Number Days Sim Date

Author: Pacthesis

Availability: Free, Online/Browser-based

Format: Dating Sim/Point-and-Click

Genre: Supernatural

Rating: Teen

Found at: pacthesisgames.com OR simdategames.net

My Scores (out of 5):

Writing: 4.5

Art: 4.5

Gameplay: 4.5

Romance: 4 (“Ooh, now we're talking!”)

Summary

In Number Days Sim Date, you are Evelyn/Insert-Name-Here. You've gone with your friends to the grand opening of a new theme park, only to suddenly find yourself alone in a park that's now surrounded by a glass wall. A few other people are in the same predicament as you, and you've all gotten the same cryptic text message on your phones: “Your time here will end when your number reaches zero.” Your number is Twelve...

Review

The Writing

First of all, the plot is amazing in both concept and execution. The story is like an episode of The Twilight Zone, and I can easily picture it being adapted into a book or movie. In fact, if anyone reading this knows Pacthesis (or, better yet, is Pacthesis), I'd like to point out that the indie game Five Nights at Freddy's has already made such a transition, so it might be time to get an agent and/or publisher and claim some of that sweet, sweet Internet Money.

The characters are very distinct and fleshed out, each possessing flaws, passions, and quirks that come up again and again in both the cut-scenes and the dialog-trees. No two are interchangeable, and even characters with similar traits (weirdness, intelligence, shyness, etc.) express those traits in very different ways. This helps make the endings very satisfying and emotional, both in story-mode and free-mode.

I greatly enjoy how the plot itself isn't just flavor, but is instead used to showcase the characters' personalities by letting us see how they operate under pressure. Who takes charge? Who follows? Who tries to solve things by himself? I also like how every character's path ties into the game's over-arching theme of “Be Yourself, and Accept Others for Who They Are”, which is a good message. I do wish, however, that the dialog-trees were a little more synced up with the main story-line, since characters sometimes reference things that either haven't been introduced yet or were already solved.

The Art

Not only is the art well-drawn, but I'm very impressed by the level of effort that clearly went into it. Dialog is accompanied by a profile-picture with changing expressions, and the main part of the game features animated figures, decent backgrounds, and some very lovely CGs. I also like how the lighting changes from day to night, and the way inventory items appear in the backpack as actual items rather than just abstract icons of equal size. The music is fun, too.

The Gameplay

Number Days offers two modes of play: story-mode and free-mode. This makes it easier to go back and get alternate endings without the main plot getting in the way. Story-mode also offers chapter-select, and each section begins with helpful tips on how to play.

Like Cafe Rouge, much of the game involves wandering through the map, as opposed to just selecting a location and being magically teleported. Unlike Cafe Rouge, though, there is a handy mini-map to consult if you get lost. Also, as in MemoryDays and HeavenlyPlaygirl Dating Sim, characters' locations often change; however, the relocations are much more frequent and random, here, which can be very annoying when you need to find someone.

The classic Dating Sim Interactions of Talk/Gift/Date are all present and all affect the game, but with interesting side-effects that I won't discuss because of spoilers. There is also a point-and-click element of finding small objects scattered across the map, which presents an extra challenge. Strangely, there is also a set of...non-minigames? I'm not sure what to call them, since they're an activity that you can do to get tickets for prizes, but “playing” them really just amounts to rolling a die to see how well your character did. It took me a while to realize what was going on, and then, since I usually hate mini-games anyway, I wasn't sure how I should feel about it. Luckily, nothing about this section is truly necessary anyway, unless you really want to give your new friend an expensive present.

TL;DR

Two words: Magnum Opus. Number Days is one of the best games I've ever reviewed and may well be Pacthesis' crowning achievement. The plot and characters are well-developed, the art is lovely and brings the story to life, and the game-play is both elaborate and well-balanced. Most of Pacthesis' earlier games have struck me as being slightly experimental, and this game is where the previous experiments finally pay off.

What do you think, though? Does this game deserve all the happiness, or is its number up? The comment section is open today, with free admission and no height-restrictions!

Memory Days Sim Date

Author: Pacthesis

Availability: Free, Online/Browser-based

Format: Visual Novel/Dating Sim

Genre: School Romance

Rating: PG

Found at Pacthesisgames.com OR Simdategames.net

My Scores (out of 5):

Writing: 2

Art: 4

Gameplay: 3.8

Romance: 2.5 (“Middle of the road, maybe”)

Summary

In Memory Days Sim Date, you are Ai/Insert-Name-Here. You used to only come to West Cigam for the summer, but a change in your father's career has resulted in you moving here, permanently. Now, you have the opportunity to let those people you met in passing become friends...or more. What memories will you make, now?

Review

The Writing

Plot-wise, there isn't really a lot to this game; you just attend school and talk to boys until summer break comes. What makes this especially annoying is that the intro seems to tease so much more, with cryptic references to weird happenings in West Cigam, and a character whose cousin has gone missing. Unfortunately, the only “weirdness” that you get to actually see is a cameo by Xolga in one character's route. Even the theme of Memory seems a little bit shoe-horned to me, since while memories and making memories are frequently referenced in the dialog, there doesn't seem to really be any call for it: nobody is on a quest to remember or forget something, memories do not provide a key to any plot-point, nobody's personality is defined by a memory...it just seems to be rolled onto the game like a coat of paint.

The characters themselves have some pretty interesting drama in their back-stories, but these don't really come into play at all until the end of the game. The dialog in the talk options is mostly small-talk that doesn't really give more than a hint of their personalities, and the event scenes range from sweet to mundane. All in all, I find this to be Pacthesis' blandest work in terms of writing, with a lot of smoke but very little fire.

The Art

The drawing style is about on par with Pacthesis' other work, but what really makes the art here stand out is the extra effort put into the technical things like scenery changes, wardrobe changes, and animated bits. Guys will change their clothes depending on where they are, and the backgrounds will change with the seasons. You can even decorate your room a bit, which I thought was a nice touch. It's a very nice level of variety that most games don't usually have, and I greatly appreciate it.

The Gameplay

I get the impression, between the art and the gameplay, that this game was really more of a “technological experiment” of sorts, since it's very different from all of the author's earlier games and has a lot more moving parts. Guys change their locations every day, the shops change their wares every week, and it's actually possible to break up with a guy, after which you can't talk to him for a while. Also, your actions are limited not only by energy, but by mood, which almost prevents exploitation of the work-food mechanic. There is also a need to spend some time studying, since failing one of the periodic tests will result in a sharp drop in mood and energy.

The overall format is actually closer to a visual novel than a dating sim, since the relationships with the guys are based entirely on events fixed in time (and choices made at those events), while talking, gifts, and dating don't actually matter at all. Granted, having a good conversation with your guy (or going on a date) can boost your mood, but they do nothing to actually raise your relationship and can be safely ignored altogether. Mostly, you just need to go to the right location on the right day and take things from there.

TL;DR

Memory Days does have some impressive features, though the writing is pretty thin and, partly as a result of this, the gameplay seems to drag a little bit. I can't really call it a bad game, though, since it's very clear that a lot of effort was put into its creation and, in many areas, this effort pays off. It's a mixed bag in my opinion, but overall, I think it's worth checking out.

So, am I being too harsh on a good game, or too light on a bad game? Is this game a cherished memory, or just a weird thing best forgotten? Go ahead and tell me in the comments!

Memento Dears

Author: OtomePalace

Availability: Free, Online (Demo) / Free, Download (Full Version)

Format: Dating Sim / Visual Novel

Genre: School Romance

Rating: PG

Found at kongregate.com or deviantart.com

My Scores (Out of 5):

Writing: 4

Art: 3.8

Gameplay: 3.8

Romance: 3.5 (“Pretty good”)

Summary

In Memento Dears, you are Melodie. You've lost your memory after a mysterious hit-and-run, much to the consternation of your family and friends. As you try to put the pieces back together, you get the impression that something important happened with someone right before the accident...but who was it?

Review

The Writing

The writing is good, save for a few English errors here and there (such as “I too tired”). It's kind of ironic, considering that an early line of dialog has one character correcting another's grammar. Regardless, the story and characters are good, and the premise itself is very interesting.

What I really like is the strength and cohesion of the theme in this story: Bachelor #1 comes to strongly represent owning or clinging to one's past, while Bachelor #2 represents abandoning the past and embracing the future. It raises an interesting question: how important is the past? Granted, the hidden third Bachelor doesn't really fit as well into this theme; his story-arc is more about fear and bravery, and while one could argue that “bravery is needed to face the past/future, blah blah blah...” I just don't think it meshes all that well.

Also, the back-story does not change based on which course you take. I like that kind of consistency. I also like how different characters and paths contribute different pieces of the puzzle.

The Art

The art is anime/manga style and, while not flawless, it is rather decent. I like the quality and variety of the background music, and it's nice how the game uses sound-effects to let you know when something good or bad has happened.

The Gameplay

This game seems to perfectly illustrate the saying, “Aim for the moon: if you miss, you'll still land among the stars.” It's a very ambitious game, featuring stats, an explorable game-world, randomly-appearing characters, etc. In some ways, its complexity reminds me a little of Heartstring Bugs, especially since both are centered around a school. That being said, though, I do have a couple of major complaints.

The first and biggest flaw, in my eyes, is the Fake Gay Option. As I've said before: I have no problem with authors keeping it strictly dudes, but it's very infuriating to mislead your players (purposefully or accidentally) into thinking a NPC is obtainable when, in fact, she's not, and in a game this long, it's even more heinous. In the Stats page (more on that later), Suzie's relationship meter looks identical to those of the boys, even being marked with hearts at either end. We have the same talk/gift/invite options for her as we do for the guys, and in one outing scenario, she even asks “Is this a date?” and we have the option to respond “Yes”. What else is an unwary player supposed to think? Yet it isn't until the end of this very long game that we find out there is no ending with Suzie other than “You failed to get a guy. Your friend tries to cheer you up, but it just isn't the same.” At least Heartstring Bugs had a Best Friends Ending with the two girls that, while not romantic in the slightest, still provided a satisfying pay-off to all the time and energy invested in those relationships.

There are at least three better ways that this could have been handled:

1. Have a gay option
2. Make it clear from the interface that there is no gay option
3. Have a Platonic Best Friends ending.

Whatever you do, though, don't make the player completely waste her time.

My second-biggest complaint is the difficulty in finding the Stats and Inventory pages. I eventually found them in the Options tab, in the bottom of a locked filing cabinet stuck in a disused lavatory with a sign on the door saying “Beware of the Leopard”. The good news is that vital information like your energy-level and today's date are on the main game-screen, plain as day, so you're not completely flying blind.

Finally, I'm a little annoyed with how difficult it is to report back to the parents after I've purchased the items they sent me to get. It's the one instance where the “randomly-appearing characters” feature seems more frustrating than clever. Fortunately, it doesn't actually hurt the game in the long-run, since the amount of money involved is small and hardly missed, and interacting with the parents isn't really important otherwise.

Despite these flaws, I still found this game very enjoyable to play. Please note that it's apparently the first chapter of a series, although it stands alone just fine. I have not yet been able to track down any mention of the sequel, but I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for it.

TL;DR

Memento Dears has a lot going for it. The writing is good with a cohesive story and a strong use of its theme, the art and music are nice, and while the gameplay isn't perfect, it's still impressive in both what it does and what it tries to do. Overall, I strongly recommend playing this, and since the demo can be played online, you can try it yourself right now and see what you think.

In fact, what do you think? Does this game have a bright future, or is it something best left in the past? Share your thoughts and recollections in the comments!

Heart Rate Dating Sim

Author: Skye033

Availability: Free / Online

Format: Dating Sim

Genre: Humor / School Romance

Rating: Everyone

Found at www.bestonlinerpggames.com OR www.deviantart.com

My Scores (Out of 5):

Writing: 1.5

Art: 2

Gameplay: 2

Romance: 1 (“No Sale.”)

Summary

In Heart-Rate Dating Sim, you are...You. The bell has rung, and now you face a critical decision: go to class, or ditch school and head elsewhere?

Review

Writing

There isn't much to say about the writing, as there isn't much *to* the writing. It's pretty short, simple, and straight-forward. The “plot”, such as it is, is that you decide where to go, meet a boy, and try to persuade him to go out with you. I will say, however, that the title (and title-page) are very misleading as this game has nothing to do with hearts, heart-problems, hospitals, or even Love if you stop and think about it since the relationship only progresses as far as “What's your name? You're cute. Want to go out?”

Art

Well, the music is upbeat, and there are backgrounds. I don't really have any praise for the artwork, though I've definitely seen worse. Much worse.

Gameplay

This game is very quick to get through. There's no mucking about with stats, time-limits, or alternate paths; if you say the wrong thing, the game ends. That's it. Its simplicity is almost beautiful, actually.

TL;DR

Heart-Rate Dating Sim is definitely a “casual gaming” experience, as it doesn't really offer anything deep or innovative to the genre. It might be good for introducing someone to the concept of dating-sims, etc., as it is very brief and easy to understand, though I doubt more experienced players will get much out of it. It needs a different title, though, because come on.

Reverie: an Odd Sim Date

Author: Amiralo

Availability: Free, Online

Format: Dating Sim

Genre: Dream World / Surrealism

Rating: Teen

Found at: simdatinggames.com OR amiralo.deviantart.com

My Scores (out of 5):

Writing: 3.5

Art: 3

Gameplay: 2

Romance: 2.5 (Just one actual pairing, but darn it, I got misty-eyed)

Summary

In Reverie, you are Asuka, a high-school girl with so many problems at home that escaping into a dreamland seems like a good idea. However, once you find yourself *in* said dreamland, you decide you really ought to be heading home. Unfortunately, the inhabitants of this place are anything but helpful.

Review

The Writing

The English in this game is rife with grammatical errors and typos, which makes reading it a little bit of a chore. Speaking of difficulty in reading, there was also a struck-out passage in the intro which I just about went bonkers trying to decipher. Fortunately, the text is revealed in the end, although I still think its mysterious, taunting presence is some form of cruelty.

At first, I thought the story was just going in the direction of obvious wish-fulfillment for the player: you wake up in a fancy castle, are told you're the most important person in it, and some rich guy wants to shower you with attention and presents. However, it turns out to be much deeper than that: these things are really wish-fulfillment for the *character*, and not everything is as nice as it appears to be. The story is almost as dark and depressing as Saccharine, with themes of persevering in the face of disappointment and disillusionment.

The Art

The quality of the art varies. When we first see Asuka in her new bedroom, the detail and cool palette were so lovely that I was quite caught off-guard. However, this level of artwork isn't maintained throughout the entire game, and I was frankly disappointed in the “serene place” to which the duke takes Asuka. Backgrounds aside, props must be given to the creatively surreal character designs of Joker and the nightmare monster, whose appearances are not merely strange, but highlight the unreality of the place.

The Gameplay

Argh. Where do I begin? Well, the good news, first: The game doesn't appear to have any critical glitches, save for a suspicious moment when I could have sworn that Joker gave me a knife, yet my attempts at attacking the day-10 monster immediately afterward resulted in the message that I “tried to attack it bare-handed.” Oh, yes, you can be attacked by monsters in this game, and while the shopkeeper NPC states that you can't actually die, the effect is still the same.  Also, the "play music" button causes the soundtrack to irritatingly overlap itself if pressed more than once, but that slight problem is both easily solved and easily ignored.

The main thing that bothers me about the gameplay is that the game itself tries to discourage you from exploring (characters tell you not to, monsters attack if you enter the wrong rooms, and then after you die, the game chides you for wandering around), yet exploring is absolutely necessary. There is no map in the game; there are no indications of what a given door could lead to, and there is nothing that can be done in the bedroom except sleeping and checking the inventory.  The danger, while potentially interesting, is handled very unfairly, especially since once you've accidentally stumbled across a monster, you have virtually zero chance of escaping unless you had the good fortune to stumble across the shopkeeper first and stock up on items. It isn't even possible to back out of a monster's room once you've realized where you are: you can only go forward, wincing even as you push the button because you know this thing will want chocolate and you only have the roses and WHY IS NAVIGATING THIS PLACE SO HARD?!

The other major complaint I have has to do with the help document. Many games include such a thing, and that is fine...provided it's easily accessible at the beginning of the game. This game's help document can only be found if you stumble into the right room, despite the fact that the game itself apparently doesn't want you to explore. Once found, it tells you that there is a specific, recommended order to courting the guys, and it gives you *vital* information regarding their endings. So, good thing you explored after all, I guess.

Despite these major flaws, the game isn't actually unplayable. Still, you will need a good memory for navigating all those doors, and there's a non-zero chance that you'll have to completely start over when you were just within inches of victory. It's beatable, but also frustrating at times.

TL;DR:

Reverie is a dark, tricky game with spotty English that, nevertheless, tells a decent story. It has a lot of interesting ideas, some of which could have probably been executed better, and it's worth checking out if you can put up with a few head-desk inducing game-over situations.  

As usual, this is merely one girl's opinion.  You might think this the game of your dreams, or a nightmarish monstrosity.  Feel free to let your mind wander in the comments.

Saccharine: a Misleading Sim Date

Author: Amiralo

Availability: Free, Online

Format: Dating Sim

Genre: Fantasy

Rating: Teen

Found at: simdatinggames.com OR amiralo.deviantart.com

My Scores (out of 5):

Writing: 3.5

Art: 3.5

Gameplay: 2.5

Romance: 1 (As close to an anti-romance as you can get without being “I Want to be Single”)

Ladies and Gentlemen, the Girl Game Review is back, and the first game we're serving up is Saccharine.

Summary

In Saccharine, you are Branwen: a mysterious, pale woman who comes to the pastel-colored kingdom of Cadille with the hopes of hiding a wanted fugitive; and if that plan happens to involve winning over the prince of this cake-loving kingdom, then so be it. Be warned, though, that this is not your typical, sugary dating sim.

Review

The Writing

Let me say up front that this is the darkest dating-game I've played to date (pun not intended), and that is including the games with vampires and magic powered by forsaken children. The game warns the player up front that it is a “misleading sim date”, and that...might actually be a good way to put it. At the risk of spoiling too much, this almost seems to be an anti-dating-game, the way its story unfolds and twists.

While there are a few grammatical issues sprinkled here and there (such as a person called "Women 1" stating “If I hadn't already marry Matthew..."), the story itself is interesting and nuanced, with satisfyingly individual and distinct characters. Also, I like how enough hints of the world—its culture, history, etc.—are given to make it seem to “bleed off the page”, as they say. It's nice when a fantasy story feels like it has a larger world to live in.

The Art

The art-style is interesting in that the characters have a hand-drawn look, while the backdrops seem to be painted with water-colors. This, combined with the long, thin style of the characters and the haunting, music-box-like background music, fits very well with the tone of the story, I think. That said, I like how there's a noticable difference in both body and face-shape between Branwen and the innkeeper; she adds a nice bit of visual variety without actually breaking the asthetic.

There are rough, un-colored chibis in some of the cut-scenes, and I leave it to others to decide whether this is in keeping with the hand-made look, or merely suggests that the creator was phoning it in for these parts. Personally, I didn't really mind it much, and I found the chibi drawing of Branwen with a bag over her head to be hilarious. The other scenes can be quite beautiful, though certainly not perfect, and I have to admit that the first time I saw Branwen, I didn't realize her eyelids were closed and I thought she was staring out at me with blank, dead eyes. It was rather unnerving.

The Gameplay

This game has an enforced linear gameplay, meaning that you cannot pursue bachelor #2 until you win bachelor #1. This would probably be more annoying if this were a regular dating sim, since offering a variety of guys to suit players' different tastes is part of the point. Even so, the way it's executed (with a note in the help screen telling you that you need cheatcodes) is very bald, and could probably have been handled more subtly. For example, some games (such as Fantasia: Requiem of the Abyss) just quietly unlock the new content after you've achieved whatever goal the author has set. Still others (like Frozen Essence) enable all the paths from the beginning anyway, letting the player assemble the full story themselves in whatever order their play-throughs happen to be in. I'm not saying the use of cheatcodes and such is wrong, mind you; just that it's possible to blend things more neatly into the game without breaking the fourth wall.

Subtlety aside, there are a few genuine complaints I have about the gameplay: first, it took me a while to realize that, in order to start the game and progress through certain scenes, I had to click on a gem. It would have been helpful to have this icon labelled the first time we see it. In far worse need of labeling, however, are the cakes and recipes for sale in the shop. It was very frustrating to finally earn enough gold to buy a certain cake, only to discover I'd purchased the wrong one. It'd be one thing if I were having to choose between a watch and a bowling-pin, but when discerning the flavors of cakes, one can really only go by the coloring, and even that's iffy. It's even worse for the recipes, which are identical except for their almost-arbitrary colors. (Sure, blue makes sense for blueberry...until you realize there's a second shade of blue in that lineup.) Also, there is a bug where trying to feed Isador a cake you don't have will result in you having a negative number of cakes.

One thing I did like, however, is that the gifts were woven naturally into the dialog so that you couldn't progress until you'd gotten the right thing. This kept the gift mechanic from feeling unnecessary or hack-y. I was annoyed, though, that Branwen told the Prince she'd eaten a cake when it was clearly still sitting in her inventory. (Then again, she does lie, so maybe this was in-character?) In fact, there is no mechanic for eating in the game, and while there doesn't really have to be, I was sort of expecting an eat-for-hp system like in Festival Days and a few others. Ah, well.

Another thing I like is the game-changing moment half-way through, where you get the opportunity to play match-maker for a couple of side-characters. Choosing one option can affect your income at work, while the other can affect the prices you pay at the shop. It's a nice way to let the player have more impact on the game's world, and it's also nice to be able to give someone a shot at hapiness.

TL;DR

Saccharine is a dark, anti-dating-sim set in a world of cakes and pastels. The story is a little depressing, and the music and hand-made-looking art fit the overall tone. The game forces you to play in a certain order, and while there are a few bugs and frustrating bits, it's perfectly playable. On the whole, I think it's worth checking out, provided you're fed up with sweetness and in the mood for something sad.

Of course, this is all my opinion: you might want to eat this game up, or hack it into bits. Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments.

Hetalia Dating Sim: Canada

Author: Anicosu
Availability: Free, Online
Format: Dating Sim
Genre: Fan Work, Anthropomorphism
Rating: E (DeviantArt vesion) / M (Newgrounds version)

Found at http://www.deviantart.com/

Note: this review will only cover (and link to) the all-ages version.

My scores (out of 5):

Writing: 3
Art: 4.9
Gameplay: 3
Romance: 2.5 ("Cute!")

Summary

In Hetalia Dating Sim: Canada, you are insert-name-here.  Your room-mate, Alfred/America, has talked you into going on a blind date with his brother Matthew/Canada, and if that sounds at all strange, then I should back up a little and explain that this game is a fan work based on Axis Powers Hetalia.  For those who don't know, Hetalia is a manga (and an anime) in which all of the characters are actually countries, so their personalities are based on national stereotypes.  If the thought of dating an entire country intimidates you, just think of him as an extremely polite hockey-fan and you'll be fine.

Review

The Writing

Since I have only a passing familiarity with Hetalia, it's difficult for me to say exactly how much this game succeeds at emulating the source material.  However, everything about it does remind me very strongly of the Hetalia strips I've read.  Even the English, which I tend to get very fussy about, has the same not-wrong-but-not-quite-natural-in-some-way-I-can't-peg feel of a translated Manga, although I can't say for sure if that's deliberate.  What I can say for sure, though, is that this is very cute, and Matthew's personality absolutely shines through in every line he speaks or thinks.  (Of course, if a greater Hetalia fan wants to say that he's completely out of character here, then I shall amend that to this Matthew's personality shines through.)

The Art

The art is outstanding.  Let me repeat that: the art is outstanding!  Something holds me back from giving it a perfect 5, but doing so almost feels like a crime.  The game is beautifully animated, with head-tilts and trembles and little gestures that define the character as strongly as his dialog does: in a scene where he is working up the nerve to kiss you, he is trembling while standing still.  Even the background is animated, featuring a lively conversation taking place behind Matthew during your date.  It's a stunning reminder of how big a role art can play in telling a story

There's probably no need to say that the art is manga-influenced; specifically, it tries to copy the look of Hetalia, and I think it succeeds.  The music is also very nice, and I like the fact that we can tweak what our heroine looks like.  Overall, I give the art a standing ovation.

The Gameplay

Hilariously enough, I think this is the first dating sim I've played that actually simulates being on a date.  Oh, other games have a "date" function, but the focus is always on building the relationship up to and past that point, and the dates themselves are usually just a basic talk/kiss/gift system at most.  Here, the entire game is set around going into a restaurant with a man and trying to keep a conversation going without accidentally offending or alienating him, much like an actual date.

The game is very good about giving you feedback on your dialog choices.  Not only does a pink/blue meter in the corner track how well the date is going, but you are also able to see Matthew's thoughts sometimes as he reacts to your comments and questions.  It not only reflects the game's manga roots, but also lets you see just why one choice might have been better than another.

The date ends rather abruptly, though, with a bit of narration giving a brief run-down of how the rest of the evening went.  It's rather jarring, and feels like it's just quitting in the middle.  Also, regardless of how well or poorly your date goes, there are only two endings: success or failure.  Well, to be fair, there are technically three or four endings, since if you get success, you can choose how to react to Matthew's request to kiss you.  That's about it, though.

The Romance

It's hard for me to say how romantic this game is, since while Matthew is an adorable sweetie, you're only playing through a first date with a stranger (and half a date, at that).  This is the part where you're feeling each other out, trying to see if it'll be worth going on a second date.  There's no epic, love-at-first-sight soul-mating going on; no dashing heroes saving winsome damsels, no troubled or lost souls redeemed by love.  It's rather low key, and I guess more realistic--considering the fact that you're dating the nation of Canada.

TLDR

This game is an excellent work of fan-art, with stunning art-work, cute writing, and gameplay that actually simulates dating (however briefly).  Players not familiar with Axis Powers Hetalia might be a little bit confused by some details, but they certainly won't be left out in the snow.  This is one of those games that would-be creators should study, especially since it shows how art and animation can do the same job as writing in some places.

Of course, all of this is only my personal opinion.  You might think this game is sweeter than maple syrup, or you might want to Blame Canada.  Feel free to speak your mind in the comments.

Spring Ball Trouble

Author: Oliko
Availability: Free, Online
Format: Dating Sim
Genre: School Romance
Rating: E

Found at www.deviantart.com  OR www.cutiepiegames.com

My Scores (Out of 5):

Writing: 2.5

Art: 3

Gameplay: 2.5

Romance: 2.5 (Mostly Harmless)

Summary

In Spring Ball Trouble, you are Eileen.  You've just moved to a new town, which means you're transferring schools 3 days before the Spring Ball.  That's not a lot of time to find a suitable date, but fortunately, the school's social expert Wendy has offered to help you find the boy of your dreams.

Review

The Writing

I was a little bit distracted by the idea of a school having an actual ball as opposed to just a prom or school dance.  Still, it's a pretty cute story.  The characters are only types: the jock, the gamer, the evil cheerleader, etc.  Given the shortness of the game, this flatness isn't a necessarily a bad thing.  It's further excused by the fact that three days is not a lot of time to get to know someone, so a person's looks and interests really are the things that would be most prominent.

The Art

The art in this game is very cute, if a bit static. Characters' poses and expressions never change.  They're easy on the eyes, though, which is important in games of this type.  Also, it was a bit jarring when the music suddenly started playing after the intro.

The Gameplay

The mechanics of this game are a bit different from other dating sims I've played.  Instead of targeting one character and either succeeding or failing, you are forced to interact with all of them and are given an ending based on who you have the highest score with.  This means that you pretty much have to go out of your way in order to actually lose.  

My biggest complaint is that there are too many unskippable cut-scenes, including multiple scenes where Wendy drags you over to see a guy who turns out not to be there.  While this part may reflect real life, as people don't always show up where you'd expect them to, it's a bit of a waste of time.  While can be tolerable on the first play-though, it makes replay a bit of a drag.

The Romance

Like I said, the characters are pretty one-note and match up to generic types.  It's good for a short time-passer, but not exactly the stuff of romantic ballads.  If anything, it comes across as a sort of personality quiz.

TLDR

Spring Ball Trouble is a short and cute bit of fluff worth at least one play-through.  It has its charm, and while a couple of things could perhaps be improved, it could certainly be a lot worse.  It's an interesting diversion if you're looking for something to do.

Mind you, this is all just my personal opinion.  You may have a ball with this game, or you may think it's nothing but trouble.  Feel free to spring your opinions on me in the comments.

Lunar Days Sim Date

Author: Pacthesis
Availability: Free, Online
Format: Dating Sim
Genre: Fantasy
Rating: PG
My Scores: (Writing: 3, Art: 3, Gameplay: 3.5) out of 5

Found at  http://www.deviantart.com OR http://www.bestonlinerpggames.com

Summary

Lunar Days Sim Date has nothing to do with werewolves, despite what the name and the sillouhette on the title card might lead you to believe.  In Lunar Days Sim Date, you are Karina/Insert-Name-Here.  After a recurring dream leads you to a magical book, you find yourself transported to a strange world populated by humans and cat-people, where a green moon shines during the season-long night.  Since the book's magic only works during the full moon, it will be a while before you can return home.  But once the time comes, will you even want to?

Review

The Writing:

I really like the setting Pacthesis has created here.  While the story itself is relatively simple, and the premise is similar to Dating Sim Academy in that you are magically whisked to a strange land of animal-people for no adequately explained reason, the world and the characters in it give this game its life.  We are given glimpses of racial tension and its effects on the people of this world, and glimpses of what it means to have night and day pass like seasons instead of hours.  It makes me want to see more of this setting.  This could easily be re-used as the backdrop of a movie, or a novel, or even another several dating sims, and it wouldn't feel old. There is much to explore here, and if Pacthesis doesn't choose to do so, then I hope that she gives the fans her blessing and that someone takes up this torch.

Story-wise, however, this isn't really Pacthesis' strongest work, although it's still quite good.  The introduction sequence starts out a little cliched, but then, after the book is opened, does a very good job at drawing the player in.  The characters have distinguishable personalities, and some have interesting secrets.  Sadly, the dialogue has a smattering of typos and mistakes here and there, but at least it's nothing that will ruin the gameplay.

Also, this is the second time I've given a more conservative age-ranking than the official one; the author bills this as an "all ages" game, but I felt that some of the flirting in the dialogue was a wee bit too saucy to be truly "all ages".  Yes, I am hyper-conservative and picky about everything, which I hope you'll always keep in mind when reading these reviews.

The Art:

All of the backgrounds are filtered stock-photos.  This is an accepted convention among makers of free dating games, but I did miss having a drawn background.  To me, the scenes set in our world looked a bit tacky, although for the emerald world, it worked much better.  

What is drawn is mostly okay.  It does get off-model quite a bit, though there are some very good bits also.  There's some nice animation peppered in the game, and the music is appropriately eerie.  I also like the changing profile picture in the HP meter.  Lastly, gifts given to the characters appear in their rooms, which was a nice touch.

The Gameplay:

This game does things a little differently than Pacthesis' previous works.  For one thing, it doesn't show you any numbers.  Your character has no stats to build up, so which job you work depends on how much HP you want to spend.  As for HP, while certain interactions are said to cost a certain amount, your only clue about how much HP you have is the round meter in the corner which shows you how tired you are.  This means it will take a while to figure out how much you can get done in a day.  On the other hand, often-meaningless numbers for relationship points have been replaced with words like "Acquaintance", "Friend", or "Soulmate", making it much easier to understand where you are with a person.

Rather than a mini-map, the game puts you in the world and lets you wander, like in Cafe Rouge.  This heightens the sense of immersion, but can also cause a little frustration as you try to remember where you are and how to get to where you want to go.  On the plus side, there are multiple places where you can rest, meaning that you might not have to trot quite so far; and usually, once you've reached the Friend level with a person, you can rest at their house, saving yourself a trip altogether.

It's very difficult to actually lose this game, since generally, even if you fail to win the person of your dreams, you'll still get a nice surprise once you get home.  This makes failure almost as much fun as success.  The good news is that clicking on the moon when you're resting skips you forward to the last day, making it easier to see every possible ending.

TLDR:

Lunar Dating Sim isn't really Pacthesis' strongest work, although it's still good.  The world she builds here is exquisite, and I wish I could someday see more of it.  The art leaves a bit to be desired and the gameplay tries new things.  Overall, this is a fun game, and very much worth playing.  Also, there are no werewolves.

This is, naturally, all the opinion of one person.  You yourself may think this game is the cat's meow, or you may think it needs to be banished from this world.  Feel free to discuss your own opinion on the comments. :)

Heavenly Playgirl Dating Sim

Author: TopazShrine
Availability: Free, Online
Format: Dating Sim
Genre: Supernatural
Rating: Teen
My Scores: (Writing: 3, Art: 3, Gameplay: 3) out of 5

Found at http://www.deviantart.com/ OR http://www.datingsims.net/

Summary

In Heavenly Playgirl Dating Sim, you are Faith/Insert-Name-Here Allgood.  Yes, you can change your first name, but not your last.  Anyway, you've grown so disgusted with your father's womanizing ways, that' you've left home and moved to Heavenly Hills...only to learn that you've grown up to be just like him.  Now, after a car accident that should have been lethal, God has seen fit to give you a second chance: You have five weeks to atone for all the hearts you've broken and find true love.  So, get cracking!

Review

The Writing:

This was an interesting story, and I like how the threads of all the different characters tie in to the main plot.  Major brownie points are given for the sense of cohesion, there.  Also, I appreciate the message that shallow and unfaithful people exist in both genders, and that both men and women have real feelings: the protagonist's original notion of "Guys only date for fun" doesn't fly, and her behavior is considered no less awful than how her father treated her mother.  There's some good substance, here.

Unfortunately, the English is rather painful in spots.  The author does apologize for this beforehand, and for the most part, it's manageable; but there were a couple lines that made me ask "What did I just read?".  Also, this game commits the sin of having similar dialogue options.  Authors, if you're going to have one dialogue choice be right and one be wrong, then please don't make one a rearranged version of the other.  When both options seem like they should work, it kills the suspension of disbelief when only one does.  Granted, there can be times when "How should I say this?" is a valid question, but such a choice can easily be frustrating unless the author really knows what they're doing.  If you're writing in a language that you don't have absolute mastery over, then don't even touch that question with a ten-foot pole.

The Art:

The art isn't perfect, but it's still quite nice, and some bits are downright lovely.  I liked the angles and use of closeups in the intro, and the autumn leaves were a nice tone-setting detail. The music is a little 'plinky' to me, but that could just be my taste.  I will say, though, that I absolutely hate the protagonist's outfit, and I'm not too fond of Sergio's either; it's as if they decided to wear all of their clothes at once.  Still, at least the other guys are easy to look at.

The Gameplay:

I must applaud TopazShrine's efforts at mixing things up.  The boys don't stay in one spot everyday; rather, much like people living in a town, they visit different locations at different parts of the week.  Church on Sunday, School on Monday, Movies on the weekend... It not only makes the game more alive and believable, but it also adds an element of challenge; especially since some of these locations can only be reached by taking the bus for 2 coins.  (Also, I very much appreciate the fact that talking to an unattainable shop-keeper NPC doesn't waste valuable HP).

Breaking the Food->HP->Job->Money->Food system also takes a lot more effort than in some of the other games reviewed on this blog.  Suffice it to say, you won't be getting all of the guys maxed out on day 1.  Much of this is because of a stat called Work Fatigue, which keeps you from spamming the work button forever even when you have leftover HP.

Even if you do get to a point where you have enough HP to do a month's work in a day's time, it won't do you much good.  Success with the boys depends on witnessing their events, and you only get one event each week.  This kind of forces the player to play at the game's intended pace, and I'm not sure how I feel about that.

TLDR:

TopazShrine calls this her first serious project.  For a first, it's very good, and it's clear that a lot of effort was put into making this.  While Heavenly Playgirl Dating Sim isn't perfect, it does a lot well and is a surprisingly strong piece.  

Of course, this is all my opinion.  You may think this game is just heavenly, or you might think it deserves an eternity in limbo.  Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments. ^_^

Heartstring Bugs

Author: VenusEclipse

Availability: Free, Download

Format: Dating Sim / Raising Sim

Genre: School Romance / Sci-Fi

Rating: Teen

My Scores: (Writing: 4.5, Art: 4, Gameplay: 4) out of 5

Found at http://www.unbrokenhours.com/ 

Summary:

In Heartstring Bugs, you are Elly/Insert-Name-Here. It's your second year of high-school, and you suddenly find yourself the protector of a baby computer virus who has come to Earth to do a report. This virus, named Vi, has hacked your DNA so that you can now see colors representing people's emotions and attractiveness. Needless to say, high-school just got a lot more interesting.

Review:

The Writing:

There's an old saying which goes “God is in the detail.” While many other games have a high-school as the setting, this one stands out for making that setting come to life. This isn't just another dating sim with uniforms and classroom backdrops; in Heartstring Bugs, you'll find yourself dealing with everything from grades, to parents, to parties, to bullies, to people obsessed with sparkly vampires. The various random events further heighten the experience, making it feel like days in the life of a high-schooler. It all feels so real, aliens and rock-stars notwithstanding.

What's more, the characters themselves are rich and full of dimension. They're more than just your standard high-school types, such as jock, nerd, or cheerleader: each character, whether a datable boy or just one of Elly's friends, has one or two quirks that go against all expectation, and a personality that really brings that character to life. I found myself becoming emotionally invested in every path I followed, including the girls' friendship storylines, and feeling for every character. What's more, these characters don't just fade into the background until you pick one to focus on: their personalities shine through every time they appear on the set, and if you know what to look for, you can spot cryptic allusions to the secrets and drama of their storylines.

I must also salute the makers for choosing to set this piece in Canada. As I've mentioned before, certain cultures seem to dominate the playing-field when it comes to settings for visual novels and dating sims. Maybe this is finally changing. Anyway, this game does as good a job of immersing us in Canada as it does of immersing us in high-school, with Thanksgiving in October, provincial exams, and a newcomer being unused to the cold. As far as I can tell, they forgot to mention poutine and hilariously high taxes; but then, you can't have everything.

The Art:

The art in this game is quite good, and some of the CGs are absolutely scrumptious. The music is also nice, and I like the fact that every character has their own leitmotif. Even more, I like the fact that this game takes a common artistic convention and turns it into the story's premise: not only do you see pink bubbles around someone pretty and black lines behind someone nervous, but the protagonist herself sees them, too.

There is one annoying issue, though: before playing this game, you have to make sure your graphics drivers are completely updated. Otherwise, you may experience some frustrating graphics glitches that can make the game very hard to play. It's a major nuisance, but at least the author addresses this issue on the game's website, and once it's fixed, it shouldn't bother you again.

The Gameplay:

The gameplay method of choosing a week's worth of activities in order to change stats and stress brings to mind Princess Maker (and other games based thereon). Since Heartsting Bugs covers three years, it's certainly a lot shorter than, say, Prince Maker: Braveness. Allowing for failed activities, this three-year span seems to be enough to get your stats where they need to be, with the third year being mostly superfluous (much like in real high-school!).

I like how when shopping, different clothes are available at different seasons. Not only does it kind of mirror the way fashion changes in real life, but it adds an extra element of challenge, since in this game, what you wear matters. I also love the outfit system: certain items, when worn together, give your look a theme which may appeal to your boy or repulse him, depending on his tastes. What's more, tossing a jacket over your outfit can change its look completely, meaning you'll probably end up trying everything with everything else at least once, just to see what happens.

This game hits all three points of the Dating Sim Trinity: Talking, Gifts, and Dating; but it weaves them in very naturally. At any time, you might bump into someone at school or while out and about and be able to talk to them; and of course, there's always the chit-chat that happens on a date. Gifts come up on birthdays and at Christmas. Once you know someone well enough, they give you their number, and then you can call them up ask them out; they might say yes or no, and depending on how close you are, they might even call you. The whole system is very organic, and puts as much emphasis on your impression of a person as on that person's impression of you, making this the most natural and lifelike dating sim I have ever reviewed since starting this blog.

TLDR:

Heartstring Bugs is amazingly true to life, despite its supernatural/sci-fi elements. The characters are believable as people, and their problems are handled plausibly. The art could be just a little bit tighter in places, but it still manages to hit the high-notes, and the game is so rich and nuanced that it really puts the “simulation” in Dating Simulation. With at least 5 guys and a lot of surprises, this is one game that you'll want to play over and over. I actually want to thank the folks at Unbroken Hours for making this, and for making it free. If the art were just a wee bit tighter, I'd say sell it and make a fortune.

As usual, this is all my opinion, and we may have different tastes. You might think this game is Cute and Sexy, or Bizarre and Awful. Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments. :)

Kaleidoscope Dating Sim 2

Author: Bomee, Mayuiki and Kyo
Availability: Free, Online/Browser
Format: Dating Sim
Genre: Supernatural / Dream World
Rating: PG
My Scores: (Writing: 2.5, Art: 5, Gameplay: 2.5) out of 5

Found at http://nummyz.com/ OR http://www.newgrounds.com

Summary:

In Kaleidoscope Dating Sim 2, a gender-flipped sequel to Kaleidoscope Dating Sim, you are Soffie.  Once fond of singing, you became mute at the age of five and thus started retreating into a dream-world in your head.  One day, a fortune-teller gave you a magic potion.  You drank it, and now you've found yourself in the dream world!  You have 30 days to find a soul-mate here. If you succeed, you'll return to reality with your voice back.  If you fail, you'll become a dream soul and be trapped here forever.

Review:

Writing:

I wasn't too sure what score to give this at first.  On the one hand, I certainly can't accuse the writing of being too sparse on details.  Also, the characters are sufficiently different from each other in terms of personalities and "voice", which is important in a dating sim.  You'd be able to tell Gabe from Cero even if you couldn't see who was talking.  (Fun fact: Cero, winnable here, is also the protagonist of the prequel to this game).

The plot itself is a bit baroque, but whether this is a good thing or a bad thing may simply be a matter of taste.  There are a lot of different elements cobbled together, both in the intro and, to a lesser extent, in the love-interests' story-lines.  To someone like me, it can seem a bit overly much.  Unlike Winter Dance Sim Date, though, these odd bits aren't merely blurted and forgotten; they get brought up again in dialogue, and overall, it's hard to point out anything as completely irrelevant.  If anything, I'd say this game tries to cram a novel's worth of plot and characterization into something the size of a short story, and the result is that bits are sticking out every which way.  Of course, this style may have as many fans as it does detractors, and I've graded according to my own personal taste.

Art:

The art in this game is amazing!  There's something very life-like about the characters.  The expressions are subtle and nuanced, and there's a bit of animation that breathes further life into them with blinking and facial twitches.  Also, the backgrounds are nice, and the music is gentle and ambient.

Gameplay:

Mini-games again.  Urgh.  At first, I though "Oh, good!  All the mini-games have been neatly swept into a corner so I don't have to bother with them."  Well, that is not true.  Unlike many dating sims with currency involved, there is no job mechanism in Kaleidoscope 2.  The closest you can get is picking mushrooms in the forest to sell, but you are only allowed to do so once per day.  This means that you will have to play the mini-games.

And you will have to play the mini-games, because this game puts a really high emphasis on buying presents. In order to get the best ending for a character, you have to buy ALL of the types of presents that they like.  Each character has, I think, five gifts that you'll need to purchase for them, and the shop has about eighteen items to choose from.  While a couple of items can be intuited (I was able to figure out who would have a need for spray-paint, and it's a fair assumption that the articles of women's clothing are for one character in particular), the rest are found by trial and error (or by looking up a useful walkthrough on DeviantArt).  As with Re: Allistair, it's a bit frustrating in that you need to buy certain items but are not given enough clues on what to buy.  It'd be nice if there were hints dropped in dialogue or something.

Also, I am not a fan of the soul doors.  In most dating sims that I've seen, you're given a choice of locations to visit, and generally, there's one person who is always at that location.  Usually, these locations are "dressed up" somehow: it's the person's home, or their workplace, or a place they visit often.  It's woven into the story.  In Kaleidoscope 2, however, the notion of "Go Here to Visit X" is completely reduced to just that.  "Okay," the game says, "Do you want the person behind Door #1, Door #2, or Door #3?"  For all the details that went into the intro, this whole bit with the doors just seems too bald.

So why did I not give the gameplay a 1?  Because for all its mini-gaming faults, this is actually a very well-balanced dating sim.  The 30 day time-limit is neither overly long nor overly short for all the things you have to do. This also seems to be the first dating sim I've played where the dialog, gifts and dating all matter.  You do need the gifts in order to get the best ending, but in order to reach any kind of ending with the characters at all, you have to build up the relationship enough to be able to choose them.  You can't just spam one interaction until the game ends.  Also, if you're fond of the mini-games, it's fairly easy to win enough money to try the spaghetti-at-the-wall method of gift-buying; so that balances out, too.  It's just a shame, then, that I really do not like having to play stupid mini-games.

TLDR:

This game is interesting.  It's very well-balanced, but could probably benefit from a job activity that isn't limited to one turn per day.  The story, in my opinion, tries to do too much at once, but some may actually find this a plus.  The art is definitely the best component of the whole game, and I give it a standing ovation.

So what do you think?  Is this game a sweet dream or a nightmare?  Feel free to voice your opinion in the comments.

My Sunshine

Author: YavMamemo

Availability: Free, Online/Browser

Format: Dating Sim

Genre: Summer Romance

Rating: Everyone

My Scores: (Writing: 3, Art: 3.5, GamePlay: 2.5)

Found at http://www.girlsandgamez.com/ OR http://www.deviantart.com/

Summary:

In My Sunshine, you are Alice. After four years of being separated from your best childhood friend, You have come to Sunshine Harbor to reconnect. Your friend has invited you to a party she is throwing in 30 days, but since it's a couples' costume party, you'll need to find a date!

Review:

Writing:

This game is definitely meant to be light-hearted fluff. There's no major, epic drama going on here. However, the characters knowing and talking about each other still gives this piece a very nice sense of consistency, giving the sense that this is a world and not just a series of unrelated characters and locations. You're in your old town for the summer, meeting up with familiar faces and some new ones, and the game does a good job of getting that across.

I sort of like how the author tried to weave the game instructions into the dialog, having Alexa tell you about the party instead of just sticking a note to the player in front of the game. It's a neat idea, but I don't think it was pulled off all that well; so much of what was said sounded a little bit like "As You Know", though maybe that's just the result of many hours wasted on TVTropes affecting my mind. Regardless, some of the opening dialog just didn't seem quite natural.

Art:

Speaking of not seeming quite natural, I'm not quite sure how I feel about the art in this game. It seems to be well done, but the style -- Western, slightly 3D with soft outlines-- just seems a little bit uncanny-valley to me. Maybe it's just the result of getting so acclimated to anime/manga style art in most of these games; I don't know. All I know is that it looks fairly well done, but something about it put me off when I first saw it.

Gameplay:

I hate mini-games. Did I mention that I hate mini-games? I do. So here's my reactions when I discovered:

1) Working a job requires earning points on a mini-game.

Me: *groan*.

2)Playing the minigame requires switching from the mouse to the keyboard

Me: "Say wha--?!"

3)After all that, the minigame doesn't even work anyway.

Me: "DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!!"

4) #1-3 is true for every. single. job.

Me: ............ (Response omitted)

Yes, this game is broken. What makes the working-bug worse is that unlocking one of the boys requires a swimsuit, which requires money. However, the reason I didn't give the gameplay a 1 is that, despite this bug, the game is still playable; it's relatively easy to find a cheat that will give you $1000, and the other two boys are still available regardless.

EDIT: Apparently, other people are able to play the mini-games just fine. I'll have to see if there's a problem with my computer. In the meantime, an extra half point has been awarded in good faith.

One other thing that annoyed me is that sleeping forces you to wait for 10 seconds before continuing the game. There is a star-moving-around sticker-type thing that you can do while waiting, but I find it to be pointless and not very fun, and having to wait 10 seconds every single time you progress through a day -- for 30 days -- just seems like cruelty.

TLDR:

This game isn't very deep, but it doesn't need to be. It's light and fluffy, but still cohesive and tells a story. It has its flaws, and a major part of the game itself is broken, but regardless, it's still playable, and a fun way to waste an afternoon.

Of course, this is all just my opinion. Feel free to spout your own in the comments. ^_^

Love and Order

Author: ? (Seriously, why is it so hard to find credits for these things? If this were my game, I'd want my name all over it!)
Availability: Demo/$19.99 Full Version, Download
Format: Management Sim / Dating Sim
Genre: Mystery / Workplace Romance
Rating: Teen
My Scores: (Writing: 4, Art: 4.9, Gameplay: 4) out of 5

Found at http://www.otomegames.com or http://www.winterwolves.com/

Summary:

In Love and Order, you are Dana Larose, a young woman who just started work as a secretary for the understaffed Crown Attorney's office in a small district in Montreal. In addition to your demanding job and cute coworkers, there's a very mysterious case file that draws your attention.

Review:

Writing:

Right away, I found things to love in this game. It's set in Canada, which is a nice and original change from the usual settings (see other reviews for more ranting on the subject), and enough flavor is given that this actually seems like "Canada" and not "Japan with a name-change". So hooray for that! Also, I liked the little rip-off of the "Law & Order" intro. It was silly, but I liked it.

The game proper made me feel like I was actually in an attorney's office. Granted, I know very little about law and how law offices actually work, so take that assessment with a grain of salt. Still, it was more than enough for my Suspension of Disbelief to work with. What's more, I found it hilarious and, in a way, realistic how the cases your office was handling weren't glamorous cases like "The People vs. Bob 'The Decapitator' McKiller" or "The People vs. Bob McWronglyAccusedForMurderButNobodyBelievesHimNotEvenHisMother". Instead, your office handles cases like "Man accused of harassing chickens." Ladies and gentlemen, the legal system at work.

Art:

The art here is very good and well drawn, though maybe the border lines around two of the boys' hair could use a little cleaning up. The "Change location" screen contains a map that's justified in-game, which I thought was a very nice touch. Also, you can change outfits, which is somewhere between nice and pointless.

Gameplay:

Having only played the demo, I'm reluctant to give an official score on the gameplay, but what I've seen so far impresses me. You can request assignments, and sometimes opportunities for new assignments will be given to you. Doing more tasks means getting more money, but it also means more stress which can mean screwing up and failing the task altogether. It's very well balanced, I think.

The one thing that concerns me is the replay value. From what I can tell, the mystery seems pretty straight forward and linear, which means once that's solved, it probably won't need to be solved again. As for the love angle, there are four suitors, and their paths also seem pretty linear. I don't know how many endings are possible, but from here, the possibilities look fairly small. This wouldn't be a problem if the game were freeware, but since it's a commercial game, this is a very serious point to consider: Is a game you only play 4-6 times worth spending $20 on? For some people, the answer might be "Sure, why not?", but for people more like myself, a game has to be something more than just a fleeting experience in order to make me part with my hard-earned money. With Love and Order, I don't know if it can do that for me.

TLDR:

Love and Order is interesting and very well put together. It's one of the better games I've played, and I can completely understand and agree with the authors deciding to make money off of it. It's a high-quality game. What I don't know is if the apparently limited replay value is worth the price they're asking. Of course, it might just be that I'm cheap.

As usual, this is all my own opinion; you might think this game is worth a thousand dollars, or you might feel it needs to be burned and its creators fed to wolverines. Feel free to post your thoughts in the comments section, free of charge. ;)