Purrfect Date
- December 15, 2017
- Bae Team
- 9h median play time
Get on Steam"Purrfect Date" is a visual novel and dating simulator that takes place on a mysterious cat island. You play as a researcher who goes on a series of dates with various cat characters while uncovering the island's secrets. The game features branching storylines, multiple endings, and a unique blend of humor, horror, and romance.
iPad
iPhone
PC
Phone
Windows
Mobile Platform
Reviews
- The game features a unique and intriguing storyline that combines mystery and humor, keeping players engaged.
- The characters, especially the cats, are well-developed and charming, making it easy to become attached to them.
- The art style and music contribute to a delightful atmosphere, enhancing the overall experience.
- The lack of a skip button for previously read dialogue makes replaying the game tedious and frustrating.
- There is only one save file and no chapter select, which can lead to having to replay large sections of the game to explore different choices.
- Some players found the themes of animal cruelty and dark humor unsettling, which may not be suitable for all audiences.
- story302 mentions
- 32 % positive mentions
- 62 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The story of "Purrfect Date" is a surprising blend of light-hearted humor and darker themes, including elements of mystery and animal experimentation, which many players found compelling and engaging. While some reviewers noted that the narrative can feel repetitive due to the need for multiple playthroughs to uncover all aspects, the intricate plot twists and character development kept many players invested. Overall, the game is praised for its unique storytelling approach, though it may not appeal to those expecting a straightforward dating sim.
“The story is deep and dark and definitely something I was not expecting and something to really invest yourself in.”
“The overarching story is a dark masterpiece that I never saw coming upon entering the game, and the individual 'romances' with the characters are absolutely beautiful.”
“What may at first glance appear like yet another 'edgy' indie dating sim with the typical flourishes of memes and over-the-top humor is actually a game with a complex & interesting story with plenty of mystery to keep you on your feet.”
“The story is padded too much even for a dating sim with a superficial story on top.”
“The story gets really dark, involving a lot of animal torture and death, which the player is made complicit in without having a choice.”
“You have to go through multiple playthroughs to end the story, which can get repetitive.”
- music75 mentions
- 39 % positive mentions
- 52 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many players appreciating its charm and uniqueness, particularly the incorporation of cat sounds and catchy melodies that enhance the overall atmosphere. While some found the soundtrack repetitive or annoying over time, others praised its ability to evoke emotion and fit the game's whimsical theme. Overall, the music is seen as a delightful and integral part of the experience, contributing positively to the game's artistic and narrative elements.
“The art, music, and story are all charming, and the variety of dateable cats was a breath of fresh air in a genre that's painfully homogeneous at times.”
“The soundtrack is great; it's really catchy and I wish it was available on YouTube so I could add the songs to my music playlist.”
“The music adds so much to this game, helping to express emotion to each scene just as it is supposed to.”
“The music is okay in places, annoying in others.”
“Terrible repetitive music that is more annoying than in any way supporting the situation you are in.”
“The humor falls flat, the music is irritating and it feels like you just have to do weird, bad, and illogical choices to progress.”
- humor71 mentions
- 93 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is a mixed bag, with some players praising its dark, sarcastic wit and self-aware charm, while others find it lacking or misleading compared to the expectations set by the trailer. Many appreciate the clever puns and quirky character interactions, but some feel the humor falls flat amidst darker themes, leading to a disjointed experience. Overall, the game offers a blend of light-hearted and dark humor, appealing to those who enjoy a unique narrative but potentially disappointing for those seeking a purely comedic experience.
“Purrfect Date blends mystery, intrigue, and wickedly black humor, to create the ultimate crossbreed between visual novel and dating simulator!”
“It's a cat dating sim that is painfully self-aware of its existence, and delivers sarcastic humor that makes it hilarious and totally endearing.”
“This game is hilarious, dark, and amazing.”
“Just text after text and it was not funny and did not grab my attention.”
“[h1]tl;dr[/h1] as it's been already pointed out by other players, left-clicking again and again through all that incredibly boring description of every single non-essential thing is seriously not funny.”
“It's not funny, it's not cute, it's not unpredictable, it's not hard, and quite frankly, it's a dog turd.”
- graphics56 mentions
- 21 % positive mentions
- 66 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the hand-drawn art style and cute details, while others criticize it as mediocre or "bad." Notably, the game features graphic depictions of violence and animal abuse, which caught many players off guard due to a lack of warnings. Overall, while the art style may not appeal to everyone, it is often described as charming and fitting for the game's themes.
“The game's wonderful atmosphere, colorful and interesting characters, adorable artwork, and melodious music were an unexpected pleasure.”
“The story, the artwork, the soundtrack - everything just fits together so well.”
“I personally very much enjoy the art style; the background art in particular is beautiful and very 'desktop background' worthy.”
“The artwork is pretty bad.”
“This game's graphics ruined my PC.”
“The art style of the game seems a bit all over the place.”
- gameplay41 mentions
- 10 % positive mentions
- 78 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
The gameplay of this visual novel has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it repetitive and simplistic, often criticizing the mechanics as either ineffective or tedious. While some appreciate the branching storylines and replayability, others feel that the gameplay lacks depth and engagement, overshadowed by excessive text and underwhelming mechanics. Overall, the game is seen as more focused on storytelling and art than on providing a compelling gameplay experience.
“Mechanically, the layout works well and the branching storylines allow for replayability.”
“If you are a completionist, this game will take at least 4 playthroughs to unlock all of the achievements, so there is a lot of replay value; I have only finished my first playthrough and got over five-and-a-half hours of gameplay in.”
“Overall, the gameplay is as you would expect for the genre, and while not engaging for everyone, the important thing here is the storytelling.”
“The heart mechanic is useless.”
“While I have no inherent bias against visual novels, this one lacks the charm to put up with the repetition and curiously pointless mechanics that the game puts you through to finish it.”
“The art is cute, but the gameplay is dull as dust.”
- grinding24 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessively tedious, particularly due to the lack of a skip option for repetitive dialogue and the necessity of multiple playthroughs to achieve 100% completion. While the story and character interactions are praised, the repetitive nature of the gameplay often detracts from the overall enjoyment, making it frustrating for those seeking to unlock all achievements. Many reviewers suggest that the game could benefit significantly from improved dialogue navigation to alleviate the grind.
“Incredibly tedious, which turns an okay game into a pretty awful game.”
“It's tedious, it's repetitive, and no one should have to play a game that removes all the initial fun and eventually becomes a headache to complete.”
“The only major complaint I have is the lack of a skip option - clicking through all the dialogue after having already seen it can get very tedious.”
- replayability19 mentions
- 21 % positive mentions
- 63 % neutral mentions
- 16 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's replayability is a mixed bag. While some players appreciate the multiple endings and branching choices that encourage multiple playthroughs, others find the experience tedious and the achievement system buggy, which diminishes the incentive to replay. Despite these criticisms, many agree that there is decent replay value, especially for completionists and those who enjoy uncovering the full story.
“It has a relatively short playtime, but different endings and activity choices also provide some replayability.”
“I love the replayable aspect of the game and I especially loved having new player characters for every turn, and the way every replay called back to the previous playthroughs.”
“Great writing, okay art (it fits the game well), and multiple endings mean there's a lot of replay value.”
“The achievements are buggy, and with a low replay value, it's not worth going for them.”
“The replayability aside from getting more information to discover the full story... well is next to nothing.”
“Cos while that sounds like it promises lots of story and replay value, you wouldn't know going in that those 10+ hours are going to be so tedious and frustrating.”
- emotional14 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its blend of humor, heartwarming moments, and darker themes, creating a rich narrative that resonates deeply with players. Many reviewers noted feeling a strong emotional investment, with some even experiencing tears due to the game's impactful storytelling and charming characters. While it successfully evokes a range of feelings, some critiques mention a lack of resolution and traditional visual novel elements.
“It's funny, it's heartwarming, it's heartbreaking, and most of all it's just plain enjoyable.”
“I found it simultaneously horrifying and heartwarming enough to make me literally teary-eyed.”
“The game combines a great mix of storytelling, humor, life lessons, and at times can be quite emotional (that's coming from a grown bearded man who was almost in tears).”
- character development5 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is inconsistent; while some characters show noticeable growth within the limited time spent on the island, others remain static. The character designs and art style are positively received, contributing to a memorable experience, but overall, the depth of character development is minimal and can feel reverted after each round.
“Despite the short time you might spend on the island, there is noticeable character development in some of the felines while others are stuck in their ways. I believe this is done in a believable and well-paced manner, considering we aren't spending massive amounts of time from the player's perspective with our respective feline friend.”
“It does well to earn a place on screen and provides simple, easy-to-parse character design that, for the most part, can be brought to mind without having to think too much on it.”
“Character development will be reverted after a new round is started.”
“There's not really any character development, either.”
“Despite the short time you might spend on the island, there is noticeable character development in some of the felines while others are stuck in their ways, all of which is, I believe, done in a believable and well-paced manner considering we aren't spending massive amounts of time from the player's perspective with our respective feline friend.”
- atmosphere4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- -25 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is a blend of hostility and charm, featuring a ticking clock that adds tension while also encouraging relaxed interactions with foes. Players appreciate the colorful artwork, interesting characters, and original, nostalgic music, all of which enhance the overall experience and contribute to a captivating environment.
“The game's wonderful atmosphere, colorful and interesting characters, adorable artwork, and melodious music were an unexpected pleasure.”
“The music and art are super nice too and really add to the atmosphere.”
“The music is original, yet feels nostalgic and inspired - it really helps set the atmosphere for the island.”
“The game creates a hostile atmosphere, including a ticking clock on when exactly you will transform into a cat, but then expects you to relax and socialize with some of your foes.”
“The music is original yet feels nostalgic and inspired; it really helps set the atmosphere for the island.”
- monetization3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game appears to target a niche audience that enjoys quirky humor and cats, but it may leave some players feeling uncomfortable due to its ambiguous themes. While the game markets itself with provocative elements, it ultimately downplays any mature content, which could lead to mixed expectations among players.
“I find it ironic that the game seems to be targeting a demographic that enjoys silly humor and likes cats, yet presents an experience that can be quite uncomfortable for those who fall into the latter category.”
“Despite the game's advertising, you won't get the, uh, mature kind of content, so you can put that out of your mind, luckily.”
“The monetization strategy feels exploitative, as it seems designed to squeeze more money from players rather than enhance the gaming experience.”
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Users report that the achievements in the game are buggy, which detracts from the overall experience and contributes to a low replay value, making them feel unworthy of pursuit.
“The achievements are buggy, and with a low replay value, it's not worth going for them.”
