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Video games can be about escapism, and for many people that means a love story. Gaming has some of the most beautiful romances of all media, but sometimes you want a little more gameplay than a visual novel offers. That’s where these games come in. Blending romantic stories with other gaming genres, they will warm your heart and your hands. Here are ten of our favorite dating sims on Switch that aren’t visual novels.

Fire Emblem: Three Houses zm5h

Fire Emblem: Three Houses is a strategy RPG at its core, but the biggest decision you make is whether to the Black Eagles, Blue Lions, or Golden Deer. In fact, it's one of the most iconic Switch dating sims. There are different characters you can romance, date, and eventually marry. Not only does this make you feel warm inside, but gives certain bonuses to those units.

This idea isn’t unique to Fire Emblem: Three Houses, and the system is a key part of the Fire Emblem series. However, we’ve chosen Three Houses as our representative here, specifically because of the Three Houses system. Picking your houses locks you out of certain romance options, and gives you even more reason to start another playthrough.

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This is a cheeky entry as there aren’t dating options in Xenoblade Chronicles 3, but there are a few games on this list that just have a romantic story at their core. The Xenoblade series is known for two things: beautifully synergistic action RPG gameplay, and a heartbreaking story. In the series the third entry has a special place in our hearts.

The touching relationship between Noah and Mio aside – which we won’t be spoiling – those who are desperate for stats to go up can get that too. The affinity system allows characters to unlock new classes, and there are almost 20 characters you can recruit, giving players the best of both worlds.

Stardew Valley 6810v

If you don’t know what Stardew Valley is by now you have probably been living under a rock. The smash hit farming sim in the vein of Harvest Moon has taken over the life of many gamers. After your grandpa es on, he offers you his old plot of farmland in the village of Stardew Valley. You start out by clearing out the farm so you can plant crops, and then you get invested in helping spirits rebuild the community center.

There is a surprising amount going on in Stardew Valley. Aside from farming you will go mining, fishing, attend festivals, and of course date the people of the town. There are a dozen villagers that are single and ready to mingle. Getting married offers benefits, including the addition of children in your hand-built home. Just be prepared that if you decide to play Stardew Valley that you might lose hundreds of hours of your life to it.

Undertale 5u5g1v

You only get into the dating sim elements of Undertale after you have finished the main game, so if you’re looking explicitly for games with plenty of dates then you should probably on this one. However, it is one of the best games of all time, known for its excellent character development, unexpected writing and dialogue, and the way it twists players' expectations.

Most people probably know the twist of Undertale at this point, but we won’t spoil it here just in case. It tells the story of a child who falls into a mysterious underworld filled with strange creatures who confront them at every turn. However, alongside those who attack them on sight, they find those who want to help. It’s about the relationships we have with others, and most of all forgiveness.

Unpacking 335z2g

You don’t choose who you date in Unpacking, but you do experience the main character's romantic history, including the highs and lows through the gameplay. It’s the epitome of show don’t tell, where the entire story is told via the things that are taken with them when they move house. The house itself tells a story, as our protagonist moves from her parents house, to a shared house, to a partner’s house, and back to their parents’ house again, and beyond.

It’s amazing just how much can be conveyed without a single word. Instead, you can see not just how their relationships blossom or wilt, but their career path, their religion, and their hobbies. Above all decorating and organizing the different places they live is incredibly satisfying even if you don’t care for the wordless story of love and loss.

Catherine: Full Body 2g3u4f

Created by many of the people who also worked on the modern Persona series, Catherine: Full Body shows more than a few of those games’ signature hallmarks. The story starts with our main character Vincent, who has been with his girlfriend Katherine for a long time. She is beginning to grow impatient waiting for marriage, and give him an ultimatum. Following this very serious conversation he finds himself waking up every morning to the young, seductive Catherine.

By day Vincent talks about his dilemma with his friends at his favorite bar The Stray Sheep, which is where he also meets his third potential love interest, the kind-hearted Rin. He also tries to guide the other customers of the bar through the struggles of their lives. At night, he is stuck climbing a nightmarish tower of block puzzles, alongside the other customers, who are also working through their issues as well. A trippy and heart-warming adventure.

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Cassette Beasts is a creature collector like Pokémon, but it bears only a ing resemblance to Game Freak’s monster franchise. Instead of catching beasts you will record them on ‘90s style cassette tapes, and though you use them in battle, the one that’s truly in the firing line is you. Unlike the Pokémon games you will never be fighting alone; the power of friendship is always on your side.

As you continue through the story you will find more characters to you on your journey. They each have their own missions they are trying to accomplish. If you help them out, then you will grow closer to them either as friends or, if you like, lovers in this Switch dating sim. Except the dog. You aren’t allowed to date the dog.

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Many Switch dating sims add romantic elements as just another feature that you can choose to interact with or not. Eternights puts the dating part of the action RPG at the forefront, and the ending that you receive completely changes based on who you choose. It’s one of the most impactful dating choices in gaming, outside of a visual novel.

The apocalypse is here, and after a long stint in an underground dungeon you emerge to find that those who remained on the surface have turned into monsters. After a supernatural encounter where your arm is ripped off and replaced with a weapon, you decide to get to the heart of the issue alongside any survivors you find along the way. Luckily, most of those survivors happen to be cute girls.

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Boyfriend Dungeon does exactly what it says on the tin. It’s a dungeon crawler that is full of boyfriends, girlfriends, non-binary friends, and a cat. Set in a world of wielders and weapons, you create a bond with your armory who also happen to be handsome suitors. The stronger your bond when your weapons are in human/feline form, the better they perform in the dungeons.

What makes Boyfriend Dungeon unique is how it handles your relationships. Some partners will be happy with you dating around, others will want you to be monogamous. Some are just a fling, and others want to be your life-long love. There are many flavors of relationship, and even some hidden suitors to find.

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This is one of the few games that has made me cry ugly tears, and that is a testament to how touching the story is. A Space for the Unbound isn't really a Switch dating sim with stats that go up and down, but it does tell the touching romance between Atma and Raya. When Raya is having a hard time Atma is always there to cheer her up, but he’s left unsure if that’s the right thing to do.

Raya discovers that she has developed psychic abilities that allow her to warp the world around her to her whims. Atma explores the Indonesian village in which they both live, and has to decide what the best course of action is to help her. As he is dragged through many of her painful memories, he has to decide whether placating her, or tough love is the best way to help Raya heal in this heartwarming story.

Have you checked out any of these visual novels? If so, let us know in the comments below!

The post Best Switch Dating Sims That Aren’t Visual Novels appeared first on Siliconera.

Kitfox shadowdropped Boyfriend Dungeon on the PS5 on Valentine’s Day 2023. It announced that the roguelike with dating sim elements is immediately available on the console. It costs $19.99. This port will also be an up-to-date version of the game that includes the free Secret Weapons expansion.

Boyfriend Dungeon is set in a world in which certain people have the ability to turn into weapons. The player is visiting a cousin after having a rough time. While there, they get to meet a number of these people (and animal, in the case of Pocket the cat). Visual novel segments allow you to get to know them better and exchange gifts. However, you also build up relationships by heading into various randomly generated dungeons around town. In so doing, you also learn more about a plot that’s seeing weapon people ambushed and dropped into dungeons in their weapon form.

The game started its life as a Kickstarter project. Kitfox successfully raised CA$ 272,280 from 6,991 backers. Among its stretch goals were the weapons/love interests Leah the hammer and Owen the axe. While both weren’t present in the game at launch, they were later added to existing platforms as free DLC in August 2022.

Boyfriend Dungeon is immediately available on the PS5. It is also available on the Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and PC.

The post Play Boyfriend Dungeon on Your PS5 Today appeared first on Siliconera.

On August 17, 2022, Boyfriend Dungeon released its first major update, Secret Weapons. This DLC is free for anyone who purchased or owns a copy of Boyfriend Dungeon. Secret Weapons adds a new dungeon to explore, as well as three new characters to romance. They are Jonah the Axe, Leah the Hammer, and Dr. Holmes the Whip.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YSvq6hL5s4Q&t=2s

Kitbox Games first announced this DLC in June 2022. It also introduced the new romance options on its Twitter . Leah the Hammer is an athletic fighter who loves competition and hates the patriarchy. Jonah the Axe is a “big, cuddly bear” who likes to be alone in nature, and hates the city life. Finally, Dr. Holmes the Whip likes energy drinks and hates teaching classes. Dr. Holmes uses she/they pronouns.

Boyfriend Dungeon is a dating sim with dungeon crawler elements. You wield weapons that are actually romanceable people (or animals). You can then go on blind dates with them. Though the game’s title has the word ‘boyfriend’ in it, you can date a variety of genders and species. It was originally a Kickstarter project that raised over $272,000 CAD from almost 7,000 people.

Boyfriend Dungeon is available on Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and Windows PC through Steam, and the Secret Weapons DLC does not cost extra.

The post Boyfriend Dungeon Secret Weapons DLC Available for Free appeared first on Siliconera.

The free Boyfriend Dungeon Secret Weapons DLC is on the way, and it adds three new characters. It showed up in the Glitch Future of Play June 11, 2022 presentation. In addition to Jonah and Leah, two love interests that were Kickstarter stretch goals, a third person will be added. Unseen Inc. Creative Director Ikumi Nakamura designed Dr. Holmes. It will be available in late Summer 2022.

The announcement went over some details about the expansion. Jonah is an axe. He initially appeared in the main game as a ing cast member. Leah is a hammer. Dr. Holmes is a whip. The first two will be more typical love interests. Dr. Holmes, however, is the new dungeon’s boss. They also will be played by Kathleen “Loserfruit” Belsten. There will also be new music in this add-on.

Here’s a trailer for the Boyfriend Dungeon Secret Weapons DLC.

And here are a few screenshots showing off the new Boyfriend Dungeon characters folks will be able to date. It also shows what it will look like if someone uses an axe, hammer, or whip while fighting.
[gallery columns="6" ids="929813,929817,929812,929814,929816,929815" link="file"]

Boyfriend Dungeon is available for the Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and PC, and its free Secret Weapons DLC will arrive in Summer 2022.

The post Free Boyfriend Dungeon Secret Weapons DLC Adds 3 Characters appeared first on Siliconera.

As many Americans head into a long weekend, we’re thinking about the best games that you can comfortably start and finish in just a couple of days. What are your favorite weekend games?

The new game's unexpectedly great even after decades of building hype, but there's something special about the original Pokémon Snap. It's notoriously a "rental" game. And not just because of the Blockbuster sticker connections! You can see the credits in a couple of hours and finish what the game offers in a little more than that. But there's something special about starting and finishing a good, short game. It's its own sort of mini-vacation! And Pokémon Snap delivers both good and short in a package that's better and shorter than most. — Graham

Speaking of Pokémon Snap, another more recent hit that can be picked up and put down in the space of a long weekend is Umurangi Generation. It recently launched in a "definitive" form for the Nintendo Switch (though it's also available on PC). It's a photography game, as well, tasking players with taking particular shots. It also leaves them with freedom on how to compose and adjust their framing. But it's also about way more than pictures! Especially if you're the type of player that pays attention to what they're shooting. — Josh

I'm going to go with a game that I just recently played in a single weekend. I didn't expect Boyfriend Dungeon to be as short as it was. But over a two-day period, I got to dungeon crawl with some cool characters and make some great new virtual friends (and boyfriends). It is the sort of game that doesn't wear out its welcome. It isn't too demanding or taxing. You can hop in, do everything you need to and feel like you've accomplished all you need to over a few days. — Jenni

Every so often I get an urge to play a building sim of some sort. Recently, I scratched that itch when I picked up TasteMaker: Restaurant Simulator after seeing it on an E3 indie game stream. This Early Access game has a few pre-built scenarios and a free build mode that allow you to prove your management chops. You need to balance ordering ingredients, hiring staff, building your kitchen, and decorating the dining room. You can even add video lottery terminals and arcade machines to keep guests spending money. It's a fun way to spend a weekend if you find yourself cooped up. — Annette

Sometimes the games that are short, sweet, and to the point are some of the most poignant experiences you can have with a piece of media. No Longer Home is one of these titles. It explores the relationship of two people being forced apart by immigration. Semi-autobiographical, No Longer Home is steeped in magical realism as it discusses identity and uncertain futures. While it is relatively short, it's a great pick to immerse yourself in over a weekend. — Kazuma

What are your favorite weekend games? Let us know in the comments or on Twitter! And read our other handy roundtables for more thoughts from the Siliconera team.

The post The Best Games To Play In One Weekend appeared first on Siliconera.

Boyfriend Dungeon is a game that’s gotten people talking about its characters, particularly Eric, its story, and even what kind of post-launch content updates we could see. To help get a better idea of things to come and decisions regarding certain characters’ storylines, Siliconera asked Kitfox Games Co-Founder and Creative Director Tanya X. Short about its development and things to come.

Editor's Note: There are some references to Boyfriend Dungeon characters, situations, and teases that are mild spoilers. 4q2h3e

Jenni Lada, Siliconera: Everything in Boyfriend Dungeon seems to be hinting at a major patch or expansion updates. How will that work? Will it be free?

Tanya X. Short, Kitfox Games: We definitely have more characters and content coming in the future, but it’ll likely take us some time. We haven’t decided yet how the pricing will work, except of course it will definitely be free for at least our Kickstarter backers.

What does the release timeline look like for Boyfriend Dungeon characters like Jonah and Leah?

Short: As soon as possible, after we’re able to fix the major bugs and take a small rest. We love them to bits, and we’ve already started on some of the writing and art.

When the Boyfriend Dungeon update arrives, will it behave like Japanese otome games and add fandisc-like epilogues and additional skill tree additional for existing characters and relationships?

Short: We’ll see! Of course that’d be exciting, but, it’d also add a lot of time to the development, so we’ll have to choose whether to make it a bigger slower update or a smaller quicker update.

Sunder's story, while realistic, doesn't offer the ending people might expect. Will there be any patch to offer a "happy ending" with him?

Short: There’s already sort of a happy-ever-after ending, if you look. Beyond that, I would love to see what people do with modding, when it’s available...

Will we ever get to "meet" Tank? Having that default picture instead of a "face" gets to me, haha. 

Short: If it helps, Tank is definitely in the game, even though you only see him now and then… if you look closely I think you’ll find him.

What made the team decide not to include an option to call out/warn Jesse after things escalate with Eric? As someone who's encountered such situations in real life, it seemed unrealistic to not have some sort of "follow up.”

Short: One of the challenges we faced with the design and narrative was that the player has no tools for initiating or conversations. Unlike, say, Fit For a King, which has a text parser, the player freedom of expression is extremely limited. We tried a few things and they fell flat or felt forced, so in the end I felt we struck a good balance for the player participating in the plot, but, I suppose that’s in the eye of the beholder.

Why didn't you include an option to block Eric's texts or report him for his behavior?

Short: Throughout the development we made interacting with him more and more optional, so you can ghost him immediately after meeting him… though there’s currently an outstanding bug we’re investigating in which if you ghost him in the middle of some conversations, it seems to hiccup. Maybe a Block button would have been easier, in retrospect. Something to consider for sure, if we ever make another game with text messaging, even if none of them are … uh … Eric-like.

Are there any features you wanted to add, but didn't have the chance?

Short: Of course! But they’re all my precious secrets, since we might add them in the future… or not, and I don’t want to disappoint anyone, if we don’t manage. Fingers crossed we can announce at least one of the little ones soon as a free update we’re working on, to chew on before the bigger content updates.

Would we ever get the opportunity for an "endless mode" perhaps with procedurally generated dungeons? 

Short: That would be so cool! It’s certainly imaginable. But I’d also want some extra-cool challenges along the way… we added an endless mode to Moon Hunters, and I liked the boss fight we put in there.

Boyfriend Dungeon is available for the Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, and PC. It is also on Xbox Game .

The post Interview: Discussing Boyfriend Dungeon Characters and Updates appeared first on Siliconera.

One of the things that I believe is the mark of a fascinating game is the ability to inspire strong feelings about it. If it can also leave me wanting to discuss its primary characters with anyone else I know who’s also played it and marathon-play it until I beat it, those are added bonuses. While there are certain things about Boyfriend Dungeon that left me annoyed or frustrated, I also couldn’t get enough of playing it.

Boyfriend Dungeon begins with you as an inexperienced person who hasn’t really formed any close ties with anyone. To help broaden your horizons, you, your mom, and your cousin Jesse decided you’d visit Verona Beach for the summer. Jesse just moved in with his partner Samantha, so his old apartment is open for the entire period for you to use. Your goal is to meet people, learn to dive into and survive dungeons, and become a Wielder for people who happen to be able to turn into weapons. And as you wield them, you’ll also form friendships and romantic relationships with them. At launch, you can fight alongside three men, one woman, two non-binary partners, and a cat. (The Kickstarter also resulted in an additional man and woman being funded, but neither are in the game yet.)

I like to think of the roguelike elements in Boyfriend Dungeon as incredibly forgiving ones. You can turn on a shield in the options, to halve damage and make runs much easier. But essentially you go in, beat things up with your weapon-ally, and do so until you die. Or reach an elevator, which tends to come up every few floors and on the same floor as a miniboss or boss. Most of your new weapon friends show up in the dungeon, though you will meet one in the tutorial and another via a different method. Hangout spaces in dungeons boost relationship values, and so does using someone on a floor. You can switch your partner before heading to the next floor too, to keep everyone at an even pace and level. And each weapon-person is a different sort of weapon, with their own skill-tree, which means you can probably find one who works well for you.

While the dungeons are great fun, there isn't much variety to their enemies. Sunder and Mandy's La Rosa club is better about enemy diversity, but you'll see the same sorts of foes--perhaps with different color palettes and more health--in both it and the Mall. The use of secret shops come up and I found myself wanting more of an explanation for them. And it is a bit frustrating that you don’t actively get stronger as you dungeon-crawl. Eventually, you will hit a wall where you are dealing 0-1 points of damage and need to be knocked out to “level up” so you can progress further the next time.

Which means the strongest parts are, well, the “boyfriend” part of Boyfriend Dungeon. It makes sense too. Every character you can pursue has a fantastic storyline. Even the one I didn’t initially like, Sunder, grew on me to the point that I put him in the friendzone, then dragged him out of it because his route is so fascinating. You can complete everyone’s storyline in a single run. (And unlike the Persona series, people won’t get mad at you for it.) Which means you can complete everything the first go around. And if romance is for you, you can choose to be friends with people and every weapon-person (and cat) will respect that. So you’ll constantly get texts from these people (or the cat’s owner), get chances to make and give gifts to them, and visit locations for visual novel-style dates/hangouts.

But as great as the writing is for the routes, there are times when Boyfriend Dungeon feels like it does something of a disservice to its NPCs. Jesse is an active presence in your life, until it seems like a certain point. Then, with your cousin's "mission" complete, it feels like you're ghosted. You go for about half of the game with a permanently pinned message from him with no updates until a certain point. Likewise, Olivia can feel like an "all purpose person" called in when a route needs a friend/potential love interest/enemy. 

I also take issue with the use of one of the villains in Boyfriend Dungeon and how it is approached. While it is realistic, I feel it doesn't offer realistic options for dealing with the situation. For example, when someone begins stalking you, you aren't allowed block the person's number or pursue a dialogue option that involves reporting this antagonist to the police. The overall arc also involves the player being forced to "be the bigger person" and continue interactions, even if you've continually chosen responses that say that is the exact opposite of what you want. I took no issue with being the one to clean up messes. I had a problem with being forced to "make nice" while doing so. 

Boyfriend Dungeon is satisfying and very good at making you care about its weapon-people (and cat). The gameplay loop is among the most addictive I’ve seen, especially since it is constantly rewarding you with more scenes with its characters and opportunities to get stronger. Which does put a damper on the elements that aren’t quite perfect. Jesse and Olivia could have been handled better as NPCs, only having two dungeons right away makes it feels like things end too quickly, and I hated having to be the bigger person and keep dealing with an antagonist. That said, when the heavily teased additional characters and dungeon come out, I absolutely can’t wait to return to Verona Beach.

Boyfriend Dungeon is available for the Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, and PC. It is also on Xbox Game .

The post Review: Boyfriend Dungeon Includes Good (and Bad) Dates appeared first on Siliconera.

Kitfox Games issued a Tweet in regards to the content warning for Boyfriend Dungeon, stating that the develop will update it this week to better describe the stalking and emotional manipulation that happens in the game. The character in question is a main antagonist and players cannot avoid him, which inaccurately reflects the current warning.

[embed]https://twitter.com/KitfoxGames/status/1426600404423520285[/embed]

Right now, when you start up Boyfriend Dungeon, the content warning reads, “This game may include references to unwanted advances, stalking, and other forms of emotional manipulation. Play with care.” The usage of the word "may" gives the impression that the stalking and emotional manipulation are optional. However, there is no way to block the stalker in-game, which means players cannot turn off his messages even if they are upsetting.

In a similar vein, the game has an option to block messages from the protagonist’s mother. Though the mother character is a kind and encouraging figure in the game, there is the chance that players may find the texts throughout the game triggering. Thus, Kitfox Games included the option to turn off messages from her.

Boyfriend Dungeon is a dungeon crawler with dating-sim aspects. The protagonist can date the various weapons they have and though the word "boyfriend" is in the title, weapons can be any species and gender. It was originally a Kickstarter project and it came out recently on August 11, 2021.

Boyfriend Dungeon is available on the Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, and Windows PC, and Kitfox Games will update the content warning to better reflect the game this week.

The post Boyfriend Dungeon Content Warning Will Be Updated appeared first on Siliconera.

In Boyfriend Dungeon, many of the love interests are ones that show up rather swiftly. For example, Isaac is the very first romance option you’ll meet, and he accompanies you through the tutorial. Sunder is the first weapon-person you find in a dungeon and, again, you discover him during the tutorial as well. Others, like Sawyer, Seven, and Valeria, show up as you go through the Verona Beach Mall dunj. But when it comes time to unlock someone like Rowan or Pocket in Boyfriend Dungeon, it can take a bit more time.

Someone will unlock Rowan and Pocket after playing a substantial amount of Boyfriend Dungeon. In both cases generally, you’ll likely have to wait until after Jesse’s backyard barbeque.

In order to get Pocket as a potential partner, you’ll have to unlocked Boyfriend Dungeon’s second dunj. It shows up in the basement of Sunder and Mandy’s club, La Rosa. You won’t have to venture too far inside to find the cat. The brass knuckles/feline will be found on the second floor of this dunj. After you rescue the kitty, you’ll get a text from his owner. You can then start fighting alongside and befriending Pocket.

As for how to unlock Rowan in Boyfriend Dungeon, all you have to do is wander around the road north of town after attending Jesse’s BBQ and texting with your “cousin.” The mansion will turn into a place you can visit with a mystery person there. That’s Rowan. You then need to waste a few “days” by going to the dunj, going on dates, or even leaving and exiting your apartment. Rowan will slide a note under your door, which can lead to you getting their number and unlocking them as a potential partner.

When it comes to the last two characters, which are the Kickstarter stretch goal people Jonah and Leah, they aren’t available to fight alongside and date just yet. (However, keep your eyes open for a cameo appearance.)

Boyfriend Dungeon is available for the Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, and PC. It is also on Xbox Game .

The post How to Unlock Rowan and Pocket in Boyfriend Dungeon appeared first on Siliconera.

The August 2021 Nintendo Indie World Showcase looking at new and Switch games has come and gone. Both newly available titles will show up digitally today, in addition to some that we’ll see later in 2021 and in 2022. It also meant an array of shadowdrops, some of which people have been waiting to play for years. Axiom Verge 2, Boyfriend Dungeon, Curious Expeditions 2, Islanders: Console Edition, Necrobarista: Final Pour, Slime Rancher, and Garden Story will all be on the Switch eShop later today.

Here is the full list of all of the Switch indie games that were a part of the August 2021 Nintendo Indie World Showcase. Any shadowdrop titles are noted below.

• Astroneer - January 2022.
• Axiom Verge 2 - Out today.
• Bomb Rush Cyberpunk - 2022, timed console exclusive.
• Boyfriend Dungeon - Out today.
• Curious Expedition 2 - Out today.
• Eastward - September 16, 2021, timed console exclusive.
• Far: Changing Tides - Early 2022.
• Gang Beasts - Fall 2021.
• Garden Story - Out today, timed console exclusive.
• Hundred Days: Winemaking Simulator - Holiday 2021.
• Islanders: Console Edition - Out today, timed console exclusive.
• Loop Hero - Holiday 2021.
• Lumbearjack - 2022.
• Metal Slug Tactics - 2022.
• Necrobarista: Final Pour - Out today, timed console exclusive.
• Shovel Knight: Pocket Dungeon - Holiday 2021.
• Slime Rancher: Plortable Edition - Out today.
• Tetris Effect Connected - October 8, 2021.
• Toem - Fall 2021.

Here’s the full presentation.

People can immediately pick up Axiom Verge, Boyfriend Dungeon, Curious Expeditions 2, Islanders: Console Edition, Necrobarista: Final Pour, Slime Rancher, and Garden Story via the Nintendo Switch eShop later today.

The post Here’s the August 2021 Nintendo Indie World Switch Game Roundup appeared first on Siliconera.

Boyfriend Dungeon appeared as part of the Nintendo Indie World Showcase for August 2021 looking at Switch games. But it wasn’t just a summary of the action-RPG with dateable weapons. Rather, it involved a release date. The Kitfox title is among the event’s shadowdrops. People will be able to find it on the eShop later today. (Update: It is available on the PC and Xbox One as well.)

In Boyfriend Dungeon on the Switch, people will head into the dungeon with different weapons. Except those weapons are also people or sometimes animals. You’ll go on these blind dates to fight, but also to get better acquainted with the characters. Also, the “boyfriend” part is only part of the story. Weapons can be any gender or species.

Here’s one of the older trailers for the game. It shows what it’s like fighting alongside a weapon. Then, it shows a transformation sequence for Seven, a Lasersaber you can date, and part of a date with him. However, only Seven, Isaac the Estoc, Sunder the Talwar, Valeria the Dagger, and Sawyer the Glaive show up there. It doesn't offer peeks at more unconventional characters, like Pocket the Brass Knuckles--a cat.

Boyfriend Dungeon will be available on the Nintendo Switch via the eShop on August 11, 2021. It is also available on the PC and Xbox One. It began its life as a Kickstarter project, which raised CA$272,280 from 6,991 people.

The post Boyfriend Dungeon Out on Switch Today appeared first on Siliconera.

Boyfriend Dungeon is the dungeon-crawling, weapon dating sim from Kitfox Games. Combining elements of both genres, Boyfriend Dungeon will be a unique mix of fast-paced gameplay and "go at your own speed" romance. Its graphics are colorful and the music really ties into the beach town, summer vibe.

People may have heard the term “Sword Girlfriends” or have seen the questions “Which one of you is the shield and who’s the sword?” Cool, sleek weapons and a protector/protected dynamic can be fun to explore. Boyfriend Dungeon takes this to the next level by making you the weapon wielder and your beau of choice the weapon. And don’t let the name fool you, as Boyfriend Dungeon is majorly inclusive with both player character and weapon types.

While this game has a lot of plot points, they fit together very nicely in its introduction. It’s summer and you’re new in town. You’re a bit closed off and, while you don’t have any dating experience, you do have a sweet cousin who is just waiting to set you up on all kinds of cute summer dates. In between blind dates, you can explore the dungeon, or dunj, and face your fears while meeting new people...or weapons.

Roguelites keep you moving (in life and in the game), while providing quick gratification. I’m typically not good at them, though. When a majority of gameplay feels undoable, I simply don’t have a reason to do anything but ire the game from afar. Boyfriend Dungeon's romance aspects make the game both incredibly fun and very approachable, thanks to the visual novel elements.

In my time with the game, I met three different weapons (and a few other datable people). Each played so incredibly different and fit into vastly unique personality boxes. Yes, characters tick a box, but they’re still fun to talk to and have their own flirty styles. The dating aspect of this game is already really strong even at the outset and feels as important as the dungeon crawling. After a few dunj floors, I was able to easily switch between weapons and still feel comfortable. Plus, the dungeon floors are rather vast and provide plenty of opportunity to learn how to use each weapon.

With dating, the game feels just as intuitive. The different romance paths in Boyfriend Dungeon feel inclusive, with multiple dating options not tied to gender, and allow you to decide if a relationship needs to continue or not. You aren’t forced into a “route” just for the sake of gameplay/narrative progression. I absolutely fell in love with the transformation animations as weapons revealed their human form too. It’s moments like those that really show what Boyfriend Dungeon is about. It’s fun and reminiscent of the kind of fictional settings we often talk about, but rarely see actualized. It suggests positive encounters for the full game.

Boyfriend Dungeon will release in 2021 on the Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC via Steam and the Windows Store. It will also be a part of Xbox Game .

The post Preview: Boyfriend Dungeon Provides the Romance You Need appeared first on Siliconera.

Canadian developer Kitfox Games announced its title Boyfriend Dungeon will also come to Xbox Game . Back in 2020, the company announced the game for the Nintendo Switch and Steam. The sword-dating roguelike will also be available on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and the PC Windows Store via Game in 2021.

Kitfox Games originally planned to release the shack-and-slash game in 2020. However, in the interest of the teams' mental and physical health, the company pushed the title into 2021. Additionally, Kitfox Games ed an announcement trailer to go along with the reveal.

[embed]https://youtu.be/l1dnPLHXZWE[/embed]

In Boyfriend Dungeon, players will take their weapons on dates while fighting their way through procedurally generated dungeons. The developer describes the title as a light-hearted and fantastical adventure where you level up your weapons, uncover their stories, and foster relationships. In addition to the variety of gameplay, the seven lovely weapons will also have different fighting styles that will play differently. Kitfox Games also promises the roguelike will be inclusive with a "tasteful approach to gender and sexuality" with male, female, and non-binary romance options.

Boyfriend Dungeon will release in 2021 on Xbox Game for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and the PC Windows Store. Additionally, the title will come to Nintendo Switch and Steam in 2021.

The post Date Your Weapons When Boyfriend Dungeon Comes to Xbox Game appeared first on Siliconera.

Some of your weaponfriends are going to break your heart, at least temporarily. Kitfox Games announced that it delayed Boyfriend Dungeon into 2021 in the name of avoiding crunch and preserving mental and physical welfare of the of the team. Also, some of the characters funded as stretch goals will now be paid DLC.

Now, the good news is that Pocket, the brass knuckles cat weaponfriend, and Rowan, the scythe designed by Hatoful Boyfriend’s Hato Moa, aren’t going to be paid DLC. They’ll be among the seven included weapons/love interests/friends in-game. However Leah, who was the CA$215,000 hammer stretch goal, and Owen-but-now-Jonah, the CA$243,000 axe stretch goal, will be paid DLC characters. Those who backed the project will get them for free, however.

Here’s Kitfox’s full statement regarding the Boyfriend Dungeon delay.

So 2020 has been uh, difficult, to put it lightly.

While we’re privileged to be able to work remotely, it’s been a hard time for many of us on the team for various mental and personal reasons. Throughout the year we’ve made adjustments to ensure we’ve been as mentally/physically safe as possible, at least from an employment standpoint. Plus, we’ve always been staunch believers of not crunching to fill a deadline. All of this means that although the work continues steadily, we’re not quite as productive in 2020 as we’d planned, and that doesn’t seem likely to change anytime soon.

This means that, in order to get Boyfriend Dungeon to you at a time that isn’t like… 2025, we’re going to be delaying and moving two stretch goal characters to DLC.

• What it means: Two dateable weapons (Leah/Hammer and Jonah/Axe) will not be available when the game immediately launches. BUT they (+ other cool new content!) will be available as able content in the coming months after the game launches, free to Kickstarter backers.
• New timeline: 2021
• Why: To get you the game in a reasonable timeframe without having to sacrifice on quality elsewhere in the game.

We know it can be disappointing, but this is the best way forward for us and the game. We’ve learned from our mistake of trying to ship a game on time when it’s not ready. We want you to be able to play Boyfriend Dungeon ASAP, but we also want to make sure the game is enjoyable and the best it can be. And not burn out in the process, which would certainly make the quality suffer.

If we launch with a strong cast of seven weapons, you can enjoy them, and look forward to coming back for the two bonus babes a few months later. :)

I’ll be streaming on Sept 14, 4pm ET on our Twitch channel to answer any questions or concerns you may have about this, and showing off some game content. You can also always talk to me on our Discord!

Thanks for understanding! Stay safe.

Boyfriend Dungeon will head to the Nintendo Switch and PC in 2021. Its Kickstarter raised CA$272,280 from 6,991 backers, and those backers will get the Leah the Hammer Weaponbabe and Jonah the Axe Surfer Man Stretch Goal DLC characters for free.

The post Boyfriend Dungeon Won’t Let You Date Swords Until 2021 appeared first on Siliconera.

On August 15, 2018, Kitfox Games took to Kickstarter to fund development of Boyfriend Dungeon, the action-RPG with dating sim elements where you head into the “dunj” with weapons that are also people. Within a day, the $49,966 crowdfunding goal was met. This means a sixth weaponfriend has been revealed and a Stretch Goal weaponfriend designed by Hatoful Boyfriend’s Hato Moa has been announced.

In Boyfriend Dungeon, you are able to romance and upgrade weaponfriends so you can learn more about them and perform better in dungeons. Meeting the Kickstarter goal means that Pocket the cat has been added. Pocket is the only non-human weaponfriend (so far) and is a pair of brass knuckles. Unlike the other weaponfriends, he is a platonic relationship option.

The Hato Moa weaponfriend has only been teased so far. The character is described as a weaponbabe and has a bird on their shoulder. The bird is all white, like Sakuya Le Bel Shirogane, Yuya Sakazaki, Okosan, and Kazuaki Nanaki. The collaboration came about, because Hato Moa liked The Shrouded Isle and Tanya Short, one of the Boyfriend Dungeon developers, met the developer during BitSummit 2018.

Boyfriend Dungeon should appear on the PC in September 2019. Kitfox Games says no console port is planned yet, as the team is focusing on PCs, but notes that it is being built “towards multi-platform release” and might appear on one someday. In case you missed it, Siliconera interviewed Kitfox Games about it last year.

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