That may be part of the fantasy, but the system made it so easy to speed through dating that much of it felt superficial. I felt like I could instantly woo dates left and right, with everyone clamoring to date me. My character went from being awkward and unsure to expertly flirtatious in no time. Where Boyfriend Dungeon stumbles, though, is in how quickly the story advances through the two dungeons and the dating throughout. It’s not always pleasant to experience, but it’s a story that left me feeling satisfied with the outcome. It worked for me because of the earnestness and care with which Kitfox tells this empowered queer story. Kitfox is sending a very sincere message about overcoming those fears, and ultimately using that progress to absolutely annihilate Eric.Ģ1 indie video games to look forward to in 2021 (For fear of change, the mall dunj, you’ll fight stylized old tech in the club, representing fear of intimacy, you fight cocktails and lips.) Each of the people you can date have their own stories and themes that touch on very real anxieties, each of which is handled with care. Dungeons, specifically, are themed around those fears, with monsters coming to life as representations of each. That said, it is good that Kitfox has updated the game with a more descriptive content warning, because the narrative does delve into traumatic themes.īoyfriend Dungeon’s story also tackles themes of fear - like fear of change or intimacy. But they’re depicted in a way that doesn’t let him off the hook for his behaviors.
Interactions with Eric in Boyfriend Dungeon are genuinely uncomfortable. It encompasses a lot of the good things about dating, but also some unfortunate realities. And that’s for good reason: Boyfriend Dungeon is a game that’s goofy, sexy, and also serious. Kitfox has since updated its content warning at the beginning of the game to better describe these interactions - but Eric remains an integral part of the story. The controversy around Eric is regarding whether Kitfox’s content warning was strong enough, and whether players should have been able to opt out of interactions with him. One of the first dates you’ll go on is with a guy named Eric, a condescending shop owner that quickly turns to emotional manipulation and stalking. Image: Kitfox Gamesīoyfriend Dungeon’s core narrative recently brought developer Kitfox a round of discourse. Balancing dates, texting, and intimacy throughout the game felt comfortable, and never overwhelming. It worked as a conceptualization of dating. The initial concept, of combining dating and dungeon crawling, felt natural to me: I was able to get to know the folks around me and figure out which weapon best suited my play style. There are seven different romance options and thus there are seven different weapons that can be used to blast your way through Boyfriend Dungeon’s two dungeons. In between the dunj and dates, you also build these relationships through text conversations. Dating happens in a visual novel-esque style, with interactions playing out in real-time conversation choices. Taking people (weapons!) into the dunj means leveling up a love ranking, which is essentially a power ranking - this is how you gain new abilities and increase your stats.īut to get there, you’ve got to date. You date in spots around Verona Beach, and supplement those dates with sessions in the dunj. Image: Kitfox Gamesĭating is mixed with sessions in the dunj, which is also a place where you can meet new folks. And you just so happen to be open to wielding them. In the dunj - short for dungeon - is where you learn that there are some people in Verona Beach that can turn into weapons. Jesse sets you up with the first date, and things spring off from there before the monster fighting begins. Spending the summer in Verona Beach, paired with your matchmaking cousin Jesse, means learning to love. The story goes like this: You’re a person with no dating experience. What of it?īoyfriend Dungeon begins with the player character moving to a charming seaside town called Verona Beach, after a short customization stage where pronouns, look, and name are all adjustable. So yeah, the game is about dating people that you’ll also use as weapons to fight your insecurities. But it’s a concept that’s executed in earnest, with thoughtfulness and care grounding the otherwise implausible world.
#Boyfriend dungeon controversy simulator
I mean, it’s a dating simulator in which you date people that can turn into weapons, which can then be used to fight through monstrous dungeons.
It’d otherwise be easy to write the game off as a joke, a concept that’s wacky just to be wacky. The sincerity with which developer Kitfox Games enters into Boyfriend Dungeon is contagious.
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