Valentine's Day is a complicated holiday for many people as it sits as a corporate concocted consumer-based celebration of love. However, it does serve as a fun reason to express to one's significant other how they feel about them. The beauty of the holiday is that it can be expressed in a myriad of ways.
In the world of video games, both indie games like Hades and AAA blockbuster titles like God of War, there are plenty of fictional characters who would likely enjoy the benefits a holiday like Valentine's Day provides. Whether someone is a hopeless romantic, an empath, or just a caring gift giver, the holiday serves as another opportunity to showcase their best qualities, regardless of what universe or period they exist in.
8 Arthur Morgan (Red Dead Redemption 2)
Arthur Morgan is the main protagonist of Red Dead Redemption 2 and is initially introduced as a grizzled curmudgeon who wants nothing more than to be left to himself. As the story unfolds though, it becomes quite clear that Arthur is much more compassionate and empathetic than he originally presented.
Sure, there's a good chance he'd roll his eyes at the thought of Valentine's Day, but the moment the day came, he'd likely do a romantic gesture of some sort to showcase how much he loved his significant other. At the end of the day, Arthur wanted those around him to be happy and safe, even if he did it with a bit of sarcasm.
7 Chansey (Pokemon)
Chansey is the most natural caretaker in the world of Pokemon. Entries in the Pokedex regarding this rotund pink creature talk about how it goes out of its way to heal other Pokemon in the wild that have been wounded and need help.
Giving the gift of health and a renewed sense of life is something Chansey does all year long, so having a day dedicated to focusing on those one loves feels right in line with the natural personality of the Pokemon that can be found in every Pokecenter. Pokemon are much more intelligent than they're given credit for, and would likely welcome the idea of celebrating human-made holidays alongside them.
6 Amy Rose (Sonic the Hedgehog)
The relationship between Amy Rose and Sonic the Hedgehog is interesting, since it is obvious that she is much more affectionate and in love than he is. She's always had the attitude of someone who pursues the things they want in life, and made that perfectly clear in terms of her crush on Sonic. The blue blur is whatever one would label as the opposite of a hopeless romantic, and it'd likely be the case that he forgot Valentine's Day altogether.
Amy, on the other hand, would likely craft a day-long experience where the two would have several activities planned and she'd simply want nothing more than to spend the day with Sonic. She loves expressing how she feels and isn't afraid to let others know, which would likely balance her relationship with someone like Sonic, who rarely wears his heart on his sleeve.
5 The Lamb (Cult of the Lamb)
Now, it might seem a bit odd to include a cult leader when talking about a holiday supposed to be focused on love. The reality is that these individuals are the perfect type of person who thrives on this type of celebration. The Lamb from Cult of the Lamb loves to be adored and admired by their followers on any given day, so a holiday like Valentine's Day allows them to squeeze this captive audience for even more of their undivided attention.
Going by the mechanics baked into the game, it feels like it would be a moment where players could siphon additional resources or actions from their cult community. It might even be possible to make major leaps in terms of the quality and structure of their commune.
4 Commander Shepard (Mass Effect)
Commander Shepard throughout the trilogy shows a willingness to entertain the love and admiration of anyone willing to reciprocate it. It doesn't matter what gender or alien race someone is, Commander Shepard is open to loving and falling in love with anyone. This lack of constraint on romance feels in line with someone who would jump at the opportunity to showcase their love for their significant other on a day like Valentine's Day.
Commander Shepard would likely have to spend some time explaining to aliens of other races what exactly the holiday is and maybe even get into the idea of what romance and romantic gestures are. But eventually, everyone would be on the same page.
3 Aerith (Final Fantasy 7)
Aerith from Final Fantasy 7 is a kind and gentle soul who manages to maintain a strong magic aura about herself. She has a sense of determination in the face of danger and despair that brings her optimism and hopeful attitude to the forefront.
When it comes to what sort of gift or gesture she'd get for her significant other on Valentine's Day, it feels as though she'd be the type to take her time and craft something deeply personal and heartfelt. It might be something having to do with nature as she has a natural connection and affinity for flowers and wildlife in general. Having her as a valentine would be tough to deal with, considering what fate has in store for her gentle soul.
2 Milla Vodello (Psychonauts)
Among all the official Psychonauts agents, Milla Vodello is easily the kindest and most empathetic of the bunch. When looking at which individuals were most capable and likely of using their abilities for evil, she falls dead last in that possible thought experiment. She is regarded as both caring and soft but does so with an energetic livelihood.
Milla is a free spirit and gives off hipp vieibes, as she is always up for a good time and is unafraid to flirt when necessary. It's never clearly defined in any of the Psychonauts games that she and Agent Nein are in a relationship, but their chemistry and body language makes it all but certain. They'd have a good time celebrating Valentine's Day with one another.
1 Alex Chen (Life Is Strange: True Colors)
Empathetic individuals are rare souls who have a gift in terms of being able to relate to and understand the nuanced emotions of the humans around them. Alex Chen from Life is Strange: True Colors could feel them in a way that brought through said feelings in a colorful pattern that made it even easier to understand.
No one would describe Alex as a hopeless romantic, but it's clear based on her upbringing that she appreciates honest love. She'd likely panic trying to figure out what to get her partner for Valentine's Day and may resent the holiday as a result, but at the moment in which gestures are exchanged, her heart would likely feel full and warm from the simple act of showing one another how much they mean to each other.