A relationship to die for.
Having played countless Ren’Py games over the past few years, I knew exactly what I would be getting into with Find Love or Die Trying, a short but sweet visual novel about a reality show about finding love. Should love not find its way to you; however, you die. Simple, right? Sort of…
As you wake aboard a plane, unsure of how you even got there, Kat, the producer for said reality show, details the arrangement you have apparently agreed to. “People would die to be in your shoes!” She says, fully aware of the irony. The deal is you have five girls to potentially date, one of which has to agree to marry you before the end of the season. If you fail to make this happen, or if the ratings tank, you'll be killed. While this is a major component of the dating show, the potential wives featured here are completely unaware of this, and telling them will result in everyone dead.
Despite the morbid take on the reality show aesthetic, which to be fair is flimsy at best here, Find Love or Die Trying is often cute, funny, and pretty breezy all things considered. From zombie outbreaks to being turned into a pigeon, hijinks and laughable moments fill up the roughly four hour playtime. And with how Ren’Py games work, you can backtrack any and all choices, and save where you want, making it pretty easy to get what you want out of it, especially as you can take this on the go.
While the story is largely around getting to know these five ladies, you initially only get to date two of them. At first, I was unsure if this meant I would have to play through it again twice to flesh out each of the five ladies and enjoy all the content presented here. Thankfully, there is a moment, which I won't spoil, that allows you to date the final three. Granted, had I known how this occurred, I would have made my initial two choices very differently, but that is all I'll say.
You'll take each girl on three dates. These are generally designed around the personality of each girl. Terra, for example, wants to be a game designer, so leaning into that will result in her desire to prove herself and be thankful for your support. Yui, a girl who claims she has a past with you, as you have amnesia, is the blandest of the bunch as she feels like the safe often as you merely spend time with her and talk about your lives, that and her obsession with bunnies.
You have Allie, an athletic daredevil who takes you rollerblading, Scarlet, a charming scientist who has a penchant for chaos, and Violet, a rich girl with ties to a mysterious corporation. In a lot of ways, the cast borrows some of the traits of the Spice Girls as you have the sweet and innocent one, the sporty one, the posh one, and Scarlet’s chaotic nature could be a good fit for Scary Spice.
The story is presented well enough with just enough mystery to keep you entertained. There are dream sequences that detail a possible escape from the show that are just vague enough to keep you guessing on just what is going on. With a crazy and foul-mouthed showrunner, a bunch of numbered stage-hands, as well as the show's producer, Kat, the small cast is used well enough, especially once you dive deeper into exactly how the show operates and your role in it.
Visually, the art assets are solid. Each girl has a unique silhouette, color, and vibe to them, making them stand out even amongst the group. Each date has its own set of artwork that is as good as you find across many of these games. The Ren’Py engine is as untouched as it ever is, so you'll certainly expect certain foundational elements present, including the often pulled royalty free sound libraries tapped for the game's soundtrack, which is unremarkable at best.
Find Love or Die Trying certainly doesn't reinvent the visual novel wheel or add much to the genre, but it is enjoyable enough to entertain you for a brief few hours. It has a cast of fun characters, a twisted take on the dating game, and a decent story to wrap it all up in. If you enjoy the genre and want to know how it ends, certainly check it out.
Developer - Sunseeker Games, Ratalaika Games S.L., Auden Cho-Wong.
Publisher - Sunseeker Games, Ratalaika Games S.L., Auden Cho-Wong. Released - September 16th, 2021 (Original release), November 22nd, 2024 (Console). Available On - Nintendo Switch, PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One. Rated - (T) - Fantasy Violence, Suggestive Themes, Language. Platform Reviewed - Nintendo Switch. Review Access - A review code was provided by the publisher for the purpose of this review.
Jeff is the original founder of Analog Stick Gaming. His favorite games include The Witcher III, the Mass Effect Trilogy, Hi-Fi Rush, Stellar Blade, Hellbade: Senua’s Sacrifice, and the Legend of Heroes series, especially Trails of Cold Steel III & IV.