Purrfect Date
- December 15, 2017
- Bae Team
"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.
Reviews
- The game features a unique and engaging storyline that combines humor with darker themes, making it more than just a typical dating sim.
- The characters, especially the cats, are well-developed and charming, providing a delightful experience for players.
- The art style and music contribute to the overall atmosphere, enhancing the enjoyment of the game.
- The lack of a skip function for previously seen dialogue makes replaying the game tedious and frustrating.
- Some players found the story's darker themes, including animal cruelty, to be off-putting and not what they expected from a cat dating sim.
- The gameplay can feel repetitive due to the necessity of multiple playthroughs to unlock all endings, which can detract from the overall experience.
- story122 mentions
- 37 % positive mentions
- 58 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The story of "Purrfect Date" is unexpectedly intricate and dark, delving into themes of animal experimentation and cruelty, which contrasts sharply with its initial presentation as a light-hearted cat dating sim. Players are drawn into a complex narrative filled with humor, mystery, and emotional depth, requiring multiple playthroughs to fully appreciate the various character arcs and overarching plot. While some found the story engaging and well-crafted, others noted its predictability and the lack of a satisfying resolution, leading to mixed feelings about the overall experience.
“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.”
“I was actually surprised that there was so much story to the game.”
“The story pulls you in with its kitty claws and won't let go until you uncover its secrets.”
“Unfortunately, the game falls flat in its overall story.”
“The story gets really dark, involving a lot of animal torture and death, which the player is made complicit in without having a choice.”
“Honestly though, I could have overlooked the predictable story in favor of the game’s other charms, but the animal cruelty, which does result in several deaths of the island’s cats and is at times described in rather graphic detail, goes largely unpunished.”
- music36 mentions
- 56 % positive mentions
- 36 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received widespread praise for its charm, catchiness, and ability to enhance the overall atmosphere, with many players describing it as relaxing and fitting for various scenes. While some noted a lack of variety, the soundtrack is generally considered a standout feature that complements the game's adorable art and engaging storyline. Overall, the music contributes significantly to the game's appeal, making it a delightful experience for players.
“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 is original, yet feels nostalgic and inspired - it really helps set the atmosphere for the island.”
“The music is terrific, the animation is vivid and smooth, and the interface is pawsitively purrfect.”
“The humor falls flat, the music is irritating and it feels like you just have to do weird, bad, and illogical choices to progress.”
“-not enough music variation”
“The soundtrack used in the background of the game is far from amazing, but was quite light and shifted quite heavily in moments where the game would get intense.”
- humor35 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is a mixed bag, with some players finding it charming and hilarious, while others feel it falls flat or is overshadowed by darker themes. Many appreciate the clever writing and endearing characters, but some warn that the game may not be suitable for those seeking a lighthearted experience, as it can evoke strong emotions. Overall, it balances humor with deeper storytelling, appealing to those who enjoy a blend of comedy and intrigue.
“It's funny, it's heartwarming, it's heartbreaking, and most of all it's just plain enjoyable.”
“This game, despite its really rather hilarious concept, touched my heart in an unexpected way.”
“Thank you devs for making not only a hilarious video game, but as well as providing a story that kept me captivated from beginning to end.”
- graphics30 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 70 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the colorful and unique art style, particularly the backgrounds, while others criticize it for being inconsistent or poorly executed. There are mentions of graphical glitches and performance issues, especially on lower-end hardware, which detracts from the overall experience. Despite these drawbacks, many players find the artwork charming and well-suited to the game's narrative, contributing positively to its appeal.
“The story, the artwork, the soundtrack - everything just fits together so well.”
“There are some crazy surprises, cute graphics and a generally well-put-together story.”
“I personally very much enjoy the art style, the background art in particular is beautiful and very 'desktop background' worthy.”
“The art style of the game seems a bit all over the place.”
“First of all, for a game that is all just static images and text, it runs extremely slowly on Intel graphics (even with a decent i7-based laptop with 8 GB of RAM).”
“When I restarted the game, again, there was some strange glitch in the graphics.”
- gameplay19 mentions
- 16 % positive mentions
- 68 % neutral mentions
- 16 % negative mentions
The gameplay of the game is generally described as simplistic and straightforward, primarily revolving around dialogue choices with minimal mechanics, such as a "rest" feature to restore hearts. While some players appreciate the storytelling and art style, many find the gameplay dull and lacking in engagement, making it less appealing for those seeking a more dynamic experience. Overall, it meets genre expectations but may not satisfy all players.
“It's pretty simple and straightforward gameplay, but the story is intriguing.”
“In terms of gameplay, this isn't one of those visual novels where you have to juggle a bunch of stats and use trial-and-error to progress.”
“Gameplay: once you have taken the plunge and decided to make your way to 'cat island' and found yourself in charge of your own destiny, you will progress through the game using a system of four choices.”
“The art is cute but the gameplay is dull as dust.”
“But the reason why I cannot recommend is gameplay and lack of cats to date that are date-worthy for a female protagonist.”
“Overall the gameplay is as you would expect for the genre and while not engaging for everyone, the important thing here is the storytelling.”
- grinding12 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, particularly due to the lack of a skip function for repetitive dialogue and events. Many reviews highlight the frustration of having to replay sections after making mistakes, which detracts from the overall enjoyment despite the game's strong writing and artwork. While some appreciate the developers' efforts to speed up later chapters, the initial repetition remains a significant drawback for those seeking a smoother experience.
“Replaying is extremely tedious without a skip function.”
“Everything about the game was good - the writing, soundtrack, the artwork - but because of the tediously strenuous button-mashing I and probably a lot of other players had to endure, I can't really recommend it.”
“The only major complaint I have is the lack of a skip option - clicking through all the dialog after having already seen it can get very tedious.”
- emotional10 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is characterized by a blend of humor, heartwarming moments, and darker themes, evoking a range of feelings from joy to queasiness. While it features charming characters and touching narratives, some players noted that it struggles with its conclusion and lacks certain visual novel elements. Overall, it is praised for its heartfelt storytelling and ability to elicit strong emotional responses, making it a standout in the genre.
“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.”
“Overall this is a really heartwarming game built with a lot of love.”
- replayability7 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 29 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
Overall, the game offers high replayability due to its engaging writing, multiple endings, and the potential for players to experience only a portion of the content in a single playthrough. However, the lack of a fast-forward or scene-skipping option has been noted as a drawback that could hinder repeated playthroughs. Players express hope for future updates to enhance replay value further.
“Great writing, okay art (it fits the game well), and multiple endings mean there's a lot of replay value.”
“It's got a great story and a lot of replay value.”
“Bad: no fast forward/skip scenes button for the replayability option.”
“I've played through twice and only seen 60% of the game, so replayability is very high.”
“I'm hoping for an update that expands replay value at some point in the future.”
- character development4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -25 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is mixed; while some feline characters show noticeable growth within the limited time spent on the island, others remain static. The character designs are distinct and well-executed, contributing to a believable and well-paced narrative despite the brevity of player interaction. Overall, the development is simple yet effective, allowing players to easily connect with the characters.
“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 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.”
“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.”
“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.”
- monetization2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game is subtly integrated, with advertising that leans on humor related to its themes, but it avoids explicit content, ensuring a more family-friendly experience. Players may find the nature of relationships in the game ambiguous, but the monetization does not exploit mature themes.
“The monetization system feels overly aggressive, making it hard to enjoy the game without constantly being bombarded by ads and prompts to spend money.”
“It's frustrating that essential features are locked behind paywalls, forcing players to either grind for hours or open their wallets.”
“The in-game purchases are poorly balanced, creating a pay-to-win environment that detracts from the overall experience.”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its engaging quality, enhanced by original yet nostalgic music that effectively sets the tone for the island environment. This combination contributes significantly to the overall immersive experience, exceeding players' initial expectations.
“This really adds to the overall atmosphere in the game, which made it much more engaging than I originally expected.”
“The music is original, yet feels nostalgic and inspired - it really helps set the atmosphere for the island.”
“This really adds to the overall atmosphere in the game, which made the game much more engaging than I originally expected.”