There are dating sims for all kinds of romance—dads, monsters, even pigeons. Boyfriend Dungeon represents the next logical (??) step: weapons.
In this dating sim/roguelite dungeon-crawler cross, you play someone (of any gender) who’s moved to a small beachside city for the summer looking for work and maybe love. You meet a whole host of diverse folks potentially interested in romance. But this is a world where some people (you) are “wielders,” and some (most of your romantic prospects) can turn into blades. And someone in town is going on a blade-napping spree.
In between dates with your weapon prospects you delve into the Dunj, a procedurally-generated dungeon filled with your innermost fears. You must face and overcome them by wielding your bladed partners. Through these excursions you become closer, but it’s up to you whether to move forward romantically or stay as friends.
Gender is no barrier here—all manner of queer relationships are celebrated with the sometimes quirky, but well-written characters who have a variety of backgrounds and pronouns. And through the narrative the game also explores some real dangers of navigating the waters of romance.
Boyfriend Dungeon is cute, sexy, fun, and meaningful—a great cross-genre gaming experience.
Lucas J.W. Johnson is the Studio Director and narrative designer at Silverstring Media.
The dating world is scary enough but just imagine if your dates had the ability to transform into swords, sabers and other weapons!
This is the unusual premise behind Boyfriend Dungeon, a unique mix of a dating sim and a dungeon crawler. You first create your character (with options for any gender identity) and you find yourself in beautiful Verona Beach, where your cousin is waiting to hook you up with a slew of beautiful people… all called Blades, with the ability to transform themselves into weapons.
As summer progresses and you go on more and more dates, you’ll find yourself gaining confidence, especially since you need to explore dunjs (the game’s dungeons), where your most intimate fears take physical form.
Luckily for you, you can count on the Blades to help you fight back. And the more you develop your bond with each Blade, the stronger you’ll become and the more likely you’ll be to triumph over your fears.
Boyfriend Dungeon treats mental health issues with a lot of thoughtfulness and warmth. Plus, it makes you feel the excitement of a first date… and of a one-on-one fight with a terrifying monster!
