Tomboys Need Love Too!
- May 12, 2017
- Zetsubou
- 5h median play time
Get on Steam
Get on itch.io StoreTomboys Need Love Too is a visual novel about two childhood friends who are starting to see one another as members of the opposite sex.
Mac OS
PC
Phone
Windows
Android
Linux
Mobile Platform
Tablet
Reviews
- The game features a charming premise of childhood friends navigating their feelings, which resonates well with players.
- Chris, the tomboy character, is well-developed and engaging, providing a delightful experience throughout the game.
- The art style and overall presentation are visually appealing, enhancing the lighthearted tone of the story.
- The story feels rushed and underdeveloped, lacking depth in character relationships and emotional exploration.
- There is a misleading expectation of multiple tomboy romance options, as only one route truly delivers on that promise.
- The protagonist, Kai, is often portrayed as passive and oblivious, which can be frustrating for players seeking a more dynamic character.
- story200 mentions
- 36 % positive mentions
- 60 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The story is a bittersweet exploration of first love, featuring a mix of engaging character dynamics and emotional depth, though it is often criticized for being rushed and underdeveloped. While the narrative offers multiple endings and choices that impact the plot, many reviewers feel that the decision-making is limited and the protagonist can be frustratingly passive. Overall, the game is appreciated for its charming art style and relatable themes, making it a decent pick for fans of short romantic visual novels, despite its shortcomings.
“It's a beautiful story; the narrative is enjoyable and notoriously immersive, as well as carefully thought out and written.”
“The plot managed to make me excited and emotional enough to enjoy the playthrough.”
“It's an engaging and strong story itself, and in the visual novel crowd, I think most people will appreciate this game for its characters and story.”
“Unfortunately, the story itself feels rushed and underdeveloped.”
“The story itself is unbelievably boring.”
“Very amateurish storyline with very few plot decisions.”
- music62 mentions
- 42 % positive mentions
- 52 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally described as pleasant and effective in setting the mood, though it tends to be forgettable and not particularly memorable. While some players appreciate the soundtrack's ability to enhance emotional moments, others find it repetitive and lacking in variety. Overall, the music is seen as a solid but unobtrusive backdrop that complements the game's art and writing.
“The music is disproportionately good, to the point I want the soundtrack.”
“There are more than 50 positive reviews at the time of this review and has great background music with a mix of appropriate country-western, soft piano, and hard rock music to match the happy, relaxing, sad, erotic, and tense moments in the visual novel and nice artwork.”
“Even though the game is a virtual novelette, the price of the game was fair since there's 5 different endings in the game and when I played my first playthrough aiming for the best ending (in my opinion anyways) took me around 3 to 4 hours to complete, the artwork is beautiful, and the background music is great to listen to.”
“The composer never got the memo that he was supposed to make music for a point-and-click game.”
“The art is lackluster, the music is stuff I've heard dozens of times before, and the story never delivers.”
“I guess it could ruin the immersion if you keep listening to the same song over and over again.”
- graphics50 mentions
- 56 % positive mentions
- 36 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are characterized by a charming art style with soft colors and expressive character designs that enhance its lighthearted tone. While some reviewers noted that the visuals are not groundbreaking and occasionally lack detail, many appreciated the unique aesthetic and overall pleasant presentation, complemented by fitting background music. Overall, the artwork is generally well-received, though opinions vary on its standout quality.
“The art style is lovely, with soft colors and expressive character designs that perfectly capture the lighthearted tone of the story.”
“Seriously, this is a terrific story, with really well done visuals, in my opinion.”
“The art style is one of the things that drew me to the game, and I feel it deserves a special note.”
“The artwork is very simple and sometimes lacking, and there are no voiced lines.”
“The artwork was fine with nothing that really stood out, although the adult patch artwork in a couple of cases was a little 'disconcerting' at the very least.”
“In a way, despite all of that, I find it sad the writing is so bad, because the software and artwork deserve better writing.”
- emotional32 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game receives mixed reviews, with some players praising its heartwarming moments and impactful storytelling that elicited strong feelings, even leading to tears. However, others criticize the rushed romance and lack of depth in character development, suggesting that while there are touching elements, the overall emotional experience could be improved. The music complements the emotional beats, but the endings leave some players feeling unsatisfied, despite a few standout moments.
“This is a heartwarming, sweet visual novel that makes me want to stab myself in the chest for passing up one of the greatest opportunities in my own life just as I was graduating high school.”
“10/10 it made me cry more than once, and only the Walking Dead game ending did that to me.”
“The plot managed to make me excited and emotional enough to enjoy the playthrough.”
- character development10 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 20 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
Overall, the character development is praised for its depth and relevance to the story, with unique designs that diverge from typical Japanese standards. The integration of mature themes is seen as purposeful, enhancing the narrative rather than serving as mere marketing tactics. The art style complements the character development, contributing to the lighthearted tone of the game.
“Good story, plotline, and character development.”
“The character designs are top notch.”
“At first, the character design felt weird, but at least it doesn't try to follow Japanese standards at all costs.”
“The 18+ parts seemed to happen for a reason on the character development side and not just to sell more copies.”
- humor8 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is characterized by energetic and witty banter that elicits consistent chuckles, particularly in the context of young love and teenage experiences. While the comedic moments are enjoyable, some choices can lead to unintended emotional consequences, prompting players to reconsider their decisions. Overall, the humor effectively balances lightheartedness with deeper emotional themes, keeping players entertained throughout.
“She's energetic, spunky, and full of witty banter that had me chuckling throughout the game.”
“It kept me entertained and I enjoyed the humor and the good-natured happiness that can happen while also the sadness that can occur.”
“There were times when I made a choice that seemed funny and cute, but actually hurt the feelings of Chris, which then made me quick load back and choose something more considerate.”
- gameplay4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized as a typical dating simulator, primarily involving clicking through dialogue options, which are limited to only 3-4 choices after several hours of play. This simplicity may leave some players wanting more depth and variety in their interactions.
“After a few hours of gameplay, I only had 3-4 dialogue options.”
“Gameplay-wise, it's your standard click-dialog-and-see-what-happens dating simulator type thing.”
- replayability4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The game offers strong replayability due to its engaging story and multiple endings, encouraging players to explore different outcomes. However, some users note that its overall length is shorter compared to other visual novels, which may limit the depth of replay experiences.
“I say this is a great and simple story that is always replayable.”
“The multiple endings add to the replayability, but it's still fairly short compared to some other visual novels out there.”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 100 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Reviewers appreciate the diverse contexts and atmospheres of the sexual scenes, highlighting their unique contributions to the overall experience.
- grinding2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
Reviews highlight that the grinding aspect of the game is characterized by a tedious narrative and stilted dialogue, making the experience feel monotonous and unenjoyable. Players also express frustration with unlikeable characters and a lack of meaningful choices, contributing to a sense of dissatisfaction with the overall gameplay.
“The grinding in this game feels endless and monotonous, making it hard to stay engaged.”
“I found myself repeating the same tasks over and over, which quickly became frustrating and boring.”
“The lack of variety in the grinding mechanics made the experience feel like a chore rather than fun.”
