Kaichu – A Kaiju Dating Sim Review: Looking for love in all the tall places!
Breaking news: a giant pink monster is roaming the Earth, looking to woo other giant monsters in their quest for wanton romance. While this a very sweet bit of news, don’t mistake it for a fluff piece — their dates might end in kisses and cuddles, but in doing so they take down landmark after landmark. Luckily, our correspondents are keeping watch (from a safe distance) to regularly update viewers on their dates’ progression. Will love prevail? Or will it tumble like Tokyo Tower?
Such is the premise of Kaichu – The Kaiju Dating Sim, a unique dating simulator big on destruction but even bigger on love. Developed by Squiddershins and published by Top Hat Studios, Inc., Kaichu – The Kaiju Dating Sim encourages players to “meet 6 other eligible kaiju and visit 24 famous landmarks where Gigachu will answer challenging compatibility questions to decide the fate of your relationship.” Available on all current consoles and PC for a very friendly price of $9.99 USD, Kaichu – The Kaiju Dating Sim just might win your heart over with its wholesome wiles.
Kaichu – The Kaiju Dating Sim has players taking on the role of Gigachu, a gigantic lizard creature capable of unimaginable destruction who wears their hearts on their… knees? Anyway, Gigachu is out wading in the middle of the ocean with six equally-sized romantic partners to choose from, including a plant/insect hybrid named Mossra, an active volcano named Tephra, and more. Once Gigachu has set their sights on their ideal mate, it’s off to one of 24 different landmarks, such as Tokyo Tower, Big Ben, or the Statue of Liberty to destroy while asking each other cute questions like “come here often?” and “have you ever dated a gigantic three headed hydra before?” Ahh, love is in the air!
The dates in Kaichu – The Kaiju Dating Sim are pretty straightforward — after picking a landmark, the date will ask Gigachu questions (interpreted through the newscasters, naturally), and Gigachu will need to choose from one of three responses. A “Great” answer will see the duo unleash chaos, a “Good” answer will have the pair pummeling the landmark, while a “Bad” answer will result in the two getting cold instead of cozy. Get enough great answers and the enormous monsters will seal the date with a cuddle and a kiss — quel romantique!
Kaichu – The Kaiju Dating Sim is extremely unique, perfectly blending the feel of the urgency of a kaiju attack with the silliness of a casual dating simulator. I really loved the way the questions were set up as well, as there are points in the game where you will have to recall previous information, such as where your first date and kiss was, a significant event in the romantic partner’s life, etc. Questions like this demand players pay attention to the characters instead of chugging through the game to race to the perfect ending, so I definitely appreciated this little nuance.
Despite achieving all six perfect endings with each possible partner in Kaichu – The Kaiju Dating Sim, I have some qualms with the title. The first is that the game is extremely, extremely repetative. Each romantic partner may have different personalities, but their romance arc with Gigachu follows the exact same pattern no matter what. After the second playthrough, it almost feels pointless to continue because it’s pretty much the same dialogue (or extremely similar) over and over again. Even the order of the answers to key questions feels the same, which made for some sleep-walking through the final few pairings. I still finished it because it was in front of me and extremely easy to achieve, so while a casual experience is definitely desireable at times, just be prepared for the somewhat blah battles by the third or fourth round.
Kaichu – The Kaiju Dating Sim reinforces what makes the genre delightful. Its ingenuity is perfect for those who love looking through their Steam queue and finding a ridiculous-sounding title to sink a few hours into, and the price pretty much seals the deal. Although this casual, wholesome experience swings very, very far into the “casual” side of things, it is still a good time, especially for those who seek novelty. If you’re ready to look for love in all the tall places, Kaichu – The Kaiju Dating Sim has a gigantic pink protagonist who gives monster hugs and kisses.
Final Verdict: 3.5/5
Available on: PS4, PS5, XBox One, XBox Series X, Switch, PC (Reviewed); Publisher: Top Hat Studios, Inc.; Developer: Squiddershins; Players: 1; Released: September 7, 2022; MSRP: $9.99
Full disclosure: This review is based on a copy of Kaichu – The Kaiju Dating Sim provided by the publisher.
