Sucker for Love: Date to Die For

95%
Game Brain Score Based on 853 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • humor
Sucker for Love: Date to Die For Game Cover
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"Sucker for Love: Date to Die For" is a visual-novel game with a Lovecraftian horror setting, where you play as an investigator trying to escape from a labyrinthine forest after being kidnapped. To do so, you must summon and navigate a relationship with the game's new dateable entity, Rhok'zan, the Black Goat of the Woods. The game features 360-degree, hand-drawn 2D environments, multiple endings, and a nostalgic art style. Your choices will determine your fate as you try to escape the cultists' thrall and avoid the innumerable hands of The Thousand.

  • PC
  • Windows
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

95%
Audience ScoreBased on 853 reviews
story103 positive mentions
stability9 negative mentions
  • The game features a charming and engaging story that blends horror and romance effectively.
  • Rhok'zan is a well-developed character, and her relationship with Stardust is heartwarming and unique.
  • The gameplay mechanics, including the door-opening system and exploration of the house, add tension and excitement to the experience.
  • The game is relatively short, with some players feeling it lacks depth compared to the first installment.
  • There is limited interaction with Rhok'zan outside of key story moments, which may disappoint players looking for more romance.
  • Some technical issues, such as lag and crashes, detract from the overall experience.
  • story207 mentions

    The story of "Sucker for Love: Date to Die For" is generally praised for its engaging narrative that blends horror and romance, featuring a more serious and heartfelt tone compared to its predecessor. Players appreciate the character development and the unique Lovecraftian themes, although some express disappointment over the reduced focus on dating mechanics and the linearity of the plot. Overall, the game is recognized for its charming storytelling, strong voice acting, and a compelling mix of humor and emotional depth, making it a worthwhile experience for fans of the genre.

    • “The developers' commitment to the retro anime design is admirable; they went the extra mile and wrapped the story narrative in it. The whole game is presented like several episodes of an anime series, each ending with a teaser for the next one.”
    • “The story is so compelling and emotional, with characters that have colorful personalities and genuine attachment. The gameplay is actually fun, with a final boss battle executed within a visual novel setup that creates real stakes and involvement.”
    • “This game really knows how to add everything in a regular visual novel and make it scary, fun, and complete with its main story alongside the side stories of the other characters.”
    • “The divergent paths in the story indicate you have some actual choices to make, but not really; it's more about redoing the game 20 times until you finally find the way to progress the story as it is meant to be.”
    • “The lack of player agency with how the main character interacts with the story and how different it is from the first game is what is most upsetting to me.”
    • “Despite the fact I did just praise this game with that big paragraph about the story, I still don't believe you should play it.”
  • gameplay139 mentions

    The gameplay has evolved significantly from the previous installment, introducing engaging mechanics such as door opening and exploration that enhance the horror experience, though some players feel it detracts from the dating sim elements. While the gameplay is generally enjoyable and offers a mix of light item collecting and survival elements, it can feel repetitive and underutilized at times, with a stronger emphasis on storytelling. Overall, the game successfully combines humor, horror, and unique mechanics, but some players desire more depth and variety in gameplay interactions.

    • “The gameplay part is pretty unique and interesting; the door mechanic seems to be imitating the usual 'hide from a monster' horror mechanic. I prefer it more than the usual counterpart from 3D horror games, and it also works better with this art style.”
    • “The gameplay shifts past regular visual novel to be a mix of light item collecting, puzzle solving, and survival elements as you progress through the story.”
    • “The gameplay is fun, and the mechanics never got old, same as the gameplay loop.”
    • “The gameplay is nonexistent; actually worse than nonexistent, it's pointless milling about, trying to avoid random enemies, retrying again and again to see what you need to do to avoid getting killed.”
    • “All that said, the game was too short and the gameplay loop often felt like it existed mostly to pad out the sparse interactions between the characters.”
    • “Did not like it at all gameplay-wise and found it frustrating.”
  • humor77 mentions

    The humor in the game is widely praised for its clever blend of absurdity, charm, and wit, often juxtaposing comedic moments with horror elements. Players appreciate the engaging character dynamics, particularly the interactions between the protagonist and the eldritch deity, which add depth and hilarity to the narrative. While some feel the sequel lacks the comedic punch of its predecessor, many still find it to be a delightful mix of funny, cute, and spooky moments that keep them entertained throughout.

    • “The gameplay’s a bit weak, but that’s okay because it more than makes up for it with its story, a hilarious mash-up between Lovecraftian horror and magical-girl anime.”
    • “It's a hilarious dating sim about smooching eldritch gods.”
    • “The humor, the horror, and the romantic elements all play a role in the way the game explores different aspects of love.”
  • graphics42 mentions

    The graphics of "Sucker for Love: Date to Die For" are widely praised for their vibrant and nostalgic 90s anime aesthetic, which enhances the game's charm and complements its horror-comedy narrative. The hand-drawn artwork is noted for its quality, effectively capturing both adorable and eerie elements, while the overall presentation, including voice acting and music, contributes to a captivating experience. However, some players have reported technical issues, such as slowdowns and crashes, which detract from the otherwise stunning visuals.

    • “The artstyle is honestly stunning and really hits that revamped 90's anime feel that it goes for; it's visually appealing to look at and the character art never fails to either look utterly adorable or terrifying depending on the moment.”
    • “The art, voices, visuals, music, and sound effects are well done for this visual novel setting.”
    • “Genuinely love the 90's anime aesthetic, the light VHS effects, the voice acting, music and ambient sounds, and the art is 10/10!”
    • “This is not exactly a fully simulated universe that needs to run any serious graphics, yet somehow, in this 2D game with the barebones game elements that flash games from the early 2000s could surpass, we get constant slowdowns, non-responsive controls, and in just the first hour I had a crash of the game???”
    • “Maybe it's just not for me but compared to the first game the aesthetic falls a little flat in terms of what I was expecting. The art is well done, don't get me wrong, but it all feels a little plain, not enough pizzazz and the gameplay feels oddly tedious for the small amount of time that I played it.”
    • “This game hits the retro-anime aesthetic it was going for but I feel it lacks in certain interactivity.”
  • emotional39 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is highly praised, with players noting its ability to evoke a wide range of feelings, from joy to sadness, through a heartfelt and engaging story. The character dynamics, particularly the relationship between the protagonist and the eldritch deity, add depth and humor, while the blend of horror and wholesome moments creates a unique and touching experience. Overall, players find the game to be both entertaining and emotionally impactful, often leading to genuine attachment to the characters and their journeys.

    • “The gameplay is engaging, the story is simple but heartfelt.”
    • “The story is so compelling and emotional, the characters having such colorful personalities with genuine attachment, and the gameplay is actually fun.”
    • “It's sweet, it's wholesome, and it's got just enough difficulty to make it fun to play.”
  • music22 mentions

    The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers praising its quality and emotional depth, describing it as both captivating and fitting for the game's atmosphere. The soundtrack features a mix of styles, including original Japanese tracks and nostalgic 90s anime influences, enhancing the overall experience. Overall, the music is considered a standout element, complementing the visuals and gameplay effectively.

    • “The music is killer and the visuals are great; I mostly just wanted more of it.”
    • “Once again, incredible music and art and atmosphere!”
    • “Soundtrack was great; the voiced songs especially were wonderful in every style they aimed at.”
    • “The music is a pop too!”
    • “It's a great mechanic to add that suspense not in the form of music or environment.”
    • “Music?”
  • optimization12 mentions

    The game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with many players experiencing significant performance issues, including crashes and stuttering, even on high-end hardware. While some users noted improvements after patches, the overall consensus is that the game struggles with optimization, which can detract from the experience, though it remains enjoyable for some despite these flaws.

    • “All in all, I would say this game is definitely worth your time, if you can stomach a bit of performance issues.”
    • “I did encounter the performance issues, but they didn't significantly impact my enjoyment of the game.”
    • “First and most important of all (and easiest to fix, I wager) is the performance.”
    • “It crashed my PC twice in fullscreen mode, and still performed rather poorly when in windowed mode (I even had the game set to laptop/performance mode).”
    • “Performance is pretty bad even on good hardware.”
    • “Half of my playthrough I played on the first public version (I think) and half with the day one patch (I think), and while this problem was somewhat remedied it still persists: the game's performance is kind of... not great.”
  • character development11 mentions

    Character development in the game is praised for its engaging designs and art, contributing to a captivating atmosphere. However, some players express a desire for deeper character arcs and more substantial world-building, feeling that while the visuals are impressive, the narrative could benefit from further exploration of its characters and their relationships. Overall, the game successfully combines appealing aesthetics with moments of heartfelt character growth, though there is room for improvement in future installments.

    • “Came for the well-endowed goat being, stayed for the plot, character development, scary scenes, choice matters, and art!”
    • “Excellent voice acting from all the cast (including the previous game), great character design and art, interesting lore and story.”
    • “The character designs are fantastic and the art within the environment is interesting as well.”
    • “Even so, I'm hoping that further installments will be more similar to the first game in terms of the number of love interests and tone while still delivering on the heartfelt moments and character development from this installment.”
    • “I also wish we had more character development or world-building.”
    • “There's plenty more examples in favor of this theory too, like the 80's theme that was advertised in some of the game's promo material only being present in the menus and two character designs.”
  • atmosphere10 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its vibrant art style and exceptional music, creating an eerie yet beautiful experience that enhances both the storytelling and gameplay. Reviewers highlight the effective contrast between the charming character designs and the unsettling environments, contributing to a tense and immersive atmosphere that keeps players engaged and questioning their surroundings. Overall, the combination of horror elements, humor, and emotional depth results in a captivating atmosphere that resonates with players.

    • “The art style is vibrant and distinctive, perfectly complementing the game's eerie atmosphere.”
    • “It really creates a great atmosphere that is both unsettling and has you always questioning your surroundings.”
    • “Seriously, this game is just beautiful in every way, the story, the atmosphere, the characters, I love everything about this game.”
    • “She's meant to be this determined and saccharine character who feels like she could have been plucked from any kids' anime about the power of friendship, and I personally felt that worked well as a contrast to the oppressive atmosphere of the black woods.”
    • “Tense atmosphere and a lovable ol' goat.”
    • “The dating sim portion has largely been replaced by a dungeon crawler mechanic which works thanks to the atmosphere.”
  • stability9 mentions

    The game's stability has received mixed feedback, with players reporting frequent technical glitches, freezing, and softlocks that hinder gameplay. While some users noted that there are no significant visual issues and the overall experience remains enjoyable, the recurring lag and crashes, particularly during critical moments, detract from the overall enjoyment. Despite these problems, some players still rated the game highly, indicating that the core experience is strong but marred by stability issues.

    • “It constantly freezes and softlocks as a result, and I can't even back up the game and try on another computer because, for some strange reason, backups don't load and I'm brought back to square one.”
    • “Laggy and glitchy: the game lags a lot and has numerous glitches from the book getting stuck, worn pieces not showing, some pages you complete are labeled as ???”
    • “...it kinda breaks my heart that the game can get a bit buggy and crashy though.”
  • grinding4 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be somewhat tedious, particularly in terms of movement and limited interactions, which can detract from the overall experience. While the game is short enough to avoid becoming overly monotonous, some reviewers feel that it lacks the engaging elements present in its predecessor, leading to a sense of repetitiveness.

    • “Don't get me wrong, I generally liked both Hatoful Boyfriend and SFL, but I eventually found that they both grew fairly tedious and eye-rolly.”
    • “Maybe it's just not for me, but compared to the first game, the aesthetic falls a little flat in terms of what I was expecting. The art is well done, don't get me wrong, but it all feels a little plain, not enough pizzazz, and the gameplay feels oddly tedious for the small amount of time that I played it. Maybe it gets better down the line, but it failed to hook me.”
    • “And seventh, I'd say the game has only two drawbacks: moving around the house gets a bit tedious after a while, and I feel that there are not enough interactions with Rhok'zan.”
  • monetization2 mentions

    The monetization aspect of the game has been criticized for excessive advertising and a lack of engaging content, with players noting that despite the initial appeal, there is minimal interaction and dialogue beyond the first 30 minutes.

    • “Do you need any more advertisements?”
    • “You'd think a game advertising itself with a hot goat mom would have you interact with them for more than the initial 30 minutes, but it has shockingly little dialogue.”
  • replayability1 mentions

    The game has limited replayability due to its linear narrative, which provides minimal incentive for players to engage in multiple playthroughs.

    • “Limited replayability: the linear narrative may offer limited incentive for multiple playthroughs.”
    • “The game lacks variety in its choices, making it feel repetitive after the first playthrough.”
    • “Once you've experienced the story, there's little motivation to dive back in.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

3hMedian play time
3hAverage play time
3-3hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 1 analyzed playthroughs

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