Think dating is hard? This game turns your crush into a Soulslike boss
Flirt. Or die trying.
Kobayakawa-sen game credits. Screenshot from Kobayakawa-sen.
- Indie developer Hokuto released Kobayakawa-san, a dating game that turns tense crush conversations into Soulslike boss fights.
- Players choose combat-style actions like attack, parry, or dodge, but each conversation has only one correct answer.
- The short game relies on trial and error, with wrong choices causing instant death and little traditional skill involved.
- Its unusual mix of dating anxiety and dark fantasy highlights indie developers’ push to reshape familiar game genres.
Key Takeaways by nexos.ai, reviewed by Cybernews staff.
A bizarre new indie dating game turns awkward conversations with your crush into a brutal Soulslike boss fight, complete with attacks, parries, dodges, and instant death.
Have you ever felt that while dating, in certain situations, you're damned if you say one thing, and damned if you say another? That would certainly be the case if you were suspected of cheating.
Now, it’s been taken to a new level with a new indie game called Kobayakawa-san, which completely mangles the traditional dating-sim formula. The game was created by Hokuto, an independent Japanese developer.
By using a dark fantasy anime subgenre, commonly known as Soulslike, this indie game takes those tricky, jealous conversations to a madcap level, and Cybernews took it for a spin.
The game is available in English, and you can dive deep into the paranoia.
The premise is that you were talking to a girl you like when you shouldn’t have been, and you have to try to wriggle your way out of the situation.
The RPG style is awkwardly framed as combat moves, and the 4 options available are Light Attack, Heavy Attack, Parry, and Dodge (translated as “roll”).
There is only one correct answer in each conversation, and for every wrong answer, your character dies. Fortunately, you’re able to go back to the previous scene where you fell to your dreadful fate.
At first, the premise carries some allure, but the personality of the “boss” girlfriend feels a little glitchy, perhaps in keeping with a jealous type of personality.
The walkthrough experience is about 5 minutes, and as you’re asked a handful of questions, most of the gaming is done backtracking, as it’s a case of guessing the right move – no skill is involved.
It is certainly a relief when you make it through the web of paranoia and validation, but at least you get to walk home with the princess boss, who is your keeper after all.
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So, as I muddled through, I thought the game's identity was a bit of a muddle too. The fighting moves are confusing if anything, especially seeing as the boss is supposed to be desirable.
Aside from that though, for dating's sake it’s definitely a whole lot better than talking to a chatbot, and the artwork is nicely done.
Downloadable and mobile versions are also available for anyone who survives their first encounter with the crush.
