By Duniya Jan
Date Everything is the latest dating sim phenomenon, breathing fresh air into a saturated market with its sandbox style gameplay aimed at a wide range of audiences. It is the first game produced by new studio Sassy Chap Games – a unique producer considering that its founders Ray Chase, Robbie Daymond and Max Mittelman are all notorious voice actors in the video game industry.
In an interview with GameRant, the veteran trio discussed their desire to produce a creative new game, opting for the ‘memorable’ challenge of 100 characters that were each given full narrative depth as well as one of a kind characterisation created by every voice actor. Each of the 100 ‘dateable’ items, be it a dishwasher or dust bunny, come fully loaded with full voice acting from industry experts, including the likes of Cristina Vee and Alejandro Saab. Ray Chase discussed the difficulties of living up to the game’s title and wanting to create a world where players could literally ‘date everything’, yet still have varying experiences with different items. For example, ‘Dorian the Door’ was mentioned to have 17 different manifestations voiced by the same actor, Ben Starr, allowing for incredible diversity and varying player experiences with the character, despite ultimately being a singular ‘door’.
The concept of the game is rather unique, initially beginning with an anti-capitalist, anti-AI motif in which the protagonist has lost their job in customer service to artificial intelligence. After receiving a pair of mystery glasses known as ‘Dateviators’, objects in the protagonist’s house turn to life and become ‘dateable’, allowing players to interact with different characters to reveal their stories and eventually become a friend, love interest and more.
Whilst the initial idea of the game certainly appears strange – particularly when Love and Deepspace, a generic recycling of many overused dating sim genres, is currently dominating the market – this should by no means stop players from trialling the game. The stunning character designs and arsenal of voice acting make the game truly stand out against its competitors. Even down to its dialogue options, players can choose to deepen or distance their relationships with characters, allowing for all players across the LGBTQ+ spectrum to enjoy the game, as asexual players may not desire fully romantic relationships with their character of choice. Many dating simulators force players to ‘choose’ a romantic relationship to pursue, making this simple choice rather revolutionary for longtime dating sim players.
Date Everything has on the whole received stellar reviews from its playerbase, with gamers praising its wittiness and excellent characterisation of such a large cast. It is a celebration of the joys of voice acting, showcasing the talents of industry veterans and newbies alike. Though some have rightly pointed out that a few characters miss out on the narrative depth granted to others, it is understandable given the wide scope of the game. Each of the characters explore hard-hitting, mature themes such as abuse and sexual frustration, allowing the game to have a deeply realistic feel at times, enhancing the experience for many players.
Dating simulators are often a popular choice for video game fans due to their cozy vibes and deep characterisation of their protagonists. Whilst maintaining this tradition, Date Everything turns the genre on its head, bringing in queer romance options, hilarious wits and diversely gorgeous character designs to take the experience to a whole new level. It is an astonishingly well produced debut from Sassy Chap Games, considering its successful blend of two notoriously difficult genres in dating sims and sandbox games. On the whole, it is a game worth exploring, with Sassy Chap Games being the studio to keep an eye on as we eagerly await its next venture.
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