Dream Daddy: A Dad Dating Simulator

83%
Game Brain Score Based on 8,824 reviews
  • story
  • humor
  • emotional
Dream Daddy: A Dad Dating Simulator Game Cover
With wonderful writing and art, this game is amazing. There are a few flaws in the mini-games that can be mostly forgiven. I would absolutely recommend giving this dating game a chance. Definitely worth it.
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Dream Daddy: A Dad Dating Simulator is a visual novel game where you play as a single dad who has moved to a new neighborhood with your daughter. The game features multiple dads as potential love interests, with various personality types and storylines to explore. Gameplay involves choosing dialogue options and performing activities to improve your relationship with the dads. The game is known for its inclusivity and diversity in character design, and for its humor and heartfelt storytelling.

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

Reviews

83%
Audience ScoreBased on 8,824 reviews
story637 positive mentions
stability144 negative mentions
  • The game features a diverse cast of characters, including a trans dad, and offers a lot of LGBTQ+ representation.
  • The writing is humorous and engaging, filled with clever dad jokes and heartwarming moments.
  • The relationship between the player character and their daughter, Amanda, is well-developed and adds emotional depth to the story.
  • The gameplay can feel repetitive, with only three dates per dad and limited choices that may lead to similar outcomes.
  • Some mini-games are frustrating and poorly designed, detracting from the overall experience.
  • The character customization options for the player character are limited and often result in an unappealing design compared to the other characters.
  • story1,832 mentions

    The story in "Dream Daddy: A Dad Dating Simulator" is a heartwarming blend of humor and emotional depth, primarily focusing on the relationship between a single father and his daughter, Amanda. While many players appreciate the diverse and engaging storylines of the various dads, some feel that the narratives are too short and lack depth, often concluding abruptly after just three dates. Overall, the game is praised for its charming characters and witty dialogue, though it leaves some players wanting more substantial story development and branching paths.

    • “Every part of her storyline is so heartwarming.”
    • “The story line is compelling (having a daughter that went away to college play the role of the father seeing their daughter off) and the characters are all likeable in their own ways!”
    • “The story is sweet and engaging (mostly) without being over-the-top.”
    • “The game is too short, and I honestly thought it'd be longer considering its price (I know it has 7 dads to be with) but 2-3 hours of playtime in a single route isn't even enough because the story is more focused on Amanda rather than the dads.”
    • “First off, as the biggest issue I have with this is that, if you reach the part of finally 'dating' a person, the story just...ends.”
    • “I didn't feel it got the story across in the time allotted.”
  • humor1,552 mentions

    The humor in "Dream Daddy" is widely praised for its clever writing, abundant dad jokes, and charming dialogue, which often elicits genuine laughter from players. While some find the humor to be a delightful blend of heartwarming and hilarious, others feel that the reliance on puns can become repetitive. Overall, the game successfully balances lighthearted comedy with emotional depth, making it a memorable experience for fans of both dating sims and humorous storytelling.

    • “I'm not a huge fan of dating sims, but I am a huge fan of funny, and this game is a freaking riot.”
    • “The humor and prose is very reminiscent of 2012, which gives the game a comfortable, nostalgic feel for people of my age group.”
    • “The dialogue is hilarious and full of dad puns, and the characters are all charming in their own special way!”
    • “I've been watching Game Grumps for a decade at this point, so I got this game to support them even if it's not really my type of game, but I just found it unfunny and flat-out boring - not to mention it just feels like pandering.”
    • “All those dad jokes are just not funny and, again, get very repetitive very fast.”
    • “The main protagonist is incredibly unfunny.”
  • emotional1,044 mentions

    The emotional aspect of "Dream Daddy" is widely praised for its heartwarming storytelling and relatable character dynamics, particularly the touching father-daughter relationship between the player and Amanda. Players report feeling genuinely invested in the characters' stories, often experiencing a range of emotions from laughter to tears, as the game balances humor with poignant moments that resonate deeply. Overall, the game is celebrated for its wholesome narrative, clever writing, and the ability to evoke real feelings, making it a standout in the dating sim genre.

    • “You and your daughter, Amanda, navigate through the ups and downs of life, and it's genuinely heartwarming to see the relationship between a dad and his daughter at the core of the game.”
    • “This game helped me touch parts of me I didn't know I had... emotionally.”
    • “The emotional father-daughter subplot is a heartwarming and wholesome aside in the game's progression, right when you need a break from all the lusty dad chats you're having.”
  • graphics681 mentions

    The graphics of "Dream Daddy" are widely praised for their vibrant and charming art style, which enhances the game's lighthearted and comedic tone. While the character designs are generally well-received, some players note inconsistencies between the protagonist's art style and that of the other characters, leading to a jarring visual experience. Overall, the artwork is considered a highlight, contributing significantly to the game's appeal despite some minor graphical issues.

    • “The art style is amazing, the story is fun to play through and I had many laughs because of the dad jokes.”
    • “The artwork is gorgeous, the characters are diverse and well written, the mini games are a cute bonus, and the story is nice too.”
    • “I love the art style, the story, colorful characters with their own personality, minigame is kinda fun and acceptable but in the other hand the game is too short, very straight storyline, character creation is suit with art style of the game, may need little more work into it, overall it is a fun game.”
    • “The voice lines are scarily bad quality and the art style of the dad creator is so contrasting to the other sprites it's really ugly actually. I enjoyed it, but it's definitely not worth 15 bucks.”
    • “The graphics are inconsistent, with the characters looking nice but your own dadsona terrible, and some of the backgrounds look outright unfinished.”
    • “The choices for your dadsona also don't match the art style of the rest of the game, so you look very out of place.”
  • music579 mentions

    The music in "Dream Daddy" is widely praised for its catchy and charming quality, particularly the memorable theme song that many players find themselves humming long after playing. While the soundtrack enhances the game's lighthearted atmosphere, some users note issues with repetitiveness and inconsistencies in volume levels, particularly when loading saved games. Overall, the music complements the game's art and humor, contributing to a delightful and engaging experience.

    • “The music, the comedy, the personalities of the characters.”
    • “The music is beautiful, the art is incredible, and the story brought me to tears several times.”
    • “The music is cute and catchy... would open the game and just jam before realizing I opened to play the game lol.”
    • “Music's annoying and dull, some scenes lack context and start off strangely, very unsubtle in being stitched together to incorporate player choice.”
    • “The bg music is very repetitive and I had to turn it down after a while.”
    • “There's only about 5 repetitive songs and the only good one is the main menu/credit song.”
  • gameplay295 mentions

    The gameplay of "Dream Daddy" is a mixed bag, with many players noting its simplicity typical of dating sims, primarily involving dialogue choices and occasional mini-games. While some appreciate the humor and character depth, others criticize the lack of substantial gameplay mechanics and repetitive elements, leading to a feeling of boredom after a few hours. Overall, it offers a casual experience that may appeal to fans of narrative-driven games, but may not satisfy those seeking more complex gameplay.

    • “Your choices during gameplay don't just make tiny differences, they can unlock whole overarching subplots; you can play it through again and again and discover something new each time.”
    • “The gameplay feels pretty involved, with fun mini-games and several choices in each situation.”
    • “The minigames are fun and a way to break up the gameplay.”
    • “The writing is really bad, frequent glitches, lack of content, and just generally boring gameplay.”
    • “There was not much actual gameplay, so the game got boring pretty quickly.”
    • “The gameplay itself is bad; the minigames are not very intuitive and are troublesome and buggy.”
  • replayability186 mentions

    The replayability of "Dream Daddy" is a mixed bag among players. Many appreciate the variety of dad routes and multiple endings, which provide a decent amount of replay value, while others find the game short and repetitive after experiencing all the storylines. Overall, while some players enjoy revisiting the game for its charm and humor, others feel that the lack of substantial new content diminishes its long-term replayability.

    • “The replayability factor in Dream Daddy is robust, with a cornucopia of daddy dates awaiting exploration.”
    • “The replayability element ensures a fresh experience with every dad date, igniting a longing for more sentimental escapades.”
    • “The game has many different endings and a lot of replay value, and you genuinely want to get to know all the available dads.”
    • “There is actually no replayability except just going for the favorite dads, and even second playthroughs just to have different dialogue or to mess up relationships for gags is just boring and absolutely not worth it.”
    • “To start, Dream Daddy has zero replay value.”
    • “The reason for this is because once you complete the story once, the replay value is not very high.”
  • stability146 mentions

    The game has been widely criticized for its stability issues, with numerous reports of bugs, glitches, and crashes that significantly hinder the gameplay experience. While some players found the game enjoyable despite these issues, many expressed frustration over the frequency and severity of the glitches, particularly in minigames and during save reloads. Overall, the consensus is that the game feels unpolished and in need of further updates to address these stability concerns.

    • “The game runs smoothly without any bugs or crashes.”
    • “I haven't encountered any issues; everything works as intended.”
    • “The stability of the game is impressive, providing a seamless experience.”
    • “They are buggy and made the game crash so many times that I had doubts I would ever be able to finish it.”
    • “It's very good though some of the glitches (the whittling game/taking Mary home) need to be fixed.”
    • “Took three times of turning my computer off and on to make the update go through but that's not even my problem. I'd love to play this game but I can't; it constantly freezes and crashes or just won't work for some reason. I've reinstalled it twice, getting tired of doing that for like five minutes of gameplay.”
  • character development118 mentions

    Character development in the game is widely praised for its depth and emotional relatability, with players appreciating the well-crafted personalities and backstories of each character. The writing is noted for being humorous and engaging, allowing players to connect with the diverse cast, including LGBTQ+ representation. While some reviews mention a desire for more extensive character arcs, the overall sentiment is that the game successfully balances humor with meaningful character interactions.

    • “This game has a lot of character development and shows a lot of sentimental value throughout the game. I love how LGBT-friendly this game is and how bright it is as a whole.”
    • “The character development in this game is very good. I like how the game naturally eases you into meeting every single dad at least once without forcing you to date all of them, and the interactions that you can have with your daughter between dates with the other dads and how you can help her with her life outside of home.”
    • “I know I've only gotten 3 hours into this, but man is this game entertaining. I'm actually interested in replaying a lot of the routes just to see what all these characters have about them since they are all so rich in their character development and backstories feel like they're going to be pretty detailed from what I've seen so far.”
    • “Extremely cute, made me laugh and fulfill my dream of being a dad and making epic dad puns, but the stories for each character were extremely short, and it left me wanting more, like it felt kind of rushed, and you hardly got enough time for any major character development.”
    • “I agree, the game could've been longer, could've had more plot, more character development.”
    • “I loved this because, too often, a piece of media will have a trans character and the extent of the character development you get is 'hey guys did you know this character is trans and does trans stuff and see we gave you your trans character so shut up never mind he's an offensive stereotype he's transy trans trans trans and that's all you get!!' before dying tragically for no goddamn reason.”
  • grinding44 mentions

    Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and repetitive, often comparing it to a chore due to the linearity and lack of engaging mini-games. While some appreciate the fun elements and the effort put into the game, many express frustration with the need to repeatedly navigate through common dialogue and the limited impact of mini-games on the overall experience. Despite these criticisms, a few players still enjoy the game, indicating that it can be entertaining in moderation.

    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “This makes the game somewhat tedious to play because it might as well be a choose your own adventure book with the pictures of the characters for reference at the beginning.”
    • “It's linear enough to be boring and tedious to complete, even by dating sim standards.”
    • “I kind of regret spending the 15 dollars on this because I am not sure if I will be playing all of the routes just because I find the lack of features particularly regarding the fast forwarding to be very tedious.”
  • atmosphere20 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is characterized by a blend of polished artwork, fitting music, and engaging dialogue that creates a comfortable and enjoyable environment for players. While it successfully delivers a fun and casual vibe, some elements may come off as condescending, yet the overall experience is enhanced by its queer representation and the ability to shift tones seamlessly. Players appreciate the lightheartedness, with many finding the atmosphere conducive to mental escapism and enjoyable for fans of dating simulators and otome games.

    • “Loveable characters, entertaining dialogue, genuine atmosphere overall.”
    • “The art is polished and detailed, the music fits the atmosphere, and the story is well thought out.”
    • “It makes the atmosphere right off the bat feel like a joke, and it honestly feels a little condescending.”
    • “If there’s something really positive about this game, it’s the queer atmosphere.”
    • “The soundtrack and artwork also create a comfortable atmosphere for all your mental escapism needs.”
  • monetization20 mentions

    The monetization of the game has drawn mixed reactions, with some players labeling it a cash grab that exploits LGBTQ+ themes without genuine understanding, while others appreciate the diverse storylines and feel it offers more than just a financial motive. Concerns have been raised about misleading advertising, particularly regarding the game's emotional depth and features like voice acting, leading to a sense of disappointment among some fans. Overall, the monetization strategy appears to be contentious, with players divided on its ethical implications and value.

    • “It's a cash grab if nothing else.”
    • “And while I waited, I started to have doubts... I heard people say 'it's nothing but a cash grab from the LGBT community' and wondered if the game is going to be any good.”
    • “That being said, I have quite a few issues with ddadds; mainly the advertising for it.”
  • optimization6 mentions

    Overall, the game's optimization is generally solid, with only minor issues such as occasional sprite movement glitches and some typos. However, the integration of minigames can disrupt the experience, especially when their outcomes affect the story, leading to frustration for some players.

    • “There's some tiny and rare moments where the sprites kind of move around weirdly, but other than that, the performance of the game is fine :)”
    • “What's worse is these minigames that completely take you out of the experience and occasionally affect the story based on your performance.”
    • “Cons: minigames are cute but can be frustrating when your performance on them impacts the plot; there are also some typos and dialogue misses.”
    • “There are some tiny and rare moments where the sprites move around weirdly, but other than that, the performance of the game is fine.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

74% average critic score

Buy Dream Daddy: A Dad Dating Simulator

Play time

8hMedian play time
56hAverage play time
5-20hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 54 analyzed playthroughs

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