Hatoful Boyfriend cover art

Hatoful Boyfriend

2011MediatonicPlayStation 4, Linux, Android, PC (Microsoft Windows), iOS, Mac, PlayStation Vita

Congratulations! You've been accepted as the only human student at the prestigious St. PigeoNation's Institute, a school for talented birds! Roam the halls and find love in between classes as a sophomore student at the world's greatest pigeon high school. Finding happiness won't be easy, but it’s not all academic — there's always time for a little romance in this delightful remake of Hato Moa's popular visual novel / avian dating sim Hatoful Boyfriend!

What it feels like

The absurdist premise of romancing pigeons at a bird high school establishes a playful, not-to-be-taken-seriously tone. The game invites player experimentation with different characters and mischievous engagement with its absurd premise. The quirky, fanciful conceit of an all-bird school and human romance options delights in imaginative absurdity.

Lighthearted70%
Playful65%
Whimsical65%
Absurdist55%
Irreverent50%

What it's about

Romantic love and pursuing relationships with different characters is the central thematic and mechanical focus. The setting is explicitly a high school (St. PigeoNation's Institute) and revolves around student life between classes. The everyday texture of school life, roaming halls, and casual interactions forms the backdrop to romance.

Love & Romance85%
School Life75%
Slice of Life60%
Mystery40%

How it plays

Building bonds and romances with bird characters is the core system and primary goal of the experience. Branching conversation choices with characters drive interaction, relationship development, and story outcomes.

Relationship Sim95%
Dialogue Trees85%

How it looks and sounds

The visual novel format and character design follow Japanese anime-inspired aesthetics typical of the otome/dating sim genre.

Anime Style60%

How it's structured

The game is explicitly designed and marketed as a single-player experience with no multiplayer component. A bounded narrative arc with a definite beginning, middle, and end as a dating sim centered on a school year. Player choices in dialogue and interactions fork the story into meaningfully different romantic outcomes and endings.

Single-Player95%
Campaign85%
Branching Narrative80%
Multiple Endings75%
Nonlinear Progression70%

Shares Relationship Sim, Love & Romance, Dialogue Trees, Branching Narrative.

Both lean into Single-Player, Relationship Sim, Campaign, Love & Romance.

Single-Player95%Relationship Sim90%Campaign90%Love & Romance85%

Shares Relationship Sim, Dialogue Trees, Love & Romance, Multiple Endings.

Both lean into Relationship Sim, Single-Player, Campaign, Dialogue Trees.

Relationship Sim95%Single-Player95%Campaign90%Dialogue Trees85%

Shares Love & Romance, Relationship Sim, Dialogue Trees, Playful.

Both lean into Love & Romance, Relationship Sim, Dialogue Trees, Campaign.

Love & Romance95%Relationship Sim75%Dialogue Trees80%Campaign80%

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Both lean into Single-Player, Relationship Sim, Dialogue Trees, Love & Romance.

Single-Player95%Relationship Sim92%Dialogue Trees88%Love & Romance85%

A lesser-known kindred — Dialogue Trees, School Life, Relationship Sim, Love & Romance. 92% positive across 4,619 Steam reviews.

Both lean into Single-Player, Campaign, School Life, Dialogue Trees.

Single-Player90%Campaign95%School Life90%Dialogue Trees80%

A lesser-known kindred — Branching Narrative, Dialogue Trees, School Life, Relationship Sim. 97% positive across 4,670 Steam reviews.

Both lean into Single-Player, Branching Narrative, Dialogue Trees, School Life.

Single-Player95%Branching Narrative90%Dialogue Trees85%School Life90%
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