Element: Date

62%
Game Brain Score Based on 132 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
Element: Date Game Cover
Play in Arcadia
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In "Element: Date" , set in the 23rd century, you search for a compatible partner through a popular dating app in the Three Systems. With 9 diverse romantic interests, touch/mouse controls, and fully voiced narration, this sci-fi game offers a unique experience, avoiding combat and instead focusing on conversation and connection. Your choices lead to 1 of 18 potential endings, making for a personalized and immersive adventure.

  • Phone
  • Web Browser
  • Android
  • Mobile Platform
  • Tablet
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

62%
Audience ScoreBased on 132 reviews
story27 positive mentions
stability14 negative mentions
  • The game features engaging turn-based combat that is both challenging and strategic, reminiscent of classic tactical games like XCOM.
  • The graphics and animations are visually appealing, enhancing the overall experience and immersion in the game's sci-fi setting.
  • The character design and unique abilities add depth to gameplay, allowing for diverse strategies and team compositions.
  • The game suffers from numerous bugs and technical issues, including crashes and unresponsive controls, which can significantly hinder gameplay.
  • The lack of a manual save feature and the reliance on checkpoints can lead to frustrating experiences, especially after losing progress in lengthy missions.
  • The writing and dialogue are often criticized for being clichéd and lacking depth, which detracts from the overall narrative experience.
  • story154 mentions

    The story of the game is generally considered engaging and immersive, with some players drawing comparisons to titles like Mass Effect 2 due to its focus on recruiting allies and character development. However, many reviews highlight issues such as a lack of originality, bugs that disrupt gameplay, and a frustrating mission structure that can lead to repetitive experiences. While the narrative has potential, it suffers from pacing problems and a reliance on clichés, which detracts from its overall impact and replay value.

    • “The mission where you fight against a prince left me speechless.”
    • “Yes, there are a few bugs, and when there is narration, the character's lips do not move with the voice acting, but despite all this, the story is compelling and immersive.”
    • “The story of this game is fairly straightforward, and the overall story experience is similar to Mass Effect 2, where the focus is on recruiting your companions and learning about them.”
    • “The story is short and messy; there are no side quests or anything, it's just the old model of 'choose a planet, do a mission, reward, repeat.'”
    • “Unfortunately, the game is full of issues, poor story, no real RPG elements, and very basic combat.”
    • “What the game lacks is storytelling: while the story itself is good (although not that extraordinary but really in place for the setting), the way it is told is not that satisfying.”
  • gameplay45 mentions

    The gameplay is a mix of turn-based tactics reminiscent of XCOM, featuring clear mechanics and tactical battles, but it suffers from a lack of depth and polish. While the graphics and core mechanics are appealing, many players find the gameplay rudimentary, with issues like clumsy AI and a frustrating lack of save options during challenging missions. Overall, it offers an entertaining experience for newcomers to the genre, but veterans may find it lacking compared to more established titles.

    • “If you like indie, turn-based, and some unusual gameplay experiments, just give it a try.”
    • “The game is really pretty, mechanics are well designed, and it gets you into the game pretty quickly.”
    • “Developers pushed the standard 'two-actions a turn' mechanic to its best in order to make it still up-to-date and compelling, making you think and plan and not rely much on the same strategy in every battle.”
    • “Game mechanics are very rudimentary and clumsy.”
    • “Main gameplay loop is lacking depth and just plain boring.”
    • “You make a great game and then you throw all the hard work out the window by forcing the player to go through large chunks of very difficult gameplay without the ability to save, so that in the likely outcome that you fail, you have to do it all over again.”
  • graphics18 mentions

    The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some praising the high production value, vibrant aesthetics, and appealing animations, while others criticize them as dated and lacking depth. Many players appreciate the comic book-inspired style and the overall visual presentation, but some feel that the graphics serve as a distraction from gameplay issues. Overall, the visuals are seen as a highlight for some, but not universally acclaimed.

    • “High production value graphics, animations, sound effects, and music.”
    • “Awesome graphics, I especially like the world built for the game.”
    • “The game has a very nice aesthetic, almost a comic book pop to it, but still sci-fi and sleek.”
    • “Graphics are glossy but at the expense of any real gameplay.”
    • “Dated graphics.”
    • “Poor graphics that look like they used 3D modeling tools from the 1990s; those graphics remind me of the FF7 era. This game looks like it predates FF7/PS1 days.”
  • stability17 mentions

    The game has received significant criticism for its stability, with many players reporting numerous bugs, glitches, and crashes, particularly at launch. While some users have noted improvements due to ongoing updates from the developers, issues like random freezes and specific character-related glitches persist. Overall, the game's stability remains a concern, impacting the overall experience for many players.

    • “Other than that, the game appears pretty polished and bug-free to me.”
    • “If there were absolutely no glitches in this game, I would definitely consider replaying it.”
    • “Too buggy to play.”
    • “Extremely buggy, locks up all the time.”
    • “This has so many glitches and crashes that you wonder how was it released.”
  • music12 mentions

    The music in the game is generally well-received, with many players praising its quality and ability to enhance the overall experience, evoking nostalgia for classic sci-fi. While the soundtrack fits the game's atmosphere and elevates combat tension, some reviewers noted a desire for more variety in battle tracks and improvements in sound effects during combat. Overall, the music stands out as a strong aspect of the game, contributing positively to its high production values.

    • “High production value graphics, animations, sound effects, and music.”
    • “The music is very good and is one of the aspects I like the most, bringing me back to the golden age of sci-fi of the 70s and 80s.”
    • “I'm not looking up the OST and downloading it, but it fits each moment well, it doesn't intrude on the experience and enhances the tension of combat really well.”
    • “Could use some improvements on voices and music.”
    • “My only real concern at the moment is the sad lack of variety in battle tracks (though I really like the soundtrack so far, just want more of it).”
  • replayability6 mentions

    Replayability is somewhat limited due to fixed maps and a requirement for a specific character in your trio, though players can make different decisions and pursue various characters to enhance their experience. While the game offers around 10-15 hours of playtime and some replay value through combat enjoyment, the reliance on reused content and restrictions on character access can detract from overall satisfaction. Players may find value in replaying the game, but many recommend waiting for improvements like a save feature to enhance the experience.

    • “The game is not long, 10-15 hours, but due to its design, it does offer replay value if you enjoy the game's combat.”
    • “It provides a lot of value for the price, but I would hold off until they implement a save feature that makes missions more playable.”
    • “Due to the use of fixed, 'hand-crafted' maps, and the requirement for your storyline character to always be part of your trio, replayability is somewhat limited.”
    • “Forced replayability (the lack of content in between that they tossed in fillers with reused content could've made it more satisfying if they allowed access to the other characters, rather than enforcing limits to how much characters you can unlock for each run).”
    • “You can make some different decisions during the campaign, so there is some replayability in terms of that and in terms of choosing what new characters to go after and add to your roster.”
  • emotional2 mentions

    Reviews highlight a mixed emotional response, with some players feeling indifferent about their investment, while others appreciate the game's ability to evoke strong feelings, including tears and frustration, particularly during challenging combat scenarios. Overall, the emotional impact varies significantly among players.

    • “The combat system has some bugs, but I loved how it made me cry and sweat; it's good to see a challenge these days.”
  • humor2 mentions

    Players find the humor in the gameplay to be entertaining, despite the story being somewhat cliché. While there are minor technical quirks, they do not detract from the overall comedic experience.

    • “Gameplay is hilarious and the story is cliché, yeah, but it entertains.”
  • atmosphere1 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is praised as a fresh and intriguing blend of old and new school elements, contributing to an engaging gameplay experience that stands out even in early access.

    • “Normally, I would stay away from early access games as a recommendation, but this game is a fresh and interesting gem with great atmosphere and fun gameplay in a very old and new school way.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Buy Element: Date

Play time

245hMedian play time
305hAverage play time
152-585hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 5 analyzed playthroughs

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