Salty Hounds
- June 27, 2023
- Topping Palette
- 7h median play time
Get on Steam"Salty Hounds" is an open-world dating sim where you run a bodyguard agency and build relationships with love interests through daily encounters and events. The game features a living, breathing city with a day/night cycle, and offers high-quality pixel art and illustrations along with voiced content. Your goal is to uncover each character's secrets and gain their trust to unlock new events and dialogues on your quest for love.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game features gorgeous art and character designs, which many players find appealing.
- The gameplay mechanics are unique for a dating sim, allowing for free exploration and character interactions.
- The developers are actively working on updates and improvements, showing potential for future content and enhancements.
- The game is currently in a very buggy state, with frequent crashes and untranslated text, making it difficult to enjoy.
- Many players feel that there is a lack of content available, leading to a sense of emptiness and boredom during gameplay.
- There are significant issues with the user interface and mechanics, such as unresponsive controls and unclear tutorials, which hinder the overall experience.
- story21 mentions
- 19 % positive mentions
- 67 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The game's story is praised for its depth and character development, drawing comparisons to early dating simulators like Mystic Messenger. Players appreciate the immersive and flexible narrative, which allows for multiple romantic options without locking them out of others, though some express a desire for a more consistent and rich storyline. Overall, the story is engaging and enjoyable, with players eager for future updates and expansions.
“I'm really enjoying the story and I love each of the characters so far.”
“Idk something about the storyline just feels so nice to play, it got me wondering what happens next.”
“It has great story, characters, music and the features they're going to add will be great!”
“The story is unfinished and there are still some untranslated parts, but the game itself is enjoyable.”
“While the current state of the story gave us a good view of what has happened, I do strongly believe that it can be more exciting if the story is consistent, rich, and immersive.”
“I wish there were a little bit more quest lines, as half the time I'm just venturing, but that is what's so magical about this game; it feels very much like a real-life sim.”
- gameplay10 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
Gameplay is generally enjoyable, featuring fun characters and interesting stories, though players note a learning curve with the mechanics and a limited number of quests early on. The game offers a unique exploration experience, complemented by smooth movement and a chill soundtrack, but some users express frustration over the lack of updates and the infrequency of engaging activities outside the home. Overall, while the gameplay is appreciated for its simplicity and charm, there are concerns about content availability and updates.
“Gameplay was very enjoyable and the characters so far have been very fun with some interesting stories.”
“It's simple yet cute, with smooth gameplay movement and the soundtrack is very chill, giving off lo-fi vibes that are perfectly suited for the pixel-graphic game.”
“I haven't played a dating game with similar mechanics when it comes to exploring maps.”
“My gameplay day literally consists of staying in my home reading on the sofa and then going to sleep because it's not worth leaving the home because the resources are so rarely seen outside that I don't even bother anymore.”
“I waited until the reboot happened and tried it out, as they promised better gameplay and a less buggy experience.”
“The screenshots and videos were up for months with no updates on the gameplay, mini-games, or even just different glimpses of the game.”
- stability10 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's stability has been widely criticized, with players reporting persistent bugs, frequent crashes, and freezing issues that significantly hinder gameplay. Despite some polished elements, the overall experience is marred by these technical problems, leading to frustration among users. Many recommend waiting for further updates before diving in.
“When I purchased the game, the state was quite bad and buggy.”
“As a fellow disappointed player who had been eagerly anticipating this game, I share the frustration of not being able to fully enjoy it due to persistent bugs and glitches.”
“I would recommend this to others, but there are some parts of the game where it freezes and crashes.”
- graphics8 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their charming art style and distinct character designs, contributing to a visually appealing experience. Many players appreciate the cute and smooth visuals, which complement the game's chill soundtrack. However, some critiques mention that while the artwork is beautiful, the overall execution may fall short.
“Love the music, the art style is lovely and the characters are all distinct and stand out.”
“The graphics are beautiful and make me want to see more.”
“Art style is what's important to make the game stand out.”
“This game has a great concept and artwork, but very poor execution.”
“The graphics are simple yet cute, but they lack depth and detail.”
“The art style is appealing, but it doesn't compensate for the overall lack of polish in the graphics.”
- music6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 17 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally well-received, with many praising its chill, lo-fi vibes that complement the pixel art style. However, some users noted that the transitions can be abrupt, suggesting a need for smoother playback. Overall, the soundtrack enhances the gameplay experience and is appreciated for its relaxing qualities.
“Love the music, the art style is lovely and the characters are distinct and stand out.”
“It has a great story, characters, music, and the features they're going to add will be great!”
“It's simple yet cute, with smooth gameplay movement and the soundtrack is very chill, giving off lo-fi vibes that are perfectly suited for the pixel-graphic game.”
“The music needs to be smoother, since it cuts quite abruptly when it ends.”
“I also want to know where I can listen to the BGM OST so I can listen to it while working; the vibes and tune are really chill and relaxing for work!”
- grinding2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be a well-balanced mix of skill and resource development, complemented by engaging interactions and a polished story. While grinding is present, it is not overly tedious, contributing to an overall enjoyable experience.
“Personally, I wouldn't say I like grinding games, but this was a good mix of grinding skills and money along with interactions, so I wasn't super annoyed by it.”
“It was well polished, story-driven, grindy, and fun.”
- character development1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 100 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The character development is highlighted by the appealing designs of the male leads, which resemble the attractive styles commonly found in webtoon comics, suggesting a strong visual influence on character portrayal.
