Ten Dates
Review
Finding Mr or Mrs Right
by William Thompson
reviewed on PC
Ready to mingle
As a happily married man (well, at least that's what my wife tells me) I have been out of the dating scene for a long time. Indeed, apps such as Tinder weren't even around when I was last looking to hook up. All interaction with a prospective mate was done in face-to-face setting. The sequel to 2020's Five Dates - which focused on digital dating, Ten Dates has players taking on speed dating at a pub in London, putting players in the more traditional dating scene. But are you a player, or a real ‘player’?
Like its predecessor, Ten Dates is more of a Full Motion Video dating sim rather than a 'game.' The game starts out with a friendly phone call between friends Misha and Ryan, with Misha advising Ryan that she has signed herself up for an evening of speed dating and hopes that Ryan can also come to lend her some support. But little does Ryan know that Misha has signed him up too. Players then decide whether they want to take on the role of Ryan or Misha and then - after learning a bit about them or indeed deciding certain aspects of their character – they head off for the evening’s activities.
'No substitute for meeting someone face to face'
The diverse set of characters all have different thoughts about who they're looking for. Although if you are someone who would like to indulge with players of the same sex, then Ten Dates may disappoint. There is a chance after the dates have ended to have a brief chat with Hazel (for Misha) or Derek (for Ryan) and possibly head out on a date, but the main focus is on the opposite sex. Each of the four dates that both Ryan and Misha have, offer quite a variety of interactions. Some of the characters are clearly looking for something long-term, whilst others are more focused on having a good time for just the evening.
The speed dating is rather quickfire, with players having limited time to respond to the questions posed. Similar to Quick Time Events from games such as The Quarry players will choose from two or three options before the timer runs down. Dialogue is a major aspect of the game, as you would expect, and for the most part, the characters seem genuine in their questions and their responses. Indeed, players will quickly be able to ascertain how the date is faring simply by the chemistry or awkwardness of the conversations. The dialogue seems natural and the feedback from the dates is somewhat immediate. And although they remain mostly polite throughout, they can certainly give off vibes whether they’re interested in going further.
Your response to each question and those you ask yourself will result in whether you’ll get the opportunity to go on a second date – one that will allow Ryan or Misha to find out more about their partner. The second date will be less time constraining, and will often involve some more game-like scenarios, with characters being asked questions such as “Tell two truths and a lie.’ It is games such as this that will enable Ryan and Misha to learn even more about their prospective partner. But of course, this goes both ways, with your responses giving your information about yourself.
Charming characters
Like the earlier Five Dates, Ten Dates features full motion video. The actors do a wonderful job of playing their characters, capturing the subtleties of the dating scenes as if they were actually experiencing it themselves within the London pub. There is the occasional flirting if you start to hit it off, but Ten Dates keeps everything to a MA (16+) rating. There is no doubt that players will likely find at least one character that they can relate to amongst the cast of charming dates.
After completing a playthrough, if you're not satisfied with your partner for Misha or Ryan, there is always the opportunity to restart. Indeed, Ten Dates even has a feature that shows what each of your dates thinks of you in a series of categories. This can then allow you to tailor responses for Misha and Ryan on future playthroughs to help secure the love of your life - if only this was possible in real life.
Relatable
This replayability, along with the fact that most of the characters are genuinely likeable, allows Ten Dates to be a fun dating simulator. The actors do a wonderful job of conveying their feelings towards your responses and questions and although there is the relationship breakdown feature, you can often tell purely from the actor's expressions what they think of you. The choices you make certainly matter, and if it all starts to go south with the potential love of your life, you can always start fresh and attempt to woo them again. I would even argue that playing through Ten Dates could give players some potential pointers for real life dating – especially if, like me, you've been out of practice for some time.
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7.0
fun score
Pros
Dialogue choices matter, wonderful acting
Cons
Limited settings
