Skip to main content

Paper Shakespeare: To Date Or Not To Date?

61%Game Brain Score
story, graphics
gameplay, grinding
83% User Score Based on 24 reviews

Platforms

PCPCWindowsWindowsLinuxLinux
Buy Nowfrom $1.14
Buy NowGet on Steam €8.79

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
Paper Shakespeare: To Date Or Not To Date? screenshot
Paper Shakespeare: To Date Or Not To Date? screenshot
Paper Shakespeare: To Date Or Not To Date? screenshot
Paper Shakespeare: To Date Or Not To Date? screenshot
Paper Shakespeare: To Date Or Not To Date? screenshot
Paper Shakespeare: To Date Or Not To Date? screenshot
Paper Shakespeare: To Date Or Not To Date? screenshot
Paper Shakespeare: To Date Or Not To Date? screenshot

83%
Audience ScoreBased on 24 reviews
story6 positive mentions
gameplay1 negative mentions
  • The game offers a fresh and entertaining take on classic Shakespearean characters, incorporating humorous elements and supernatural twists.
  • Players appreciate the decision-making aspect of the story, which allows for meaningful choices and multiple playthroughs to explore different love interests.
  • The artwork is well-received, with many finding it unique and enjoyable, contributing to the overall quirky charm of the game.
  • The writing is criticized for being poorly executed, resembling amateur fan-fiction rather than a polished narrative, which detracts from the overall experience.
  • Many players find the gameplay to be lacking, with limited choices that can feel overwhelming or too linear, leading to a sense of confusion.
  • Technical issues, such as internal crashes and poor resolution options, hinder the experience, making it difficult for players to fully enjoy the game.
  • story
    16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's story is generally entertaining, featuring good twists and a strong portrayal of school cliques, which many players appreciate. However, some find the narrative confusing at first, particularly with its multiple universe concept, though it becomes clearer with time. Players enjoy the interactive decision-making aspect, which adds depth to the storyline.

    • “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.”
    • “It seemed like I was too tired when playing it first to get the whole plot and controls.”
  • graphics
    10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of the game have received mixed feedback; while some players appreciate the unique artwork and pleasant art style, others criticize the lack of resolution options and customization settings, leading to low-quality visuals. Overall, the game's artistic direction is seen as a strong point, particularly for fans of Shakespeare, but technical limitations hinder the experience.

    • “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 dev works hard, this can be one of the best ones out there for unique ideas.”
    • “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.”
    • “The game's artwork is something new to me, and I personally liked it.”
  • humor
    4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in the game is characterized by quirky and imaginative elements, such as a character resembling a mix of robot-Barney and mini-Mechagodzilla, which adds a whimsical touch. Additionally, the visual novel "Paper Shakespeare: To Date or Not to Date" is noted for its interesting and humorous approach, contributing to the overall comedic tone of the game.

    • “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
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay of this visual/interactive novel is criticized for lacking substance, primarily consisting of clicking through poorly written dialogue that fails to meet acceptable literary standards. Reviewers express frustration over the quality of the writing and question how such a product was released on Steam.

    • “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, which presents the question, 'how did something this badly written end up on Steam?'”
  • grinding
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Users find the grinding aspect of visual novels and e-books to be tedious, likening the experience to a frustratingly slow reading process where players must click to progress through text, detracting from the enjoyment of the narrative. This repetitive clicking can make engaging with the story feel laborious rather than immersive.

    • “Visual novels/e-books are tedious at best... imagine the best novel you ever read, be that Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy or 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.”
  • optimization
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The optimization of the game is perceived as lacking, with players feeling that the experience is akin to a school theater performance, where the true essence of the game unfolds gradually as they progress. This suggests that initial impressions may not fully capture the game's depth, potentially leading to a disconnect in player engagement.

Buy Paper Shakespeare: To Date Or Not To Date?

Videos

Games Like Paper Shakespeare: To Date Or Not To Date?

Paper Shakespeare: Loves Labor(s) Lost Image

Paper Shakespeare: Loves Labor(s) Lost

2018Action
PCPCWindowsWindowsLinuxLinux
Louder Than Words: The Story of a Field Trip Image

Louder Than Words: The Story of a Field Trip

2021Role Playing
PCPCWindowsWindows
Lyantei Image

Lyantei

2019Action
PCPCWindowsWindows
The Orphaned Soul Image

The Orphaned Soul

2018Action
PCPCWindowsWindowsMac OSMac OS
Edge of Reality Image
43%13reviews

Edge of Reality

2020Action
PCPCXboxXboxXbox Series X|SXbox Series X|S+8