Dream Daddy: A Dad Dating Simulator

 PC
User Score
7.4

Mixed or average reviews- based on 103 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 71 out of 103
  2. Mixed: 12 out of 103
  3. Negative: 20 out of 103

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  1. KorbenX9
    Sep 8, 2023
    0
    A soulless pile of garbage with no fun to be had, and a game made by a tone-deaf let's play channel that thinks it is a company for some reason, that wants to take advantage of the LGBQT community to make a quick buck instead of supporting their actual "friends". Never support this game or the game grumps EVER!!!
  2. xaviar_nl
    Jun 11, 2023
    8
    A sweet little game, with a nice sense of humor about the whole concept. The story writing is good, and the game length is just right.
  3. NamGam
    Jan 23, 2023
    0
    From the people that would rather an actual gay man (online known as DingDong) kill himself than accept any criticism that the game they were making was exploitative.

    Inciting incident: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h44s5twLRno Summary: "Back in 2017, Ding Dong and Julian both spoke up about Game Grumps' then upcoming game Dream Daddy, a game advertising itself as a gay dad    From the people that would rather an actual gay man (online known as DingDong) kill himself than accept any criticism that the game they were making was exploitative.

    Inciting incident: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h44s5twLRno

    Summary:

    "Back in 2017, Ding Dong and Julian both spoke up about Game Grumps' then upcoming game Dream Daddy, a game advertising itself as a gay dad dating sim. Put simply, they didn't like it, it felt exploitive and pandering, but if it made someone except who they are so be it. Publicly, Brian and Suzy went on damage control saying that it's not a cash grab and that they had nothing to do with beta testing. But behind the scenes things were much much worse.

    Ding Dong was doxed, his family members were called, and he was outed as gay, something he had not told them yet. The other employees who complained to him and urged him to say something about the game backpedaled, throwing blame directly on him. With everything that happened Ding Dong attempted suicide and thanks to his partner Julian, Ding Dong is still alive to this day, but it's clear the damage had been done."

    Final word:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=odKSINOdMH0    … Expand
  4. agentbinky
    Dec 1, 2022
    10
    There are no other good visual novels but this one. Perfect blend of substance, pathos and light hearted humor. Deserves far more recognition than it has recelved.
  5. KrillerBomb
    Nov 25, 2022
    10
    And absolutely amazing game. God given, legendary and beyond immaculate....
  6. piercetheemo
    May 18, 2021
    7
    lol im kind of embarassed to review this but it's one of my favs

    sometimes though the story does feel a bit forced, but idc very much the romance options are pretty nice ouo
  7. sarahlee123
    Mar 12, 2018
    9
    As soon as I heard the theme song for this game, I knew I had to buy it, and I wasn't disappointed.

    While they might be no more than archetypes at first glance, all of the Daddies have an unexpected depth of character with their own quirks and flaws. After romancing all of the Daddies, it's hard to pick one favorite. While I found some of the storylines better than others, I genuinely    As soon as I heard the theme song for this game, I knew I had to buy it, and I wasn't disappointed.

    While they might be no more than archetypes at first glance, all of the Daddies have an unexpected depth of character with their own quirks and flaws. After romancing all of the Daddies, it's hard to pick one favorite. While I found some of the storylines better than others, I genuinely enjoyed getting to know each of the seven dads.

    Although each route is quite short—consisting of just three dates—the Daddies also make appearances in each other's stories, so you can gain a little more insight into their personalities with each playthrough. There is also a lively cast of supporting characters populating the game's small community of Maple Bay.

    Of course, there's also your daughter Amanda, the real heart of the game. While Dream Daddy is a dating simulator, your most important relationship is with her. At times she can seem almost too perfect—almost like a "manic pixie dream daughter", if you will—but it's hard to escape Amanda's charm. The player character and Amanda spend a lot of time joking around, but there are also some heartwarming moments where it's made clear how much they care about each other.

    The exchanges with Amanda and the Dream Daddies are sentimental without being sappy, and the emotion always feels genuine.

    That said, you'll have to suspend your disbelief to accept the witty dialogue and abundance of dad puns as normal. That's easy enough to do, since the game doesn't take itself too seriously. It had me laughing out loud on multiple occasions, but it never turns its queer dads into a punchline. Most of the humor comes from smart pop culture references and jabs at typical dad culture, with fun mini-games such as a Pokemon battle style "brag-off" with a rival dad breaking up the visual novel structure.

    Some have criticized Dream Daddy for skirting around queer issues, and indeed homophobia and other problems faced by LGBT individuals seem to be entirely absent from its narrative. I don't really see this as a bad thing though, because the game isn't trying to be dark or edgy; instead it provides players with an escapist universe to explore. For example, the player character's cul-de-sac just happens to be populated with ridiculously attractive queer dads. Things aren't perfect, and there are some dads who won't give you the happily-ever-after you want, but the game's world is largely an idealistically wholesome one.

    Even the art backs this up with its beautiful pastel toned backgrounds and cute, comic-like characters. All of the main characters are well drawn and have their own sets of expressions and gestures, adding another layer to their personalities.

    Unfortunately, the player created "dadsona" is not as well rendered as the other character sprites, but there are plenty of fun and diverse customization options.

    Another small complaint is the voice lines. While the voice acting isn't bad, each character has a limited selection of lines, so you hear the same things a lot. Unfortunately, one character's voice lines are of noticeably lower quality than the others. It sounds like they were recorded in a gymnasium or something.

    Aside from that, I don't have anything bad to say about Dream Daddy. I'm just sad that I'm finally finished with it after playing through pretty much every possible route! This is a happy, fun game that packs plenty of feels, a borderline excessive amount of dad humor, and an underlying positive message about of caring for others    … Expand
  8. byarlant
    Jul 28, 2017
    3
    A dating sim that tries to play the "gay dating" originality card but ends up feeling too forced.

    The game is short, the characters are cliché and one-dimensional.

    The graphics are OK, the characters are well drawn.

    The dialogues are full of humor, but sometimes there are just too many jokes.

    The game panders to a limited audience.
  9. nexumine
    Jul 27, 2017
    2
    i wish people would stop sucking off these people just because they're the game grumps. they can make **** content too. i played this game for near 2 hours and was done with it. there's zero replay value, and for 15 bucks? there are visual novels for half that price that i can play time and time again. not only that, but there are games made by one person with zero budget that offer mei wish people would stop sucking off these people just because they're the game grumps. they can make **** content too. i played this game for near 2 hours and was done with it. there's zero replay value, and for 15 bucks? there are visual novels for half that price that i can play time and time again. not only that, but there are games made by one person with zero budget that offer me hundreds of hours of gameplay. but i might as well give them more money, because that's really all i see in this. the art is nice, but what is a game with nice graphics that you play for 30 minutes? a waste of time.… Expand
  10. Raytings
    Jul 26, 2017
    8
    Unapologetically Queer: This is Dream Daddy.
    Yes, a queer game made it to the #1 top seller on Steam despite how toxic the internet can be towards queer topics and especially in games. In DDaDDS (Dream Daddy: A Dad Dating Simulator) you take on the role of a widowed father of one, Amanda. In this story-driven, choose-your-path simulator you end up moving into a Cul de Sac (Up until this    Unapologetically Queer: This is Dream Daddy.
    Yes, a queer game made it to the #1 top seller on Steam despite how toxic the internet can be towards queer topics and especially in games. In DDaDDS (Dream Daddy: A Dad Dating Simulator) you take on the role of a widowed father of one, Amanda. In this story-driven, choose-your-path simulator you end up moving into a Cul de Sac (Up until this point, I always thought it was Cul ve Sac! I learned something from a video game!). Your daughter Amanda is going off to college soon, and it seems like your only source of interaction are going to be all these hawt dads that coincidentally, live on the same Cul de Sac as you (Super convinced it’s the Matrix for daddies)

    A Happy Ending?
    Dating is hard, and in a videogame, it’s a lot harder. DDaDDS presents you with opportunities to make your own choice in decisions that will affect the outcome of the storylines you partake in. The stories I experienced were with my daughter Amanda, and Craig. Picking the “right” choices are very important if you’re looking to romance your daddy, or have a good relationship with your daughter. At first, it felt like the game was giving me many choices, allowing me to continue with my “own story” However, when I got to the end of the third date with Craig, he ended up rejecting me. I had realized that on the 2nd date, I had to “do better” (Daddies will indicate with different “glows”, like Hearts, Dark Clouds, and of course, EGGPLANTS). It’s a reminder that every decision you make in real life can affect outcomes. Luckily, in DDaDDs, you can easily rewind time by loading an auto-save from before the time you screwed up. In a weird way, this game has caused me to be more wary of my actions in any future friendships I’ll have.

    If you’re like me, you’ll get swept away in the writing of this game. From the dad-jokes (Obama Jokes) that give you an honest chuckle, to the hypothetical scenarios where I’d catch myself thinking “How would I handle this with my child?” (Oh honey, I’ll never have one, I’m too selfish and fabulous). The writing is so convincing, you may even fall for your digital daddy but then realize, oh he’s just a hologram.

    The great things about this game, could go on and on. To sum it all up in a sentence: Streamer Mode to remove any non-royality free music, great customizable options for your Dadsona (though more outfits would be greatly appreciated!), and dare I say it: The Dad Tips during loading screens BEAT any Sims loading screen tips and will provide wise wisdom to last a lifetime.

    So, now that you’ve read my recommendation, get your Dadsona on and date some dads!    … Expand
  11. lokisbutt
    Jul 23, 2017
    7
    This game is decent. The overwhelming number of "10"s came from one of the devs tweeting that people should come leave positive reviews to balance out the one negative review it had at the time.

    Anyway, I had a relatively fun few hours playing this game, but there were hard-to-miss errors left and right. Typos and improper grammar in nearly every other text box of a visual novel got    This game is decent. The overwhelming number of "10"s came from one of the devs tweeting that people should come leave positive reviews to balance out the one negative review it had at the time.

    Anyway, I had a relatively fun few hours playing this game, but there were hard-to-miss errors left and right. Typos and improper grammar in nearly every other text box of a visual novel got extremely annoying after a while, but some of the humor made up for it some of the time. The mini-games have virtually no instruction. There are slight continuity errors in the story which, again, are annoying in a visual novel. The game is very, very short for the $15 you have to pay for it, though I am not familiar with dating sims or their average length-to-price ratio. One of the dads' storylines is lazy, boring, and hard to enjoy, even during the third and final date. A lot of the humor panders to the tumblr crowd, even having some lines of dialogue closely resemble text posts from the site. Even as a tumblr user, this got on my nerves.

    All that being said, most of the storylines in the game are very touching and I enjoyed seeing the character/relationship development. There were moments that made me laugh out loud. The devs produced a game with characters that almost every player can relate to in one way or another, and I think it's great that this is an LGBT-driven game that literally captures every letter of that acronym (and maybe some of the other letters, just not as blatantly) in its story in some capacity. The focus on dadliness over gayness ensures that this game is not a mockery of the gay experience, but a fresh take on the never-before-seen "dad who gets the chance to date 7 other hot dads and care for his daughter" experience. And that's pretty cool, though the game, at this moment, still has problems I cannot overlook for the sake of a positive review.    … Expand
  12. LaylaBoBayla
    Jul 22, 2017
    8
    As a fan of the Game Grumps and visual novels, this game really stands out as a wonderful little experience. The humor is spot on and endlessly entertaining; the character creator is fun and easy to use; the characters feel well-written and realistic, despite not being able to spend a ton of time with them; and there are definitely parts in the story that really hit you and stick with youAs a fan of the Game Grumps and visual novels, this game really stands out as a wonderful little experience. The humor is spot on and endlessly entertaining; the character creator is fun and easy to use; the characters feel well-written and realistic, despite not being able to spend a ton of time with them; and there are definitely parts in the story that really hit you and stick with you even after the game ends. You can tell so much heart and soul went into this, and I'm so proud of Vernon Shaw and his team for putting this out as a first game.

    As a member of the LGBT community, this game is a fantastic representation, with multiple gay, bisexual, and transgender characters. It never feels like it's pandering to the LGBT community, and it DEFINITELY never plays off of typical gay stereotypes in an attempt to make a joke. Homophobia does not even seem to exist in this world, which is a fantastic change of pace for the community, which usually has to deal with homophobia in some form in almost everything else.

    I'll be the first to admit it has a few flaws. The game feels very short, I've romanced every Dad at least once in a little under 15 hours, but there is still replayability there due to there being multiple and "secret" endings for each Dad. Even so, it feels like it cuts off just as it starts getting really good. It's been two days since it released, so there are still a couple bugs and inconsistencies (especially in the minigames,) but I imagine these will be patched up fairly quickly.

    Is it worth $14.99? Depends. If you really enjoy the Game Grumps humor, fabulous LGBT representation, and a nice old-fashioned dating simulator, go for it! If you're like me, who spent weeks browsing fanart, counting down the days until the release date, and regularly checking the DDADDS Twitter page for updates, absolutely buy it. If you're not really a fan of dating simulators or the Game Grumps, maybe wait for a sale or a discount to hit it first.    … Expand
  13. awlly
    Jul 22, 2017
    10
    Everything I wanted and more. The main character is very adorable and relatable, Amanda is so cool, and you will fall in love with at least one dad. For the most part, very wholesome and feel good and touching. Would definitely recommend, even if you don't play dating sims, this is all around fun.
  14. ToxicCaves
    Jul 21, 2017
    10
    One of the happiest, feel-good games I'v ever played. Aside from the amazing writing, art, and music included making it great, it's one of the few games that really stick with me and change how I look at things in real life. I think more games could aim to be more positive and have great morals and views like this game does. Getting to know the character's and forming these bonds withOne of the happiest, feel-good games I'v ever played. Aside from the amazing writing, art, and music included making it great, it's one of the few games that really stick with me and change how I look at things in real life. I think more games could aim to be more positive and have great morals and views like this game does. Getting to know the character's and forming these bonds with them sparked so much emotion in me. Not to mention it's super nice to have a gay dating simulator that treats the LGBT+ community well and sets a good image.… Expand
  15. spookysalem
    Jul 21, 2017
    10
    From the moment I went into Create-A-Dad and saw that making Danny Sexbang was a possibility, I knew this was going to be a good game. I love the commentary and the writing is enjoyable, plus the art style is amazing and I appreciate that the characters aren't completely static like is seen in a lot of dating sim or visual novel types. Overall very pleased with my purchase.
  16. comradewodka
    Jul 21, 2017
    9
    PROS:
    When dealing with topics that really matter, this game demonstrates more tact and depth than you'd probably expect from something that sounds like a kinky novelty sim. Yet Dream Daddy somehow manages to not take itself very seriously-- without relying on cynical, 'ironic,' or condescending treatment of the subject matter. This is just a very genuine, heartwarming little game about    PROS:
    When dealing with topics that really matter, this game demonstrates more tact and depth than you'd probably expect from something that sounds like a kinky novelty sim. Yet Dream Daddy somehow manages to not take itself very seriously-- without relying on cynical, 'ironic,' or condescending treatment of the subject matter. This is just a very genuine, heartwarming little game about relationships-- both romantic and familial. You can tell that everyone involved cared about ensuring their audience would have a fun time.
    The writing charms your pants off at every turn, it shakes things up with the occasional silly minigame, and no character is completely irredeemable-- not even a certain housewife, which I appreciated. There's a lot of misogyny present in some gay-male-oriented spaces and it would've been easy to just throw her under the bus as an antagonist.

    CONS:
    A bit buggy at launch-- a lot of folks still aren't 100% clear whether Joseph's good end is currently accessible at all. Hopefully this'll get addressed soon.
    A little short, but honestly not THAT short considering the conventions of the genre, and considering that enough routes should be humorous and enjoyable enough to spend time replaying the game.
    A little less spicy than some people on the internet were -probably- hoping, but hey. I can understand the choice to keep the tone light and wholesome. That's what fan works are for, after all ;)

    Overall, as long as you're not coming into this thing totally expecting it to be something it's not, I have no clue why anyone wouldn't have a good time. If you aren't a fan of cheesy dad humor or busting a gut the first time eggplant emojis fling themselves across a screen, then sorry, but you prooobably weren't actually paying attention to the game's marketing campaign.    … Expand
  17. DizzyDwarf
    Jul 21, 2017
    9
    The game has a lot of great art, music, and dad jokes. My one problem with the game is that it seems like there is a bit too much packed into short stories.
  18. MisterWerewolf
    Jul 21, 2017
    10
    Despite the game running late on release, I wasn't even upset. The game devs were on top of it and very apologetic. They promised a game without major hiccups and bugs. Of my seven playthroughs, I saw none. There were a handful of typos, but honestly, who cares. I'm crediting the game for its theme, writing, interaction, and intrigue. Not their spelling errors which are easy to glazeDespite the game running late on release, I wasn't even upset. The game devs were on top of it and very apologetic. They promised a game without major hiccups and bugs. Of my seven playthroughs, I saw none. There were a handful of typos, but honestly, who cares. I'm crediting the game for its theme, writing, interaction, and intrigue. Not their spelling errors which are easy to glaze over when putting it into the game.

    Each dad had a very unique story. One I totally bombed, and plan on going back through to figure out where I went wrong. The rest of the dads had very well rounded characters. Each dad also had unique children to play by their side. Your interactions with dads and children led to different pros and cons in each storyline. It was really fun, and quite the challenge to chose the right answers.

    One of the very unique things about this game took me by surprise. The visibility of transgendered people. There was an option in the very beginning for you to be a female to male dad. Never before have I encountered such an option in games I've played. So thank you, game designers. You guys took a big leap, and I feel it's going to pay off.

    The minigames. Talk about panic inducing. I was taken off guard each time because they were not what I was expecting. Was I mad that they were super hard? No. I was laughing every time because if their suddeness and their difficulty. They were cheesy and fun.

    The voice acting? I was expecting more. But, just because my expectations were high, doesn't mean it had to be delivered. There was enough to add simple elements to the game. The end of date quotes also made me chuckle.

    Will I play this again? Heck yeah. I'm not even done playing it yet. I want to unlock all the secrets and dad endings. Overall, this cute, short visual novel brought me much joy. It gave me what I expected from a dad on dad dating game. Humor, excitement, mystery, grunting, and realllly bad dad jokes.

    I look forward to these guys making another game. As a gay dude, I really thank you guys for showing we're just like everyone else.    … Expand
  19. milkou
    Jul 21, 2017
    10
    This game is absolutely incredible considering it was their first-ever game. There are hiccups in production, such as one voice actor being a slightly different quality than the others, but that's understandable in an indie developer's first game. This game is truly a great source of representation, including the option to be transgender, a canonically transgender character, and no "gayThis game is absolutely incredible considering it was their first-ever game. There are hiccups in production, such as one voice actor being a slightly different quality than the others, but that's understandable in an indie developer's first game. This game is truly a great source of representation, including the option to be transgender, a canonically transgender character, and no "gay panic". I sincerely recommend this game for its beautiful art, inclusive cast, and cheeky writing. $15 is more than worth it.… Expand
  20. Becauseimwolfit
    Jul 21, 2017
    9
    Dream Daddy is such a gift of game play. I saw another user refer to it as a Comfort Food Game, and honestly that's the perfect description. It's fun, wholesome, and comforting. The dialogue is fun and honestly I feel more invested in the relationship with my in-game daughter than 80% of the people in my real life. The developers did a great job with building characters that feel like realDream Daddy is such a gift of game play. I saw another user refer to it as a Comfort Food Game, and honestly that's the perfect description. It's fun, wholesome, and comforting. The dialogue is fun and honestly I feel more invested in the relationship with my in-game daughter than 80% of the people in my real life. The developers did a great job with building characters that feel like real people you care about.

    That said, the game isn't perfect. I do agree that it could stand to be longer. Three dates with each dad feels a little rushed making this connection with them. There are also some very minor graphics and audio issues which are overall easy to ignore. I will say that some of the mini games could use a little more explanation than they get. It can take a bit to understand what's happening.

    But overall, this game is just a fun feel good experience. You can tell that a lot of love went into it. It feels good. I laughed, I cried, I became attached to a daughter I don't really have. It's worth every penny and I cannot wait to see what else this team will do.    … Expand
  21. RenateRavenclaw
    Jul 21, 2017
    9
    I have been so excited for this game and I was not disappointed! First of all, the game looks and sounds beautiful I loved the design of the characters and backgrounds. I was also pleasantly surprised by the writing, dating sims sometimes have a tendency to be a little cringey I did not experience that with this game. There are so many times when this game is genuinely hilarious whileI have been so excited for this game and I was not disappointed! First of all, the game looks and sounds beautiful I loved the design of the characters and backgrounds. I was also pleasantly surprised by the writing, dating sims sometimes have a tendency to be a little cringey I did not experience that with this game. There are so many times when this game is genuinely hilarious while still keeping with the theme of silly dad humor, and when it switches to the moments of seriousness it feels very genuine and not at all out of place. If I had any complaints at all it would be that I wish there were a few more options in character creation especially for eyes and mouths and I wish it was longer! But the game has so much replayability that it doesn't really matter if it's not super long. Overall this game is a lot of fun and if you like dating sims, visual novels or if you just love hot dads I highly recommend this game.… Expand
  22. loveleenanxious
    Jul 21, 2017
    10
    Having already played through and gotten a good ending with my daughter that made me actually cry, along the way getting to know so many people and all the different stories that they have. Paired with beautiful music and art, great customization, this fun and charming game is one of the first games in a long time that I had actually waited for it to come out. As much as the dad punsHaving already played through and gotten a good ending with my daughter that made me actually cry, along the way getting to know so many people and all the different stories that they have. Paired with beautiful music and art, great customization, this fun and charming game is one of the first games in a long time that I had actually waited for it to come out. As much as the dad puns dominate the dialogue, there are also a lot of diverse topics discussed. It doesn't poke fun at sexuality or the differences in all the people. At the beginning of the game when you customize your character, you're given the option of a dad with a binder. Carrying forward you can choose to make your dad gay or bisexual, and have your relationship with your daughter be biological or adoptive. This game not only has you building relationships with other dads, but with your daughter as well. It wouldn't be a dad dating sim without the kids, and all the other dads have their children, and even the children feel like they have their own fleshed out personalities. The game also deals with topics such as the death of a spouse, divorce, and even an unhealthy marriage. This game is wonderful and charming. It takes subjects seriously while also being extremely fun and comical and creative. Good job to the creators, and may many more great things come from them now that DDADDS has opened the door.… Expand
  23. W1tchQueen
    Jul 21, 2017
    9
    What a great game! Not only are the visuals fun and colorful, but the ability to create your own rad Dad adds to that fun. Choose your aesthetic and set out on a delightful journey with your very cool daughter Amanda. There are so many different dads you can date in the simulation, though it does tend to steer you towards certain dads depending on the choices you make. Some of the funniestWhat a great game! Not only are the visuals fun and colorful, but the ability to create your own rad Dad adds to that fun. Choose your aesthetic and set out on a delightful journey with your very cool daughter Amanda. There are so many different dads you can date in the simulation, though it does tend to steer you towards certain dads depending on the choices you make. Some of the funniest parts are the mini-games, like the Pokemon styled Dad Brag Battle game.

    I am greatly enjoying the game and look forward to finishing it. I like that you can choose to be a naughty dad, a fun dad, or a shy dad. There's all kinds of characters, fun "dad" jokes, and hilarious interaction with townspeople. My favorite character is definitely the daughter, Amanda.

    The only critique I personally have is that the dialogue is a bit long from time to time. I know conversations are a huge part of dating simulators, but there are some scenes where I felt it could have been shorter than it was. That's pretty much it! Buy this game, it's totally fun!    … Expand
  24. kittenboxing
    Jul 21, 2017
    9
    Dream Daddy: A Dad Dating Simulator is a fun, well-designed and fresh entry into the dating sim genre. The game looks great - kudos to the background and character artists. The writing was perfectly on par with a visual novel, albeit with a pleasant excess of dad jokes and puns. I ended up finding every dad quite likeable and a potential for romance. The music and mini games were a muchDream Daddy: A Dad Dating Simulator is a fun, well-designed and fresh entry into the dating sim genre. The game looks great - kudos to the background and character artists. The writing was perfectly on par with a visual novel, albeit with a pleasant excess of dad jokes and puns. I ended up finding every dad quite likeable and a potential for romance. The music and mini games were a much appreciated addition to the game to put it on a different level compared to other dating sims. I found myself humming a lot of the tunes and wanting to go back and try mini games again.

    As for the negative - the character voices could be a little repetitive over time. Some characters would use the same voice line three times in a row. For instance, Brian had one that made him sound like Patrick Warburton and it kept playing over and over and made my husband and I laugh and lose focus on what was going on. Hugo sounded like he was recording from a phone and not a studio like the others. It kind of ruined the face-to-face dad dating immersion. However, everyone else was spot on, except for the occasional overused sound effect.

    The dad creator also caused some immersion issues - everyone you make doesn't fit into the game stylistically. They look like a web comic character compared to the wonderful designs you're interacting with. I'm not sure if it was their intent to make the game more humorous, but I felt like I was looking at an Episodes app character from those ads you see on Tumblr. If this wasn't their intent, I believe the issue could've been fixed by making the create-a-dad system have more shaded pieces to add more depth to the portraits.

    I am interested to see the Easter eggs people can find. There is an allegedly darker kind of ending floating around in the game files (with picture evidence and sources!) and that would add a very fun twist to such a sweet game.

    I'm giving it a 9/10, deducting one point for the character audio issues I mentioned above. Overall, I felt this game was well worth the price.    … Expand
  25. Myia
    Jul 21, 2017
    10
    Having played many dating simulators in the past (albeit, some terrible ones, but still dating simulators) and being a massive fan of Game Grumps this game did not let me down. When I first saw the game announced I thought it was going to be a lot of goofs and laughs and while it does have that it also delves into very common issues many people go through. This game is extremely wholesomeHaving played many dating simulators in the past (albeit, some terrible ones, but still dating simulators) and being a massive fan of Game Grumps this game did not let me down. When I first saw the game announced I thought it was going to be a lot of goofs and laughs and while it does have that it also delves into very common issues many people go through. This game is extremely wholesome and the only quarrel I have with this game is that all the characters are so lovable but have fairly short routes, but I know a lot of time and dedication have been put into the characters and their stories to make them as amazing as they are. Not only does it have just well written characters, they're well written queer characters. As a bisexual it's so important and meaningful to see representation of the LGBT+ community in a non-sexualized manor in so many different ways by having bisexual/pansexual/homosexual and transgender characters, and giving options for your own character customization to give you the option to play as a transgender or cisgender dad. This game is extremely progressive and hilarious. I cannot say it enough; I. Love. This. Game.… Expand
  26. avengedluvee
    Jul 21, 2017
    10
    I have played this game for about 2 hours already, I know it's not a lot, but DOES show consent and that in itself makes me rate it with a full 10. Consent in games in this genre are not very clear so the fact that this is not only a gay dating simulator, which again not many realistic ones, BUT shows that consent should always be asked. There were no errors, besides one that was just anI have played this game for about 2 hours already, I know it's not a lot, but DOES show consent and that in itself makes me rate it with a full 10. Consent in games in this genre are not very clear so the fact that this is not only a gay dating simulator, which again not many realistic ones, BUT shows that consent should always be asked. There were no errors, besides one that was just an extra space in a sentence. I know, the end of the world? But have you seen my grammar.

    Sum it up, I played for 2 hours, cried about 5 times and love my Dadsona.

    Edit: I got carried away, but I need to add that the game will not be for people who like visual novels, but it's not only a visual novel. You can choose what to do and what routes you take. Plus being able to add dads with chest binders is a HUGE plus.    … Expand
  27. Buttercuperica
    Jul 21, 2017
    10
    This game offers more choices, options and depth than most visual novels I've played. I am 14hrs in and still have lots left undone. Very much enjoying this. I love the puns, jokes and humor as well as the overall look and feel of the game.
  28. retinal
    Jul 21, 2017
    3
    I think you can tell the team really wanted to make this a good game but the execution wasn't great.

    There are some good moments but overall I feel like the story is not well done for how short it is. Another major problem I have is the payoff at the end. It doesn't really feel like it did a good job building to anything that really makes you care. The hype is real and there is merit    I think you can tell the team really wanted to make this a good game but the execution wasn't great.

    There are some good moments but overall I feel like the story is not well done for how short it is. Another major problem I have is the payoff at the end. It doesn't really feel like it did a good job building to anything that really makes you care.

    The hype is real and there is merit to getting a game during a hype period to be part of the discussion but if you are looking for a solid "gaming experience" with a masterpiece of a story I think you should look elsewhere    … Expand
  29. valadren
    Jul 21, 2017
    10
    Honestly this game is incredible. As a trans person, the amount of attention and care the writers and creators took in creating a diverse environment is remarkable. For a game that could have easily been a joke, there is so much heart and depth to the lives of the characters. We learn about our daughter and grow so close to her through the very early parts of the game, and each characterHonestly this game is incredible. As a trans person, the amount of attention and care the writers and creators took in creating a diverse environment is remarkable. For a game that could have easily been a joke, there is so much heart and depth to the lives of the characters. We learn about our daughter and grow so close to her through the very early parts of the game, and each character you engage with has their own little vibrant stories to tell. For a game with a very easily marketable tag to it (date the Dads! Daddy dating! haha etc.) family plays a significant part in the entire narrative. It's heartwarming and funny and absolutely worth your time. If you're a fan of the genre, this is a must have for your collection. I cannot sing this games praises enough at this point.… Expand
  30. axo
    Jul 21, 2017
    9
    I'm 6 hours into this and I'm absolutely loving every moment of it. The characters are so well-written and genuinely funny - I've been laughing out loud consistently throughout. I don't wanna get too indepth with spoilers but every route I've been on so far has been engaging and charming, even characters I thought I wouldn't like as much. The humor is just tonally perfect - it nails theI'm 6 hours into this and I'm absolutely loving every moment of it. The characters are so well-written and genuinely funny - I've been laughing out loud consistently throughout. I don't wanna get too indepth with spoilers but every route I've been on so far has been engaging and charming, even characters I thought I wouldn't like as much. The humor is just tonally perfect - it nails the groan-worthy dad jokes, and the punchlines are never cruel.
    The kids are written fantastically as well (especially Amanda, but also the other dads' kids) - never super critical of them (even when they're jerks), sympathetic to the things they're going through while acknowledging, yeah, some kid drama is... kinda over the top.

    While I love regular visual novel mechanics on their own, the minigames add an extra layer of fun to it! I absolutely sucked at the golf minigame though and I refuse to git gud because I could feel my eye twitching IRL. Exception that proves the rule, though, y'know? But at the end of every date, if I get an S-rank rating I'm fist-pump levels of excited about it.
    Also, the skip-through-text function is done perfectly. I've played VNs that just didn't have that, and others that had it but clumsy - this one give you the perfect amount of control over zooming through text you've already read.

    And the queer rep in this is just so well done! From the offset you get the choice between being a cis or a trans guy, and you get to pick whether your ex-partner was your wife or your husband, and whether you adopted your daughter or not. Then, throughout, characters are just... nice to you. (Mostly.) That sounds like small stuff but, I'm a bi NB-ish guy who's played a lot of gay VNs and I've never yet encountered one that's actually treated us so well. When I told some of my trans guy friends that was an option they happily freaked out. It apparently makes no difference whatsoever to gameplay, but, I guess, why would it? It's nice having little details like that that let us all know, y'know, we've been thought about. We're not just the butt of a joke or a sexy commodity.

    Anyway I took like 5 minutes away from the game to write this and that's a tragedy and I'm going right back to it immediately.    … Expand
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Awards & Rankings

58
#58 Most Discussed PC Game of 2017

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
72

Mixed or average reviews - based on 18 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 7 out of 18
  2. Mixed: 10 out of 18
  3. Negative: 1 out of 18
  1. CD-Action
    Oct 30, 2017
    70
    A well-written, lovable story gracefully focusing on things that matter in life. The game’s logo is misleading, as romance and sex are kept in the background. [10/2017, p.52]
  2. Shacknews
    Sep 29, 2017
    60
    Considering I’ve already written 2000 words on a game with no gameplay that lasted less than two hours, I would say I’ve probably seen enough. Did I learn anything about myself? Would I have enjoyed it more if these people were gay terminators as part of a weird government social experiment? Probably, yeah.
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  3. games(TM)
    Sep 8, 2017
    70
    Dream Daddy is a breath of fresh air. [Issue#191, p.82]
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