Let’s talk about Lover Pretend, the final game I beat in 2022.
Lover Pretend is an otome visual novel about a screenwriting student named Chiyuki who is searching for the identity of her father and has narrowed it down to a handful of possibilities. When she gets an opportunity to work as an assistant screenwriter alongside people related to the men on her list, she sees it as a great opportunity for both her career and her quest.
During the common route, I had my eyebrows raised about a story premise where most of the love interests have the potential to be the protagonist’s half-brother. Fortunately (or perhaps unfortunately), that aspect is quickly dismissed and forgotten in most of the routes. Despite it being set up as the protagonist’s main goal, most routes don’t deal with it at all.
Instead, each route has a different focus and conflict depending on the love interest. The only thing they have in common relates to the game’s title, “Lover Pretend,” as Chiyuki ends up pretending to be in a relationship with them.
The reason for the fake relationship is different in each route (and despite what the store page says, it’s not because she’s cast as the love interest in the movie, so I don’t know why it says that), and some of them are a bit of a stretch. But whatever, the premise of the game is about getting into a fake relationship, so let’s just roll with it for the sake of comedy and romance.
This fake romance leads you to learn more about the love interest and his personal conflict, with choices along the way determining what sort of ending you get.
One unique feature is the “Pretend Time” mechanic, where you need to answer several questions in a row to lie your way out of a predicament. It’s entertaining, although it really isn’t as focused on lying as the name suggests. While it often is, it’s also used for any situation where you need to make a series of choices – like trying to guess a character’s motivations.
So, now that I’ve explained what Lover Pretend is, how did I feel about it overall? It’s… fine.
It’s a romantic comedy, and there are times when it’s pretty funny, but not as funny as something like Cupid Parasite, for example. The love interests are also just fine. I liked three of them, loved another until his best ending ruined both the character and the romance (seriously), and would have liked the fifth if it was a full-length route like the others.
Lover Pretend isn’t the game to play if you’re looking for a deep plot or exceptional humor, but it’s an enjoyable enough time with mostly enjoyable characters. If the premise interests you, it’s worth taking a look, but if you’re on the fence, there are many others I’d recommend before it.
