Video Game Review: Speed Dating For Ghosts

Speed Dating For Ghosts

Copychaser Games

Simulation

Nintendo Switch

Do you ever wonder if dating is still a thing in the afterlife? Yeah, I know you do, and Speed Dating For Ghosts allows you to get a head start on meeting your afterlife partner in this wild dating simulator.

Speed Dating For Ghosts is a cute little dating simulator developed by Copychaser games. As expected from a speed dating game, this text-based game that can be played in less than ten-minute sessions. When the player starts a game, they will choose where they want to have their dates. Then they will meet three ghosts, talk about their lives, then eventually choose who they want to have a real date with. The game is short and encourages multiple playthroughs as players get to know the ghosts.

The storytelling is the best part of the game and really is what drives the game. The ghosts come with tons of personality types and are genuinely fun to get to know. Some are a little trope-y, but even they are still nice to meet. The diverse characters mostly ensure that there is at least one ghost for every player to enjoy.  Players will get to know the ghosts via questions, and there are many ways to progress the dates. The questions and answers lead to multiple paths, keeping the game from being stale even if the same ghost appears in a later playthrough.  Learning about how each ghost died is compelling and for some players, this will be more enjoyable than dating mechanics. Some of the ghost’s deaths are tragic and unexpected, and I found myself surprised at how dark the game got sometimes.

The designs of the ghosts are creative and always fun to see at first. Some of the designs are quirky while others are simply terrifying. Each design reflects the way that the character died, leading to some guesswork by the player. Some aren’t as obvious as they seem, and I found myself surprised more than once. The art is simple, with very little color, bold lines, and a style similar to Shel Silverstein’s work. The entire presentation is minimalistic, with simple art, sounds, and music. It’s not flashy but it works and fits the tone of the game.

While I enjoyed my time with Speed Dating For Ghosts, the game certainly isn’t for everyone. The entire game essentially comes down to static images and text. Those who play games for thrills will be massively disappointed by the game’s structure. Speed Dating For Ghosts does very well at what it sets out to do but doesn’t try to be anything more. Also, the date after the speed dating session plays out more like an epilogue than an actual date. It’s just an opportunity to get to know the ghost more. It’s usually satisfying but those who want a game that feels like a true dating simulator will likely be a bit underwhelmed.

The game isn’t too long either, but when you consider the game’s low price point, that’s not much of a problem. Each session takes roughly 10 minutes, and there are about 12 ghosts. There is a little bit of replayability since players can ask the ghosts different questions, but this game isn’t meant to take up a lot of time. It’s a neat experience that most players probably haven’t had before, and that’s going to be enough to justify the price tag.

Speed Dating For Ghosts is a cute little game that is great for passing some time. The gameplay isn’t particularly deep, but the stories sometimes are. Fans of narrative experiences will want to check this one out.