Dating Sims

          Life is like a game. You have to play to survive. Be smart in choosing the right decisions and you will achieve something great. It is the same in love. You have to make the right choices in what you do and say to get who you want to be with. A game. A gamble. A play.

          These are the things that a dating sim revolves on. The main character of the game will have encounters with different characters in which the player can choose from. They will have to make the right choices in answering questions, doing tasks and achieving a goal to be able to get the ending they want with the character. According to Wikipedia, 

"Dating sims (or dating simulations) are a video game subgenre of simulation games, usually Japanese, with romantic elements. They are also sometimes put under the category of neo-romance. The most common objective of dating sims is to date, usually choosing from among several characters, and to achieve a romantic relationship." 

With this, we can safely say that it is mainly for the purpose of experiencing a love life with a fictional character inside a game.

          Most of the first dating sims were porn like in a way that the character of the player and the chosen character to date can have a sexual intercourse in the end of the game by choosing the right choices. 

"The Dating Sim is a type of game designed to set up goals, usually in the forms of schedules and stats corresponding to social skills, which must be achieved to discover a story focused entirely around the Character Development of the player's chosen girl/guy, get into his/her pants, or both. This leads to Multiple Endings, though some Dating Sims make it possible to see several of these "endings" in a single playthrough." 

According to TVRopes. Though, many were sad that they produced the non-rated versions of these, many were also glad since now it can be played by others who couldn't before.

          Right about now, we can see that this kind of games are all about relationships. How it can be achieved and how it can go. But even though these games can be based on real life, is it really helpful in the actual world? Can you really just say and answer that way to the person you really like? How is this kind of game helpful? Furthermore, how can it affect a relationship you have?

Pictures: Second Reproduction, Otome Game screenshots