{"id":96213,"date":"2019-07-05T17:00:00","date_gmt":"2019-07-05T17:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.nintendolife.com\/reviews\/switch-eshop\/dream_daddy_a_dad_dating_simulator"},"modified":"2019-07-05T17:00:00","modified_gmt":"2019-07-05T17:00:00","slug":"review-dream-daddy-a-dad-dating-simulator-a-heartwarming-and-likeable-visual-novel","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/2019\/07\/05\/review-dream-daddy-a-dad-dating-simulator-a-heartwarming-and-likeable-visual-novel\/","title":{"rendered":"Review: Dream Daddy: A Dad Dating Simulator &#8211; A Heartwarming And Likeable Visual Novel"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"media_block\"><a href=\"http:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/7d78c035ff788\/large.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/7d78c035ff788\/small.jpg\" class=\"media_thumbnail\"><\/a><\/div>\n<div id>\n<aside class=\"picture embed\"><a title=\"Dream Daddy: A Dad Dating Simulator Review - Screenshot 1 of 5\" href=\"http:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/screenshots\/97620\/large.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/screenshots\/97620\/900x.jpg\" alt=\"Dream Daddy: A Dad Dating Simulator Review - Screenshot 1 of 5\"><\/a><\/aside>\n<p>From the outside, everything about <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.nintendolife.com\/games\/switch-eshop\/dream_daddy_a_dad_dating_simulator\">Dream Daddy: Dadrector\u2019s Cut<\/a><\/strong> suggests a horny dating sim. It looks for all the world like the developer has simply swapped out buxom anime college girls for hot single dads. Spend a few minutes with it, though, and you\u2019ll soon discover a touching visual novel that focuses on relationships, shot through with humour and sharp dialogue that\u2019ll have you <em>lol<\/em>-ing whatever your life experience.<\/p>\n<p>Coming from the Game Grumps\u2019 development studio, you play a single dad moving to a new neighbourhood on the other side of the city. While packing you reminisce over some old pictures with your daughter, Amanda (and fill in some background details with a few dialogue choices). The banter between you and the 18-year-old quickly sets the scene and from the very beginning the writing is brilliant; dialogue is recognisable real, peppered with wit and an easy-going charm that whips up an instant rapport that carries through the entire game.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"picture embed\"><a title=\"Dream Daddy: A Dad Dating Simulator Review - Screenshot 2 of 5\" href=\"http:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/screenshots\/97612\/large.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/screenshots\/97612\/900x.jpg\" alt=\"Dream Daddy: A Dad Dating Simulator Review - Screenshot 2 of 5\"><\/a><\/aside>\n<p>You create and name your dad in an editor \u2013 a receding blonde hairline stuck out on the \u2018Hair\u2019 tab, so we crafted a Simon Pegg-alike named Tim. You play a loving father endearingly close to being cool, although hapless when it comes to technology. You\u2019re a strictly \u2018punk-and-prog-rock\u2019 analogue kind of guy, so while your easy-going fatherly skills mean you have a great relationship with your daughter, you\u2019re clueless when it comes to the digital age, social networks, memes and the like.<\/p>\n<p>Upon arriving at your new place, you bump into a handful of neighbours, all (coincidentally) hot dads. All the residents of the cul de sac keep in touch on Dadbook, a dads-only social network where fathers share interests, advice and chat about dad things (cheapest places to fill up the tank, Top 5 Sean Connery films \u2013 stuff like that). After Amanda gives you a hand filling out your profile, you\u2019re free to message the dads you want to hang out with.<\/p>\n<p>Throughout the game, you go on three \u2018dates\u2019, although these encounters usually involve other people and take place at various venues at all times of the day. They\u2019re not all \u2018romantic\u2019, per se, and often involve simply hanging out and chatting. Dialogue options enable you to shape the conversation but they\u2019re not as regular or intrusive as you might expect and you\u2019ll spend a lot of time simply tapping through text boxes. While that might <em>sound<\/em> like a negative, the writing makes it an utter joy and we happily read through reams of text. A fast-forward button on \u2018R\u2019 enables you to skip to the end, but to do so would be to miss the point of the game.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"picture embed\"><a title=\"Dream Daddy: A Dad Dating Simulator Review - Screenshot 3 of 5\" href=\"http:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/screenshots\/97621\/large.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/screenshots\/97621\/900x.jpg\" alt=\"Dream Daddy: A Dad Dating Simulator Review - Screenshot 3 of 5\"><\/a><\/aside>\n<p>And the writing <em>is<\/em> the point of the game. Romancing hot dads and adding notches to the bedpost might <em>seem<\/em> to be the point from the outside, but Dream Daddy is really about the father-daughter relationship and how being a parent impacts the lives of each and every one of the \u2018daddies\u2019. Yes, the romance options are there, but anyone expecting a salacious male-only dating sim may be disappointed by its good-naturedness and universal human themes.<\/p>\n<p>The dads are a varied bunch \u2013 bad boy, teacher, barista, gym freak, theatrical \u2013 and they\u2019ve got a varied skillset: Joseph, local youth minister, is the envy of the cul de sac thanks to his impeccable BBQ-skills; Robert\u2019s stony poker face is equally coveted by the group. They all have hidden depths, though, and there\u2019s lots to uncover about them beyond dad puns and stereotypes. Cool, music-loving dad Mat confesses to being deeply insecure and unsure of himself in company. Hugo, Amanda\u2019s teacher, struggles to balance the authoritarian position imposed by fatherhood (and his profession) with being close to his difficult son. Where other games might bolt these themes onto their stories with a heavy hand, here they\u2019re deftly weaved into the narrative, cropping up naturally in dialogue and never feeling contrived or obvious.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"picture embed\"><a title=\"Dream Daddy: A Dad Dating Simulator Review - Screenshot 4 of 5\" href=\"http:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/screenshots\/97611\/large.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/screenshots\/97611\/900x.jpg\" alt=\"Dream Daddy: A Dad Dating Simulator Review - Screenshot 4 of 5\"><\/a><\/aside>\n<p>You may not realise it at first, you\u2019re being pseudo-graded on your responses \u2013 the game will show you a score screen when a \u2018date\u2019 is complete. Just as in real life, you\u2019re going in blind on these dates, unsure what the other dads will respond to. Favourable responses elicit hearts, and if things go well and you continue meeting up with the same dad, you\u2019ll unlock romantic possibilities and achievements.<\/p>\n<p>Short and sweet minigames crop up occasionally (replayable via the main menu once you complete the game). The first we encountered was a <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.nintendolife.com\/games\/gameboy\/pokemon_red_and_blue\">Pok\u00e9mon<\/a><\/strong> pastiche as you battle another dad in a game of braggery and daughter-praising one-upmanship. Others have you dodging Youths at a concert while attempting to navigate through a crowd or jogging through a Wuhu Island-esque digital environment on a treadmill at the gym.<\/p>\n<p>With all the dads available, plus the responses and options that you <em>didn\u2019t<\/em> take, there\u2019s plenty of replayability in Dream Daddy, too. Our first run involved browsing the latest releases at the local record store (<strong>Vinyl Fantasy VII<\/strong>, pun fans) with cool dad Mat, but the writing is good enough to warrant at least a second run through. There\u2019ll obviously be repetition outside of the \u2018date\u2019 content, but that\u2019s where the fast-forward button comes in handy \u2013 you can skip directly to the fresh stuff.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"picture embed\"><a title=\"Dream Daddy: A Dad Dating Simulator Review - Screenshot 5 of 5\" href=\"http:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/screenshots\/97618\/large.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/screenshots\/97618\/900x.jpg\" alt=\"Dream Daddy: A Dad Dating Simulator Review - Screenshot 5 of 5\"><\/a><\/aside>\n<p>This &#8216;Dadrector\u2019s Cut&#8217; adds in some side quests and cut content, plus a new minigame. Unfortunately, this Switch version doesn\u2019t include touchscreen support, which feels like a sizeable omission for a visual novel. The game\u2019s clean art style looks fantastic; the portraits and expressions drawn are spot-on and everything really pops on the big (or small) screen.<\/p>\n<p>\u2018Dad Tips\u2019 pop up during loads and offer a variety of life lessons which had us reaching for the capture button, ranging from general observations (<em>Tip #39: They really stepped up the production value in Episode V<\/em>) to sound advice (<em>#79: Don\u2019t trust gas station egg sandwiches<\/em>). Overall, they typify the careful balance the writers strike in Dream Daddy \u2013 tapping into the stereotypes and puns of Fatherdom, but also providing an encouraging, life-affirming outlook which permeates the whole experience. Despite the labels, we\u2019re all humans trying to get by the best we can and, as Dad Tip #85 reminds us, <em>we should be generous and kind to everyone.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"conclusion\">\n<h2 class=\"heading\">Conclusion<\/h2>\n<p>Heartwarming; that\u2019s the word to describe Dream Daddy. It\u2019s a feelgood game, from its tongue-in-cheek <strong>Dream Weaver<\/strong>-esque theme tune to its message of acceptance and generally being excellent to one another. The entire game lives on its writing, which is universally excellent and works on multiple levels whether you\u2019re a parent or the child of one. On the surface it\u2019s a hot dad dating game \u2013 the swirly logo font and colourful presentation lean into that \u2013 but there\u2019s real heart to the stories here, with textured characters dealing with a multitude of situations life throws at them. If you\u2019re after rock-hard anime abs and mechanics that promise &#8216;innovative&#8217; use of HD rumble, you may be disappointed with Dream Daddy. For everyone else, it\u2019s a good-natured, good-humoured visual novel with themes of acceptance and love that\u2019ll warm the cockles of the coldest heart.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>From the outside, everything about Dream Daddy: Dadrector\u2019s Cut suggests a horny dating sim. It looks for all the world like the developer has simply swapped out buxom anime college girls for hot single dads. Spend a few minutes with it, though, and you\u2019ll soon discover a touching visual novel that focuses on relationships, shot [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[27],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-96213","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-nintendo-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/96213","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=96213"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/96213\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=96213"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=96213"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=96213"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}