Boyfriend Dungeon

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Critics Recommend

Average Score

Total Reviews: 27

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Boyfriend Dungeon is an enjoyable mash-up of dungeon crawler and dating sim, but the parts don’t always mix well with one another.

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Critics Recommend

Critic Reviews: 27

Critics Consensus

# Reviews: 27

Boyfriend Dungeon is an enjoyable mash-up of dungeon crawler and dating sim, but the parts don't always mix well with one another.

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Critic Reviews for Boyfriend Dungeon

Critic Reviews

Distribution

27

Reviews

High Score - 100/100

100%

Average Score - 76/100

76%

Low Score - 60/100

60%

10/10

Kate Sanchez (But Why Tho?)

Boyfriend Dungeon is the perfect combo of thirsty and thoughtful. Whether it’s the deliberate decision to embrace an inclusive gameplay experience or the choice to use the characters you meet to explore insecurities and then fight those fears in the dunj, this game succeeds in hitting the feels.

August 12, 2021 |

Full Review

Boyfriend Dungeon offers a fun spin on the dating sim formula, but its roguelite parts don’t always mix well with developing romance. Being uncomfortably close to the antagonist dulls Boyfriend Dungeon too.

August 13, 2021 |

Full Review

6/10

Miranda Sanchez (IGN)

Recommended

Nicole Carpenter (Polygon)

It worked for me because of the earnestness and care with which Kitfox tells this empowered queer story. It’s not always pleasant to experience, but it’s a story that left me feeling satisfied with the outcome.

August 19, 2021 |

Full Review

Kate Sanchez (But Why Tho?)

10/10 - (Read Review)

Miranda Sanchez (IGN)

6/10 - (Read Review)

Nicole Carpenter (Polygon)

Recommended - (Read Review)

**Read all 27 critic reviews on the desktop version of VSG.

Read the Reviews (27 total)

Outlet	Author	Score	Date	Quote	Read
But Why Tho?	Kate Sanchez	10 / 10	08-12-2021	Boyfriend Dungeon is the perfect combo of thirsty and thoughtful. Whether it’s the deliberate decision to embrace an inclusive gameplay experience or the choice to use the characters you meet to explore insecurities and then fight those fears in the dunj, this game succeeds in hitting the feels.	Read review
CGMagazine	Brock McLaughlin	8 / 10	08-20-2021	Boyfriend Dungeon is an enjoyable dating game with some great dialogue, but unfortunately there’s more action off-screen than there is on screen.	Read review
Checkpoint Gaming	Charlie Kelly	7 / 10	08-17-2021	Boyfriend Dungeon is a good dating sim held back to being something truly great by its curious choices and lite dungeon-crawler elements. While you may not get the deepest rogue-like experience in-game, you will be satisfied by some of the intense, hot (and maybe even cute) relationships on offer. Just tread careful ground if you’re sensitive to some of the themes that the game is exploring. Regardless, some good and disposable fun can be had smashing some monsters and pashing some cuties. Delve on.	Read review
COGconnected	James Paley	70 / 100	08-20-2021	Any game that mixes genres like this has to make cuts somewhere. In this case, a little depth is traded for accessibility. While this isn’t the most complex dungeon crawler or dating sim, the final result is still quite satisfying. You’re given ample space to explore your violent and romantic impulses. The dating pool is both expansive and inclusive, with excellent writing to match. Though the combat gameplay loop is simple, it offers an engaging challenge with narrative relevance. On the other hand, each half of the gameplay can feel like a distraction from the other half. Maybe this is the price required when smashing two disparate systems together. Even if you end up missing the absent depth, the laid-back pace is a rewarding compensation. If only one-half of this mashup premise appeals to you, what you’re looking for may lie elsewhere. But if you’re looking to blend hacking, slashing, and smooching, Boyfriend Dungeon will be a perfect match.	Read review
Digitally Downloaded	Lindsay M.	4.5 / 5 stars	08-16-2021	Someone I know summed up the game perfectly: this seems like the kind of game Tina Belcher (a character in Bob's Burgers) would write. And I am fully here for it. I am head-over-heels for six weapons, something I never thought I would say. The narrative, the gameplay, the music, the animation – it's all wonderful. Any complaint I have lies in the fact I am greedy and want more. Thankfully, more is on the way!	Read review
Game Informer	Liana Ruppert	7 / 10	08-18-2021	The story pairs real human experience with comedic levity, offering depth to the game that should appeal to story lovers and roguelike fans	Read review
GameGrin	Adam Kerr	7.5 / 10	08-21-2021	Despite the game sending a conflicting message about its main theme, it mostly handles a difficult topic well. The combat is fun, albeit limited, but you're likely to enjoy your stay in the dunj.	Read review
GamingTrend	David Flynn	80 / 100	08-16-2021	While it's a bit too short to realize its full potential, Boyfriend Dungeon is still a well written and fun visual novel/dungeon crawler. The characters are lovely, and combat is simple but functional. It's certainly worth playing, but could use more content.	Read review
Guardian	Lewis Packwood	4 / 5 stars	08-19-2021	It's a jokey concept, but this dating game/dungeon crawler deals with everything from stalking to polyamory	Read review
Hey Poor Player	Daymon Trapold	4 / 5 stars	09-07-2021	Boyfriend Dungeon is a good example of a great, unique game that’s an awesome experience in spite of its flaws. It’s by no means a perfect game. Boyfriend Dungeon has incredible character development, tackles difficult subject matter, has absolutely gorgeous artwork and a killer soundtrack, and is more than addicting enough to get you going back for more and more. And that’s in spite of the lackluster, repetitive, and limited dungeon crawling options available to you. It’s quite unlike any game I’ve ever played, in the best of ways.	Read review
IGN	Miranda Sanchez	6 / 10	08-13-2021	Boyfriend Dungeon offers a fun spin on the dating sim formula, but its roguelite parts don't always mix well with developing romance. Being uncomfortably close to the antagonist dulls Boyfriend Dungeon too.	Read review
Luis Alamilla	Luis Alamilla	7.5 / 10	08-17-2021	Boyfriend Dungeon has a lot going for it and while I loved playing it, it ended feeling like a teaser for a larger game I wish it was. The story, though it may be a bit jarring for some, I found to be thought-provoking and well-written, tackling uncomfortable subjects in insightful ways. The dating sim and dungeon crawling was an odd but well-balanced combination that worked well together but both left me wanting more and before I realized it, the game was over. That's perhaps what Boyfriend Dungeon suffers most from, its length and content. While new character additions are sure to add replay value to the game, in the end, I just wanted more time to spend with these lovable characters and more dungeons to explore in a sense that it felt like it was missing from the game rather than being that good.	Read review
Metro GameCentral	GameCentral	6 / 10	08-17-2021	An enjoyable, likeable mash-up of dungeon crawler and dating sim undercut by simplistic combat and a short running time.	Read review
MonsterVine	Wes Iliff	4.5 / 5 stars	09-02-2021	Boyfriend Dungeon is a unique game, but it hits every mark it aims for.	Read review
Nintendo Life	Mitch Vogel	6 / 10	08-18-2021	Boyfriend Dungeon is an excellent example of a flawed gem, with an original premise and an engaging gameplay loop marred by a lack of development of ideas and mechanics. Combat is really fun, until you realize it's kind of shallow. The characters are interesting, until they become unbelievable or downright unlikeable. It's the kind of game that seems pretty great until you really get to know it, after which it can start to feel like work. We'd give Boyfriend Dungeon a very light recommendation, as there's enough here to justify a purchase and you'll likely be glad that you gave it a shot. That said, there are some legitimate issues in its execution, so maybe wait for a deep sale before picking it up.	Read review
NintendoWorldReport	Neal Ronaghan	8 / 10	08-23-2021	Bouncing between comical yet often heartfelt dating segments and double-entendre-laden dungeon crawling combat makes for a good genre fusion that stays enjoyable for the 5-10 hours it takes to complete. The action might not hold up to scrutiny and some aspects of the dating sim might not land well for you, but the sum of Boyfriend Dungeon's parts is greater than its pieces. The elevator pitch of dating your weapons is still as silly and goofy now as it was when the game was first revealed.	Read review
Noisy Pixel	Colin Buchanan	7 / 10	08-17-2021	Conclusively, while I certainly enjoyed my time with Boyfriend Dungeon, the sudden end to its narrative and the half-empty world map left me feeling like I had just finished an Early Access game rather than a full experience. I don’t generally have an issue with brevity in games, but the end to this one just left me craving more because I loved the cast, the representation, and the addictive leveling system. I definitely recommend this title to those who want to dip their toes in the water of dating sims, but a lack of challenge and a rather shallow conclusion end up holding it back from being a must-play experience.	Read review
Polygon	Nicole Carpenter	Recommended	08-19-2021	It worked for me because of the earnestness and care with which Kitfox tells this empowered queer story. It's not always pleasant to experience, but it's a story that left me feeling satisfied with the outcome.	Read review
Rapid Reviews UK	Joseph Barrood	4 / 5 stars	01-18-2022	Boyfriend Dungeon is a dating simulation game with a unique twist. Each romantic partner is also a weapon that I could use in the dungeons. I was initially interested in the dungeon crawling elements and variety of weapons but went into the story with an open mind. Did the dating aspects captivate me too? Find out in this Rapid Review.	Read review
Rock, Paper, Shotgun	Alice Bell	Recommended	09-13-2021	This dating sim meets dungeon crawler has wonderful characters and great writing that delivers some really thrilling romances, but it's let down by the dungeoning side feeling a bit undercooked.	Read review
RPGamer	Sam Wachter	3.5 / 5 stars	12-08-2021	Boyfriend Dungeon is the right kind of weird that keeps you wanting just one more dungeon run, even when it stalls out on you way too early.	Read review
Shacknews	Donovan Erskine	8 / 10	08-24-2021	Boyfriend Dungeon is an impressive matchup of two genres that I’d never think would make a decent pair. It juggles interesting personal entanglements with challenging action gameplay via its dungeons. Though it could really benefit from some depth to its romantic structure, it’s not enough to sour what is overall a fascinating experience.	Read review
TechRaptor	Tyler Chancey	8 / 10	08-17-2021	Despite an underwhelming boss fight and some undercooked action elements, Boyfriend Dungeon is a great dating sim experience with a lot of heart	Read review
The Outerhaven Productions	Cam Olmedo	3.5 / 5 stars	08-16-2021	Boyfriend Dungeon is a brief but incredibly well-crafted hybrid of dungeon crawling combat and a visual novel dating sim. It may drop the ball in its main story arc, but the characters and the relationships that can be made with each of them more than makes up for it.	Read review
Twinfinite	Andrew McMahon	3.5 / 5 stars	08-24-2021	When all is said and done, I was pretty satisfied with my overall experience with Boyfriend Dungeon when the end of the summer rolled. The writing was solid, and I ended up caring about a lot of the relationships that were formed. It is just a shame that the somewhat lacking combat and issues with a couple of the characters and situations arise that end up bogging the game down a bit.	Read review
Washington Post	Shannon Liao	Recommended	08-31-2021	Perhaps it’s a good sign that Boyfriend Dungeon leaves players wanting more — it means that it’s compelling, even if only for a short time.	Read review
WayTooManyGames	Aaron Price	8 / 10	08-15-2021	Boyfriend Dungeon was far more enjoyable than expected. Sure, every character you meet may want to hop into bed with you in an absurdely thirsty way. There could have been a bit more variety in terms of enemies and areas, with me being hopeful that a potential sequel might fix these issues.	Read review

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Game Info

Game Description / Storyline:

Date up to nine weapons, from dancing swords to heart-piercing daggers. Generated action-combat dunj and challenges! Stay sharp! Various combat styles. For example, hit hard and dodge quickly with the dagger, or take on crowds with Lasersaber. Inclusive, tasteful approach to gender and sexuality – male, female, and non-binary romance. Let’s get to the point: take your weapon-babes on romantic outings, such as to the club or the beach. For your summer job, you’re tasked with clearing the creatures in “the dunj”. Soon you discover weapons you find transform into cuties… and they’re SINGLE! (What a craaazy coincidence because you also happen to be up for grabs yourself.) Spend the cash you earn on romantic outings to forge precious moments with your lovers and work together to clear the rampant monster infestations, because after all, a couple that slays together, stays together.

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