Dating Sims To Play This Valentine’s Day

Valentine’s Day is the most romantic day of the year, dedicated to all things surrounding love and relationships. Flowers, chocolates, and candlelit dinners are all core components of a typical Valentine’s Day, even in this digital age. But even for those who are part of a happy couple, this might not be how they want to spend this special day.

Related

Best JRPGs That Are Also Dating Sims

These JRPGs add in a bit of romance in between their large-scale adventures.

And for those who are single and a little bah humbug about all the celebrations, they may choose to ignore the festivities entirely…or grab a pint of Ben and Jerry’s Valentine’s Day-themed ice cream and immerse themselves in a few rom-coms. Whether they are single or not, celebrating or avoiding, these dating sims are the perfect way to spend the most romantic holiday of the year.

1

Hatoful Boyfriend

Comedy With A Side Of Romance

Systems

Released

August 14, 2011

ESRB

E10+ For Everyone 10+ Due To Fantasy Violence, Mild Blood, Mild Language

By far one of the strangest dating sims to grace the scene, Hatoful Boyfriend is a masterclass in combining surrealist humor with genuine romance, and even a few scenes that will pluck at the players’ heartstrings. Set in a post-apocalyptic future, mankind has become all but extinct, and now sapient birds are the rulers of the world.

This surprisingly dark twist is offset by the player having the choice of all the best bachelors the avian kingdom has to offer. As the only human enrolled in the prestigious St. PigeoNation, their school years are sure to be remembered for decades after graduation. For those looking for something slightly less saccharine to play on Valentine’s Day, Hatoful Boyfriend might just be the perfect game for them.

2

Hooked On You

For Fans Of The Hit Horror Multiplayer

Visual Novel

Horror

Dating Sim

Released

August 3, 2022

ESRB

T For Teen // Violent References, Blood, Suggestive Themes, Language, Use of Alcohol

Dead by Daylight tasks the player with taking on the role of the survivor who needs to complete objectives while avoiding the killer, who hunts down and sacrifices all the survivors before they make their escape. There was absolutely no room for romance or even any friendly interaction between the opposing sides.

Related

Beginner Tips For Hooked On You: A Dead By Daylight Dating Sims

Players new to Hooked on You: A Dead by Daylight Dating Sim are in for a fun time. These beginner tips will help new players get started.

Hooked on You completely shook up the formula, doing away with the dangerous gameplay in favor of a visual novel dating sim, in which the player has the choice of one of four eligible killers. Now these bloodthirsty weapon-wielding murderers are seeking some much-needed R&R away from the trials, which the players can join them with the guarantee they won’t be killed, at least not immediately.

3

Muv-Luv

For Players Who Need More Than Romance

Visual Novel

Romance

Mecha

Released

July 15, 2016

ESRB

M17+ For Mature 17+ // Fantasy Violence, Partial Nudity, Sexual Content, Strong Language

Visual novels and dating sims often go hand-in-hand, as what better medium is there to spin a tale of love and romance than one which offers nearly as much text, if not more, than the average novel? The plentiful text allows the developers to develop the characters’ personalities, while the visual art paints a clear picture of the players’ potential suitors.

Muv-Luv starts as one such game, with tooth-achingly cute art and characters, but there is more depth lurking behind the anime style. Wars and alternate realities are thrown into the mix as players progress through the story, changing Muv-Luv from a simple dating sim to something with so much more substance, which might just be the escape players need this Valentine’s Day.

4

Seduce Me: The Otome

Discover The Danger Of Dating Demons

• Platform(s): PC
• Release Date: February 12th, 2015
• Developer(s): Michaela Laws
• Genre(s): Visual Novel, Otome

Otome games are far and wide among the most popular titles in the dating sim genre as a whole, which tend to be geared toward women as they give them the option to romance one of the male characters. Seduce Me: the Otome, while a bit on the nose in regard to the name, contains a lot of depth, more than just hitting on attractive demons.

There is war brewing in the underworld with enemy factions to contend with, and a dangerous Diana. There is even a sequel available so that the players who enjoy Seduce Me have even more content to explore after completing the first game. It is a very typical dating sim game, but as it checks all the boxes, it is exactly what people need if they are looking for a more traditional dating simulator.

5

Mystic Messenger

Plenty Of Content To Enjoy

Mystic Messenger

Systems

After downloading a mysterious app, the player character finds herself embroiled in RFA, a charitable fund-raising organization comprised of six members, the owner having mysteriously vanished, leaving the rest to carry on her work. And now with the players’ help, they can fill out the guest-list to make the fundraiser a success.

The entirety of the game is not only played through a phone on the players’ end, but the majority of the in-game characters too, as they communicate with the other RFA members via text channels that take place at specific times during the day and night. Though players cannot complete it in one sitting on Valentine’s Day, there are usually special scenes and scenarios for the holidays which could be fun for old players and newcomers alike.

6

Dream Daddy

Find Love While Exploring Single Fatherhood

Visual Novel

Dating Sim

Simulation

Adventure

Indie Games

Released

July 20, 2017

ESRB

t

Unfortunately, most dating sims are oriented toward women, as the player character is normally a woman pursuing the male romance options of their choice, and LGBT-friendly games are even rarer. Thankfully, there are a few on the scene to save the day, such as Dream Daddy. As the title suggests, the player will be meeting and potentially romancing other single dads in the area.

5:11

Related

Games With Inclusive LGBTQ+ Romance Options

Games have been getting more inclusive with romance options over the years. These titles are some of the best for LGBTQ+ romance.

All the dads are charming in their own way, but the player will have to work hard to find a way to their heart, and some choices can be deceptively tricky. But all the options in Dream Daddy are worth the trouble. Other than dating, the player must navigate their relationship with their teenage daughter Amanda as she navigates the turmoils of school.

7

Hustle Cat

Find Work And Love In A Cat Café

• Platform(s): PC
• Release Date: March 16th, 2015
• Developer(s): Date Nighto
• Genre(s): Visual Novel, Dating sim

Hustle Cat may be one of the most underestimated dating sims on the market, with a range of likable characters with vastly different personalities and routes, encouraging multiple playthroughs that will certainly keep the player entertained for the entirety of Valentine’s Day.

Controlling Avery Grey, a character with some very minor customization options, players start a new job at a cat café called A Cat’s Paw, with one catch–all the staff become cats when outside the café. Avery will try to find a way to break the curse not only for themselves but for their colleagues as well and are certain to find love along the way.

8

Boyfriend Dungeon

Love Truly Is A Battlefield

Released

August 11, 2021

ESRB

T For Teen // Fantasy Violence, Sexual Themes, Language

Most dating sims task their players with clicking through novels worth of texts, occasionally giving them dialogue options that can influence what the characters may think of them, while visually feasting on the visuals on display. Boyfriend Dungeon is unique, as it combines a dating sim with combat, as they must dive into themed dungeons with different weapons that offer vastly different gameplay.

But when not delving into dungeons, the player can flirt with weapons, which can turn into some very date-able people, all with vastly different personalities and styles, so there is something for everyone. The player has all summer long to find which blade babe they like the most and discover a way to find their way into their heart.

More

8 Best New Rom-Com Movies For Valentine’s Day, Ranked

Some great new rom-com movies for Valentine’s Day include Anyone But You, We Live In Time, and The Idea Of You.