are Scott and Kim – they were meant to be together anyway, right?
Sonic & All Stars Racing Transformed
Go back to your roots and share something special with your significant other, like your favorite Sega characters! AiAi, Beat, B.D. Joe, Tails are just some of the few playable characters which you can level up. Even better, the levels in this game are insanely immersive — in addition to your standard driving you can also fly and float your way through the track (which, by the way, often falls to pieces during the last lap). Racing Transformed will soon win your heart and become your go to “kick your boyfriend’s ass” game.
You Don’t Know Jack
Boyfriend doesn’t game much? You Don’t Know Jack is the ticket – everyone loves a super difficult, zany trivia game. The only catch is that you’ll probably end up as an ex-couple by the end of it. Every round contains 10 questions plus a few bonus rounds, and a “Wrong Answer of the Game” in which you have to keep your eyes peeled for an answer related to the “sponsor” (which can be anything from Banana Toasters to Granny’s Roach Butter). Overall YDKJ is a quick and fun way to enjoy each other’s company this V-day. Plus, who doesn’t love a game where you get to screw your significant other?
Honorable Mention: Having your boyfriend cuddle up and watch you play Condemned…in the dark.
