Falling head over heels for a skateboarding dinosaur, making friends with a fairy and discovering a long-lost friend who resembles a yeti is quite possibly the most random idea for a storyline, but here we are. Raptor Boyfriend: A High School Romance developed and published by Rocket Adrift is mostly a visual novel with some decision-making and dating simulation along the way. It is quite possibly one of the most random adventures I have been on with a video game but I couldn’t help but be sucked in by the crazy goings on along the way.

Introduction

I find visual novels probably the hardest to write about as they aren’t exactly the most taxing when it comes to the gameplay element, mostly because there is little to none. I do feel there is a place for the genre though and I have genuinely enjoyed some of the stories these put across since I don’t really divulge in reading or listening to audiobooks, this is the next best thing I suppose. Despite its wacky appearance and storytelling, it actually comes across as a solid and serious turn of events and impressively the whole production is the work of just a team of three people.

Setting The Scene

I don’t want to divulge too much information regarding the story here since it really is the meat and potato of the whole experience, but just a general overview may be beneficial. You start the journey off by taking on the role of Stella who is basically the star of the show here. After moving to a new location and in a difficult scenario being in her last year of high school, she is determined to fit in with the crowd. Pursue romance, revive old friendships and make your own choices when it comes to your circle and love life. With a great balance of dialogue that will make you chuckle along with potential drama down the line, I guarantee that it will get its claws into you.

Graphics & Audio

What I actually adore about Raptor Boyfriend: A High School Romance is the art style and how well-illustrated everything is. The clever and humourous narrative stitches together well with the on-screen hand-drawn slides. I enjoyed the fact that there was moving animation here as well to keep the player engaged. I have played far too many visual novels where the screens are completely static. Dialogue is clear, concise and interesting and genuinely interesting to read and I felt as if the conversation was actually taking place in front of me rather than reading lines of text. Whoever wrote the script has done an exceptional job of creating emotional attachments to the weird and wonderful cast.

There isn’t a lot of sound to speak of and whilst it is sad that there is no voiced part of the game, I think voice acting could possibly have spoilt it. There is a calming soundtrack that blends into the background along with sound effects for the text as it appears on the screen. I personally enjoyed the music as it properly chilled me out, especially after some intense high adrenaline multiplayer gaming.

In Conclusion

Raptor Boyfriend: A High School Romance honestly surprised me as romance isn’t really my jam if I am honest, my partner will confirm that most probably. But between the three people who worked on this, they honestly have done an exceptional job across the board in a genre that won’t be loved by everyone. Characters are genuinely interesting and you want to learn more about them, hand- drawn and decorated environments and backdrops are beautifully warm and lovely to look at and the writing is witty, funny and compelling. If you take your time with this one you’re looking at around 5 to 6 hours of run time with the ability to replay with different decisions if you wish. It is for sure a charming experience that I am glad I played.

overall
  • 75%
    CX Score - 75%
75%

Summary

Pros

  • Extremely well-written orchestrated storyline
  • Beautifully illustrated characters and backdrops
  • Decision-making elements and animations bring the environments alive

 

Cons

  • Little reason to play it again after one run through
  • Whilst I love the music personally, some may find it repetitive
  • If you’re after gameplay, this may not be for you
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