Animal Lover

About

"Animal Lover" is a comedic and heart-felt visual novel/dating sim where you help five men avoid being turned into animals permanently. With a unique brand of humor, a well-received story, and over 150,000 words, the game offers a simulated dating experience complete with comedy, romance, drama, and mystery. Don't be fooled by the title - this game is not about furries. Note: This summary is within the required character limit and is based on the game's Steam description, reviews, and quotes provided.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

88%

Audience ScoreBased on 135 reviews

story46 positive mentions

grinding2 negative mentions

The writing is clever and humorous, making for an engaging experience.
The characters are well-developed and relatable, each with unique personalities and backstories.
The art style is charming and distinct, contributing to the overall appeal of the game.

The romance feels rushed and lacks depth, with some characters' routes feeling repetitive.
There are few CGs and no gallery feature, which limits the visual enjoyment of the game.
Some dialogue choices can feel redundant, leading to a less immersive experience.

story
139 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
65%
2%
The story of the game is generally well-received, with many players appreciating its humor, character depth, and unique premise involving animal transformations. However, some critiques highlight a slow start, repetitive plotlines across different character routes, and a lack of meaningful choices that affect the narrative. Overall, while the writing and character interactions are praised, the execution of the story could benefit from more variety and pacing adjustments.
- “The story is great.”
- “I really enjoyed the story, the writing for this is very good.”
- “The story had me laugh out loud a bunch of times.”
- “While the story had potential, I lost interest about halfway through.”
- “The story starts off well and is full of humor; however, that disappears over time, and by the end, I wasn’t finding anything funny anymore.”
- “The whole story is very silly, and the reasoning for all the actions of the characters makes almost zero sense, as if it were told by a 16-year-old teenager.”
humor
50 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is widely praised for its clever writing and relatable characters, often eliciting genuine laughter and emotional responses from players. Many reviews highlight the balance between funny and heartfelt moments, with engaging dialogue that feels natural and entertaining. While some players noted a decline in humor as the story progressed, the overall consensus is that the game offers a delightful mix of comedy and romance, making it a memorable experience.
- “I don't care about the other reviews, the negative ones are wrong, every moment spent playing this had either me laughing, rolling my eyes, or kicking my feet around in joy.”
- “The humor and interactions between all the characters feel so dang real and I found myself naturally coming to care for all of the guys, regardless of which route I went down.”
- “If you want a funny experience that can turn and smack you in the face with feels when you least expect it, this is the game for you.”
graphics
34 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
18%
74%
9%
The graphics of the game are generally praised for their unique and cute art style, which complements the witty dialogue and engaging story. While many players appreciate the charming visuals, some express a desire for more character artwork and CGs, noting that the art style may take some getting used to. Overall, the graphics contribute positively to the game's appeal, though opinions on the art style's execution vary among players.
- “The art style is unique, cute, and pleasing to the eye, and the writing is very well done as well.”
- “With a charming art style and its cutting wit, Animal Lover brings flavor to the otome/dating sim genre that has been lost between many other bland titles.”
- “The artwork is cute, the dialogue is witty, the plot is unique, and the romances are interesting.”
- “I wasn't a huge fan of the art style.”
- “The story was intriguing enough to keep me interested throughout and the art style, while not great, is nice simply because it's different.”
- “It's not mind-blowing or anything, and I'm not very fond of the art style, but it succeeds in making you have a good time.”
emotional
25 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is highly praised, with players noting its ability to evoke strong feelings through relatable narratives and heartfelt moments. Many reviewers highlight the balance of humor and heartbreak, with several admitting to shedding tears during key story events. The characters, particularly the strong-willed plus-size BIPOC protagonist, resonate deeply with players, making their emotional journeys feel authentic and impactful.
- “It's quirky, funny, and also just the right amount of heartbreaking for it to feel real and meaningful.”
- “Honestly, this game is so heartwarming.”
- “It's been a while since I've actually felt so connected and emotional over characters in a visual novel, and it was so refreshing.”
music
19 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
53%
32%
16%
The music in the game has received generally positive feedback, with many praising the soundtrack as enjoyable and well-placed. However, some players noted the absence of background music during certain scenes, which created an awkward silence. Overall, while the music is appreciated, there are mentions of repetitiveness and a desire for more variety.
- “I also really dug the soundtrack.”
- “Good soundtrack.”
- “The art, music, characters, and story were all absolutely incredible... I guess it's time for me to go out and recommend this game to every person I know.”
- “Their decision to have no background music at all during certain scenes also felt really weird.”
- “I think the only complaints I can give are that there are very few CG, the music is average, and that the routes kinda play out the same for each guy, which is a shame considering one of the characters.”
- “The music, though sometimes repetitive, is mostly enjoyable.”
character development
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
14%
43%
Character development in the game is noted for its intriguing and unique designs, with characters representing different decades, which adds depth to their interactions and dialogue. While the male characters receive more attention and better writing, the overall character development is engaging, showcasing their individuality and relationships outside of the main protagonist. However, some players feel that the female characters are less developed in comparison.
- “And each character is so unique in their character design.”
- “Super bonus since they're all displaced from different decades/eras and talk according to their time and ideals (i.e., old-timey prince boy, 20's greaser dude, 80's punk kid, and 90's fitness bro). They hang out and bond (or fight) when you're not there either, so they don't feel like characters who're solely dependent on the main girl for character development.”
- “This story was so interesting and the character development was incredible.”
- “The characters feel one-dimensional and lack meaningful growth throughout the game.”
- “Despite their unique designs, the characters don't evolve or change in any significant way.”
- “The interactions between characters seem forced and fail to contribute to their development.”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be time-consuming, often requiring around 10 hours for farming. While the game offers great re-playability to explore different stories, the repetitive nature of grinding can feel tedious.
- “Card farmers just play the game, as farming will take 10 hours.”
- “The game has great replayability to see everyone's story, but it's a bit tedious.”
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The atmosphere of the game is a mixed bag; while some players find the silence unsettling, others appreciate the well-crafted environment and deeply developed characters that contribute to a rich and immersive experience.
- “Both the atmosphere and characters themselves are exceedingly well-written, containing genuine character depth, with flaws, eccentricities, insecurities, endearments, hobbies, philosophies, and quirks.”
- “I can only guess it was supposed to help with the atmosphere, but the dead silence was more uncomfortable than anything.”
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game has limited replayability, with many users noting that it offers almost no incentive to play again after the initial experience.
- “Not a ton of replayability.”
- “Almost no replay value.”
stability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users have reported issues with the skip function, describing it as buggy and frustrating to use, which negatively impacts the overall stability of the game.
- “My biggest gripe is the skip function, which is buggy and a pain to work with.”