Hatoful Boyfriend Reviews

Hatoful Boyfriend is ranked in the 48th percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
90%
Jan 27, 2016

Hatoful Boyfriend isn't just quirky and bizarre, it's also the smartest visual novel you've never played.

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85 / 100
Aug 17, 2015

Hatoful Boyfriend tells an endearingly crazy story that will have you smiling, laughing, crying and feverishly turning the virtual page. It takes some buy-in, but pays off if you're looking for something way off the beaten path.

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IGN
Top Critic
8 / 10.0
Jul 27, 2015

Hatoful Boyfriend on Vita has some technical issues, but both versions still hatch a great story with a cool new bird.

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8 / 10.0
Sep 4, 2014

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. It's not groundbreaking material, but it's laughable — in a good, entertaining way.

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8 / 10.0
Sep 4, 2014

Overall, Hatoful Boyfriend gets most things right. 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.

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Sep 12, 2014

Love, rivalry and drama in a school for pigeons, this idiosyncratic take on the Japanese dating sim is ridiculously enjoyable

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Sep 4, 2014

If you want a good laugh, love ridiculous characters, and aren't turned off by text-heavy games, flap those wings. Join the avian club.

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Sep 4, 2014

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.

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8 / 10.0
Jul 26, 2015

But those disappointing moments are ultimately rare. Hatoful Boyfriend earns almost everything else it does. Like those fantastical and ridiculous movies and novels, it demonstrates an ability to rise above its base, absurd concepts and weaves several stories that last. It's much more than it seems, and begs for you to play it and discover its depth.

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4 / 5.0
Sep 17, 2014

There's no getting around it; Hatoful Boyfriend is weird. Even if we were to ignore the fact that you're pursuing romantic encounters with various kinds of birds, the story and endings still make Hatoful Boyfriend an unforgettable experience.

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NZGamer
Top Critic
8 / 10.0
Aug 17, 2015

If you're looking for a dating sim on Vita or PS4, you're not exactly spoiled for choice, making Hatoful Boyfriend a no-brainer. But even if you're not really into the genre, this could be worth taking a look at - just make sure you stick around for Bad Boys Love.

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8 / 10.0
Sep 4, 2014

So yeah, enjoy the comedic art aspects of this game and don't expect it to be what it portrays itself as – a real dating sim about birds. The overall short experience is a bit disappointing, but I'm uncertain just how much pigeon dating one person can take.

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8 / 10.0
Sep 7, 2014

It probably goes without saying, but Hatoful Boyfriend is most definitely, 100% not for everyone. If you're looking any kind of serious gaming experience, want a mechanics-heavy title full of action and adventure, or just Aren't That Into Pigeons, Hatoful Boyfriend really won't be your cup of tea. However, if you want to experience what might just be one of the most ridiculous, hilarious, and extremely well-written visual novels this year, Hatoful Boyfriend brings the funny in spades. You might not know what on earth you're experiencing, but chances are you'll be thoroughly entertained.

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Sep 5, 2014

Hatoful Boyfriend may be a bonkers twist on the traditional Japanese dating sim, but its surreal 'boys are birds' premise is more than just a gimmick. Courting your potential feathered suitors is rewarding and frequently hilarious, while eventually unravelling the story's darker elements bring the real heft and value to the experience.

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Digitally Downloaded
Matt S.
Top Critic
Jul 27, 2015

You're not getting a refined game in Hatoful Boyfriend. Surely you already knew that, right? If you were looking for a refined game, please ignore my score below. Otherwise, I'll just let this scene from Friends starring my good friend Chandler do the talking, because, amazingly enough, it actually mirrors the experience I had playing Hatoful Boyfriend:

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8 / 10.0
Oct 14, 2014

Don't let its strange premise fool you, Hatoful Boyfriend delivers a masterful satire on the dating sim genre and a thoroughly enjoyable experience all the way through. Underneath its absurd setting, Hatoful boasts a well thought out world, enjoyable characters and clever writing that give the game its quirky feel. Plus, birds in maid outfits.

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7.8 / 10.0
Aug 9, 2015

Hatoful Boyfriend is light hearted and definitely something designed to make you smile. It's not going to set the world on fire but it can be picked up for a small amount of money and is something that anyone can play due to its simplistic controls. Its style of humour may not be for everyone, but for those that do find the absurd hilarious it is definitely worth considering picking it up.

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7.5 / 10.0
Jul 31, 2015

A great dark story for a take on the classic dating sim, but could do with less repetition.

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7.4 / 10.0
Sep 12, 2014

Hatoful Boyfriend is not the pigeon-dating sim you're looking for: It's more than that. Curb your enthusiasm for branching storylines after playing through the early romance portion of the story. After you cross the point of no return, the game is out of your hands, and you're left with an on-rails storyline progression. Regardless, it will subvert each and every one of your preconceived notions of what Hatoful Boyfriend could even remotely be about.

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PC Gamer
PC Gamer
Top Critic
70 / 100
Sep 4, 2014

A one-of-a-kind glimpse into the world of anthropomorphic-animal Japanese otome, Hatoful Boyfriend is surprisingly entertaining.

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