Video Game Review: Later Daters (Part 2)

Later Daters

Studio: Bloom Digital Media

Genres: Visual novel, Dating sim

Platform: Nintendo Switch

It feels like such a long time ago that the first part of age-centric romance visual novel Later Daters came out on the Switch, and yet according to my previous review it was only back in April! It was a game I enjoyed the concept of, even if the execution at times was a little clumsy, but now the second part (episodes 4 to 7) have been released so I can return to the world of Ye Olde.  Booting up the menu again to hear that catchy theme song was a nice feeling and in rough times like today’s world, this seemed like the perfect time to go back to the relaxed, comedic, and yet philosophical world of Later Daters.

Again, we carry on with our chosen protagonist, navigating the joys and problems of dating as an older person in a nursing home full of colourful characters with their own individual stories. Taking place the day after the movie night… well actually the night of as it happens as one too many (hallucinogenic) party treats later, the protagonist finds themselves in a bizarre Star Trek-style dream, with a ship being chased by a mysterious wormhole. I’d somehow forgotten how flirtatious the cast was, and this dream went over the top with the double entendres and lewd jokes, which was both hilarious and absolutely ridiculous. Still, joking aside it did help reintroduce the cast again, and we also got a little sneak peek of a whole different side to them.

Otherwise, it’s business as usual: you progress through the days, interacting with the other residents of the home and hopefully finding some romance along the way – whether that’s with one person, with multiple people or just keeping your options open. One of the things that keep things interesting is that nothing stays static in the storyline – the other residents all have their own stories and motivations and they don’t just sit around waiting for you to interact with them. People come and go, and it’s impossible to discover all their stories from one playthrough.  The romance definitely amps up in this second part, but even if the love elements are not for you, the game remains charming. Whether it’s putting on a social game of dungeons and dragons, listening to the new song that one of the residents has written, or just relaxing with your pet, the game has a lot to offer.

The game is still short and sweet – indeed you can likely finish the second part in just a few hours time but that’s not a bad thing in this case. The game is very accessible compared to other visual novels which can hit over 30 hours in their standard run time, and this actually helps to widen the possible audience to those who perhaps wouldn’t normally pick up a visual novel. For a game that tackles old stereotypes and has such a fun likable cast, this is definitely a plus and it’s definitely a game I would recommend to many people.

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