Desktop Mate

About

Desktop Mate is a free 3D mascot platform that brings cute characters to your desktop, allowing them to move around and interact with your computer's elements. You can purchase and add additional characters to personalize your experience. The characters can play with your mouse, follow your cursor, and even help you keep track of time, making for a fun and engaging desktop environment. Aiel-tan is included for free.

Genres & Tags

Free to Play

Play Modes

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

74%

Audience ScoreBased on 5,022 reviews

music14 positive mentions

monetization22 negative mentions

music
134 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
10%
88%
2%
The music aspect of the game has received mixed feedback, with many users expressing a strong desire for enhanced interactivity, such as characters dancing or reacting to music played through various platforms like Spotify or YouTube. While some appreciate the potential for future updates and mod support, others are disappointed by the current lack of promised music integration and character animations, feeling that the experience is too basic and not living up to expectations. Overall, there is a hopeful sentiment for improvements that would allow characters to engage more dynamically with the user's music.
- “Having her respond to music being played by dancing would be fantastic, along with having various new and creative animations added to the current pool.”
- “Audio responsiveness: imagine the character reacting to your music or voice—it’d be incredible!”
- “I would love to see a feature like that, or maybe one where she quietly vibes to the music that you're playing.”
- “The DLC page on their official website claims 'music integration - play Miku’s songs or add your custom tracks.' This is just not true.”
- “It is as if they are really there, giving you a new experience of interaction. All you get is a 3D model just standing there not doing anything, no music integration like they promised; the most you can do is pat and set an alarm.”
- “Desktop mate has little to no interactions; the character could at least react/dance to music or something.”
humor
56 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is widely appreciated, with users finding it funny and cute, particularly through the interactions and antics of various characters on their screens. Many reviews highlight the comedic potential of modding characters and the amusing scenarios that arise, such as characters pondering their existence or engaging in silly behaviors. Overall, the humor adds a lighthearted charm to the experience, despite some critiques regarding pricing and functionality.
- “10/10 Chris Redfield kicking his legs on the start bar like a 90's teen talking on the phone to her bestie had me rolling with laughter.”
- “When they ponder their own existence or deal with various shenanigans, it's funny and entertaining.”
- “Either way, it's funny to see these little idiots lay around as if they pay taxes.”
monetization
36 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
6%
33%
61%
The monetization strategy of the software has drawn significant criticism from users, who feel it prioritizes profit over community engagement by disabling mod support and introducing costly DLCs. Many reviewers label it a "cash grab," arguing that the limited value provided through microtransactions does not justify the restrictions imposed on customization. Overall, the shift from a community-driven tool to a monetization-focused product has diminished its appeal among fans.
- “15 dollars for Miku kind of sucks as a big Miku fan, and I don't really see it getting workshop support due to the monetization options.”
- “The current monetization options lead me to believe that characters will be drip-fed in a DLC-like fashion and sold separately.”
- “The update essentially transforms Desktop Mate from a customizable, community-driven tool to a more limited, monetization-focused product.”
- “Modding support has been taken away and it has just become a cash grabbing scheme.”
- “The current monetization options lead me to believe that characters will be drip-fed in DLC-like fashion and sold separately.”
optimization
36 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
22%
70%
8%
The optimization of the software has received significant criticism, with users reporting high CPU and GPU usage even at low settings, which can hinder performance in other games. While some users find it runs smoothly on lower-end systems, many express a need for better resource management and additional features to enhance interactivity. Overall, the application is seen as basic and in need of substantial optimization to improve performance and compatibility.
- “It could definitely be optimized better.”
- “Needs more animations, interactivity, and more optimization so it takes up less memory to run in the background.”
- “The impact on performance for other games is very minimal, in my own experience, so you have the capabilities of playing pretty graphically intense games with this application open.”
- “Moreover, the application is badly optimized for low-end platforms: it can take up to 30% of CPU on high settings (and let's be real - low quality is really low...) and yeah, third-party application warnings/bans on different games is true, so be careful with that!”
- “Well, it's cute and all, but it's terribly optimized. At 60fps and high settings, it was using 30% of my GPU and 10% of my CPU, which only gives me 70% of GPU power to play a game. I limited this to 24fps and low settings, and yet it was still using 13% of GPU.”
- “I don't have a terrible GPU; it's just that this is terribly optimized, considering it's just a square with a girl.”
graphics
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
59%
14%
The graphics of the application are generally praised for their smooth animations and appealing character design, which contribute to a visually engaging experience without significantly impacting system performance. However, some users feel the art style is lacking and reminiscent of cheaper designs, while others note limited interactions compared to previous versions. Overall, the graphics are seen as a strong point, especially in comparison to similar desktop pet software.
- “While having great potential with its smooth animations, good character graphics, and response to user input such as head pats, dragging around the desktop in various ways, sticking to windows, jumping in between them, peeking from the edge of the display, and laying down on your taskbar.”
- “(Really cute program! Current interactions are limited but the girl is well animated and her design is adorable! She also doesn't make me lag even while using her on a low-end laptop with max graphics selected, which is nice.)”
- “Desktop Mate uses the graphic card in conjunction with processor resources while working.”
- “Doesn't do anything, the art style feels cheap, 20 bucks per character (lol), doesn't save position if the window is minimized.”
- “Lacking in interactions but graphically superior to that of v-pet simulator, which is the other desktop pet software you can get on the Steam store.”
- “Only it was 2D pixel graphics back then and it had more interactions in the full version.”
gameplay
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
50%
21%
The gameplay is highly interactive, allowing players to rotate their character models 360 degrees to engage with the screen and react to the gameplay, enhancing the overall experience. Users appreciate the dynamic interactions, such as characters dancing to music or responding to in-game events, although some report issues with screen recording software during gameplay. Overall, it is considered one of the best gameplay experiences.
- “Best gameplay ever”
- “Fire gameplay”
- “Very interesting having her watch the gameplay of Cyberpunk 2077”
- “This thing will bug your screen recorder, so do not have it open during gameplay.”
- “Like more interactions between you and your desktop mate, and reactions like listening and dancing to your music or reacting to your gameplay.”
- “Fire gameplay.”
emotional
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is characterized by its wholesome charm and the comforting presence of characters like Aierutan, which provide players with emotional support during their activities. While the game is praised for its good vibes and aesthetic appeal, some users express disappointment over the removal of mod support, which has affected their overall enjoyment and willingness to invest in the game.
- “As Miku sits on your taskbar and gives you emotional support for whatever you're doing!”
- “It's fun, I hope it blooms more in development because it's definitely wholesome so far.”
- “Instead of a smug clip, you get Aierutan, who is the epitome of wholesome desktop charm.”
stability
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The stability of the software is criticized for being buggy, with issues like glitchy visuals and functionality limitations, primarily serving as an alarm clock. Users report occasional crashes and the need for driver reinstallation, although some find the experience enjoyable despite these glitches. Overall, while there are stability concerns, the charm of the desktop pet somewhat compensates for the software's shortcomings.
- “A limited feature set (just an alarm clock? Really?) and the software is buggy (glitchy shadows and legs that clip through tabs), all for a high price.”
- “In terms of actual functions, there's not much aside from an alarm and being able to set your desktop pet on a window (though, it is slightly buggy if you use multiple desktops on Windows).”
- “After 2 days, I realized that this prevents random crashes and freezes once I load Windows correctly with the drivers (not correctly loading and needing reinstall/restart still happens).”
story
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The story has received mixed feedback, with some users expressing disappointment that it does not align with their expectations of a traditional "Romeo and Juliet" narrative, highlighting a sense of unfulfilled potential and untold stories.
- “This is not the Romeo and Juliet story I wanted!”
- “Every dream, every smile, every story untold.”
- “---{ story }---”
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players appreciate the engaging experience of customizing 3D models in the game, but the lack of modding options for characters significantly diminishes its replayability. While the default character is enjoyable, the inability to modify or add new characters limits the game's long-term appeal.
- “I really liked the time I had with this game, taking 3D models of my own characters and having them sit beside me while I do my computer work. It was really nice, but not being able to mod any other character on top of the default one severely ruins the replay value for me.”
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users highlight that the atmosphere of the game is uplifting and contributes positively to the overall desktop experience, making it an enjoyable environment for players.
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players express that the grinding in the game is excessively time-consuming, often requiring a significant investment of effort akin to having a second life to keep up with the demands.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”