Boyfriend Dungeon

 Switch
Metascore
72

Mixed or average reviews - based on 17 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 8 out of 17
  2. Mixed: 9 out of 17
  3. Negative: 0 out of 17
  1. Vooks
    Sep 14, 2021
    80
    Boyfriend Dungeon is not only an enjoyable and inclusive dating sim dungeon crawler, but it’s also a thoughtful game on relationships. I had a nice time getting to know the variety of bladed partners, and I’m sure dating sim fans will enjoy it too. The Dunj delving might lack variety, but getting to know the characters is worth the effort. Whether you’re new to dating sims or a regular romancer, you’ll have a fun time in the dunj with your new fling.
  2. Hey Poor Player
    Sep 8, 2021
    80
    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.
  3. Switch Player
    Aug 31, 2021
    80
    Boyfriend Dungeon‘s unlikely mix of dating sim and dungeon crawler charms more than it irks, letting you romance your way through many a dungeon. Is it over too quickly? Yes, but this heartfelt summer vacation is fun while it lasts.
  5. Shacknews
    Aug 25, 2021
    80
    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.
  6. NintendoWorldReport
    Aug 24, 2021
    80
    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.
  7. Pocket Tactics
    Aug 17, 2021
    80
    A great dating-sim, dungeon-crawler hybrid that takes you on a journey of self-acceptance, love, and facing your fears - all while smooching some cute swords. It’s a short but sweet tale that will leave you wanting more.
  8. GamingTrend
    Aug 16, 2021
    80
    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.
  9. Universo Nintendo
    Oct 7, 2021
    77
    Boyfriend Dungeon is an extremely creative game that appeals to an unusual story that works in a surprising way. It has charismatic characters and gives the player complete freedom of choice. The downside is the low difficulty of combat and gameplay.
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  1. Polygon
    Aug 19, 2021
    Better pacing, I think, would have helped in making room for deeper relationships with each of Boyfriend Dungeon’s romance options, because what’s offered is compelling. Plus, more dungeons! Despite these issues, though, I liked the majority of Boyfriend Dungeon; I got wrapped up in the fantasy of it all, finishing the game in a little more than a single session. I simply didn’t want to put the game down because I wanted to learn more about the world’s people (and cat — yes, you can befriend and fight with a cat, but not really fall in love). It would be so easy to create a concept like this that gets lost in a sense of irony, to make it all feel like one big joke. But the developers at Kitfox approached Boyfriend Dungeon with such genuine belief in the story, and that’s ultimately what stuck with me after I finished the game.

User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
6.7

Mixed or average reviews- based on 9 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 5 out of 9
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 9
  3. Negative: 2 out of 9
  1. TheLinkgirl
    Sep 6, 2022
    9
    At a time where roguelites are becoming increasingly tiresome due to their inherent lack of design, it's fair to say that the best roguelitesAt a time where roguelites are becoming increasingly tiresome due to their inherent lack of design, it's fair to say that the best roguelites are the ones that circumvent that shortcoming, commonly by injecting another genre into the formula. As rhythm games, card games and Metroidvanias have become almost overused, one clever developer thought of a genius idea: a dating game.

    Inclusivity is certainly the name of the game with Boyfriend Dungeon, allowing for relationships to be as intimate as you'd like. Some characters are non-binary, and the game allows you to date as you want to; polyamory is totally allowed, but you don't have to. Gameplay bounces between two simple ideas, one where the player goes on dates, and one where the player dives into simple combat in simple dungeons. While both ideas are perfectly fine in their own right, it's the combination of the two that makes Boyfriend Dungeon work so well, with dates unlocking new abilities for weapons in combat, and combat unlocking dates.

    While there isn't a massive amount of content, I feel Boyfriend Dungeon has the perfect amount for a playthrough and then some. It was totally worth it for me just to experience all the characters in the way I wanted to.    … Full Review »
  2. NindieSpotlight
    Dec 17, 2021
    8
    Elevator pitch time… so what if the goal was to make a game that fully embraces and meshes together intense slashing roguelike combat and… aElevator pitch time… so what if the goal was to make a game that fully embraces and meshes together intense slashing roguelike combat and… a dating sim?!? Yeah, I know, right… these things just seem to naturally belong together, for sure. Despite the clash in styles, and though not without some flaws, I have to throw my hat off to the folks at Kitfox Games for putting earnest effort into getting both right in parallel, not obviously neglecting the quality of one for the other and making their genre-bending only a half-hearted effort. The definite risk is that while it does a good job on both ends of the spectrum it wouldn’t necessarily stand up to the best in the genre on either side. Particularly on the roguelike action side since the combat, though decent, isn’t as fluid and varied per weapon to the level that other games in the eShop have set the bar to, but it’s certainly enough to keep you entertained. The only other criticism I would have is that conceptually wanting to have the best weapon for you in dungeons can put you on a very different path from who you want to get to work with romantically, so when this is in conflict it can make things a bit weird, even if the dialogue generally allows you to keep the tone and mood under control to a degree. It’s a weird one, for sure, but it works surprisingly well on the whole.

    https://www.nindiespotlight.com/2021/08/mini-reviews-august-16th-edition.html    … Full Review »
  3. closedsocket
    Sep 16, 2021
    3
    I played this game with an open mind, but by trying to make this game inclusive, it has segregated probably the most popular player base,I played this game with an open mind, but by trying to make this game inclusive, it has segregated probably the most popular player base, which are heterosexual males. I am all for inclusivity, but not belonging to a different group, the dialogue was terrible and many times made me feel uncomfortable. There was no ability to just play the game and get past the constant "inclusiveness" being shoved down your throat that may actually isolate the player.

    The gameplay itself is very basic roguelite gameplay that brings nothing new or exciting to the table. At this time I can I wouldn't recommend this game. There are much better out there for the same price. I gave it a 3 because its not worth playing, but it's also not glitchy or a cash grab or anything that makes it unplayable.    … Full Review »
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