Dating simulatorsâthat is, point-and-click video games in which you try to find a romantic partnerâoften exist on the cutting edge of what is considered normal and, well, appropriate. Think back to the groundbreaking Hatoful Boyfriend, in which you were tasked with choosing a suitor from different breeds of pigeons in a post-apocalyptic future; or My Horse Prince, in which you become romantically involved with a horse with a beautiful human face (although that one’s more of a point and click time-waster than a true dating game, if you want to get technical). And who could forget the full motion video dating sim that Zoe Quinn is currently producing with weirdo erotic mastermind Chuck Tingle?
With all that in mind, the newly announced game Dream Daddy: A Dad Dating Simulator (or DDaDDS for short) sounds downright normal in comparison, despite it’s hilariously evocative nameâand just in time for Father’s Day, too! Check out the teaser trailer below:
In Dream Daddy, you play a single father whose daughter is preparing to go off to college, and who’s finally ready to get back into the dating pool. But who among us is truly worthy to engage in courtship with such a caring and compassionate dad? Other dads, of course. Extremely attractive dads. Dads of every shape and size, of every type and for every persuasion. Dads.
It’s all fun and goofs and an excuse to say the word “dad” a lot, but according to the game developers there’s heart under all that child-rearing and father-dating. “At its core is a story about what it means to care for someone else, and I think that’s really important to to anyone who might play this game.â DDaDDSÂ creator (and Hot Pepper Gaming creative director) Vernon Shaw said in a press release. “I hope this game is as meaningful to everyone as it has become to us. What started off as a ridiculous little idea quickly became a way to tell a sincere story without the usual pitfalls of having to take ourselves seriously.â
The rest of the creative team have some pretty impressive resumes as well; comic book artist Leighton Gray did the character design for the handsome dads you see before you (illustrated by Shanen Pae), and it’s also the first game produced by the Let’s Play series Game Grumps, which stars Arin Hanson and Dan Avidan, so you can be sure there’ll be a lot of hilarious jokes contained wherein.
Best of all, you won’t have to wait too long to try the game out for yourself: as of this writing, the game is on track for a July 13 release on Steam. Until then, we’ll all have the month to choose which dad is right for us. I’m definitely thinking about dating Brian just for his dog, if I’m being completely honest:
I mean, any man who owns a corgi with a little bandana has to be perfect boyfriend material, right?
Just based on the appearances of these wonderful and illustrious dads, do you have a favorite yet? Tell us about him in the comments below!
Images: Game Grumps