Sucker for Love: First Date (2022)

lol, bear in mind that as i review this i believe this is maybe the second VN I've played (Only DDLC comes to mind, and it's in some ways a bit similar) the game has a similar tone and humor to that of DDLC, but a bit zanier and more unserious. (And also lesser quality) In some spots the writing is good and makes references to concepts and other going-ons in Lovecraft's writing, but in other spots I found it silly and nonsensical, and just outright bad.

I think this game is a Chinese localization originally and has been translated. The game has a several really lame typos and stuff here and there. The voice acting is pretty decent though I thought.

The game looks okay but doesn't look that great. The interactable stuff you click on is kind of pokey and doesn't always work the way you want, but it works (I must have put stuff back on the shelves 50 times by mistake) You have a 'plot' map that lets you rewind to various scenes in each chapter (and clues you in on how many secret endings there are and where they are so you can unlock them) this is a pretty nice feature! Without it, I probably wouldn't have finished Chapter 2. Unfortunately, it's STILL really tedious to unlock everything in chapter two and I wasn't able to figure out the final ending without a guide. (You can't even get to chapter 3 if you don't unlock several things in chapter two that are not that obvious which is another gripe) Game is short only three stories, with the bulk of it being that chapter two arc (which I had to revisit sections of to replay almost two dozen times....)

It's pretty much just a gimmick, but it is fun and funny for a few if you're the target audience. I found the game a little difficult and tedious that will kill you in some places if you don't read stuff fast enough or read it too fast... Made me get kind of bored with it about halfway through. (I'm not really sure why a VN like this should have a difficulty curve.) Overall, I think the genre just isn't for me.

Were this to have had a bit more spit and polish to the interactables, cleaning up of the typos in the text and the plot map, or the writing, or certain spots where the timing issues of reading the incantations really matters for where the game goes? I'd grant another star. It was a fun concept, but it wasn't as executed as well as it could have been, and the gameplay mechanics of reading stuff got annoying to the point that I found myself not wanting to go through the rigmarole to complete the game's final, true ending (just not worth it)

It's possible the game's sequel is an improvement in gameplay, general experience, and accessibility, (It sounds like a much more fully-fledged story, so it's probably a bit more thought out) but I believe I had my fill with this one.

tldr; i feel like a sucker. 2/5 would not date monster girls again

A stylistic horror dating sim that immediately caught my attention due to its classic anime aesthetic and eldritch waifus. I enjoyed this game and recommend it to anyone who's interested in artistic games, body horror, and H.P. Lovecraft. Truly a game like no other.

There are three chapters in the game, each featuring a unique love interest. The chapters themselves are fairly short yet you'll find yourself replaying them to view different routes and consequences. While there is plenty of dialogue, there is also point-and-click mechanics as you engage in rituals with specific instructions the player must follow to complete them successfully.

Do not expect lewd content. There is none to be found.

I had Sucker for Love on my radar for a little bit, having seen it first as part of a Dread X collection that I can't for the life of me recall the name of right now. Regardless, the game immediately caught my eye, because spooky visual novels are usually pretty great.

And I have not been disappointed, the game is pretty masterful at keeping a tone that can balance between creepy, funny and even emotional at times. The four characters (counting the protagonist) are all really fun and memorable, and the fact that I can't say who my favorite is says a lot about how good they all are.

Gameplay-wise, it's actually quite fun, and uses its mechanic (the spell chanting) in very creative ways, especially in the final secret chapter. The checkpoint system also allows for hunting endings pretty conveniently, and it thankfully never gets too tedious. My only gripe may be with the second chapter, as its endings can be very confusing and hard to unlock.

Otherwise, Sucker for Love is a very cute visual novel with some nice spooky elements, though I wouldn't call it an outright horror game. Definitely worth your while if you're looking for something funny and well-written to get through in a night.