14 DAY TRIAL // The video games that I spend most of my free time with at the moment are Crusader Kings II, Pro Cycling Manager 2014 and Wargame Red Dragon, so it’s pretty clear that my focus is on strategy, complex scenarios, careful preparation and at least some fireworks, be they physical or metaphoric, from time to time.
Despite my traditional choices, I am contemplating spending at least 10 more hours with Hatoful Boyfriend in order to make sure that I experience all the pigeon romances it has to offer and that I am then able to experience the “secret” part of the video game that I have already heard so many other players talking about.
This is not because of the gameplay delivered by the title, which is very limited and can be incredibly repetitive, but because I want to get an insight into the way the entire experience was constructed and to try and reason out why the development team has built its layered structure.
The story is more important than the pigeons
Hatoful Boyfriend has become a minor phenomenon among gamers because many want to see how dating pigeons feels like and how far the creators have taken the ridiculous premise.
I am sure that a bigger team with more resources would be able to deliver a deeper sim and I would love to see a mix between this concept and the mechanics created for another indie title with a social focus, Redshirt.
That game allows for more interaction and delivers more interesting options for activities, but it lacks the weirdness factor.
A game that takes the best features from both would be a great way of blending Western and Eastern visions about gaming into something new and engaging.
Variety is great
Modern gamers clearly do not have the time to play all the titles that are launched, even the good ones, but there are plenty of times when I love the fact that I start up a game with relatively low expectations and I am then surprised by what it has to offer.
Hatoful Boyfriend remains limited in some crucial areas, but I do not regret spending time with it or contemplating future gaming sessions for it because the experience offers something unique and expands my video game world in some interesting ways.
Regardless of how you feel about pigeons and dating sims, the game is certainly something that one should experience.