Don’t Spend Valentine’s Day Alone.
For a lot of us gamers, Valentine’s Day is good for only one thing: discounted candy on February 15th. If you don’t want to spend your February 14th staring at any old screen, consider spending it with someone special… someone special made of pixels, of course. Here is your ultimate guide to indie romance games to fill that hole in your heart this Valentine’s.
Don’t Fraud My Heart
Have you ever looked at your office supplies in a steamy way? Wished your fax machine could talk? Are we really that lonely?
Well, regardless, Don’t Fraud my Heart is worth checking out. Let yourself be transported into a tax fraud office of the 1990’s, and seduce your way into these office-themed bachelorettes’ hearts. Available on Microsoft Powerpoint of all things, join in on this super inclusive platform on the day where, well, you may feel most left out.
Needy Streamer Overload
If you like a girl’s crazy side, or someone who is just very passionate about Tamagotchis, then this is the game for you. Take on the responsibility of dating a very, very needy streamer in this otome game, Needy Streamer Overload. Balance her schedule with streaming, dates, trips to the mall, and trips to a therapist — or, don’t balance it, your choice. Find the obsessed girl of your dreams and live out the good and bad of dating an influencer. Your choices affect her mental health, love, and popularity. Do you want a cute yandere all for yourself? Maybe you want to help fund a successful egirl career? The choice is (kind of) yours in Needy Streamer Overload.
Band Camp Boyfriend
Is college a little too much? Maybe you were more of a band geek back in the day? Lead the band in this nerdy otome game, Band Camp Boyfriend, where romance and band camp go hand in hand. But don't fall too head over heels — you still need to juggle winning the competition while you get caught up in the love stories of every band nerd's dreams. The first 3 days are available to demo before the full release this Spring 2023 so you can get a head start on choosing who you want to romance… and maybe even predict which of the 35+ endings you will get.
UC Love
I stumbled upon this one on TikTok, and was wowed by the concept of thinking beyond your regular college dating sim. UC Love is an anime-style romance game where you can date personified UC colleges, plus some extras. You play as a student attending the made-up UCL, with a variety of potential love interests. Date a frat boy, a trust fund baby, a food service delivery robot, a bad boy, and the sad girl of your dreams. Created by a team of students as just a hobby, we’re excited to see where Plush Cat Studios goes. This one is actually coming out on Valentine’s Day, and will be available for free! This definitely isn’t what I’ll be doing all day on the 14th… definitely not…
Honorable Mentions
Stardew Valley - Okay, I know it’s not technically a dating sim, and it’s barely indie these days, but with enough mods and the right choice of bachelor/ettes, it can get pretty fun and romantic (or steamy? I’m looking at YOU, Sam’s Heart Events).
Boyfriend Dungeon - They’re boys. They’re weapons. They’re hot and dateable. Enough said.
Burn your Fat With Me! - A mobile app designed to get you moving while you romance the dreamiest boy in school. Want a side of mild body shaming, cheesy jokes, and an addicting story with your workout? Then this is for you.
Blue Spark on Dorian - Play as yourself or as the chosen main character and enjoy the cheesiest, sassiest possible options. Not a dating visual novel, but one with romance paths — you’ll want to save up your hearts for this one. You can discover other small creator stories on the app too!
Only Cans - How does the idea of a sexy soda can sound? If you’re looking for a laugh and a very, very unique experience (and are 18+), then Only Cans is the game for you. Based on the one and only Only Fans, take pictures and grow a social media following for sexy soda cans in sexy swimsuits and sexy poses… you get the idea.
Starry Flowers - This game by nomnomnami, is a choiceless visual novel about two witch boys falling in love. If you’re a sucker for some good MLM romance, especially one that doesn't fall into the icky tropes of abuse and large age gaps, this game recommended by our writer Noki is one for you.
Dream Daddy - Listen, we’ve talked a lot about girlfriends so far. Maybe you prefer men… or daddies if you will. In this Game Grumps original, you play as a queer father looking for a date. There are tons of wonderful playthroughs of this game as well, if you’re someone who can’t handle finding every single relationship ending- may we recommend Kelsey Buzzfeed and Mimirue.
Remember gamers: your digital waifus will always be there for you. Have a very happy Valentine’s Day!
*Writer’s note: I noticed the lack of WLW media in our library of romance games. Please feel free to send any suggestions to us on Twitter or our contact page- I want to play them!
