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Five Dates

At no more than 90 minutes long, Five Dates isn't the deepest love story you'll ever see, but it has the heart, likeable characters, and great writing that make rom-coms enjoyable. It'll put a smile on your face, and that's all you can ask for.
Five Dates Game Cover
74%Game Brain Score
story, humor
graphics, grinding
80% User Score Based on 852 reviews
Critic Score 67%Based on 9 reviews

Platforms

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Five Dates Game Cover

About

Five Dates is a single player simulation game with romance and comedy themes. It was developed by Wales Interactive and was released on November 17, 2020. It received mostly positive reviews from critics and positive reviews from players.

"Five Dates" is a interactive video game following Vinny, a Londoner using a dating app during lockdown. Players decide his conversations and actions with five different women, impacting their interest in him. The game explores the unpredictable nature of modern dating, challenging the player's perceptions of attraction and compatibility. Published by Wales Interactive, known for "The Complex," "The Bunker," and "The Shapeshifting Detective."

Genres & Tags
Play Modes
Five Dates screenshot
Five Dates screenshot
Five Dates screenshot
Five Dates screenshot
Five Dates screenshot
Five Dates screenshot
Five Dates screenshot
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80%
Audience ScoreBased on 852 reviews
story28 positive mentions
grinding4 negative mentions
  • The game features strong acting performances that make the characters feel authentic and relatable.
  • The writing is sharp and humorous, capturing the awkwardness and excitement of modern dating during lockdown.
  • The game offers good replay value with multiple endings and choices that impact the story.
  • The gameplay is limited, primarily consisting of dialogue choices with little interactivity beyond that.
  • Some characters feel like stereotypes, which can detract from the overall experience.
  • The game is relatively short, with a single playthrough lasting around 1.5 hours, leading to a feeling of abrupt endings.
  • story
    145 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The story of "Five Dates" revolves around Vinny's quest for love through virtual dating during the pandemic, offering a lighthearted and engaging interactive experience. While the narrative is generally straightforward and lacks depth, it features well-developed characters and allows for multiple playthroughs to explore different storylines. However, some players feel that the choices made do not significantly impact the overall story, leading to a somewhat shallow experience despite the game's charm and good voice acting.

    • “The storytelling has been excellent, and the voice acting has helped make me feel immersed in the story, allowing me to experience the disappointment of poor decisions and the gratification of successful conversations with Vinny.”
    • “Each character is well-developed and interesting, making it really rewarding to play through multiple times to uncover all their personal storylines.”
    • “Five Dates presents a unique concept that merges interactive storytelling with the world of modern dating apps, allowing players to navigate the complexities of romantic relationships from the comfort of their screens.”
    • “It's essentially just a visual novel but one with no real plot or story direction, a sort of 'cozy' visual novel.”
    • “The focused scope of the game does not leave time for a story to be developed nor for the characters to be developed past their initial shallowness.”
    • “Turns out this game, you don't actually make decisions and you're just along for the ride, and I really like to either make or shape the story of my plays, especially if, like this game, you have zero (to my knowledge) background information or lore on anyone including the main character.”
  • humor
    65 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in "Five Dates" is widely praised for its charm and relatability, effectively capturing the awkwardness of digital dating through witty dialogue and engaging character interactions. Players appreciate the comedic relief provided by the protagonist's best friend, whose antics often elicit genuine laughter, while the game's blend of cringe-worthy moments and heartfelt exchanges adds depth to the experience. However, some players find certain characters and dialogues less amusing, indicating a mixed reception regarding the humor's consistency.

    • “Five Dates is a charming, surprisingly grounded FMV (full motion video) rom-com that captures the chaotic, awkward, and often hilarious reality of digital dating during a global lockdown.”
    • “It's like the developers took all the cringe-worthy parts of online dating and wrapped them in a blanket of charm and humor.”
    • “I had to smile regularly and sometimes even laughed out loud at the funny banter between Vinny and his best mate Callum in between dates.”
    • “The problem is that the others aren't just unfunny; they are grating, especially Saffron.”
    • “The humor falls flat and often feels forced, making it hard to enjoy the game.”
    • “I found the jokes to be stale and lacking any real wit, which was disappointing.”
  • gameplay
    54 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay primarily revolves around making dialogue choices in a visual novel format, which can lead to varying outcomes in character interactions. While some players appreciate the self-reflective nature of the choices, many criticize the limited mechanics and lack of engagement, describing the experience as overly simplistic and at times boring. Overall, the game offers a straightforward but shallow gameplay loop that may not satisfy those seeking more interactive or complex mechanics.

    • “Even when faced with failures, the engaging gameplay ensures an enjoyable experience throughout.”
    • “The gameplay is easy to follow since it's all just making choices, and if you struggle with that you can even pause the choices so the game doesn't carry on without your input.”
    • “The core gameplay revolves around dialogue choices.”
    • “Limited gameplay mechanics, shallow relationships, uneven storytelling, and occasional technical hiccups hinder its potential.”
    • “First thing first - there's not much gameplay here.”
  • replayability
    51 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game boasts strong replayability, featuring over 10 different endings and numerous choices that significantly impact character relationships and story outcomes. Players appreciate the variety of scenes and the ability to explore different character arcs, although some note that replaying can feel tedious due to the need to revisit earlier choices. Overall, it offers a solid experience for those interested in discovering all possible scenarios, making it enjoyable for both casual play and streaming.

    • “With over 10 different possible endings, the game offers solid replay value.”
    • “Good replay value here as there are a lot of choices to make and multiple endings to see.”
    • “The fact there are choices at several intervals also gives the game good replay value, to both collect missed achievements and to further explore the characters of the dates.”
    • “Part of the problem is there are multiple questions you really should ask and that might be somewhat obvious but you never get an answer for unless you start the game again to choose different. Needing to replay a character multiple times in completely new games is a needlessly tedious way to try to create replay value when just getting more time with each character in one playthrough would have just made more sense.”
    • “One playthrough is too fast, and the replayability is questionable.”
    • “Edit: after you 'get' each of the five girls, the replayability is pretty low and the 'skip what I've seen' function does not always work, sadly.”
  • music
    35 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players enjoying the occasional catchy tracks that enhance the experience, while others criticize its limited presence and lack of background music. Many appreciate the quality of the soundtrack, particularly during key moments, but feel that it could benefit from more continuity and variety. Overall, while the music is praised for its ability to complement the gameplay, it is also noted that it could be more prominent and engaging throughout.

    • “Had a lot of fun with this game, and the music is so good!”
    • “The background music is minimal but supportive of the overall tone.”
    • “Soothing and situation-adapting music, loved the way it enhances the gameplay.”
    • “Music is very limited; there are a few cases of music, but no background music to speak of.”
    • “The music also needs some work; there should have been some continuation or transition that could have helped with the continuation issue, but instead, the music just dies down after each option is chosen.”
    • “The music could be better, and you should be able to 'choose' the next path after you have finished the game once.”
  • emotional
    33 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its ability to evoke genuine feelings through relatable characters and heartfelt moments, often leading players to experience laughter and tears. While many praise its authentic dialogue and engaging narrative, some feel that the emotional impact can occasionally fall short, leaving a sense of hollowness for those seeking deeper immersion. Overall, the game is celebrated for its touching portrayal of online dating during challenging times, making it a memorable and wholesome experience.

    • “It was a touching and authentic moment that made the experience feel real and meaningful.”
    • “The game manages to capture these cute and touching little moments more often than I expected.”
    • “Every one of these 5 women made me happy and made me feel special in one way or another; they understood me and filled an empty hole in my life.”
  • graphics
    31 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of "Five Dates" utilize live-action footage, giving it a cinematic quality that stands out from traditional video game graphics. While some players note that the graphics are polished and lifelike, others feel that the visual aspect is secondary to the gameplay experience. Overall, the game's reliance on video footage results in a unique presentation that has garnered mixed opinions on its importance.

    • “Unlike traditional video game graphics, 'Five Dates' relies entirely on live-action footage with real actors, giving the game a cinematic feel.”
    • “The graphics are surprisingly polished, considering the main setting is a video call.”
    • “The graphics and sound are also top-notch, making the game visually appealing and fun to play.”
    • “Quality: FD is a FMV game, so there isn’t much in the way of graphics.”
    • “The graphics in this game come down to the quality of the video footage.”
    • “I remember, in times long past, when everyone thought these FMV games were the future of video games because the graphics were so close to lifelike, and at the time it seemed that was the goal.”
  • optimization
    21 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The optimization of "Five Dates" is generally well-received, with users noting that it runs smoothly on various platforms, including desktops and the Steam Deck. The game's high video quality and authentic performances contribute positively to the overall experience, despite some criticisms regarding the writing and pacing. While there are minor weaknesses, the strong acting and engaging direction help elevate the game's appeal.

    • “Despite being shot under lockdown conditions, the video quality is high and the performances feel genuine and relatable.”
    • “The game does have its weaknesses but for me the excellent performances by the actresses is what really got me hooked.”
    • “This heartfelt rom-com has brilliant performances from all of its cast all the way to its great direction and writing from its director.”
    • “Performance: fd ran fine on my desktop computer.”
    • “[h1]performance/bug related incidents[/h1]”
    • “And to be sure, there are some well written and acted moments when dates take an unexpected turn, but that's also where some of the questionable writing and weaker performances crop up.”
  • grinding
    6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and monotonous, often leading to a sense of boredom and frustration. The need to replay the game multiple times to achieve certain goals is seen as unnecessary, detracting from the overall experience. While some appreciate the ability to skip previously seen scenes, the repetitive nature of grinding for achievements remains a significant drawback.

    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “Tedious, boring, monotonous, mediocre, meaningless, superficial, uninteresting, and unexciting.”
    • “Part of the problem is there are multiple questions you really should ask that might be somewhat obvious, but you never get an answer for unless you start the game again. Needing to replay a character multiple times in completely new games is a needlessly tedious way to try to create replay value when just getting more time with each character in one playthrough would have made more sense.”
    • “Great at first, but then it gets tedious.”
  • atmosphere
    5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The atmosphere of the game effectively captures the essence of dating from home, creating a subtle yet immersive experience. Users appreciate the way it conveys the nervousness and awkwardness of first dates through beautifully crafted communication scenes, despite the lack of flashy visuals. Overall, the atmosphere enhances the dating experience, making it both relatable and engaging.

    • “There’s nothing flashy to look at, but it sets the scene well, and some date scenes actually had a lot of atmosphere despite this.”
    • “The communication scenes here are simply infinitely beautiful, subtly recreating the atmosphere of nervousness of the first date, with funny mistakes, strange awkward situations, and all-consuming flirting.”
    • “The atmosphere of dating from home is captured well.”
    • “He made the atmosphere here.”
  • character development
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Character development in the game is noted for its uneven storytelling, with the quality of writing and character arcs fluctuating significantly across different storylines.

    • “Uneven storytelling: the quality of writing and character development varies between the different storylines.”
    • “The characters feel one-dimensional and lack meaningful growth throughout the game.”
    • “Character arcs are predictable and fail to provide any real emotional impact.”
  • stability
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Users report that the innovative video call format experiences occasional technical glitches, which can disrupt immersion and affect overall stability.

    • “The video call format, while innovative, occasionally suffers from technical glitches that can disrupt the immersion.”
    • “I frequently experience crashes during gameplay, which makes it hard to enjoy the experience.”
    • “The game often freezes at critical moments, leading to frustrating interruptions.”
  • monetization
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Reviewers express frustration with the excessive presence of NHS advertising within the game, indicating that it detracts from the overall experience.

    • “The monetization is overwhelming, with constant ads interrupting gameplay.”
    • “I feel like I'm being pushed to spend money at every turn.”
    • “The in-game purchases are way too expensive for what you get.”
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67%Critics’ scoreBased on 9 critic reviews
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4h Median play time
5h Average play time
2h Main story
6h Completionist
2-8h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 6 analyzed playthroughs
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Frequently Asked Questions

Five Dates is a simulation game with romance and comedy themes.

Five Dates is available on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Steam Deck and others.

The main story can be completed in around 2 hours, while the entire game is estimated to take about 6 hours to finish. On average players spend around 5 hours playing Five Dates.

Five Dates was released on November 17, 2020.

Five Dates was developed by Wales Interactive.

Five Dates has received mostly positive reviews from players and mostly positive reviews from critics. Most players liked this game for its story but disliked it for its graphics.

Five Dates is a single player game.

Similar games include Love Is All Around, SIMULACRA, Knowledge, or know Lady, The Complex, Always Sometimes Monsters and others.