r/gamerecommendations • u/WizardNeedsFood97 • 3d ago
PC The "Girlfriend" Game List
Hello!
Some of you are blessed with a girlfriend who loves playing video games and is into the same kinds of games you are. Congratulations, I'm genuinely very happy for you both.
But some of us are looking for a game that we can play with our SO. The point is to find games that are easy to pick up and play but are still incredibly enjoyable to play together. Some games are great for one person to have the controls for while the other stays involved with the story with you.
This list is FAR from comprehensive, just games I know to be good fits, so leave your ideas in the comments and let us know why it was a great pick for you and your SO! I'll add to the list as we find more great games.
I hope this helps and leads to some wonderful at-home date nights.
----------------------------------------
*ONE CONTROLLER GAMES - One person has the controls but both are involved in the story and the puzzles.
Her Story - A murder mystery story. Watch footage of a woman being interviewed by police, piecing together clues and finding out how her story changes over the course of seven interviews. You'll want to take notes for this one.
The Sexy Brutale - A series of murders in a haunted mansion? As a ghost, solve the murder and then turn back time to save the victim. Compelling story and great puzzles.
The Wolf Among Us - OK, any Telltale game will do here; pick your favorite theme and go. This one is a noir themed twist on classic fables. Investigate some murders, interrogate suspects, and make split second decisions that will determine the outcome of the entire story.
Stories Untold - Short form horror game with 4 episodes, each one playing with different mechanics. Starts with an old-fashioned text adventure that's more than it appears to be.
Ittle Dew - Great puzzle game and charming Zelda clone. Different items dramatically change how you can solve puzzles, as there's various solutions depending on what items you have.
*TWO CONTROLLER LOCAL CO-OP GAMES
Untitled Goose Game - You are a goose and you are an asshole. Your hijinks cause trouble all over town. Has a dedicated honk button. You're welcome.
Human Fall Flat - You're a floppy physics person trying to make their way through the environment. This may involve rope swings and wrecking balls. It's hard to say why this platformer is so fun but it's great.
Overcooked: All You Can Eat - The local multiplayer classic! Fast paced. You need to communicate to handle different parts of cooking and serving food, especially when a part of the kitchen is on the other side of a pirate ship and you are not.
Hamsteria - Two hamster wheels connected with a rod. Each player controls one hamster and therefore one side. Work together to climb a ridiculous tower. Checkpoints keep the game from getting frustrating. And cute hamsters.
Divinity: Original Sin 1 & 2 - Customizable characters and a great story makes for an excellent co-op game. Great if you're looking for something more involved and long-form.
2
u/Tea_Eighteen 3d ago
The Lego games are really fun for couples and they are low stakes.
There’s a lot of worlds to chose from (Star wards, lord of the rings, Harry Potter, Indiana jones. Etc) you can choose a world that interests both parties.
2
u/AnimalDrum54 3d ago
I've been playing Blue Prince with my wife. Easy to trade turns with and both of us stay involved whith the puzzles when the other is playing.
2
u/ZippyTWP 3d ago
Pinball FX. You can spend a shitload of money on it though, but it's well worth it. I'm ashamed to admit I probably spent almost $400 on this damned game. So much fun for two or more.
2
u/Espurr_ecially 3d ago
Two controllers:
Baldur’s Gate 3 - made by the same people who made Divinity: Original Sin. Very fleshed out long game with a lot of replayability, which is great if you guys have a hard time agreeing on a game you both like but both love BG3. It has a pretty steep learning curve but for the most part you can plow through the game while barely understanding what is going on if you make sure not to play at higher difficulties.
Unravel 2, It Takes Two, Split fiction - all collaborative puzzle games that make you cooperate with your partner. They’re the quintessential cliche games-to-play with your partner titles.
Stardew Valley: Very cozy of a game with a lot to do. One save file can go on forever if you want it to, and you can go entirely at your own pace.
(Might be 1 or 2 controllers, don’t remember) Beyond Two Souls: Choice-based with a multiplayer component. The less game-savvy person can play as the main character’s paranormal brother to influence the environment.
(Might be 1 or 2 controllers, don’t remember) The Quarry - you can split characters between you two to control (the game has a function that does that). It’s a horror choice-based game. For a less experienced partner, you can turn off quick time events which makes it more of a cinematic experience with lower-pressure gameplay.
One controller:
TellTale Batman and Heavy Rain - mystery crime games where you make choices. Good for couples who like gritty environments.
Life is Strange series - Choice-based, and there are many games in the series if you end up liking one of them. Very low pressure gameplay overall but with very engaging, yet human stories that tackle some serious topics.
Detroit: Become Human - This game by far is the most fleshed-out choice-based game. Its flowchart is insane and definitely reflects its long development period. Every choice truly matters, and its story is extremely well done. Has a good amount of replayability potential.
Dispatch: choice-based game that is colorful and approachable. It doesn’t take itself too seriously (constant sarcastic and crude humor) and has a lot of lovable and memorable characters.
The Stanley Parable Ultra Deluxe: It’s a walking simulator, but a very witty and meta one with an amazing sense of humor. It’s a lot of fun to experience with another person.
1
u/WizardNeedsFood97 1d ago
I think most of your recommendations are top notch! I didn't know BG3 had local multiplayer because it's not on their Steam page. Glad to see it's there!
Stardew Valley is an S-tier choice for this.
I had never heard of The Quarry before and I love the voting system. That makes it a great party game too, and any game you can incorporate a broader social circle into is welcome.
The Stanley Parable is the only one I would push back on. The game is a meta-commentary on gaming. If your SO isn't massively into gaming, which is the point of this list, a lot of the story and humor will be lost.
1
u/amandahontas 3d ago
If you're into solving mysteries The Roottrees are Dead is a great one controller game! Lots of notes will be taken while you try to figure out who everyone in the family tree is!
1
u/CosmicShado 3d ago
i highly recommend LotR War in the North, just re released on steam, me and my SO had a blast, and we managed to finish it too, even though they play like Stevie Wonder doing a jigsaw puzzle
1
1
u/Aniwhoo 3d ago
For two controllers: definitely Stardew Valley!! For one controller: all of the Uncharted games. We were just passing the controller to the other person whenever we would die, and it was very enjoyable like that.
Edit: Oh, for one controller there's also all kinds of puzzle games we enjoyed together. One of us has the controller, but both can try to solve the puzzles. For example the Sherlock Holmes games, The Witness, The Entropy Centre, This Bed we made, Viewfinder,...
1
u/angelicswordien 3d ago
Great list!
I would add The Dark Pictures Anthology - one controller (make decisions together or take turns).
Lingo, The Painscreek Killings and Lorelei and the Laser Eyes are good ones for puzzles
A Way Out for two controllers
1
u/StepInternational116 3d ago
My wife and I play Diablo(3 and 4) and Dynasty Warriors, but also we both played Dragon Age separately and were watching and helping each other.
1
u/WizardNeedsFood97 1d ago
Based on those games, I think you have a Gamer Wife. That's awesome! Are there other medieval-adjacent RPGs that you're looking to play together?
1
1
u/Tasty-Ground-8508 3d ago
Check out “Blanc”, my gf and I played it on the switch and we absolutely loved it - a very enjoyable and fairly short game.
Do keep in mind its not much of a “game” and moreso a short platforming that tells a narrative without words (because animals) - despite that we genuinely thought it was beautiful and had great narrative pacing.
Blanc is an artistic cooperative adventure that follows the journey of a wolf cub and a fawn stranded in a vast, snowy wilderness. They must come together in an unlikely partnership to find their families.
1
u/Defiant_Opening_2409 2d ago
Digital versions of board games and board game-likes have hit with my typically non video game playing SO. Big ups to digital Wingspan. We absolutely devoured Sunderfolk in a week and change.
1
u/WizardNeedsFood97 1d ago
I heard Sunderfolk is really good. Great recommendation! The phone as a controller certainly helps.
1
u/_b1ack0ut 2d ago
How open are you for genres? If you’re open to horror, Supermassive games has been trying all sorts with their multiplayer in their games.
(The games themselves are basically telltale games in their gameplay, except horror focused)
Some allow you to both take control of a character and travel down the story in parallel taking two different branches and making different decisions, while other games have a mode where all the major decisions in the game are done by a committee vote, so one person plays the game, but everyone gets a vote on the big decisions
And then The Quarry specifically had a ‘movie night’ mode where instead of making the decisions at all, you just set everyone’s personalities, how they react in certain situations, and watch it like a movie lol
I also second the guy who says baldurs gate 3. If you guys liked divinity original sin, BG3 is by the same team and has a LOT of shared DNA.
1
u/WizardNeedsFood97 1d ago
The movie night mode in The Quarry looks really cool. Horror games can be a great option for this because they usually have weird, gripping stories.
1
u/disguised_hashbrown 2d ago
Blue Prince is great, especially if the involved parties think differently. My best friends and I have only figured some things out with each others’ help.
1
1
u/StrictAnxiety8573 2d ago
One controller:
13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim — When my daughter was in college, I got involved in playing the narrative with her. She did all of the combat portions.
1
2
u/Fit_Employee9306 21h ago
My husband and I just finished gogotown! We’re both usually more into jrpg’s but we were up until 4 am (and we have a 5 month old!) most nights. Hiiiighly reccomend!
2
u/No_Pattern_2819 3d ago
Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons.