For single people, Valentine’s Day can be pretty lonely. While others are exchanging flowers, chocolate, and sweet nothings, the unclaimed among us are watching TV shows on Netflix, sobbing, and binging on ice cream--not necessarily in that order.

But this year, if you’re single, it’s time to spend the 14th doing something way more awesome than wallowing in self-pity: playing video games! Not just any games, though. We’ve hand-chosen eight titles that will get you through this depressing part of the year with nary a defeated sigh or rejection-induced crying session. Read on to find out what they are.

Having a significant other, in most cases, involves some combination of sex and conversation. Sometimes these things are awkward, and sometimes they’re fantastic. It's a crap shoot, really. However, pick up any of the Mass Effect games and it's a 100% certainty that you'll get a generous heaping of the former: some creepy, prying conversations and very uncomfortable, not-erotic sex.

Best case scenario, you remind yourself that you might be better off alone and cruise through Valentine’s Day painlessly. Worst case? You take out your frustrations on some reapers and cry yourself to sleep. Absolute worst case? You drink too much, dial up an ex, and get at least half of the experience: creepy, prying conversation.

On most mainstream MMORPGs, there are a few thousand people just waiting for you to play with them. It’s like companionship on-demand--and these days, there are barely any subscriptions fees or required purchases to keep you from finding some company. So, if you need some companionship to get through this holiday, boot up Lord of the Rings Online or TERA, have an adventure, slay a boss, and make some friends.

And, as the only entry on this list where you will definitely be playing with other people, who knows--maybe you could even meet the love of your life? And maybe said love of your life will like long walks on the beach. And maybe on that beach the both of you will find buried treasure worth millions. See? You're a millionaire with a partner now. That's cool, right?

As Valentine’s Day approaches, you may start to feel increasingly sad and alone. This is to be expected, so don't feel bad about yourself if and when you devolve into a blubbering wreck of a human being. Seriously, it happens to the best of us.

But here’s some good news. Final Fantasy VIII is notorious for having one of the most mopey main characters in any medium: Squall Leonhart. There is almost no way that you will ever be more annoyingly angsty than this gentlemen, whose choice quotes include, “...Whatever,” and “As long as you don’t get your hopes up, you can take anything... You feel less pain.” So head up, and just tell yourself between nose-blows, "At least I'm not Squall."

One of the best perks of being single? You get to be selfish without guilt. You're totally free to, say, call up your best friend's significant other, tell that person that your friend's phone has been stolen by his new lover, and that this person plans to call shortly to gloat about their happiness and new found love, all so that your friend's partner will break off any plans that may have been made for Valentine's Day and you'll have someone to share that special night with. Totally guilt free!

Alternatively, Katamari Damacy is the perfect game to exploit selfishness to the fullest. So go ahead. Live your life. Be the Prince of All Cosmos. Roll around all over everything and suck it all up so your father can recreate the universe. Be greedy! Take it all! You deserve it. #YOLO.

Forget love, affection, and companionship. The best cure for the singleness doldrums is to settle in with some Super Mario Brothers, maybe put on a onesie, drink some chocolate milk, and let gaming’s most iconic character transport you back to a time when all you wanted to do was jump on some turtles--and finding romance was the last thing on your mind.

Plus, maybe Mario’s rather chivalrous love affair with Peach will convince you that you’ll find your one true love in the next castle you reach--or person you meet? Maybe that idea will convince you to book tickets to somewhere that actually has castles, and then buy a horse, some armor, and a broadsword. And then maybe you'll ride around the countryside wielding your shiny new sword and gleaming armor, seeking out turtles and mercilessly slaying them. These are just ideas.

Who needs romance when you can have a bromance? Who wants candy when you can decapitate aliens by the truckload? Marcus and Dom probably aren’t great at pillow talk, but if your ideal Valentine’s date includes “killin’ stuff” and “grunting,” they’re a great match for you.

And the escapades you’ll share will get you through Valentine’s Day without having to think about love, commitment, and all that other icky stuff, while also being a lot more fun than sharing a milkshake, ice skating, or whatever else you’d be doing if you had a date. Look, Dom shot his wife, basically so you'd keep hanging out with him. It'd be a total dick move to leave your bro hangin' like that, bro.

There are a lot therapeutic paths that a lonely person can take while playing The Sims. Maybe you’re out for revenge and will enjoy torturing an innocent couple. Maybe you'll want to help two digital people cultivate a loving, caring relationship to compensate for your own soul-crushing solitude. Maybe you'll combine the two by bringing an imaginary couple closer by making their lives utterly hellacious. After all, nothing brings two people closer together than a traumatic experience.

Or… maybe they just want to get drunk and buy furniture until the pain goes away. Regardless, it’s hard to find a game better than The Sims for keeping a single person distracted while the rest of the world cuddles and watches You’ve Got Mail.

If you’re single, it’s possible you might be feeling like you were a bad partner in your last relationship. Or perhaps you’ve never had a serious relationship and you’re convinced you’re a bad person. Don’t worry--the editorial we, for one, is sure you’re lovely--and there’s no way you make a worse lover than Vincent, the protagonist of Catherine. This dude freaks out when his girlfriend wants to talk marriage, cheats on her, then spends most of the game lying through his teeth about it.

So go ahead and play Catherine. Treat it as a delightful little cautionary tale about what not to do the next time you may be in a position to be intimate with another human being. And if nothing else, assure yourself that even if you are an unlikable jerk, you’re probably not getting sucked into a creepy puzzle nightmare every night. That’s something to be happy about, right?

Hopefully these games will fit in nicely with “ice cream” and “booze” in your efforts to cope with Valentine’s Day whilst single. They’re meant to keep you smiling and help you remember that you can have plenty of fun alone in your apartment. Wearing the same clothes. For days, in the darkness. Trapped in an abyss of pain and isolation…

What was that? We didn’t say anything! Anyway, we’re sure there are some more games out there that can help people stay smiling through February 14th. Be sure to share your personal favorite in the comments!

And if you're looking for more from the Week of Love, check out the Top 7 Greatest Love Stories in Gaming or Games for couples (or, a guide to ruining your relationship).