Romance and video games aren't always associated with each other, but may indeed be intrinsically linked. After all, why does Mario keep on saving the Princess, if not for love? Visual novels and adventure games often allow players to experience the more romantic side of video games, and we've got a couple of those on the docket for this week. But that's not all, so pull up a chair and find out what's in store.

Coming to us from Fiction Factory Games and publisher PQube Limited, Arcade Spirits is a romantic visual novel set in an alternative timeline where the infamous video game industry crash in the 80s never occurred. Now, the player has taken on a new job at the Funplex game arcade, where they will woo eligible bachelors and bachelorettes as they see fit. Who says love can't bloom in an arcade? The art style from this kind of reminds me of Dream Daddy, so I'm curious to check it out.

Nippon Ichi likes to branch out on occasion. This latest venture into the unknown, The Liar Princess and the Blind Prince, is a unique puzzle/platformer styled after Grimm's fairy tales, with a suitably macabre aesthetic. We already have a review up from the illustrious and impeccable Alana Hagues, so be sure to give that a read if you're curious.

First-person narrative adventure games are all the rage these days, and Eastshade (from the eponymous Eastshade Studios) looks to be a promising example of just that. This game puts players into the role of an artist who travels the island of Eastshade looking for new sights to see and paint. By offering paintings to the local inhabitants, the player will obtain items and uncover the island's secrets. This game looks stunning and is well worth a look for those in the mood for an atmospheric experience.

Long live the Vita! Aksys Games announced last year that they would be bringing the second, holiday-themed fan disc for Code: Realize to the West, and now the time has finally come. Taking place after the events of Code: Realize ~Future Blessings~, this epilogue chapter promises to offer more romantic shenanigans for the player to invest in. It's nice to see the handheld that time forgot getting some love, too!

Finally, we have Cinders, coming to us from Polish developer MoaCube. Described as an "atmospheric visual novel," Cinders is an alternative take on the classic story of Cinderella, with the explicitly stated goal of making the titular heroine more "proactive." Players will make decisions along the way that can affect events in the story and even alter Cinders' personality. It's a good time for a fairy tale, so check out Neal Chandran's review of the original, at least.

And that's a wrap for this week, folks! Stay tuned to RPGFan for the latest and greatest RPG coverage.