For those that haven’t heard of Hatoful Boyfriend before it’s quite hard to explain. On the surface it is exactly what it promises to be; a pigeon dating sim. In a world where our avian friends have developed human like intellects and become the de facto dominant species the gamer plays as the only human student at the prestigious St. PigeoNation’s Institute, a school for the most privileged and intelligent of the bird community. This of course cues some cross-species romance that may strain even the most avid bird watchers affection for the species. It’s strange, cutesy and surreal but dig even further and it’s dystopian, dark and disturbing.
This is Hatoful Boyfriend: A School of Hope and White Wings and come August 21st it will be available for one and all across several digital storefronts including Steam. This will give new comers the chance to delve into this title that has become the most unlikely of cult followings.
More a digital novel than anything else Hatoful Boyfriend largely follows typical Japanese dating sim framework. The female protagonist follows a branching story line as she interacts with her fellow cast of swoon worthy feathered friends. Originally developed as an independent title this version has been developed by Mediatonic and produced by Devolver Digital. The game will be largely unchanged from earlier versions but will include cleaner graphics as well as other minor tweaks.
All though the title has been criticised for its minimal player involvement it has still been recommended as an engrossing experience. This is a text heavy title and one that under other circumstances may only appeal to the most die hard fans of the genre, but that doesn’t consider the bizarre attraction of this game.
For many the idea of dating and interacting with super intelligent pigeons is enough but for many the real depth of this game only uncovers itself after a few playthroughs and in the form of extra story chapter Bad Boys Love. Here lies the games dark heart, hidden under all those pretty, glossy feathers. It’s an experience, to be sure, and one that many certainly didn’t expect.
If bizarre games are your thing or you’re just looking for something completely different, then Hatoful Boyfriend is a must try. There’s nothing else like this and apart from that it is a well written, intelligently conceived jaunt. Download on Steam from August 21st onward.
