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.
Reviews
- The game features a charming and relatable story about childhood friends navigating their feelings, particularly highlighting the delightful character of Chris, the tomboy love interest.
- The art style and character designs are visually appealing, enhancing the overall experience of the game.
- The writing is engaging, with witty banter and emotional depth that keeps players invested in the characters and their relationships.
- The game is relatively short, with many players feeling that the content does not justify the price, as it can be completed in just a few hours.
- There is a lack of meaningful choices, leading to a feeling of limited agency in the story, as many decisions do not significantly alter the outcome.
- The characterization of Sophie is criticized for being overly negative, which detracts from the potential for a more balanced narrative between the two love interests.
- story100 mentions
- 36 % positive mentions
- 60 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The story is a bittersweet exploration of first love, featuring engaging characters and multiple endings that allow for varied experiences. However, many reviewers noted that the narrative feels rushed and underdeveloped at times, with a lack of meaningful choices impacting the overall depth of the plot. Despite its shortcomings, the story is described as enjoyable and immersive, with a blend of lightheartedness and darker themes that resonate with players.
“It's a beautiful story; the narrative is enjoyable and notoriously immersive, as well as carefully thought out and written.”
“The story is engaging and strong, and in the visual novel crowd, I think most people will appreciate this game for its characters and story.”
“The plot turned out to be not that simple; nothing groundbreaking but still slightly surprising and gripping for such a short romantic story.”
“Unfortunately, the story itself feels rushed and underdeveloped.”
“The story itself is unbelievably boring.”
“Very amateurish storyline with very few plot decisions.”
- music31 mentions
- 42 % positive mentions
- 48 % neutral mentions
- 10 % 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 considered a solid complement to the game's art and writing, but it may not stand out on its own.
“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 are 5 different endings, 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 music is hit or miss for the background.”
“The art is lackluster, the music is stuff I've heard dozens of times before, and the story never delivers.”
- graphics25 mentions
- 56 % positive mentions
- 32 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are characterized by a charming and refreshing art style, featuring soft colors and expressive character designs that enhance the lighthearted tone of the story. While some reviews note that the visuals may not stand out significantly and have moments of inconsistency, the overall aesthetic is generally well-received, with many praising the artwork and background music as complementary to the narrative experience. Despite some critiques regarding specific elements, the visuals are considered a strong point of the game, contributing positively to its appeal.
“The art style is lovely, with soft colors and expressive character designs that perfectly capture the lighthearted tone of the story.”
“The art style is quite different from traditional visual novels, but it doesn't look out of place; it's actually a nice twist compared to generic novels, along with the general development of the story.”
“The artwork is beautiful, and the background music is great to listen to.”
“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.”
- emotional16 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 evokes strong feelings, while others criticize the rushed romance and lack of depth in character development. The music enhances the emotional experience, but the overall emotional journey can feel uneven, with some paths offering a wholesome experience and others taking darker turns. Despite its flaws, many players found the narrative to be touching and capable of eliciting genuine emotional responses.
“The music, while not particularly memorable, serves as a pleasant backdrop, enhancing the emotional beats without being overly intrusive.”
“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.”
- character development5 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- -20 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
Character development is praised for its thoughtful integration into the story, with users noting that the 18+ elements serve a purpose rather than being gratuitous. The expressive character designs enhance the lighthearted tone, and while some found the initial designs unconventional, they ultimately appreciated the unique artistic approach. Overall, the combination of a good story and strong character development contributes positively to the game's appeal.
“The art style is lovely, with soft colors and expressive character designs that perfectly capture the lighthearted tone of the story.”
“The character designs are top notch.”
“The 18+ parts seemed to happen for a reason on the character development side and not just to sell more copies.”
“The character development feels shallow and lacks depth, making it hard to connect with the characters.”
“I found the character arcs to be predictable and uninspired, leaving me disappointed in their growth.”
“The choices I made during character development didn't seem to have any real impact on the story or relationships.”
- humor4 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, adding depth to the humor by balancing lightheartedness with moments of sadness. Overall, players find the humor entertaining and integral to the game's charm.
“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 happen as well.”
“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.”
- gameplay2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized as a standard dating simulator, primarily involving clicking through dialogue options, though players noted a limited variety with only 3-4 options available after several hours of play.
“Gameplay-wise, it's your standard click-dialog-and-see-what-happens dating simulator type experience.”
“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.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The game offers strong replayability due to its engaging story and multiple endings, though it is relatively short compared to other visual novels.
“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.”
“Once you've experienced the main story, there's little incentive to play through again.”
“The lack of significant choices means that replaying the game feels more like a chore than an enjoyable experience.”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 100 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Reviewers appreciate the diverse contexts and atmospheres of the sexual scenes, highlighting their ability to enhance the overall experience of the game.
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, with a lack of engaging narrative and character development, leading to a frustrating experience overall.
“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.”
