ValiDate: Struggling Singles in your Area

68%
Game Brain Score Based on 124 reviews
  • story
  • humor
  • gameplay
ValiDate: Struggling Singles in your Area Game Cover
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ValiDate is a visual novel featuring 13 diverse characters navigating love and life as struggling singles in Jercy City. With over 30 routes and hours of content, players make decisions that impact each character's journey, choosing everything from wholesome to terrible options. The game boasts #OwnVoices narrative writing and artwork from artists of color, promoting individuality and authenticity.

  • Mac OS
  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Linux
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

68%
Audience ScoreBased on 124 reviews
story8 positive mentions
gameplay5 negative mentions
  • The game features a diverse cast of characters and tackles complex themes such as racial identity and queer experiences, providing a refreshing perspective in the visual novel genre.
  • The art style is praised for its beauty, and the writing is noted for being engaging and relatable, often resonating deeply with players.
  • The game encourages players to navigate discomfort and personal growth, offering a unique take on relationships that goes beyond traditional romance narratives.
  • The gameplay mechanics are criticized for being clunky and unintuitive, with issues such as long loading times, lack of a fast-forward option, and bugs that disrupt the experience.
  • Many players found the writing style to be inconsistent, with some characters feeling poorly developed or unlikable, leading to a disconnect from the narrative.
  • The game has been described as misleading in its marketing, with players expecting a more traditional dating sim experience but instead encountering a linear story with limited romantic progression.
  • story64 mentions

    The story is praised for its beautiful art and engaging character development, blending humor with serious themes of personal growth and friendship. However, many reviewers note its linearity, with a consistent overarching narrative that limits the depth of individual character routes, leading to mixed feelings about the romantic elements. While some find the writing refreshing and relatable, others criticize the pacing and character likability, suggesting that the game may not resonate with all players.

    • “The art is gorgeous, and the story has a nice balance of the humor I fell in love with in the advertising as well as some serious, heart-to-heart moments.”
    • “The story is deep and full of complex twists, the language used is refreshing in an age of AI, and the characters are well-developed and multi-layered.”
    • “It was a beautiful, funny, and engaging story.”
    • “The story is extremely linear, and regardless of each individual ending you get with each suitor, the overarching story is the same and goes in one path.”
    • “If you're looking for a dating sim with some sweet romance, then you might want to skip this one as the story is linear and you just get flings, no sweet romantic endings or anything rewarding.”
    • “The main character was whiny and unlikable, making it impossible to care about their story.”
  • humor23 mentions

    The game's humor is a standout feature, blending quippy dialogue and relatable character interactions with deeper, serious themes. Reviewers appreciate the balance between lighthearted moments and poignant discussions, highlighting the refreshing writing and engaging storytelling. While some humor may feel dated, the overall comedic tone is praised for its ability to tackle complex topics while still providing genuine laughs.

    • “The art is gorgeous, and the story has a nice balance of the humor I fell in love with in the advertising as well as some serious, heart-to-heart moments.”
    • “The writing is warm, fun, familiar, and actually funny, and heartbreaking.”
    • “It straddles the line between goofy and serious well, allowing for nuanced conversations in-game and discussion of heavy topics while still allowing for humor and good times!”
  • gameplay21 mentions

    The gameplay of this visual novel has been criticized for its clunky mechanics and a poorly designed user interface, which detracts from the overall experience. While some players appreciate the art and narrative, many recommend waiting for significant updates to address the numerous bugs and gameplay issues before purchasing. Overall, the gameplay experience is seen as lacking, overshadowing the potential of the story and visuals.

    • “Although it's sad that only volume 1 is out, that alone has rendered me over 10 hours of gameplay so I'm absolutely fine with it.”
    • “The CG art is incredible, and the mini-games are cute but not invasive if you'd rather focus solely on gameplay.”
    • “As someone who finds delight in visual novel games, especially in the romance genre, I am really keen on gameplay before story and art.”
    • “Gameplay-wise, the UI feels clunky at times for a visual novel.”
    • “The mechanics can also be pretty clunky, which I didn't think was possible in a visual-novel style game.”
    • “I’ll just get to the point: I do not recommend purchasing this game until all of the major bugs are fixed and the general mechanics of the game are optimized.”
  • graphics14 mentions

    The graphics of the game are widely praised for their beauty and unique character designs, contributing to an overall charming aesthetic that enhances the gameplay experience. While some players find the layout of text logs frustrating, the artwork and visuals are consistently highlighted as standout features that elevate the game's appeal, despite some concerns about pacing and story execution. Overall, the game's art style is considered a significant strength, making it a notable entry in the dating sim genre.

    • “Ahiri looks gorgeous and the artwork emotes each character and their antics adorably.”
    • “It is a sweet, sometimes angsty game with a gorgeous art style; enjoy it for what it is.”
    • “The art style is absolutely beautiful, and I just love all the care that went into all these stories!”
    • “Functionally it's a 6 now versus its beta, with the devs' ongoing development, bug fixes and revised sprite artwork.”
    • “-only the library has 'volume 1.' not the steam page, not the steam graphics, nothing.”
    • “I appreciate the art style, but the pacing of the story just feels off.”
  • music12 mentions

    The music in the game is generally praised for its quality and immersive qualities, enhancing the overall experience. However, some players express a desire for more variation and accessibility, noting that certain aspects, like the timing of music introduction, could be improved. Overall, while the music is appreciated, opinions on its consistency vary among players.

    • “The character design is immaculate and the music is really immersive. I appreciate how real the character writing is and the content warnings and accessibility options are really great features, too!”
    • “Overall the visuals, music, and storyline so far have been fun for me to play, and some of the characters feel relatable to my personal experience.”
    • “The music is great and makes it easy to focus on the writing and get into the vibe of the game.”
    • “I do wish there was a little more music variation, but the music that is there is amazing.”
    • “It is a fun little detour in entertainment, but its introduction leaves players with more questions than answers (namely: why did it take until Malik's final date for players to get the chance to actually listen to his music?????), and you can't press multiple keys at once.”
    • “I did like the art, but found the music to be hit or miss.”
  • character development8 mentions

    Character development in the game is praised for its realism and depth, with players noting strong emotional connections to the characters and their diverse backgrounds. The writing is highlighted as immersive and reflective of various identities, particularly in its representation of people of color and LGBTQ+ characters. While some found the writing to be inconsistent, the overall character design and narrative progression offer a refreshing take on the dating simulator genre, emphasizing rich storytelling over traditional romance routes.

    • “The character design is immaculate and the music is really immersive. I appreciate how real the character writing is, and the content warnings and accessibility options are really great features, too!”
    • “It is such a breath of fresh air to see such a variety of character designs, walks of life, gender expressions, sexualities, etc. Not only that, but the conversations, the dialogue, and how quickly you get sucked into everyone's story really sticks with you.”
    • “Upon first beginning it, I had some mixed feelings about it because the narrative progression is different from anything I've ever seen in a dating simulator—rather than picking romance routes to pursue with specific characters, you pick player routes and play through a really in-depth story experience that's chock full of beautiful art and really deep character development.”
    • “I was appealed by the character design but wow... this game is so well written, I felt a true connection with the main character I chose, especially the overwhelming thought process.”
    • “Honestly, this game has some of the most realistic character designs for people of color I've seen in a visual novel.”
    • “Secondly, the details of the art, character development, route/ending differences, realistic writing style, diversity in LGBTQ+ characters of color, etc., have all been a breath of fresh air.”
  • monetization7 mentions

    The monetization aspect of the game has drawn criticism for misleading advertising, which led players to expect a dating sim experience with multiple character routes, rather than the kinetic visual novel format presented. This disconnect has resulted in disappointment, particularly regarding the lack of content related to dating apps and online dating, as well as the absence of a skip text feature that could enhance replayability. Overall, the game's marketing may have created unrealistic expectations, affecting player satisfaction.

    • “First off, as other reviews have pointed out, the advertising for this game isn't exactly honest.”
    • “The advertising is a little misleading— I, along with a lot of other people, thought that all of the characters would have routes in this build, which was unfortunately not the case— and I fear the lack of a skip text button might dampen a player's drive to replay the game and experience all of the endings.”
    • “In its current form (which had some dubious labeling and advertising of what's actually included), also a game I can only recommend with, at best, a shrug of the shoulders if you're looking for mlm content.”
  • emotional7 mentions

    The game is praised for its heartfelt storytelling and beautiful illustrations, effectively addressing serious themes such as caregiving stress, relationship issues, and emotional neglect, which resonate deeply with players. However, some users felt a disconnect due to choices not aligning with expected outcomes, impacting their emotional engagement. Despite this, the inclusion of relatable sapphic and trans themes, along with warm and humorous writing, contributes to a touching and validating experience.

    • “But other than that, this is a really heartfelt game with beautiful illustrations.”
    • “There is an amazing amount of sapphic and trans themes in this game that are super real but at the same time heartwarming.”
    • “The writing is warm, fun, familiar, and actually funny, and heartbreaking.”
  • stability7 mentions

    The game's stability is marked by several bugs and glitches that can be annoying but generally do not render it unplayable. While some users find the user interface and menus confusing, others appreciate the overall execution despite the imperfections. Overall, the game is seen as flawed yet enjoyable, with potential for improvement.

    • “However, the game has quite a few glitches that need to be worked out.”
    • “The menus are buggy and confusing; the presentation feels a bit overdone.”
    • “My only gripe with this game is that it's currently a little buggy, and the UI could be more straightforward for players who might be going in blind.”
  • optimization2 mentions

    Reviews indicate that the game's optimization is lacking, particularly in the user interface and reading functions, which require significant improvement. Many users advise against purchasing the game until major bugs are resolved and overall mechanics are optimized.

    • “The UI and reading functions need a lot of work and optimization.”
    • “I do not recommend purchasing this game until all of the major bugs are fixed and the general mechanics of the game are optimized.”
    • “I’ll just get to the point: I do not recommend purchasing this game until all of the major bugs are fixed and the general mechanics of the game are optimized.”
    • “The game runs poorly on most systems, and the optimization is severely lacking.”
    • “Even on high-end hardware, the frame rates are inconsistent, making the gameplay experience frustrating.”
  • grinding1 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, despite appreciating the artwork and character arcs.

    • “While I appreciate a lot of the beautiful artwork as well as most of the characters’ arcs, I found playing the game to be extremely tedious.”
    • “The grinding feels endless and takes away from the enjoyment of the game.”
    • “I spent hours doing repetitive tasks just to progress, which made the experience feel more like a chore than fun.”
  • replayability1 mentions

    While visual novels offer significant replayability through multiple choices and endings, players often find themselves re-reading lengthy sections of text, especially if they didn't save their progress. This can lead to a tedious experience due to the repetitive dialogue that remains unchanged between different choices.

    • “The replayability is fantastic! Each choice leads to different outcomes, making it feel fresh every time you play.”
    • “I love how many different paths you can take. It encourages multiple playthroughs to see all the possible endings.”
    • “The game offers a wealth of content that makes you want to replay it just to experience all the unique storylines.”
    • “Visual novels are text-based, so you don't want your audience skipping all the story to get to the CGs. However, the problem is that there's so much replayability required that you end up watching the same long stretches of text if you weren't smart enough to save. Even then, there's so much unchanged dialogue between choices that it starts to drag a bit.”
    • “The game lacks meaningful choices, which makes replaying it feel tedious. You often find yourself going through the same dialogues and scenarios without any real variation.”
    • “While the game offers multiple endings, the journey to each one feels repetitive. The lack of significant changes in the storyline makes it hard to stay engaged during subsequent playthroughs.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Buy ValiDate: Struggling Singles in your Area

Play time

10hMedian play time
10hAverage play time
10-10hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 1 analyzed playthroughs

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