Hatoful Boyfriend

 PC
Metascore
68

Mixed or average reviews - based on 35 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 13 out of 35
  2. Mixed: 18 out of 35
  3. Negative: 4 out of 35
  1. Multiplayer.it
    Sep 4, 2014
    85
    Do you ever dream about a love story with a dove? Do you ever feel that your life will be better with a bird on your side? If the answers are 'yes', try Hatoful Boyfriend.
  2. Gamer.nl
    Jan 6, 2015
    80
    Hatoful Boyfriend is a memorable visual novel. The birds in this dating sim are surprisingly interesting and have big personalities that unfold in a story that is deeper than we would have thought. In the base Hatoful Boyfriend is a funny game which will make you go WTF?! pretty often.
  3. Eurogamer Germany
    Sep 18, 2014
    80
    Come for the hilariously stupid premise, stay for the constant surprises.
  5. Guardian
    Sep 13, 2014
    80
    It is a very clever, very charming thing.
  6. IGN
    Sep 5, 2014
    80
    Though it has some pacing issues and a seemingly useless upgrade system, the funny, meaningful stories had me reading right past them.
  7. The Escapist
    Sep 5, 2014
    80
    Devolver Digital and Mediatonic's Hatoful Boyfriend is a faithful upscale to the original game by Hato Moa and has the same charm and humor.
  8. Digital Spy
    Sep 5, 2014
    80
    Yes, Hatoful Boyfriend is a dating game with a bird gimmick, and that alone will be enough to keep many players at arm's length. But to pigeonhole your time at the St. Pigeonation's Institute as a mere gimmick would be a grave misjudgment of a game that is far more delightful and unexpected than even its bizarre premise would suggest.
  9. Polygon
    Sep 4, 2014
    80
    Hatoful Boyfriend makes fun of the dating simulator genre by turning it on its head, making it weird and outrageous. The witty dialogue and absolutely bonkers scenarios are genuinely fun to discover, and the handful of different storylines make repeated playthroughs worthwhile.
  10. God is a Geek
    Sep 4, 2014
    80
    The true BBL story is gripping and an absolute must-play for anyone with an open mind who is a fan of visual novels. The game doesn’t make things obvious, though. I had no idea this route existed until I actually put in the effort to do more endings, and I’d recommend you do the same. If nothing else, it’s nice to see Devolver and Mediatonic bringing something so new and unusual to Steam.
  11. Pelit (Finland)
    Nov 15, 2014
    76
    I have always liked birds, but I have never dated them so that's the main reason why I wanted to play Hatoful Boyfriend. The game is a dating sim where you control a teenage girl who eventually ends up in a relationship with a pigeon, dove or some other type of bird. Although everything about it sounds like a big joke, the story is surprisingly deep and has a lot of replay value. I personally didn't like the fact that the game doesn't offer much freedom, because you have to follow pre-defined paths, but I guess that's part of the genre. [Nov 2014]
    All this publication's reviews
  12. IGN Italia
    Sep 4, 2014
    76
    Hatoful Boyfriend has lots of funny moments and absurd characters, but it’s also charming in its own, plumy way.
  13. XGN
    Sep 29, 2014
    75
    For a product that started out as a joke, Hatoful Boyfriend is a surprisingly nice game. It will not take too much time, but it is fun to play with because of the absurdity and jokes.
  14. InsideGamer.nl
    Sep 17, 2014
    75
    Hatoful Boyfriend is by no means a game just for pigeon enthusiasts. Fans of dating sims and gamers looking for something different will find enough entertainment value here. The story arcs are bizarre, the birds about as strange and the dialogue is almost always funny. There’s not a lot more you can ask from a game about dating birds.

Awards & Rankings

50
#50 Most Shared PC Game of 2012

User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
7.1

Mixed or average reviews- based on 97 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 61 out of 97
  2. Mixed: 14 out of 97
  3. Negative: 22 out of 97
  1. RightEOThen
    May 25, 2014
    10
    As my father said to me on his deathbed, "Son, I love you but if you learned anything from my massive waste of life its that you need to playAs my father said to me on his deathbed, "Son, I love you but if you learned anything from my massive waste of life its that you need to play more video games with bird sex in them". He then molted to death at the tragic age of 7 years old. My father was a blue jay. Don't make his mistake.
    Everybirdy needs to hear this message and seize life by the wings. Hatoful boyfriend is a game about love, acceptance and the ability to be hit on by pigeons. Is Hatoful Boyfriend perfect? No. But is it perfect? Yes. To say that Hatoful Boyfriend is a turning point in the dating sim genre but in the technological advance of civilization itself is not hyperbolic of a statement enough. I think of Hatoful Boyfriend both when i cry and when I make love. It is a wonderful piece of art that is better than any other work I have ever experienced. Also, fair warning, you might make a cum in yourself.    … Full Review »
  2. DanteDM
    Sep 12, 2014
    5
    It's just not that good. Why do people love this game to much. It has four ten out of ten critics. Be real, don't just put the maximum becauseIt's just not that good. Why do people love this game to much. It has four ten out of ten critics. Be real, don't just put the maximum because the game has some moments that make you laugh.… Full Review »
  3. nevershark
    Aug 26, 2014
    10
    Forget the clearly and regretfully uninformed reviews. This game is a shining example of what's possible with the visual novel as a medium.Forget the clearly and regretfully uninformed reviews. This game is a shining example of what's possible with the visual novel as a medium.

    Ever think too hard about something funny and realize that in order for it to be funny something else terrible had to have happened?

    Well, Hatoful Boyfriend is basically that, but in game form. Of course, it starts out hilarious and outlandish. But when the backstory rears its ugly head, it takes its seemingly kooky world, and meticulously and horribly explains how it came to be the way it is. And it isn't pleasant, not one bit. Sometimes you'll still laugh, but more often than not you'll be crying. Over birds.

    Probably one of the best written games I have ever encountered, without exaggerating - such a shame that it's so difficult to talk about without spoiling. If you're familiar with visual novels and/or like good plot in your games, give it a shot, but make sure you unlock Bad Boys Love. And get the tissues ready.    … Full Review »
See all user reviews »