Lovingly Evil
- August 19, 2020
- Lizard Hazard Games
- 2h median play time
Get on Steam"Lovingly Evil" is a simulation game where you play as an evil villain, building your lair, and commanding minions to carry out your nefarious plans. Make morally ambiguous choices, and interact with a variety of quirky characters while avoiding heroes and do-gooders trying to stop you. Your success depends on your strategic decisions and the growth of your evil empire.
Reviews
- The game features vibrant art and hilarious characters, making it a charming and lighthearted experience.
- It offers a unique premise of dating villains, with engaging storylines and fun mini-games that enhance gameplay.
- The character customization and inclusivity options are well-implemented, allowing players to feel more connected to their avatars.
- The game is quite short, with some players feeling it lacks depth and replayability due to limited impactful choices.
- Certain mini-games, particularly the grilling one, are seen as tedious and frustrating, detracting from the overall enjoyment.
- The writing can feel overly political and lacks the dynamic storytelling expected in a dating sim, leading to a less engaging experience.
- story29 mentions
- 34 % positive mentions
- 55 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The game's story is a mixed bag, with some players praising its humor, vibrant art, and engaging character backstories, while others find it bland and predictable, lacking depth and dynamic choices. Although the characters are charming and the mini-games add variety, many reviewers feel the overall narrative is underdeveloped and fails to provide a compelling overarching plot. Despite these criticisms, the lighthearted tone and unique character designs contribute to an enjoyable experience for some players.
“The villains are hilarious, the art is vibrant, and the storyline is both funny and engaging.”
“Very fun storylines, great queer representation (ace and demi characters in the mix!), and the mini-games for each route are unique and fun.”
“The story is interesting and the artwork is beautiful.”
“I really tried to get into the story, but it just feels so bland.”
“There's really not a dynamic arching story for each choice; at least it doesn't feel like it.”
“There is no overarching story, no end-goal nor anything to be excited about… other than satan’s apronless torso.”
- humor17 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is widely praised for its wit and charm, featuring hilarious villains, funny dialogues, and engaging storylines that enhance the overall experience. Players appreciate the lighthearted tone and unique characters, with many noting the enjoyable mini-games and the balance of humor throughout. Overall, the game is described as a fun and heartwarming visual novel that successfully combines comedy with engaging gameplay.
“The villains are hilarious, the art is vibrant, and the storyline is both funny and engaging.”
“Plus, there is something hilarious about making Satan blush!”
“A really lovely, heartwarming, and downright funny visual novel which anyone who's attended a B2B conference or wanted to smooch Satan can enjoy.”
- gameplay7 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 29 % neutral mentions
- 29 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by engaging mechanics and a charming aesthetic, though some players find the time-management aspect stressful and certain mini-games overly challenging. Overall, it offers a quick and accessible experience without requiring extensive time commitment for each route.
“I really recommend this game for amazing art, a fully fleshed-out story, and cute gameplay mechanics!”
“Mechanics are great though.”
“- Quick gameplay, you don't have to devote a ton of time to each route.”
“The whole time-management mechanic was rather stressful and one of the mini-games got needlessly hard.”
“5) actual gameplay - it's ok.”
- music6 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 17 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its catchy soundtrack and gorgeous composition, enhancing the overall experience. While some players note that it can be a bit repetitive, the standout tracks, particularly the title screen music, leave a strong impression, with many expressing a desire for the soundtrack to be available for listening outside the game.
“I really like the art and the music.”
“The art and music are gorgeous; the characters all have personality, and the premise is really fun.”
“The only thing I would have to say negatively is that the music is a bit repetitive, but you can always mute it and listen to something else!”
“The only complaint (suggestion?) is that I would love to have the soundtrack!”
“The music is killer; especially the title screen.”
- replayability4 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The game offers strong replayability due to its interesting characters, multiple endings, and diverse conversation options, encouraging players to explore different paths. While some users wish for more endings for all love interests, the overall design allows for extensive playtime, especially for those who enjoy completing every option.
“The characters are interesting and fun to interact with and 'get to know,' and the multiple endings for some characters adds to the game's replayability.”
“It would help with replayability if every love interest had multiple endings.”
“Just finished my first run of this game without realizing there's no gallery and I did not screengrab the lovely ending photo I received... rip. However, besides that, I really think the pacing of this game is fairly well done, the humor is very balanced, and I love the replayability of it all with the various conversation topics, going to panels, etc. If you're into villains and visual novels, I'd definitely say give this a go!”
“In 4 hours, I played through to one of the good endings, and based on how many options I saw but didn't choose, I estimate that the game has dozens of hours of replayability for someone who likes to really complete every option.”
- character development4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is praised for its unique and tolerable art style, which enhances the overall experience beyond a typical linear dating sim. Players appreciate the impressive character designs and the inclusion of minigames, although some express disappointment that customized characters are only visible on the map.
“I like the character design and how it feels more like an open experience rather than just a linear dating sim/visual novel.”
“The character designs are amazing and the minigames are such a nice touch.”
“Your customized character design only shows up on the map.”
“Character design - Satan's overly minimalistic design may be weird to me, but with this art style, I can tolerate any design.”
- emotional3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its emotional depth, featuring a charming and humorous dating sim set in a unique "villain conference" backdrop. Players find the dialogue engaging and the romances unexpectedly wholesome, leading to heartfelt moments that evoke genuine emotional responses, including tears. Overall, it offers a delightful blend of humor and warmth that resonates with a wide audience.
“I cried.”
“A really lovely, heartwarming, and downright funny visual novel which anyone who's attended a B2B conference or wanted to smooch Satan can enjoy.”
“Really cute little dating sim with a setting in a 'villain conference!' The dialogue is fun, the conference talks are fun, the romances are really cute and surprisingly wholesome.”
- grinding3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspects of the game, particularly the cooking mini-game and repetitive arguments, to be slow and tedious, leading to frustration during multiple playthroughs. Many express a desire for options to skip or streamline these repetitive tasks.
“My only major complaint is that the cooking mini-game is so slow and tedious; I want to destroy it.”
“The argument one felt really tedious with how many times I had to redo it, and there really should have been a skip tutorial option for repeat playthroughs.”
“A little tedious for multiple playthroughs.”
- graphics3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The graphics are praised for their beautiful artwork and unique art style, which allows for a tolerance of unconventional character designs, such as Satan's minimalistic appearance. Overall, the visual presentation enhances the storytelling experience.
“The story is interesting and the artwork is beautiful.”
“Character design - Satan's overly minimalistic design may be weird to me, but with this art style, I can tolerate any design.”
“Let me look through all the ending graphics I've unlocked!!!”
“The character design is overly minimalistic, which I find weird, but I can tolerate it due to the art style.”
“The graphics feel outdated and lack the detail expected from modern games.”
“The environments are bland and uninspired, making the game visually unappealing.”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is described as charming, particularly in Felix's route, creating an engaging and inviting experience for players.
“Admittedly, I've only played Felix's route so far, but the overall atmosphere had me charmed.”
