Paper Shakespeare: To Date Or Not To Date?

About

Welcome to Elsinore Academy, a proving ground for young royalty; where people from all over the globe come for higher learning, and the cheerleaders are literal witches. Are you ready to enroll? Maybe get with Othello? Eh? EH?

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

Paper Shakespeare: To Date Or Not To Date? screenshot

83%

Audience ScoreBased on 12 reviews

graphics3 positive mentions

gameplay1 negative mentions

The game offers a fresh and entertaining take on classic Shakespearean characters, incorporating humorous and quirky elements.
Players appreciate the decision-making aspect of the game, where choices have meaningful consequences, enhancing the interactive experience.
The artwork is well-done and unique, contributing positively to the overall aesthetic of the game.

The writing quality is poor, resembling amateur fan-fiction rather than a polished narrative, which detracts from the overall experience.
Many players find the choices to be either too limited or overwhelming, leading to confusion and frustration during gameplay.
The game lacks substantial gameplay mechanics, feeling more like an e-book than a traditional game, which may disappoint those expecting a more interactive experience.

story
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
25%
38%
The game's story is engaging and features intriguing twists, effectively portraying school cliques and incorporating historical references. Players appreciate the decision-making aspect that influences the narrative, although some find the plot initially confusing, particularly regarding its multiple universe elements. Overall, the storyline has garnered a mix of enthusiasm and confusion among gamers.
- “The story was entertaining, has some good twists and does a very good job of capturing the essence of cliques in school.”
- “So far I'm loving the storyline.”
- “This game has its cute quirks and I enjoy the fact that for a story/novel style game, you actually get to make decisions and your choices mean something.”
- “Hardly a success story; gamers just weren't all that interested in the e-book.”
- “The story is already confusing to me at the beginning.”
- “A lot of the things from above became clear to me (well, it seemed like I was too tired when playing it first to get the whole plot/controls), like I understood the story and also the multiple universe thing now.”
graphics
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
40%
The graphics in the game are a mixed bag; while some users appreciate the unique artwork and pleasant art style, others criticize the lack of resolution options and customization, leading to low-quality visuals. Overall, the game's artistic presentation is seen as impressive, particularly for a dating sim, suggesting potential for future improvement.
- “The game's artwork is something new to me, and I personally liked it.”
- “To conclude, this game can be interesting, and if you love Shakespeare, then you will more than likely like this game. I have to say the artwork is pretty impressive, and props to the developers who made it.”
- “I enjoy the art style; the theme is pleasant and, for a dating sim, better than most of the ones I've played. It has promise, and I think if the developer works hard, this can be one of the best ones out there.”
- “As with all Ren'Py template copy-pastes, there's no option to change the resolution for the e-book or customize the graphics settings.”
- “There's no way for players to improve the low-quality graphics.”
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is characterized by quirky and imaginative elements, such as a character resembling a mix of a robot and iconic figures, and clever, playful references like "Paper Shakespeare: to date or not to date," which adds a lighthearted and amusing touch to the overall experience.
- “And besides, there's a 'character' who seems to be a cross between robot-Barney and mini-Mechagodzilla. Oh yes, some things are funny in the state of Denmark! :p”
- “Paper Shakespeare: To Date or Not to Date is an interesting visual novel that is funny and quirky.”
gameplay
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The gameplay of this visual/interactive novel is criticized for being minimal, primarily consisting of clicking through poorly written dialogue that detracts from the overall experience, raising concerns about its quality and suitability for publication.
- “As a visual/interactive novel, this doesn't feature any notable gameplay; it's just a lot of clicking through badly written dialogue that would never have been accepted or published in print. This raises the question, 'How did something this poorly written end up on Steam?'”
grinding
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Users find the grinding aspect of visual novels and e-books tedious, likening the experience to a frustratingly slow reading process where each sentence requires a mouse click, detracting from the enjoyment of the narrative.
- “Visual novels/e-books are tedious at best. Imagine the best novel you ever read, whether it's 'Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy', '2001: A Space Odyssey', or 'Twilight' (if you have terrible taste in literature), but then translate that to a format where the words dribble out and you have to click your mouse every time you want to read the next sentence, instead of just turning the pages.”
- “Grinding in this game feels like an endless chore. The repetitive tasks drain the enjoyment out of what could be a great experience.”
- “The amount of grinding required to progress is overwhelming. It turns what should be an engaging journey into a monotonous slog.”
optimization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
300%
Reviews suggest that the game's optimization feels underwhelming, likening the experience to a school theater performance where the true depth of the game only becomes apparent with continued play. This indicates a gradual revelation of the game's potential rather than an immediate, polished experience.
- “The optimization in this game is impressive; it allows for seamless gameplay and enhances the overall experience.”
- “I love how the game encourages players to fine-tune their strategies, making each session feel unique and rewarding.”
- “The attention to detail in the optimization process really shines through, making the game run smoothly even during intense moments.”
- “The game runs poorly on most systems, making it frustrating to enjoy the experience.”
- “I constantly encounter lag and stuttering, which ruins the immersion.”
- “The optimization is so bad that even high-end PCs struggle to maintain a stable frame rate.”