Hatoful Boyfriend

Hatoful Boyfriend tells an endearingly crazy story that will have you smiling, laughing, crying and feverishly turning the virtual page. It takes some buy-in, but pays off if you're looking for something way off the beaten path.

88%Game Brain Score

story, humor

grinding, stability

94% User Score Based on 11,412 reviews

Critic Score 76%Based on 5 reviews

Platforms

Buy Nowfrom $3.99

Buy NowGet on Steam$9.99

About

Hatoful Boyfriend is a unique visual novel/dating sim where you, the only human student, attend a high school for talented birds at St. PigeoNation's Institute. Throughout the game, you will navigate social dynamics, pursue romance, and uncover secrets in this lighthearted, avian-themed story. The goal is to find happiness and love amidst the challenges of high school life, all while surrounded by your feathered friends.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

94%

Audience ScoreBased on 11,417 reviews

story1.1k positive mentions

grinding76 negative mentions

The story of *Hatoful Boyfriend* evolves from a light-hearted premise into a rich narrative filled with emotional depth, dark themes, and intricate plot twists.
The game features fantastic writing and humor, with memorable characters that players become emotionally attached to, leading to a roller-coaster of feelings throughout the experience.
High replayability is offered through multiple character routes and hidden endings, encouraging players to explore different story paths and uncover the overarching plot.

The gameplay can feel tedious and repetitive, requiring players to replay long dialogues and make similar choices to unlock all endings, which may detract from the overall enjoyment.
Many players criticize the lack of character development and one-dimensional storylines, with some feeling that the writing is clichéd and lacks depth.
The game suffers from numerous glitches and bugs, particularly with save and load functions, which can lead to frustrating gameplay experiences.

story
3,746 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
69%
2%
The story of *Hatoful Boyfriend* is unexpectedly rich and complex, evolving from a seemingly light-hearted pigeon dating sim into a deeply engaging narrative filled with dark themes, emotional depth, and intricate plot twists. Players are encouraged to explore multiple character routes, each revealing unique backstories that contribute to a larger, interconnected storyline, culminating in a significant "true" ending that ties all elements together. While the initial gameplay may feel repetitive, the payoff in terms of storytelling and character development is substantial, making it a memorable experience for those willing to invest the time.
- “The story line, characters, and content was an emotional roller-coaster to go through, and indeed a cinematic masterpiece.”
- “This is one of the best visual novels I've ever played, a genuinely deep and interesting story, hidden endings that reveal a lot about the lore, and different bird choices with each a well-defined personality.”
- “What started as a hilarious satire on modern day anime quickly became a heartwarming story of love, loss, and friendship.”
- “The only thing holding it back from being fully appreciated is that most people will not go through the trouble of going through every bird route in order to unlock the true story.”
- “The central plot is similarly thin & disappointing.”
- “The story is boring, the writing is terrible and even if you pick the right choices for a character you like there is pretty much no romance at all.”
humor
1,716 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
99%
1%
The humor in "Hatoful Boyfriend" is a blend of absurdity and clever writing, often catching players off guard with its unexpected depth and emotional twists. While many find the initial premise of dating pigeons to be hilariously silly, the game evolves into a narrative that balances lighthearted comedy with darker themes, leading to moments of genuine laughter and poignant reflection. Overall, it appeals to those who appreciate quirky humor and are willing to explore its more serious undertones.
- “Fantastic music, writing that's both hilarious and soul crushing, and it has the best birds in gaming with Okosan, Azami, and Anghel.”
- “The humor is fantastic and witty at times and just the right amount of nonsense to make you laugh.”
- “This game is hilarious but has some deep lore, I've been playing it all day and I don't even have half the endings, I literally got notes lol, I recommend this game, also maybe don't try to date the doctor.”
- “It's marketed as being some kind of hilarious parody... in reality, it's not funny at all.”
- “Overly clichéd and with somewhat stilted writing, this game is too absurd to be genuine, and not funny enough to be a good parody.”
- “It's a chore to replay this multiple times just to see the many different, unfunny outcomes.”
emotional
1,162 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of "Hatoful Boyfriend" is a surprising highlight, with many players expressing deep emotional investment in the characters and storylines, often leading to unexpected tears. What begins as a humorous dating sim about pigeons evolves into a complex narrative filled with heartfelt moments, dark twists, and poignant themes of love, loss, and personal growth. Reviewers frequently mention being emotionally wrecked, with some stating it left them with lasting emotional trauma, showcasing the game's ability to blend absurdity with genuine emotional depth.
- “The story line, characters, and content was an emotional roller-coaster to go through, and indeed a cinematic masterpiece.”
- “This game was a roller coaster ride that lore dumps like no other at the end; but has a great plot, character development, side stories, funny hahas, and tear jerking moments that all together makes you become emotionally attached and invested in the characters.”
- “What on the surface seems like a memey pigeon dating simulator, eventually turns into a heart breaking visual novel that is sure to bring anyone who has emotion to tears.”
- “Boring storylines with one-dimensional characters.”
music
478 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
42%
51%
7%
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with some players praising its charm and ability to enhance the emotional depth of the story, while others criticize it for being repetitive and composed mainly of royalty-free tracks that feel cheap. Many noted that the soundtrack fits the game's quirky tone, but the abrupt transitions and short looping tracks can be immersion-breaking. Overall, while some players found the music delightful and memorable, others felt it detracted from the experience, leading to a polarized reception.
- “The music is fantastic, the characters are fun and quirky.”
- “The soundtrack is amazing, and it makes me wish I had gotten the collector's edition so I could've gotten it.”
- “A wonderful game with sweet characters, a lovely soundtrack and an outstanding story.”
- “The soundtrack is all free-to-use music that can't shake the feeling of being cheap.”
- “I wasn't really a fan of the soundtrack; it felt a little too repetitive and annoying, so I muted the game after a few endings I had achieved.”
- “The music is annoying, the visuals are flat and boring, the dialogue is mediocre at best, and overall, the game is simply just a regular dating sim, nothing new to the table.”
gameplay
298 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
13%
78%
9%
The gameplay of "Hatoful Boyfriend" is primarily a visual novel format, characterized by a repetitive loop of reading dialogue and making choices that influence the story's outcome. While some players appreciate the depth of character development and world-building, many find the gameplay tedious and lacking in complexity, often relying on a fast-forward feature to bypass repetitive sections. Overall, the game appeals more to those who prioritize narrative over interactive gameplay, making it a mixed experience for fans of the genre.
- “The gameplay is stripped down to a few choices in pivotal moments, and the worldbuilding and characters are so well-built that it's easy to forget you're actually dating pigeons.”
- “It elegantly combined the presence of charming male characters, a narrative of considerable depth and complexity, as well as an enigmatic aura that enveloped the entire gameplay.”
- “The gameplay may be quite simple, but this is a story that will stick with you forever.”
- “The gameplay is boring!”
- “Not only did the gameplay not work properly, but I kind of felt like I had to go through hours of ridiculousness just to get to the actual storyline which, as interesting as it was, was not worth the trouble in my opinion.”
- “On the other hand, as a video game, Hatoful Boyfriend to me wasn't any better than the rest of its genre: tedious, grindy, linear, and basically a terrible gameplay experience.”
graphics
250 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
34%
59%
7%
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many players appreciating the cute art style and updated visuals in the HD re-release, while others criticize the static nature and low-quality images of the bird characters. Some find the juxtaposition of real bird photos with the cartoonish backgrounds charming, but others feel it detracts from the overall experience. Overall, the visuals are deemed adequate for a dating sim, but not groundbreaking, with many reviewers emphasizing that the story and gameplay take precedence over graphical quality.
- “The graphics are cute, the concept is also cute, it is overall very comedic.”
- “Stunning graphics make for a pretty game overall.”
- “The re-release has updated the graphics beautifully and any fan of otome games with a good sense of humor is bound to love this game.”
- “Many dramatic moments fall flat because of a lack of visuals, and the prose does not step up to the plate to compensate.”
- “I understand trying to get each ending in any visual novel is repetitive, but this was made worse by the lack of dramatically branching options and lackluster visuals and sounds.”
- “The lack of animation and static nature of the graphics will be a turn-off to some.”
replayability
144 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
59%
3%
The game boasts high replayability, with multiple endings and unlockable content that encourage players to explore different story paths and character interactions. While some players find the initial gameplay tedious and the dialogue repetitive, many appreciate the depth and humor that emerge with each playthrough. Overall, it offers significant value for those interested in completing all routes and discovering hidden narratives.
- “With the amount of endings and choices to make, there is a bunch of replay value, and it can keep one entertained for several hours!”
- “The replay value in this game is colossal, and each ending is brilliantly planned, with just enough humor, sadness, and a plot twist you never saw coming.”
- “Definitely a lot of replayability due to each story path opening up more of the overarching plot that goes above bird romance.”
- “Cons: not a lot of replay value.”
- “It just didn't hold much replayability for me personally.”
- “However, I don't see it having any replay value after finishing it.”
grinding
78 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
3%
97%
The grinding aspect of the game is frequently described as tedious, with players noting the repetitive nature of unlocking multiple endings and routes, which can feel like a time sink. While some appreciate the depth and twists in the story that emerge from this process, many express frustration over the necessity to replay long dialogues and the lack of effective skip options. Overall, the experience can be rewarding for dedicated fans of the genre, but it often detracts from the enjoyment due to its grindy and linear structure.
- “It can be pretty tedious as some endings fork based on what subject you study, so you need to repeat everything to unlock both versions of each route and unlock the final bbl ending.”
- “The story has a lot of twists and turns the first time you play it, but after running all the routes, it got a little tedious to repeat such long series of dialogues without any choices in between.”
- “Unlocking it may become tedious, but at least the game provides a skip button.”
character development
72 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
44%
50%
6%
Character development in the game is a mixed bag, with some players praising the depth and emotional engagement of certain characters, particularly in the true route, while others criticize the overall lack of development and reliance on typical anime tropes. Many reviews highlight the strong writing and humor, which contribute to players forming attachments to the characters, despite some feeling that the pacing and structure hinder a more thorough exploration of their backstories. Overall, while there are standout moments and well-rounded characters, the game struggles with consistency in character development across its various storylines.
- “This game was a roller coaster ride that lore dumps like no other at the end; but has a great plot, character development, side stories, funny moments, and tear-jerking moments that all together make you become emotionally attached and invested in the characters.”
- “In all seriousness, while the game comes off as a bad goof on dating sims, it has a surprising amount of good storytelling and character development along with one of the most memorable endings I've experienced in interactive storytelling.”
- “The character development is deep, the storylines behind each love interest are engaging, and more than once I have found myself sobbing because of the characters.”
- “It is full of irrelevant subplots, and very little character development.”
- “It's your typical high school dating sim, except extremely condensed with each scene taking 2 minutes at most and thus having barely any character development past the usual anime character tropes.”
- “While the characters are fun, there is neither much actual romance nor character development; storylines end almost immediately after the big reveal of the birds' backstory, and so the game does not give any closure, even when dealing with more serious topics.”
atmosphere
32 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
53%
9%
The atmosphere of the game is notably varied, shifting from bright and charming in dating scenarios to dark and intense moments that catch players off guard. While some users feel a lack of traditional dating sim ambiance, others praise the unique blend of humor and depth, enhanced by effective music and sound design. Overall, the game creates an engaging and immersive experience that can surprise players with its tonal shifts.
- “This portion is dark both atmospherically and aesthetically.”
- “Fantastic writing, characters, atmosphere, and a stunning amount of depth and meaning really make Hatoful stand out among other visual novel games.”
- “The game can become dark and intense rather fast, but still manages to keep the silly atmosphere that I had expected.”
- “Still, I don't feel any dating sim atmosphere.”
- “In this newer, sparklier version... the player can save whenever they please - taking away that intense atmosphere.”
- “Then out of nowhere the atmosphere gets uneasy.”
stability
28 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
7%
93%
The game's stability is marred by numerous glitches, particularly with the save and load functions, which can lead to freezing and empty text boxes. While some players report that these issues do not significantly hinder gameplay, others find them frustrating, especially during critical moments. Overall, the game is described as having a buggy user interface and translation errors, necessitating frequent saves and patience from players.
- “Steam Deck: there are a lot of glitches when you try to load a saved game on Steam Deck.”
- “Saving in some cases can also produce a save point that freezes a game when loaded from the main menu (you have to load from a working save as a workaround and even then it sometimes doesn't work).”
- “The game also had a tendency to freeze at important decisions, making me have to replay yet again, so it became a real effort in patience trying to deal with these glitches without throwing it out.”
optimization
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
25%
25%
The optimization of the game has received mixed reviews; while some users praise its exceptional performance, noting it runs better than titles like Assassin's Creed: Unity, others criticize it for lacking proper optimization, especially in comparison to other visual novels. Overall, the game's performance appears to be inconsistent among players.
- “Exceptional optimization (runs better than Assassin's Creed: Unity).”
- “This game is at the peak of its performance.”
- “I won the best performance of the night, and I entirely attribute it to the pure shock the audience had towards the dedication I had to this game.”
- “Having played many visual novels before, this one isn't optimized well at all.”
monetization
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization aspect of the game is characterized by misleading advertising that doesn't fully represent the gameplay experience, leading to mixed expectations among players. Despite this, many find the game enjoyable, even those who are not fans of visual novels, suggesting that the actual content may outweigh the concerns about its promotional tactics. Overall, while the ads may be comedic and self-referential, they do not detract significantly from the game's appeal.
- “Don't believe the comedic ads.”
- “But... the advertising, the descriptions, all of it are... not telling you the whole story.”
- “There's a lot to take in for players who don't like to read, and it does have a flair of the quintessential anime-plot quality (tons of exposition that gets dished out in huge bursts nearer and nearer the end) which doesn't appeal to everyone, but it's enjoyable on the whole, even if it contains not-so-subtle self-referential advertising at one point.”

76%Critics’ scoreBased on 5 critic reviews

Buy Hatoful Boyfriend

11h Median play time

17h Average play time

7-17h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 20 analyzed playthroughs

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