Boyfriend Dungeon is the breakout visual novel/roguelike dungeon-crawler from tiny indie developer Kitfox Games. It smashed its original Kickstarter goal four times over. With the $215,581 it raised (relative to the $50,000 the project initially asked for), Boyfriend Dungeon released on Switch, PC, and Xbox One on August 11. Undoubtedly, one of the game's most notable elements is its central gameplay mechanic: that players can date their weapons.
Games like Hatoful Boyfriend popularized the transforming romantic partner trope in modern visual novel/dating simulators, and Boyfriend Dungeon takes it one step further. Not only do players date magical morphing weapons, but they take them into intense melee combat challenges in Verona Bay's mall dungeon (known as the Dunj in game). These battles take the form of roguelike excursions throughout the Dunj.
Monsters made from the player's psychological demons are the enemies of the Dunj, which the players have to defeat with their chosen weapon. It's an interesting central metaphor for dating, and one that Boyfriend Dungeon employs brilliantly. It balances both the non-combat dating sections and the intense battles very well, sprinkling a perfect amount of character building between both segments. Not only does this mean that the player and the NPCs they are dating grow and advance together, but also that their interactions are baked directly into the core gameplay elements too.
The central cue that love stories in gaming could take from Boyfriend Simulator's dating mechanics is that the relationships need to be reflected in the mechanics too. Not only does this necessitate more interaction between players and NPCs, but it also makes the relationship seem more realistic in some ways. Obviously, the way a game plays is integral to how it is experienced. So, it follows that involving the potential romantic partners in that as much as possible will strengthen how the player experiences that relationship. Boyfriend Dungeon might have it a lot easier thanks to its core metaphor (where the relationship partners are literally weapons), but it's a principle that a lot of games could try and emulate.
How Does Dating in Boyfriend Dungeon Work?
In Boyfriend Dungeon, there are two central aspects to dating. In the overworld of Verona Bay, players can take various NPCs on romantic dates or platonic meetups across a multitude of venues. This is, of course, after an introduction by the player character's cousin Jesse, who acts as a cupid stand-in throughout the game. Like the best visual novels, it is a classic fish-out-of-water tale, with the main character being both a stranger to Verona Bay and dating itself.
Of course, the success of Jesse's wingman status varies wildly between playthroughs, depending on which NPCs a player is drawn to. However, the dates in idyllic Verona Bay are only one part of the relationship mechanic in Boyfriend Dungeon. The other part is both much more dynamic and violent. When the partners in question transform themselves into a sword, axe, or dagger, they fight alongside the player in an all-out brawl against the psychological demons plaguing the protagonist. In this stage, players can level up their relationship in these dates with the various weapon NPCs. Eventually this caps out at a certain amount of XP. When this XP cap is reached, new date locations become available, like with other visual novel games.
Players can go on dates and if they play their cards right, can unlock certain special combat abilities with that weapon. As such, both the combat and non-combat sections feed back into themselves in a wonderfully fluid manner. This gives the impression of a game that fully comprehends the limitations and strengths of the different genres it is playing with. Moreover, Boyfriend Dungeon is a game that incentivizes both avenues of play, making both feel equally valuable to the player.
Relationship Progression in Boyfriend Dungeon
Some of the best characters in games become apparent thanks to Boyfriend Dungeon's relationship progression mechanics. Obviously, the explicit dating sections do a lot of character building. For example, with Isaac, the first blade players encounter, his dates reveal his relationship with his father figures and how that impacts his overall character. Isaac's quiet, almost repressed reserve exactly mirrors his weapon form.
When players enter the roguelike dungeons with Isaac by their side, they make precise, powerful strikes to best their foes. Isaac is very similar in conversation, biding his time, being very reserved, right up until the last moment, which players see more of as they fight and go on dates with him. Overall, it's a fabulous example of gameplay, story, and character development cohering.
What Other Games Can Learn From Boyfriend Dungeon's Dating
While this is all great for Boyfriend Dungeon, its application in other games is maybe more difficult to see. However, it can be useful in a myriad of ways. Some of the worst romances in gaming quarantine the relationships away from the actual mechanics. If developers make moves to emulate Kitfox Games' new title, they might discover how easy it is to link the romances in game to the combat mechanics, and vice versa. Another way that the game sets its relationships apart is how dynamic they are. This dynamism is partly due to the combat sections, but also the very witty and realistic dialogue.
Some games like Mass Effect 4 might find romance difficult due to its setting and context. It will likely start from a point without any classic NPCs available, so players will need to build up new relationship opportunities from scratch. If the relationship progression was tied into both the conversations and the actions in combat, it would make these new bonds so much easier and natural for players to form. The game also stands as a great example of representation. Characters in Boyfriend Dungeon are largely queer, and will approach (and often flirt) with the player whatever pronouns and body type that Kitfox lets them choose from. It would be excellent for more modern games to follow exactly this strategy.
Boyfriend Dungeon is available now on PC, Switch, and Xbox One.