Buddy Simulator 1984

 Switch
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User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 0 out of 3
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 3
  3. Negative: 1 out of 3

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  1. Ironplushy
    May 11, 2023
    6
    I really wanted this game to be something special along the lines of Doki Doki Literature Club. An AI friend who develops an unhealthy obsession with you the actual player? It sounds awesome on paper. In reality this game is massively frustrating, obtuse, and not suited for console. The command interface is quaint at first until it starts replicating what made command operating systemsI really wanted this game to be something special along the lines of Doki Doki Literature Club. An AI friend who develops an unhealthy obsession with you the actual player? It sounds awesome on paper. In reality this game is massively frustrating, obtuse, and not suited for console. The command interface is quaint at first until it starts replicating what made command operating systems archaic. If you make any tiny mistake when entering commands, the game simply does not function. Something as simple as an extra space makes it not work. This might seem like nitpicking, but googling Buddy Simulator brings up page after page of people asking for help just to start the game because the interface is so bad.
    Once you get past the interface, the game is extremely boring. First you play extremely simple games with your buddy like guess the number and rock, paper, scissors (it's as boring as it sounds) then your buddy creates increasingly more complex games for you. First is a text adventure with all the same problems of text adventures where it won't recognize common words, then a 2D adventure game a la King's Quest, then a 2D RPG a la Earthbound. What's truly bizarre is you will play these barebones games for hours with your buddy giving little to no input, making you forget what the core premise of Buddy Simulator even was. Once I got to the slow, boring turn based battles, I quit. I wanted to play a high concept indie horror game, not a watered down JRPG. In my opinion this game fails on multiple levels to achieve what it set out to do. The interface sucks, the narrative sucks, the gameplay sucks. The developer somehow manages to take the worst parts of command based OS, text adventures, 2D adventures, and JRPGS and combine them all into one uninteresting game.    … Expand
  2. SolomonRambling
    Dec 11, 2022
    6
    From the creators of A Game Literally About Doing Your Taxes, Buddy Simulator 1984 also manages to weave an unsettling narrative beneath a seemingly innocent façade. The gameplay evolves as the titular Buddy attempts to be your best friend, but most mechanics are shallow compared to the themes in the story. The plot can be a little awkward and wordy at times while still beingFrom the creators of A Game Literally About Doing Your Taxes, Buddy Simulator 1984 also manages to weave an unsettling narrative beneath a seemingly innocent façade. The gameplay evolves as the titular Buddy attempts to be your best friend, but most mechanics are shallow compared to the themes in the story. The plot can be a little awkward and wordy at times while still being entertaining. Bugs largely hold back this game from being an easy recommendation, in which case the PC version may be the way to go.… Expand

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
79

Generally favorable reviews - based on 5 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 4 out of 5
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 5
  3. Negative: 0 out of 5
  1. Cubed3
    Jun 9, 2023
    70
    For a game called Buddy Simulator 1984, the "1984" part is not as crucial an aspect as one would think. The game transforms and reinvents itself several times over as the story unfolds, and a majority of these are nowhere near as crude as actual computer software from the mid 1980s. There are some genuinely fun scares to compliment a clingy and abusive AI friend. The command line mechanic may not work as intended on a console controller, but at least the soundtrack is incredible.
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  2. GameCritics
    Jan 3, 2023
    85
    If this game was actually published back in 1984, it would be well-known to all today — it feels like it came straight out of a creepypasta and could easily be a widespread urban legend. Needless to say, Not a Sailor Studios has to be congratulated. BS1984 gathers various concepts and game designs in one place, almost like a history lesson in the progression of videogames, and I found it to be incredibly well-thought-out. Add in a little darkness, and the mix is even better. For players wanting a little nostalgic companionship with a few curveballs thrown in, Buddy Simulator 1984 is one to play.
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  3. Pure Nintendo
    Dec 12, 2022
    80
    Buddy Simulator 1984 surprised me with the way it morphed from a text-based adventure into a creepy-yet-sweet story. If you’re looking for something completely different, this is one title you should consider checking out.
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