Summary
Date Everythingwas already one of 2024’s more eye-catching game reveals. It has huge talent attached to it, marking the first game dev endeavour for seasoned game actors Ray Chase and Robbie Daymond. The pair also act in the game, but that’s hardly surprising - there are 100 datable characters, which is the game’s big, and unique, selling point.
Well, there are 100 dateableobjectsthat you’re able to turn into 100 dateable characters, and in a preview session at Gamescom, I got to hit on seven of them. One of my dates was even with five guys at once. But I’m getting ahead of myself.
The Date Everything demo opened in a house, giving me free rein to walk around and interact with items and appliances in my home. The house is full of things, and these are the titular everythings we’ll be dating. Kind of.
Hitting a button activates the ‘Dateviator’ glasses, and with these special lenses, you’re able to choose a household object to turn into a real(?) person, opening up a dialogue screen that’s instantly familiar to anyone who’s played a dating sim. And yet from what I’ve seen so far, Date Everything is taking things much further than what I’m used to from the genre.
There’s So Much More To Date Everything Than Meets The Eye
Almost every part of the gameplay loop had far more to it than I ever expected. There are far more objects - and therefore, romantic encounters - than I felt the game could pull off. Some are out in the open, like the flamboyant TV I tried my luck with, whereas others are tucked away in nooks and crannies, waiting to be wooed.
With that in mind, I feared Date Everything would go for quantity over quality. But while it’s too early to make a firm assessment on this based on the two encounters I had, I see no cause for concern at all. Both conversations were full of promise, with a range of dialogue options that would take me on three different paths with that character (friendship, romance, enemies), and even some divergent branches within those paths.
Take my favourite boyfriend(s), for example - The Hanks. When not trying their luck with the player, they reside in your wardrobe as coat hangers. But as soon as you use the glasses on them, they turn into loveable himbos, and I already know that the other 99 characters in this game don’t stand a chance.
While I undoubtedly chose two of the more comedic paramours, I’m told that this tone isn’t universal. The devs say some are more serious, telling their own self contained stories and offering deeper perspectives that the Hanks didn’t offer. But as it stands, I was incredibly happy with the lighthearted banter I got from my picks.
Thereisa lot that could go wrong with Date Everything. It’s a game being made by first time devs, part of an oversaturated genre, and one that runs the risk of spreading itself far too thin with its ambition, and relies on a gimmick that could become one note after 100 bars. However, I left my time with the game incredibly eager to play more, reluctantly slipping away with a face that hurt from smiling. I can’t wait to see what else this team has cooked up. But above all else, I can’t wait to see the Hanks again.
Date Everything!
WHERE TO PLAY
Date Everything brings an exciting new twist on the dating simulator genre. Your BFA in customer service unfortunately goes to waste as you lose your job to AI. But… a mysterious stranger sends a gift - magical glasses called ‘dateviators’ - which make your house come alive and dateable!Each dateable object will open up, have their own stories and potentially become your lovers, friends, or enemies. With an exhaustive Who’s Who of voice actors keeping you company on your journey!Features:• 100 Datable Characters• Fully Voice Acted• Branching Narratives• At Least 3 Endings Per Dateable Character• Puns Galore!
