Synthetic Lover
- January 13, 2022
- HeartCoreDev
- 11h median play time
Get on SteamIn 2066, Synthetic Lover takes place in a world where biologically engineered humanoids, known as "biots," are common. The protagonist, a biot programmed for companionship at an adult entertainment center, encounters an opportunistic thief and a mysterious device that leads him on a journey of self-discovery and challenges as he confronts his pre-programmed life and avoids conflict with a powerful organization. This sci-fi story explores the complexities of being human.
Nintendo Switch
PC
Playstation 4
Playstation 5
Windows
PlayStation
Reviews
- The game features beautiful artwork and fully voice-acted characters, enhancing the overall immersive experience.
- The story explores interesting themes of humanity and emotional awakening, providing depth to the characters and their relationships.
- Multiple endings and distinct routes for each love interest allow for varied gameplay and replayability.
- Some players found the pacing slow and the story lacking in excitement, leading to moments of boredom.
- The routes can be difficult to navigate, with unclear choices that may result in unsatisfying endings without a guide.
- Certain audio issues, such as unbalanced music and voice acting inconsistencies, detracted from the overall experience.
- story79 mentions
- 44 % positive mentions
- 52 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The story of "Synthetic Lover" has received mixed reviews, with some players finding it engaging and well-written, while others felt it lacked depth and excitement. Many appreciated the unique perspective and character development, particularly in the romantic arcs, but noted that the pacing could be slow and choices often felt irrelevant. Overall, the game is praised for its beautiful art and intriguing themes, though some players wished for more substantial world-building and additional romance options.
“Overall, this is a really fantastic story that explores subjects that I have never seen done before.”
“The story was well-written and polished, with just the right amount of detail and world-building dedicated to moments that mattered.”
“Synthetic lover is an incredibly poignant game, a story of the meaning of humanity, love, and what we owe to both ourselves and others.”
“But playing this, I was constantly trying to grasp for some meaning in the story or some sort of world-building or chemistry between the characters.”
“Despite the premise and storyline, it manages to be somewhat boring.”
“I didn't really feel for any of the characters and the plot seemed like it took forever to get going.”
- music14 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 29 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players praising it as exquisite and fitting for the atmosphere, while others find it generic and lacking in impact. Issues with voice acting quality and balance in the audio were noted, but many appreciated the soundtrack's ability to enhance the mood and complement the game's art. Overall, while there are standout tracks, some players felt that certain pieces felt more like filler than memorable additions.
“Absolutely banger soundtrack.”
“The music was nice and added to the mood.”
“The art and backgrounds are gorgeous, and the soundtrack complements the setting nicely.”
“The music and ambient sounds are not properly balanced.”
“The game soundtrack was not very engaging; most of the time it felt like it was absent, and I ended up listening to Muse while playing.”
“The soundtrack and voiceovers are more like generic purpose fillers.”
- graphics12 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many praising the beautiful artwork and character designs that enhance the storytelling. While some players initially found the art style off-putting, they grew to appreciate its charm, though there were critiques regarding inconsistencies in quality and a lack of visual representation during key narrative moments. Overall, the visuals are considered a strong point, particularly in the context of indie visual novels, despite some minor shortcomings.
“Beautiful artwork!!”
“Fantastic artwork, fantastic storytelling, interesting concept, and beautiful visuals!”
“Seriously, the artwork is what originally attracted me to the game when it was in its early stages and everything from the sprites to the backgrounds to the delicious CGs are some of the best art I've seen in an indie visual novel.”
“There are some visuals, but I feel like they could have done better. For example, there were events when they would tell you what is happening, but there was no visual representation of it.”
“It is a tiny nitpick, I know, but when I yell at the screen, it needs to be said: the CGs vary in quality and art style, with some looking really rough and others looking gorgeous.”
“- The backgrounds are a little inconsistent in terms of art style.”
- emotional12 mentions
- 92 % positive mentions
- -17 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its exploration of a synthetic human's self-awareness and emotional capacity, evoking a wide range of feelings from joy to sadness. Players report that the story is incredibly touching, with sweet and satisfying endings that elicit strong emotional responses, despite some criticism regarding the depth of the narrative and choices. Overall, the game successfully combines steamy romance with heartfelt moments, creating a memorable emotional experience.
“It is a nicely steamy take on the pet cyberpunk theme of a synthetic human (biot, android, or robot) gaining self-awareness and with this, the capacity to be emotional about stuff.”
“So many feels that made me want to cry, for both happy and sad reasons.”
“The good endings were so sweet, and so touching, and so, so good and gave me such happy, warm, fuzzy feelings.”
“Cute art, but the story is boring and lacks meaningful choices.”
“The emotional depth is shallow, making it hard to connect with the characters.”
“I expected a heartfelt experience, but it felt more like a checklist of tropes.”
- humor5 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in "Synthetic Lover" is described as both daft and entertaining, with many reviewers finding it surprisingly enjoyable and hilarious. The writing effectively blends romance, humor, and action, contributing to a unique experience that stands out in the visual novel genre. Overall, the humor is a significant highlight, enhancing the game's appeal despite some pacing issues.
“I'm divided between recommending this or recommending against it, because the writing is so daft I thought it was actually humorous and kind of entertaining.”
“I'm admittedly picky with my VNs and sci-fi isn't my usual cup of tea, but Synthetic Lover surpassed my expectations, delivering an experience that was enjoyable, surprising, and, at times, quite hilarious.”
“Good writing is practically de rigueur for most BL novels these days, but Synthetic Lover shines with romance, humor, and action, brought to life by a talented voice cast and absolutely incredible artwork.”
- gameplay3 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- -33 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Gameplay is generally engaging, but some users find the story pacing slow and the choices feel irrelevant to romance development, despite their gameplay impact. Additionally, the thematic elements regarding artificial beings raise unsettling questions about autonomy and desire.
“The story is okay, though kind of slow, and choices feel somewhat irrelevant to building up a romance, even though they do impact gameplay-wise.”
“Other than that, I found two problems during my gameplay.”
“The story is okay, though it's kind of slow and the choices feel irrelevant to building up a romance, even though they do impact gameplay-wise.”
“It is really disturbing to think about how artificial people, brainwashed to have no desires or opinions, are more practical than mechanical robots.”
- atmosphere3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- -33 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is noted for its blend of bright visuals and a Blade Runner-esque ambiance, featuring a looming corporate presence and themes of sentient bots resisting oppression. While some players feel it lacks a darker cyberpunk edge, the overall atmosphere is praised for its depth in both narrative and design.
“Sometimes the atmosphere of the game reminds me a bit of Blade Runner, with the shadow of a powerful company always looming over the main characters, apart from the obvious reference: the topic of almost-human bots who refuse to keep being treated as just machines, enslaved to mankind.”
“The whole game is very atmospheric, both in terms of text and appearance.”
“I guess it's the little things - maybe the atmosphere is too bright in some places, not cyberpunk enough.”
“Sometimes the atmosphere of the game reminds me a bit of Blade Runner, with the shadow of a powerful company always looming over the main characters, apart from the obvious reference: the topic of almost-human bots who refuse to be treated as just machines, enslaved to mankind.”
- character development2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -150 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
Bastian's character development is notable, as he evolves from an abrasive figure to a more engaging and dynamic character throughout the story. Players appreciate the depth of his interactions with the protagonist, which enhances the overall excitement of his route.
“At first, I didn’t really like Bastian (he’s a bit abrasive), but his character grew on me as the story progressed, and he had a lot of character development.”
“Bastian's route was more exciting; his character graphics were more dynamic, and I enjoyed his character development and interactions with the protagonist.”
“At first, I didn’t really like Bastian; he’s a bit abrasive. However, his character grew on me as the story progressed, and he had a lot of character development.”
“The character development felt rushed and superficial, leaving me unsatisfied with the growth of the main characters.”
“I found the character arcs to be predictable and lacking depth, which made it hard to connect with them emotionally.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game is generally well-received, with particular praise for the voice acting, especially Bastian's performance, which stands out for its emotional depth and quality compared to typical AAA titles.
