dating sims and games with substantial dating sim elements. will update with reviews.
B-. (F/M, free)
songs and flowers is a simple VN with an unusual protagonist. jazz has made it her goal to be just like the "information characters" in dating sims, the non-dateable friend who tells you all the secret scoops. but as silly as this concept is her reasons, and the stories around her, are shockingly deep and poignant. the writing in this game is fantastic -- though it has a bit of a slow start. the art is very visibly amateur, but it's clear that a lot of heart was put into this game and i think it's worth a play.
A. (F/F)
a sweet dating sim spin (though two routes are platonic) on the old childrens book "a little princess". cute art and charming additions to the books story breathe life into the classic. definitely recommend.
B. (F/F, F/M)
magical diary is a combination VN and magical dungeon crawler starring a young witch with no magical experience coming to a magical academy ala hogwarts. its a charming coming of age story with an open-ended setting and a lot of room for variation between runs. the spell casting aspect and the large cast of characters (though only 6 are datable) means no two playthroughs will be alike, so there's a lot of replay value. the gameplay itself is very fun, and while the art is a bit controversial overall its a very enjoyable experience that i recommend to anyone.
