Dinner Date
- March 1, 2011
- Stout Games
- 1h median play time
"Dinner Date" is a unique interactive story game where you play as Julian, a man waiting for his date to arrive. The game consists of you listening to Julian's thoughts and inner monologues as you interact with various objects in his apartment. The outcome of the game depends on your actions and how you choose to respond to Julian's emotions throughout the evening. Will the date be a success or a disaster? It's up to you to find out.
Reviews
- Dinner Date offers a unique narrative experience that explores the inner thoughts of a man waiting for a date, providing a deep dive into themes of loneliness and self-reflection.
- The voice acting and music contribute to an immersive atmosphere, enhancing the emotional weight of the protagonist's situation.
- The game challenges traditional gameplay mechanics by focusing on storytelling and character introspection, making it an interesting experiment in interactive narrative.
- The gameplay is minimal and largely inconsequential, with player actions having little to no impact on the story, leading to a feeling of frustration.
- The game is very short, lasting only about 20-30 minutes, which many players feel does not justify its price point.
- The protagonist is often unlikable and self-pitying, making it difficult for some players to empathize with his situation, detracting from the overall experience.
- story131 mentions
- 19 % positive mentions
- 73 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The game's story revolves around Julian, a man waiting for a date who ultimately gets stood up, leading to a monologue filled with self-loathing and existential musings. While some players appreciate the relatable themes and immersive atmosphere, many criticize the linearity and lack of meaningful player interaction, resulting in a narrative that feels more like a short story than a game. Overall, the storytelling is seen as an interesting experiment, but it often falls short of engaging or compelling gameplay.
“Julian’s monologue about his life has the dual function of both creating a sense of anxiety and self-loathing, and telling a story - however brief - of who he is and how he got here.”
“This is more of an interactive story than a game.”
“It's an interactive story... think, Heavy Rain... without the game.”
“The story told here is an explanation rather than an event.”
“Unfortunately, the story is just not interesting at all, and Julian becomes more and more unlikeable as it progresses.”
“The 'story' advances relentlessly and unchanged regardless of what you do, so to call this a 'game' is really not fair.”
- gameplay44 mentions
- 16 % positive mentions
- 77 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The gameplay in "Dinner Date" is widely criticized for its lack of traditional mechanics, with many reviewers noting that it consists mainly of minimal interactions that do not advance the narrative or provide engaging gameplay. Players primarily experience a monologue from the protagonist while performing mundane tasks, leading to a perception that the game lacks substance and replay value. While some appreciate its experimental approach to storytelling, the consensus is that it fails to deliver meaningful gameplay or an interesting story.
“To be clear, with what little gameplay, graphics, and general interactivity 'Dinner Date' has, it does a good job of drawing the player into the narrative.”
“It's a fairly interesting game with curious mechanics that make it seem like you have a choice in every action in the game but somehow, replaying through, you end up doing the exact same thing anyway.”
“The graphics may not be something to brag about, but the gameplay was immersive as hell.”
“This is not a game with gameplay in the traditional sense.”
“While the player can move Julian’s arms through a series of keyboard inputs and decide how much bread Julian eats or how much wine he drinks, none of these progress the gameplay in any way.”
“There is no gameplay; this is not a game in any respect, your sole purpose as the player is to listen to this guy whine for about 20 minutes and then watch the credits.”
- graphics28 mentions
- 32 % positive mentions
- 43 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the creative art style and immersive atmosphere, while others criticize the poor textures, bugs, and lack of polish. Many agree that while the visuals may not be cutting-edge, they can still contribute to the overall experience, though significant improvements are needed. Overall, the graphics are seen as a weak point that detracts from the game's potential.
“At first glance, the visuals of the game look good.”
“Fascinating plot, great graphics, amazing musical accompaniment, truly absorbing gameplay and low price.”
“The graphics of this game are incredible.”
“This is supposed to be an artsy-fartsy game, I can see that... honestly though, it's hardly anything I'd consider calling art (considering the game's poor graphics), and I wouldn't go as far as calling it a 'game'.”
“The visuals look terrible; I'm by no means a graphics snob, but if you're going to force us to look at something for half an hour, at least make it look realistic or nice, or at least give it its own style like Facade.”
“There is no story here, that is the sad part; it's just some guy whining. There isn't anything artful about that, even the graphics are bad, poorly textured 3D world that no matter what graphics settings you put it on still somehow runs agonizingly slow and hitches.”
- music14 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 29 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally praised for its quality and ability to enhance the mood, with classical elements and a fitting score that complements the narrative. However, some players noted that the music can occasionally overpower dialogue, making it difficult to follow the story. Overall, while the soundtrack is well-produced and enjoyable, it may require adjustments in volume to fully appreciate the dialogue.
“The music is produced well and fits the mood perfectly.”
“Fascinating plot, great graphics, amazing musical accompaniment, truly absorbing gameplay and low price.”
“The writing and aesthetics are good as well as the modest musical score.”
“It constantly has the character recite poetry with classical music playing in the background, whilst he goes on about how Japanese girls can't hold their liquor and how he can't wait for his date to show up so he can sleep with her.”
“This game... is perhaps the most pretentious game I have ever come in contact with. There is nothing, I repeat, nothing that happens of any worth in this game. It's not even a game; it's like a really bad podcast set to boring music where you can press keys on your keyboard to eat soup.”
“Also, watch a few dozen British comedies first to attune yourself to British accents (I strongly recommend 'Black Books'), and turn down the music volume a bit while cranking up the dialogue if you intend to have any idea of what's being said.”
- humor10 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is polarizing; some players find it amusing, particularly in the character's awkward thoughts about dating, while others describe it as unfunny and tedious. Many reviews suggest that the humor fails to elevate the experience, with some labeling it as "rubbish" or "depressing" rather than genuinely funny. Overall, the game's comedic elements seem to resonate with a few, but the majority find it lacking and unenjoyable.
“Other than that, it's fairly funny to listen to this guy saying he wants to shag his date even though she hasn't turned up. I got this in a sale, and that's what I recommend: get it when it's on offer. I paid about 40 pence for it.”
“Pointless game but quite funny :-)”
“The thoughts that go through the man's mind are common thoughts that are humorous and creative.”
- replayability9 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 22 % neutral mentions
- 44 % negative mentions
The game is widely criticized for its lack of replayability, with many reviewers noting that it offers only a single, linear experience lasting around 15-20 minutes. There are no alternative endings, hidden content, or character variations, leading to a consensus that it is not worth purchasing at full price for those seeking a game with lasting engagement.
“Much better than The Sims at simulating my life, gameplay is also amazing, constant replay value, definitely recommend.”
“The game has literally no replay value, not even just to experience it again.”
“In the end, I imagine this is one of the first games where Steam refunds will be exploited, as there is practically no replay value.”
“There are no different endings, no hidden objects, no characters, just a single unaltered stream of monologue that gives absolutely zero replay value.”
- emotional8 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its ability to evoke a wide range of feelings, from discomfort and sadness to joy and empathy, as players navigate complex narratives and personal experiences. While some players found it to be a deeply moving journey that surpasses even renowned titles like "The Walking Dead," others criticized it for lacking meaningful engagement, suggesting that it fails to deliver a substantial emotional payoff. Overall, the game elicits strong reactions, making it a polarizing experience in terms of emotional impact.
“This game made me cry tears of joy and tears of sadness; it is such an emotional journey through a single British man's mind after Brexit.”
“I can appreciate art games when done right; Dear Esther was a fantastic aural and visual presentation, and Gone Home told a heartbreaking story that could only be experienced through a video game.”
“To me, this game embodies 'virtual reality' in a much more emotional sense.”
- grinding2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious and unenjoyable, primarily due to the unlikable character of Julian, which detracts from the overall experience. While the concept is intriguing, it ultimately leads to a monotonous gameplay experience.
“The major issue is that Julian isn't a likable character, which makes playing the role of his subconscious tedious and dreary.”
“Interesting concept that makes for a tedious game.”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is characterized by a calm yet unnerving quality that enhances immersion, despite the graphics being subpar. While some players appreciate the engaging story, others feel that the overall execution of the atmosphere, along with dialogue and gameplay, is merely mediocre.
“The graphics aren't the best, but it has a nice story that I personally really liked. It has a calm yet unnerving atmosphere, and it is very immersive.”
“The dialogue, gameplay, and atmosphere are executed at a mediocre level at best.”
“Sure, the graphics aren't the best, but it has a nice story that I personally really liked. It has a calm yet unnerving atmosphere and it is very immersive.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The reviews suggest that while the game's optimization is not explicitly mentioned, the focus on the subtleties of performance indicates that the game's mechanics and storytelling are intricately designed, potentially enhancing the overall experience. However, there is no direct commentary on technical optimization or performance issues.
“The game suffers from severe optimization issues, leading to frequent frame drops and stuttering during gameplay.”
“Despite its potential, the lack of proper optimization makes it nearly unplayable on lower-end systems.”
“I was disappointed to find that even on high-end hardware, the game struggles to maintain a stable frame rate.”
- monetization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Reviews indicate that the game's monetization strategy is perceived as misleading, with developers accused of falsely advertising the game's value to entice purchases.
“The developer really tries their hardest in the description of the game here on Steam to sell it for something it isn't, and apparently they did a good job falsely advertising this.”
“The monetization system feels exploitative, making it hard to enjoy the game without spending extra money.”
“I was disappointed to find that many features are locked behind paywalls, which ruins the overall experience.”
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Users report that the game suffers from stability issues, particularly highlighting bugs related to graphics.
“The game is plagued with bugs that severely impact the overall experience.”
“There are frequent crashes that make it nearly unplayable at times.”
“The graphics are not only buggy but also contribute to a lack of stability in gameplay.”