As a newbie to the genre of romantic comedies and dating sims, I was pleasantly surprised to find myself diving into the world of Roommates, Romance, and Ringing Hearts. The prospect of stepping into the shoes of a rom-com protagonist and interacting with a cast of charming heroines, each with their own unique personalities and romantic storylines, was truly a fascinating experience.
Naturally, as this was my first experience with a romance sim, I assumed I would be able to win everyone over if I just showed the same level of romantic interest towards each of them equally.
Unexpectedly, when I made my choice towards the end of the game, confessing my love to Mirei, the mature and elegant woman who frequently flirts with the protagonist, it was to my absolute shock that I was left rejected, as her level of romantic interest wasn’t high enough to achieve the “good ending”, leaving me on an end screen that hit as hard as a “YOU DIED” screen in a Souls game.
On my second playthrough however, I decided to stand on business and set my sights on having just one romantic interest. Although it pained my heart to deprive the remaining heroines of their own romantic tales and leave them disappointed, I realized that once I had made my choice, the level of interest other women showed in me no longer mattered and what truly mattered was the pursuit of winning the love of just one person.
Needless to say, it all worked out well in the end as I got my happy ending with Nao, the endearing childhood friend, as the credits rolled and the screen cut to black. A wonderful happily ever after.
The Best Things Come In Pairs: Romance & Comedy
I think the comedy in this game was executed tastefully, with plenty of moments that caught me completely off guard. As an example, from the very beginning, Nagi, whose main goal is to become an idol, had set up the expectations of a character befitting that of a typical J-Pop path to fame type storyline.
Imagine my surprise when she suddenly broke into a dance that seemed like a hybrid between Gangnam Style and the Harlem Shake. What made the scene even funnier was how she never stopped dancing while leaving us with the choice of either complimenting her performance (in a rather crude way, might I add) or shifting the limelight back to our other love interest.
It was refreshing seeing how naturally the humour in this game was incorporated into the experience. Most of the game doesn’t force you into making rash decisions or being in your face with jokes, making the occasional absurdity all the more memorable.
One of the more memorable instances presented was to diffuse a tense situation with one of the heroines’ ex-boyfriends who was being disruptive, with options to do so either passively, or aggressively with a “punch” that was basically a light lovetap. Anyone who is super into K-dramas would assume that this was the protagonist’s knight in shining armour moment and our chance to save the day. Instead, my heroic intervention landed the protagonist in prison, followed by an abrupt game over.
Moments like these made the game’s comedy such a delight, complementing the romantic plot points with just the right amount of absurdity and in a sense, realism. Whether I was witnessing Nagi’s questionable dance moves or speedrunning a prison sentence in the name of love, the game had me thoroughly entertained. It was a wonderful blend of romance and comedy, perfectly balanced, as all things should be.
Overall Review
To wrap things up, the game is packed full of sweet, memorable and comedic moments with a wide cast of super impressionable characters who each possess their own quirks and charms. Whether you’re a fan of the typical tsundere archetype or prefer an elegant and mature woman, the game is here to accommodate each player’s interests all while giving them a chance to kick back and have a good laugh.
However, the only thing I wish we could’ve had more of in the base game is an epilogue with your successful romantic interest as not having that crucial bonus ending scene to end off the game made the journey feel slightly less rewarding. Thankfully, there seems to be an additional DLC that expands on the storylines of each of the game’s heroines giving players the chance to dive back in and fall in love all over again. Until next time!
