[h1]"Let's get together!" XD[/h1]
[h2]Introduction[/h2]
[i]Double Date - Yuri visual novel[/i] is - as you can guess from the title - a yuri, kinetic visual novel developed and published by Quill Yuri. You take on various character roles, mainly Alice and Sophie, who end up adopting shiba inus, and Dani and Apple, the shiba inus who are adopted. At the beginning of the story, Alice is at the shelter, looking to adopt a dog. Once she meets Dani, it's almost love at first sight. However, as Alice is taking care of the paperwork to officially adopt Dani, she ends up bumping into Sophie, who is there to adopt Apple. Although it's a brief meeting, Alice and Sophie feel the chemistry ignite between them. However, there's a bit of an issue in that they ended up adopting the wrong shiba inus. Still, perhaps they can overcome this mixup and even find each other again, with a little help from their shiba inus. ^^
As for the gameplay, the story is linear, so there are no choices whatsoever. You play through the game from beginning to end. A few CGs are present as well as a varied soundtrack although no voice acting. Steam achievements are available, too, but they won't count towards a user's global total until the game is out of "Steam is learning about this game".
[h2]Review[/h2]
I enjoy a light-hearted, sweet, yuri visual novel lots, and it has been a while since I last read such a story. After I first read [i]Double Date[/i]'s Steam store page, I immediately put it on my wishlist, especially since I've enjoyed other VNs by Quill Yuri, such as [i]Death Becomes You[/i] and [i]Lachesis or Atropos[/i]. (Please feel free to follow my curator if you'd like to read reviews of either or both of them. ^^) Thanks to Quill Yuri, I got an early review copy of the game, so that I can share my thoughts.
Starting off, the story is very cute and sweet. I like how we're introduced to Alice and Sophie. Alice is talkative and a bit scatterbrained, while Sophie is quieter and more work-focused. (Personally, I relate closer to Sophie. XD) Even though they are different, they're both very kind, and they must be since they both end up adopting dogs. I love how they continually bump into each other, and that's due to Apple's and Dani's shenanigans. The shiba inus eventually get wind that Alice and Sophie like each other, and they want to help their owners get together. OMG, I couldn't help squealing and cheering for everyone involved. As for Apple and Dani, they have different personalities as well. Apple is more like Alice, while Dani is more like Sophie. Even though they end up with the wrong owners, they learn to adapt to their situations and come to love them.
A fun piece of trivia, but after I finished reading the main story, I read the developer's notes, and the characters are based on those from [i]Death Becomes You[/i], albeit in a modern setting. I couldn't believe that I didn't make this connection before, but to be fair, it has been quite a long time since I last read [i]Death Becomes You[/i], which I highly recommend checking out. XD However, you don't need to have read it before delving into [i]Double Date[/i], so this game is a standalone story.
In regards to the writing, the pacing is good. The overall story is on the slower side, but it's more of a slice-of-life, so it's important to take that into account. I noticed only a couple of very minor grammatical errors, mainly that a word was missing, so they definitely don't detract the reader from enjoying the story. All achievements unlocked for me without any problems.
With the art, it has this beautiful anime style. Alice and Sophie are drawn and colored well, and I can see that they're the modern counterparts to the same characters from [i]Death Becomes You[/i]. Also, I totally adore Apple's and Dani's sprites. They look so cute, and even though they look almost the same, you can tell them apart based on facial expressions and the slightly different fur markings. Of course, the CGs are done really well, too.
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3542492475
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3542492607
Regarding the music, the tracks are fun to listen to. They're on the light-hearted side, which makes sense since the overall story is sweet and cute. It's more of a feel good story, so the tracks reflect that mood well. They're placed well in the scenes that they're in.
[h2]Conclusion[/h2]
Would I recommend [i]Double Date - Yuri visual novel[/i]? If you're a fan of yuri visual novels, you want one that has a cute, sweet story, you're a dog lover, and/or you like getting those Steam achievements, then this is totally worth checking out. The story will make you smile, and it has dogs. Also, it can be finished in one sitting, so if you're looking for a short story, then this one will be a good fit.
Finally, I'd like to thank Quill Yuri for the review copy. I had nothing but feel good vibes after reading this story, and I'd love to see more of these characters in modern settings. ^^
[quote]For more detailed, fully complete, high quality reviews like this, please follow [url=https://store.steampowered.com/curator/44702020/]The Introverted Gamer[/url], prioritizing heart and soul always. ^^[/quote]
