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Gaming’s greatest love stories
Love is never easy, not even in the world of games. But still, these characters show us just how powerful it can be – even when things aren’t going to plan.
Whether it’s the subtle tale of young love, cute and wacky adventures involving spit (seriously) or putting all the broken bits back together, these games will linger in your heart.
First date jitters
That nerve-wracking, sweaty-palms scenario as you arrive for a first date is not pleasant for anyone. But gradually, the more time you spend with that special someone, the closer you become and the easier it gets. And that evolution of feelings is perfectly encapsulated in Florence.
The game depicts the budding romance between Florence, a stuck-in-her-ways young woman, and Krish, a cello player who she meets by chance. As you watch their relationship evolve and their everyday lives begin to intertwine, you’ll find yourself completely invested in how this young couple navigate the waters of their romance.
It’s all a little awkward between Florence and Krish initially, as they sit opposite each other in a café. Help them get the conversation flowing by completing the puzzle-like speech bubbles above them. Gradually, they’ll be more at ease with one another.
The joy of this interactive storybook slowly reveals itself as you see more natural and relaxed exchanges blossom between the pair.
On a day when they visit the market together, for example, they stroll while eating and chatting and the number of puzzle pieces to be put in place reduces. When they go for dinner the pieces drop down to two, then to one; it’s going well.
But, like all great love stories, this one faces highs and lows. And that makes your journey with Florence and Krish all the more memorable.
Say it with a Spitkiss
Saying “I like you” is hard. Just when you’ve summoned enough courage to actually do it, something gets in the way. For anyone familiar with the inner turmoil that accompanies unrequited love, Spitkiss will hit home.
In this colourful platformer, you’ll be hanging out in the world of SpitKissers, tiny characters who live in the organs of Ymer and who send declarations of love via, well, their spit. With just your finger you can guide the trajectory of all that lovespit, but there are plenty of obstacles in the way.
You’ll encounter a maze of walls with thorns and, to add to your woes, love rivals make an appearance. But if you can get to grips with how to successfully manoeuvre your icky sticky spitkisses, they’ll hit their target.
It might seem like an outrageous premise for a game, but the necessity for quick action and accuracy when you lob your lovespit bears an uncanny resemblance to the dynamics of overcoming obstacles in a real courtship.
Picking up the pieces
What would you do if someone you loved was suddenly gone? That’s the dilemma facing poor Kosmo in Love You To Bits, a sci-fi adventure that will pull at your heartstrings for light years to come.
After his robot girlfriend, Nova, explodes in an accident, Kosmo embarks on an adventure across the galaxy to recover the bits and pieces of her.
His journey is no walk in the park of course. The planets he visits are inhabited by strange creatures and head-scratching puzzles waiting to be solved. Observing little Kosmo overcome every challenge in his way is endearing, and you’ll witness his unwavering love for Nova in the moments of joy he expresses when he finds a piece of her.
This is a deeply immersive visual story that will have you on the edge of your seat, hoping the love between this unfortunate couple can be pieced back together.
Getting to know Florence and Krish, the SpitKissers and Kosmo and Nova is a heartwarming, emotional rollercoaster. Get playing.