Dating sims aren’t usually my thing. Please, hold your tomatoes and boos. But I want to preface this review with that disclaimer. My games of choice are usually first-person shooters or asymmetrical horror games, so finding a dating sim that I jive with is tricky, to say the least. However, Love, Ghostie‘s teaser trailer truly captivated me.
Why? It’s hard to pinpoint. Every once in a while, you need to put down the controller, step away from competitive gameplay, and lose yourself in something wholesome. Love, Ghostie is very much that. I rushed to play the demo, which I reviewed over on GameSkinny and then rushed to get the full version on its August 14, 2024, release date. And here I am again, sitting down to tell you why you (yes, you) should give Love, Ghostie a shot, signed a person who never plays dating sims.
Love, Ghostie Offers Wholesome Gameplay
Developed by the woman-founded Janbeh Games, Love, Ghostie is actually more of a matchmaking meets management sim than dating sim since you’re coordinating dates and playing Cupid. The tutorial fits perfectly into the story. Ghostina, a seasoned supernatural matchmaker, walks you through the basics: You’re dead, and your mission is to matchmake for the living. She gives you a brief tour of the mansion you’ll be wholesomely haunting before leaving you (mostly) to your own devices. (Don’t worry; Ghostina will return, and the old computer in the attic offers helpful tips and hints when needed).
The first four residents who move in are yours to choose. Each anthropomorphic cutie has a unique personality. Their bios and aesthetics provide some clues about their traits (labeled tags in the game), but gift-giving and tasks will confirm them. Residents have relationship and personal happiness meters that are much easier to fill when targeting specific traits. For example, if you know the resident is “dark,” sending them on a “dark” date will yield much better results than sending them on one that’s labeled “outdoorsy.”
As a matchmaking ghost, those happiness and relationship meters will quickly become your best friends. Both can be influenced by planting gifts (gifting an item to one resident but saying it’s from another), assigning chores, designating self-care tasks, and/or setting up dates. Just be mindful. Each of these requires you to spend Action Points. When Action Points run out, you must start a new day. So use them wisely and prioritize upgrading them when Ghostina rolls back into town.
That said, gameplay will require you to use some strategy. This isn’t a visual novel. You’re not sitting back and just watching things unfold. You’re actively pairing up couples you want to see together or steering ones apart you think won’t work. It lends to investment, and if you’re anything like me, you’ll be smiling like an idiot during certain date cutscenes.
Ship Anyone You Want
There’s a lot to love about Love, Ghostie, but one of the standouts is the residents themselves. The writing delivers tropes bundled with its own brand of humor and heart.
When it comes down to Love, Ghostie‘s romance system, all residents are shippable with each other. Pronouns appear in the resident’s profile; however, sexual orientation is never addressed outright and doesn’t need to be. Anyone can date anyone, allowing for freedom sometimes absent in video game romance. It also lends to replayability. According to Love, Ghostie’s Steam page, you can pair up 6 couples per playthrough, requiring playing at least 11 times if you want to see all the content.
It’s difficult not to get attached to particular pairings and characters, though. I couldn’t say enough about Gerard after the demo (I mean, come on, he is a goth giraffe! What’s not to love?). However, I found absolute (and unexpected) joy watching Chamel, a shy cosplaying chameleon, and Apollo, the jokey-looking tiger with a heart of gold, fall for each other. Will it be hard for me to pair them with other residents in future playthroughs? Absolutely. But that only proves how effective the writing is.
Final Thoughts
What I like the most about Love, Ghostie is it’s a dating sim meets lowkey management sim. You’re never just scrolling through endless dialogue; you’re out there doing things to actively initiate romance. It requires a bit of strategy, but it never becomes so tiresome that you’re left bashing your head against the wall in frustration. In fact, Love, Ghostie‘s vibes are quite the opposite. It’s cozy. It’s chill. And it’s rife with supernatural puns.
What I love:
- Supernatural theme
- Chill gameplay that still gives you something to do
- Likable characters
- Ghostina’s banter
- Replayability
Minor Cricisms:
- In-game currency for upgrades can be challenging to obtain
- Gerard had a meanish dialogue option that has me questioning everything (Just kidding. That one is clearly a joke, I think)
Learn more about Love, Ghostie’s on their Steam page.
