Despite some initial delays, I was finally able to get my hands on Dream Daddy: A Dad Dating Simulator and boy was it worth the wait. As you can probably surmise by the name, Dream Daddy is a colorful dating sim about a widowed dad hooking up with other dads.
While the game contains the kind of dad joke humor you’d expect, Dream Daddy also has a surprising amount of heart and soul. This is definitely thanks to the dedication of the game’s creators.
What’s interesting about Dream Daddy is that it’s one of the first games to be produced by the video game Let’s Play community, in this case the Game Grumps.
Along with self-made Let’s Play giants PewDiePie and Markiplier (who recently uploaded a Let’s Play of Dream Daddy), the Game Grumps have amassed a large following over the years. Currently, their channel has 3.9 million subscribers and over 3 billion video views.
Dream Daddy is definitely a testament to diversity both in its creation, and in its gameplay. As with any dating sim, you’ll end up sifting through mountains of dialogue.
Fortunately, the writing always remains on course and is both cute and clever thanks to the writing talent of Vernon Shaw and Leighton Gray. Additionally, the top right corner is a fast-forward button so if you’re looking to snag all the Dream Daddy achievements, you can quickly move through familiar story sections as you focus on each different dad.
Each dad is unique in their interests and appearance. To woo them, you’ll need to select the right dialogue cues. The best response will garner you what I can only describe as an eggplant explosion, while the worst possible answer choice will result in a grumble of black clouds.
You’re given a pretty easy way to select which dad you’d like to focus on thanks to the game’s cheeky “Dadbook” section. At this point in time, I have yet to determine whether or not my answers to the Dadbook questions have any direct influence on the success of my dad dates. Either way, it’s a blast to fill out. If you settle on a dad to be “the one” you’ll need to go on 3 dates with him.
At the end of each date, you’ll be ranked based on your dialogue cues and how well you played the requisite mini-game if one was included in that date such as fishing or mini golf.
You can receive a date rank from S to C. This ranking only matters if you’re looking to unlock the special Dream Daddy artwork at the end, as you can still earn each dad’s achievement simply by going on 3 dates with them.
Meanwhile, there are a 5 hidden achievements to earn, many of which are absolutely hilarious. For example, while you’re on a date with Craig, you have the option to jump off a cliff into a nice stream of water below.
If you jump too many times, you unlock one of the game’s special achievements. I won’t ruin what that achievement is, and instead, I’ll let you jump and find out.
Once you date all of the dream dads, the game doesn’t have a high amount of replay value aside from unlocking any achievements you might have missed. Although to be fair, the same can be said for most dating sims. I think if you’re looking for a game with good humor, a good story, and enough quirks to keep you guessing, Dream Daddy will be right up your alley.
It shines in its weirdness, and adds a new (and in some ways much needed) spin to the dating sim genre. Aside from many choices having little impact and perhaps the price point, Dream Daddy: A Dad Dating Simulator is absolutely dad-tacular.
Review
Pros
- Well-Written Story
- Grade A Comedy
- Addictive Gameplay
- Hot Dads
Cons
- Low-Impact Choices
- Price Point
