Best Friend Forever

60%
Game Brain Score Based on 176 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • humor
Best Friend Forever Game Cover
Best Friend Forever takes a takes a lighthearted dating sim and mixes it with pupper care and activity, but is it a match made in heaven or just a relationship of convenience?
Starting at $19.99Buy now
Get on Steam

"Best Friend Forever" is a dating simulation game with a twist – you're not looking for a romantic partner, but Scouting for a new best friend! Navigate your new life in Rainbow Bay while training and caring for your adorable dog companion, meeting a diverse cast of characters and trying to find your paw-fect match along the way. The game features cute pixel art and visual novel style gameplay, with interactive elements to strengthen your bond with your furry friend.

  • Mac OS
  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Windows
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

60%
Audience ScoreBased on 176 reviews
story11 positive mentions
gameplay9 negative mentions
  • The game features a cute concept that combines dog care with dating sim mechanics, providing a unique experience.
  • The characters are diverse and interesting, with well-written dialogue that captures a lighthearted and humorous tone.
  • The art style is charming and visually appealing, enhancing the overall enjoyment of the game.
  • The gameplay can feel repetitive and lacks depth, particularly in the dog training mechanics and the romance routes.
  • There are technical issues, including bugs and glitches that disrupt the experience, such as characters not appearing or dialogue options repeating.
  • The character customization is limited, with only a few preset options, which detracts from the player's ability to create a unique avatar.
  • story62 mentions

    The game's story is often criticized for being repetitive and lacking depth, with many players noting that multiple romance routes share the same main narrative, leading to tedious replaying. While the characters are diverse and the overall tone is light-hearted and cute, the plot feels disjointed, with unresolved storylines and rushed romantic interactions that detract from emotional investment. Despite its shortcomings, some players find the game enjoyable for its charm and simplicity, particularly appreciating the dog care mechanics.

    • “Diverse characters, dialogue that made me laugh out loud, and interesting game elements alongside the story.”
    • “Great characters, cute dogs, and heartwarming storytelling.”
    • “I enjoyed the main plot line and felt that it had a nice progression and believable story; a classic rags to riches bent towards a millennial ideal of fulfillment and meaningful work, it left me feeling good about life.”
    • “Rather repetitive; all the romance routes are set in the same main story, which means that if you want to romance more than one character, you'll have to replay the entire game and skip through all the main story dialogue that is unrelated to the romance, which gets boring and tiring really fast.”
    • “The most annoying thing to me was definitely the lack of depth in characters and story.”
    • “The story is bland, weird, and rushed.”
  • gameplay27 mentions

    The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it repetitive and underdeveloped, particularly in the dog training and dating mechanics. While some appreciate the charming art style and the integration of dog care, others feel that these elements are not well-executed and detract from the overall experience. Overall, the game shows potential but is criticized for feeling rushed and lacking depth in its core mechanics.

    • “For half the price, you get 20+ hours of gameplay, and the fun of a welcoming community.”
    • “Adorable graphics and dialogue, great voice acting, and interesting gameplay mechanics for a visual novel.”
    • “An incredibly charming and wholesome game with a diverse range of characters, some very good doggos, and very clever dog-care mechanics that aren't the run-of-your-mill dating sim.”
    • “As other reviewers have noted, the game feels a bit rushed and unfinished, leading to both the dating mechanics and the dog raising mechanics to feel underdeveloped and leaving you wishing for something more.”
    • “The gameplay is pretty boring, which I can normally forgive in a visual novel, but the characters just aren't likeable enough to make up for it.”
    • “Most of the playtime is spent on dog training, the mechanics of which just aren't fun.”
  • humor19 mentions

    The humor in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players appreciating its witty and charming writing, while others find it cringy and overly reliant on puns. Many enjoy the diverse characters and funny dialogue, but some criticize specific characters and the overall tone as not resonating with everyone. Overall, the humor is seen as light-hearted and fun, appealing to those looking for a casual experience, but may not satisfy players seeking deeper or more sophisticated comedy.

    • “Diverse characters, dialogue that made me laugh out loud, and interesting game elements alongside the story.”
    • “Very cute, queer, funny and fun!”
    • “The dialogue and humor feels super natural.”
    • “Fox is the worst character; she's insufferable, extremely unfunny, and very mean.”
    • “Maybe someday I'll come back and try again, but the jokes are so bad and unfunny.”
  • emotional19 mentions

    The game is widely praised for its wholesome and inclusive characters, charming aesthetics, and heartwarming storytelling, making it particularly appealing to queer players and dog lovers. While the emotional depth may be hindered by random event triggers, the overall experience is described as comforting and enjoyable, with a strong emphasis on dog care and community. Players appreciate the game's cute art style and the positive, feel-good atmosphere it creates.

    • “A very heartwarming game to play.”
    • “Great characters, cute dogs, and heartwarming storytelling.”
    • “An incredibly charming and wholesome game with a diverse range of characters, some very good doggos, and very clever dog-care mechanics that aren't the run-of-your-mill dating sim.”
  • graphics18 mentions

    The graphics of the game are widely praised for their cute and charming art style, creating a wholesome and visually appealing atmosphere. Many players appreciate the well-rendered environments and the overall aesthetic, which enhances the experience, despite some criticism regarding gameplay monotony. Overall, the art style is a significant highlight, contributing positively to the game's vibe and player engagement.

    • “The artwork was, for the most part, really charming and pleasant to look at.”
    • “The world feels well thought out and beautifully rendered in a wholesome aesthetic, and locations all have their own charm that adds to the overall vibe of Rainbow Bay.”
    • “Art style and concept are beautifully done.”
    • “The main pull of this game to me was the art style because that's something I'm very picky about when it comes to visual novels/dating sims; however, it doesn't save the monotonous gameplay.”
    • “Cute graphics but probably wouldn't play again.”
    • “The aesthetic and 'vibe' of the game kept me around at points where I felt like taking a break.”
  • stability14 mentions

    Overall, the game's stability has been a mixed experience for players, with many reporting minor glitches and bugs that can disrupt gameplay, such as missing characters and freezing issues. While some users noted that these problems are not game-breaking and can often be resolved with a simple restart, others experienced more significant interruptions that hindered their ability to progress. Despite ongoing bug fixes from the developers, the game still feels somewhat rushed and lacks polish in certain areas.

    • “I want to recommend this game because it looks very cute, but unfortunately I can't even play it. The game freezes as I'm about to get off the bus, and I have no idea what to do to fix that. It seems that I'm not the only one facing this issue, and the problem still continues without being fixed.”
    • “It's a fun short playthrough, and it could just be my copy somehow, but this game literally glitches on me so much.”
    • “The ending feels slightly rushed, and at times the game can be a bit buggy. It's not a big issue, but it can be jarring when characters completely disappear or your dog licks or barks at someone who's no longer there.”
  • music7 mentions

    The music in the game is generally well-received, described as chipper and well-paired with the art style, enhancing the overall experience. However, some users reported technical issues, such as glitches and persistent music playback despite settings. Overall, the soundtrack contributes positively to the game's atmosphere.

    • “The art looks nice, the dogs are adorable, and the music is chipper.”
    • “Music is also amazing; I had the pause menu up while I had to do something else and I didn't want to close the game, and it was *chef's kiss*.”
    • “Strong art style with great accompanying music; character dialogue is generally well written, and caring for your dog is fairly easy and accessible.”
    • “The music can get glitchy; there were times when sprites weren't showing up, and the music keeps turning back on every time I launch the game, despite it being set to 'off'.”
  • grinding6 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be repetitive and tedious, particularly due to the inability to skip previously read dialogue and the need to repeatedly perform similar tasks with minimal variation. Engaging in multiple playthroughs for different character routes and managing in-game activities, like taking care of a dog, also contributes to a sense of monotony. Overall, those who dislike excessive clicking and repetitive gameplay may find this aspect off-putting.

    • “Although, if you want to read all routes or just grind, it gets repetitive really quick.”
    • “Cons: you can't skip through dialogue you've already read... you have to click through each time, which is super tedious.”
    • “If you don't mind incessant clicking through lines you've already read, as well as repeating the same tedious tasks with nearly the same outcome, this game is for you.”
  • replayability6 mentions

    The game's replayability is a mixed bag; while some players appreciate the challenging dog training management and engaging character interactions that encourage multiple playthroughs, others criticize it for lacking significant replay value, with some stating that they found no incentive to revisit the game after their initial experience.

    • “I enjoy the dog training management of the game as it gives more replayability and is pretty challenging.”
    • “The characters are all great, the date system is also really fun, and the replayability is good; you'll want to get all the badges.”
    • “By far the worst part is that the replayability is awful.”
    • “This game has no replayability even if you enjoyed your first playthrough.”
    • “No replay value.”
  • character development5 mentions

    Character development in the game is critiqued for its superficiality, as it suggests that the player's involvement is essential for the growth of love interests, which may not be effectively executed. However, the character and background designs are praised for their cuteness and diversity, contributing positively to the overall aesthetic experience.

    • “The art is fun and bright, and the character design is great.”
    • “I sometimes like to sit for a few seconds and just admire the background art as well as the character designs.”
    • “It's got very cute character designs, and even the minor characters have amazing designs.”
    • “The game implies an interesting argument about how dating sims objectify love interests by making your presence crucial to their character development, which is very poorly executed and might be a happy coincidence.”
  • atmosphere1 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is characterized by a generally wholesome and pleasant art style, contributing to an inviting and enjoyable aesthetic experience for players.

    • “The game features a generally wholesome and pleasant art style, aesthetics, and atmosphere.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

55% average critic score

Buy Best Friend Forever

Videos

Similar Games

Game News