Friendship with Benefits

About

"Friendship with Benefits" is a single-player erotic visual novel game with unique gameplay mechanics that combine free-roaming, visual novel, dating simulator, and role-playing elements. The game boasts stellar graphics and soundtrack, along with a wholesome and humorous story featuring over 20 romanceable characters. Explore and experience a new and wonderful world in this eroge game.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

97%

Audience ScoreBased on 943 reviews

story163 positive mentions

monetization3 negative mentions

The game features a surprisingly deep and engaging story with well-developed characters.
The artwork is high-quality and visually appealing, enhancing the overall experience.
The game successfully combines humor, emotional depth, and adult content, making it enjoyable beyond just the erotic scenes.

The dialogue can be overly lengthy and repetitive, which may detract from the pacing.
Some characters feel underdeveloped compared to others, leading to an uneven experience.
There is a lack of animations during sex scenes, which may disappoint players looking for more dynamic content.

story
377 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
55%
2%
The game's story has received widespread acclaim for its surprising depth and engaging character arcs, often exceeding expectations for an adult visual novel. Players appreciate the well-crafted narrative that intertwines humor, emotional moments, and unexpected plot twists, making it a compelling experience beyond the adult content. While some critiques mention pacing issues and occasional shallow character development, the overall consensus is that the story is a significant highlight, with many expressing a desire for more content and expansions.
- “The story was surprisingly good and a definite positive addition to the overall experience.”
- “I became completely invested in the story and I want so much more.”
- “Honestly, the most enjoyable story I've read all year, from a completely non-ero-minded perspective, the game genuinely made me smile many times.”
- “Yeah, well, they basically undid all of the things that made her story relatable to me and thereby renders everything about her that I resonated with and thought was beautiful storytelling into something completely irrelevant.”
- “The story, oh boy, I don't know where to even start. At first, the story starts as a typical lewd funny romance adult visual novel, but the more I followed the story, the more interesting it became. I started to get hooked on many of the characters and their background stories, but suddenly near the end, the story took a dark turn, and I couldn't stop until I reached the ending.”
- “Just not challenging or real story; all of them seemed about as shallow as a puddle.”
music
91 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
36%
60%
3%
The music in the game has received overwhelmingly positive feedback, with many players praising its catchy and fitting nature that enhances the overall experience. While some tracks are noted to be repetitive or less appealing, the majority of the soundtrack, particularly those by sewerslvt, is celebrated for its quality and ability to set the mood for various scenes. Overall, the music is considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's atmosphere and emotional depth.
- “The soundtrack really does hit at just the right moments.”
- “The music is peppy and catchy and perfectly suited to each scene, even the more serious ones.”
- “Honestly, the thing that shakes me the most about this game is how good the music is.”
- “The music gets super repetitive after a bit.”
- “As for the music... it doesn't quite fit well, and sometimes, it felt forced. I usually have it set to 'off', even in some scenes with a more gentle nature, it can get a bit discouraging.”
- “Music is quite generic for visual novels, not annoying but also not really memorable.”
graphics
68 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
56%
40%
4%
The graphics of the game have received widespread acclaim for their beautiful and detailed art style, primarily attributed to the artist twistedscarlett60. While many players appreciate the vibrant visuals and character designs, some note that the animations are mostly static, with limited movement during scenes. Overall, the artwork is considered a standout feature, enhancing the game's appeal and storytelling.
- “The transitions between art styles are fluid and flawless.”
- “This is a great game because all the stories keep me wanting to play more and the amazing artwork shows how much time and love was spent into making this game.”
- “Great quality artwork, graphics, music, and interesting story.”
- “The art style is a little simplistic for my tastes, and a lot of the scenes only have a few different images in them.”
- “Personally, I'm not really a fan of twistedscarlett60's art style - body proportions seem all out of whack and the artist doesn't seem to be able to master the perspective.”
- “I like the story, the characters, and the graphics/art, just less animation for the love scene.”
emotional
45 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players express surprise at the emotional depth found in what they initially expected to be a typical adult game, highlighting heartfelt character interactions, meaningful relationships, and unexpected narrative twists that evoke a wide range of feelings, including joy and sadness. Many reviewers note that the game successfully blends humor and emotional weight, making them feel genuinely invested in the characters' journeys, while some critique the execution of emotional scenes as lacking in visual impact. Overall, the game is praised for its ability to deliver a wholesome and thought-provoking experience alongside its adult content.
- “I can count on one hand the number of games, shows, or books that have made me cry.”
- “The characters are interesting, some are evocative, and most of them deal with such realistic circumstances and emotional baggage that I can feasibly see any of us dealing with at some point in our lives, and even if I couldn't, I could genuinely sympathize with them regardless.”
- “This game made me feel so many different feelings.”
gameplay
40 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
23%
70%
8%
The gameplay is primarily characterized as a visual novel with simple mechanics, including a basic grind system for currency and limited interactive elements. While some players appreciate the engaging characters and story, many criticize the lack of depth in gameplay, noting that choices often lead to similar outcomes and that the mechanics do not significantly enhance the experience. Overall, the game offers a mix of straightforward interactions and a narrative focus, appealing to those who enjoy character-driven stories but may disappoint players seeking more complex gameplay.
- “Not only is the gameplay very simple and easy to control, the characters and story scenarios are also very well written.”
- “The gameplay itself is around 24-30 hours to finish 100% of the game with secrets.”
- “As for gameplay, there is an element of time and money management, you get money you spend it around town, there is plenty to do or re-do for your days, and you can relive key story points with the crystal ball item.”
- “There's sort of a currency system, but it doesn't do anything interesting, unique, or special - and it doesn't involve any actual gameplay.”
- “The mechanics, if they can be called that, come down to an inventory you'll barely use, and a calendar telling you roughly what to do next to advance each route, along with a gallery for scene replay and a gallery to display each lewd scene picture by picture.”
- “The gameplay mechanics here have very little risk and reward; mostly, it's just a reward for walking up to someone and speed dashing through the text. Sure, you're presented with 2-4 choices, but ultimately, they all link in the same path, with a bit of unique dialogue before branching back on the same line.”
humor
33 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in this game is a standout feature, blending witty dialogue, clever references, and quirky character interactions that often lead to laugh-out-loud moments. Players appreciate the mix of lighthearted escapades and deeper storytelling, with many noting the game's self-awareness and meta-humor as particularly enjoyable. Overall, the humor enhances the experience, making it both entertaining and engaging throughout.
- “Aside from the wanton rutting, everything is colorful and bright, with lots of humor (and a little drama and excitement) and mainly lighthearted escapades of a fish-out-of-water that literally everyone grows to love.”
- “What I got was some really good writing, great one-liners and meta humor that literally had me on the floor dying on like three separate occasions, and world-building that's on another level.”
- “I caught myself laughing multiple times out loud from the dialogue, let alone how clever and great the dialogue can be.”
character development
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
25%
25%
Character development in the game is praised for its depth and integration with the storyline, with players expressing strong emotional attachments to the characters. The well-crafted designs and engaging dialogue enhance the overall experience, making the characters feel relatable and endearing. Despite the game's adult themes, the character arcs are noted for their complexity and the thoughtful exploration of their motivations and emotions.
- “Nice story lines and character development.”
- “I love the story and the character development, and I feel attached to pretty much every character (especially Moxie :3).”
- “Sure the characters are renamed and recolored, but you can tell the character designs are the same.”
- “All lewdness aside, the artwork is top-notch, there's decent world-building and character development, and the personalities you encounter are quite endearing!”
- “The 'main characters' feature some character development: secrets and reasons for their behavior, problems to be solved, and several moments of genuine sadness, happiness, and relief.”
atmosphere
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
33%
17%
The game's atmosphere is consistently praised for its vibrant and fun vibe, effectively immersing players in a light-hearted and sexy environment. The visual design, featuring a mix of cartoonish backgrounds and appealing character interactions, enhances the overall experience, making it enjoyable even for those unfamiliar with the source material.
- “Believe it or not, it fills in the atmosphere of the place you are visiting very well about 95% of the time.”
- “The best part is the vibe and atmosphere.”
- “The main map, as well as most non-blurred location backgrounds, are drawn in a style that, compared to the characters, is simpler and reminiscent of cartoon children's books, fitting the light-hearted and mostly optimistic atmosphere.”
- “The main map, as well as most non-blurred location backgrounds, are drawn in a style that, compared to the characters, is simple and reminiscent of cartoonish children's books, which fits the light-hearted and mostly optimistic atmosphere.”
monetization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization of the game is viewed positively, with users noting that it avoids the typical pitfalls of low-effort cash grabs often seen in the genre, instead offering a more substantial and engaging experience. This suggests a commitment to quality over mere profit, contrasting sharply with the common perception of similar titles.
- “You know the standard low-effort visual novel cash grab.”
- “You know those annoying ads that say: 'You won't last 5 minutes playing this game!'”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Overall, the game exhibits minor glitches that are generally tolerable, contributing to its charm as a fan-made project. Players appreciate the humorous real-life elements and witty dialogue, which enhance the experience despite the stability issues.
- “There are some small tolerable glitches, but it has all the elements of a good fan-made game at a fair price.”
- “Things I really liked were the real-life glitches during happy-fun times (e.g. leg cramp that knocks you off the bed) and the snarky pillow talk before, during, and after.”
grinding
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious, noting that the dialogue and scenes often feel repetitive and fail to capitalize on potential engaging moments.
- “The grinding feels endless and repetitive, making it hard to stay engaged.”
- “I find myself doing the same tasks over and over, which quickly becomes boring.”
- “The game requires too much grinding to progress, turning what could be an enjoyable experience into a chore.”
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
300%
Reviewers indicate that the game has strong replayability, with many expressing a desire for a "new game +" feature in future updates to enhance the experience further.
- “Replayability: yes, an even bigger yes if 'New Game +' were to be a feature in a possible future update.”
- “The game offers so many different choices and paths that I find myself wanting to play through it multiple times.”
- “Each playthrough feels fresh due to the variety of character builds and strategies you can explore.”
- “Replayability: yes, an even bigger yes if 'New Game +' would be a thing in a possible future update.”
- “The game lacks significant changes in subsequent playthroughs, making it feel repetitive.”
- “Once you complete the main story, there isn't much incentive to replay the game.”